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Issue 140, June 2017
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WHERE’S THE UGLY P5 DUCKLING? Boaters and walkers on the Audlem flight of locks on the Shropshire Union Canal – the waterways should be a place for all to enjoy.
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Voluntary code aims to encourage mutual respect among waterway users
THE Residential Boat Owners’ Association (RBOA) has developed a voluntary Code of Good Practice aimed at making the waterways a place for all to enjoy. It is calling on its members and other interested waterway users, whether on water or on land, to consider others and take responsibility for their actions.
Winter stoppages
A spokesman said: “We often read or hear about a lack of mutual understanding, both between boaters themselves and between them and other users of our waterways, sometimes leading to one group blaming another for some of the unrest on the waterways. “There is also a perceived lack of
BOATERS have until Friday, June 16 to comment on the Canal & River Trust’s draft winter stoppage plans. Throughout 2017-18 it intends to spend £26.9 million on dredging and repairs to bridges and embankments. There will also be work at 11 reservoir sites and other works, costing £17.4 million, will include replacing 180 lock gates, up from 166 last year. After a review boaters will then have a further chance to comment before finalised plans are published at the end of the summer. The draft winter maintenance programme can be found at www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices/winter
Boat count
respect for our environment, both the natural environment of our canals and rivers, and also the built environment, which encompasses a great deal of the heritage of our waterways.” In an effort to encourage its members and other users to act responsibly by setting a good example to others,
THE Canal & River Trust’s annual national boat count showed an increase of 339 boats – more than 9% – on the London waterways with numbers in the central East, South West and South East regions also rising. Boat numbers in the North, North Wales and Midlands saw a slight drop. Licence evasion fell by 0.7% overall in the past year to 3.7%, with 96.3% of boats holding up-to-date licences. Completed in March, the survey provides a snapshot of licence evasion, the trust having removed 101 boats which were unlicensed or in breach of terms and conditions.
RBOA has drawn up this brief Code of Good Practice, which, as well as going some way to addressing the above points, encourages those with many years’ experience on the waterways to share their knowledge and skills with newcomers. • Continued on page 2
Skipton success
BIGGER crowds were attracted to the 16th annual Skipton Waterways Festival, writes Geoff Wood. Attendances were boosted by those who had watched the Tour de Yorkshire cycle race in the town. Festival organiser Zoe Clarke said: “We had more people this year and we were lucky with the weather. As soon as the Tour de Yorkshire riders went through Skipton, crowds of people came down to the waterways festival.” One of the highlights was an illuminated parade of boats on Sunday night. The festival was organised by the family-run boat hire company Pennine Cruisers.
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DRIVING into work this morning I heard a comment on the radio that we need two months’ rain to bring the water tables back to their normal levels after the drierthan-average winter. According to the Met Office, the six-month period between October and March was the driest since the mid-1990s and water companies are starting to warn of the possibility of hosepipe bans and water restrictions. Thankfully for boaters the overall outlook for water resources across the Canal & River Trust’s network is positive according to its latest Reservoir Watch report and we could all do with a bit of sunshine – although I know the gardeners among us will appreciate a few showers thrown in for good measure. This is a great time of year for getting out and about whether on water or on land and I enjoyed visiting Alvechurch Marina for the presentation of our Volunteer of the Year award for 2016, see the report and pictures on Page 4. It was great to meet our finalists and their supporters who all exemplified what volunteering is all about, the enthusiasm they all share for what they do and the pride in the team or organisation they are giving their time to. Congratulations to all of them and many thanks to our sponsor ABC Leisure and fellow judges Harry Arnold, Haley Hadley and Caroline Killeavy. To make it even easier to read Towpath Talk while you’re out and about, check out our new Towpath Talk app – available in the following formats: Apple iOS (iPad and iPhone): http://mrtns.uk/ towpathapple; Android (phones and tablets): http://mrtns.uk/towpathandroid and Amazon (Kindle fire): http://mrtns. uk/towpathkindle And don’t forget you can catch up with the latest news online at www. towpathtalk.co.uk We are delighted to meet new baby Matilda, born in April on her parents’ narrowboat, see this page and, coincidentally, Tim Coghlan’s Braunston preview on page 80 features Alice Lapworth, born on board more than 70 years ago and still an active boater. Happy cruising, whatever your age
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Editor Janet Richardson jrichardson@mortons.co.uk Publisher Tim Hartley Advertising sales team leader Matthew Hansom – mhansom@mortons.co.uk Advertising sales representatives Stuart Yule – syule@mortons.co.uk Christopher Heaton – cheaton@mortons.co.uk Editorial design Tracey Barton Divisional advertising manager Sue Keily Direct sales executive John Sharratt Production editor Pauline Hawkins Publishing director Dan Savage Commercial director Nigel Hole Contact us Customer services 01507 529529 Telephone lines are open: Monday-Friday 8.30am-7pm. Saturday 8.30am-12.30pm help@classicmagazines.co.uk www.classicmagazines.co.uk News & editorial Tel: 01507 529466. Fax: 01507 529495 editorial@towpathtalk.co.uk Advertising Tel: 01507 524004. Fax: 01507 529499 Published by Mortons Media Group Ltd, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs, LN9 6JR Tel: 01507 523456. Fax: 01507 529301 Printed by Mortons Print Ltd. Tel. 01507 523456 Next Issue – June 22, 2017
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New baby delivered on narrowboat WELCOME to the youngest boater on the network – Matilda Penny Owen, who’s a real water baby! She takes her middle name from her parents’ boat Penny, named after the nickname of her late grandfather. Matilda’s dad, electrician Phil Owen, 33, and his partner Bethan Williams, a 27-year-old home care worker, have lived aboard for four years and are very happy with their life afloat. Phil told us: “Bethan planned the home birth, as she felt it was the best method for her, in a relaxed place that she’s at peace in. Many people were alarmed when they heard the plan, but Bethan, with the assistance of two amazing NHS community midwives Shelly Richardson and Clare Hinds, had a textbook birth.” The first baby to be born at Priory Marina in Bedford, Matilda arrived on her due date in April weighing 7lb 1oz. Bethan was in labour for three-and-a-half hours with no pain relief. Phil added: “We thank all the staff and residents for their support, cards and gifts. After three years rebuilding narrowboat Penny we travelled the network for five months last summer and plan to carry on summer cruising at least until Matilda starts school. “We are excited to bring Matilda up afloat and hope that she will be as happy with the lifestyle as we are.”
Proud parents Bethan and Phil with baby Matilda. PHOTOS SUPPLIED
Could you help school find a ‘book barge’? A SCHOOL in the canalside village of Weedon Bec near Daventry is seeking a narrowboat to convert into a school library. A grant has already been offered by the local One Stop store following a CrowdFunding appeal for a ‘book barge’.
Headteacher of Weedon Bec Primary School, Antony Witheyman, has placed a wanted ad in our pages for a suitable boat which does not need to be ‘canalworthy’ as it will be sited on dry land in the school grounds. He told Towpath Talk they had been offered an
The first wedding at the ‘Cathedral of the Canals’ GILLIAN and Alan Sharpe’s wedding day on Saturday, May 6, was the start of a new chapter for the couple as well as the wedding venue. Theirs was the first wedding to be held at the Anderton Boat Lift, known as the ‘Cathedral of the Canals’. The bride and bridegroom, from Tameside, Manchester, made full use of the river setting and Victorian boat lift by holding their civil wedding ceremony in the Lift View Marquee and booking a boat to take all their guests along the river and through the lift on a bespoke trip. Gillian, 37, who works for the Canal & River Trust as a development and engagement manager at Manchester Pennine & Potteries Waterways, said: “It is a fantastic place to get married and we are delighted and honoured to be the first couple to be married here. I wanted my day to be informal, quirky and somewhere with a ‘wow’ factor. “I have always been in awe of the Anderton Boat Lift ever since my uncle used to work there as a boat lift operator. When I heard the lift had got a licence for weddings, I knew it was the place for me.”
ex-restaurant boat at cost price but this exceeded their budget; they are hoping to spend no more than £8000 on the initial purchase: “We have been offered help to convert a boat,” he added. If anyone can help or knows of a suitable narrowboat, please contact Mr Witheyman on 01327 340547.
Share your canal memories with Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust
DUDLEY Canal and Tunnel Trust is launching Canal Memories, a project to capture the memories of people who lived and worked on the canals in the Black Country. Ateamofvolunteersareeagertocapture these unique stories and experiences and are aware that this rich history needs to be preserved for future generations. “We would like to encourage people to share their memories of the canals with our friendly volunteers to contribute to a living history of the canal network in
the Black Country”, said Holly Wain, heritage activities assistant. “Perhaps you worked on the canals, or you called the canals your home. Maybe you have family history linked to canals, or the industry here in the area. We would love to hear from you!” If you would like to share your canal memories or you want some more information, please contact Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust for an informal chat. Call on 0121 557 6265, or email: holly@dctt.org.uk
• Continued from page 1 Newlyweds Gillian and Alan Sharpe in front of the Anderton Boat Lift. PHOTOS SUPPLIED She added that Alan, 43, a freight railway operative, loves the incredible structural engineering and the fact it was the world’s first successful boat lift. Wedding guests witnessed the happy couple tying the knot before boarding the 56-seater boat and floating along the River Weaver and down the lift.
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Guests shower the happy couple with confetti.
Voluntary code aims to encourage mutual respect among waterway users “It should not be forgotten that however many years we have spent around our waterways, there was a time when we knew nothing about them and welcomed a bit of friendly advice to help make life on or around the water easier.” Organisations supporting the initiative include the Avon Navigation Trust, Canal & River Trust, Environment Agency, Association of Lea Cruising
Clubs, Inland Waterways Association and Waterways Chaplaincy. Readers can find a copy of the code and register their support for it by going to www.rboa.org.uk and clicking on the ‘Code of Good Practice, Register Your Support’ button at the bottom right hand corner of the home page and complete a brief form.
Voluntary Code of Good Practice 1) 2) 3) 4)
Respecting the rules and guidelines of the relevant navigation authority. Keeping boats in a condition which complements the local environment. Mooring considerately and in line with any local signage. Respecting land-based users by not causing an obstruction or detracting from their enjoyment of the waterways. 5) Keeping boats in a safe condition, so they do not present a hazard to users of our waterways. 6) Respecting neighbours, whether on land or water. 7) While boating, being considerate to other boats, whether on the move or moored. 8) Respecting the built and natural environments and the heritage of the waterways. 9) Being willing to share knowledge/skills with others. 10) Working with the Residential Boat Owners’ Association to support responsible use of the waterways. www.rboa.org.uk
NEWS 3
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Lock closure notice backdated over 10 years THE appearance of a retrospective emergency closure notice for the Welches Dam Lock has prompted new Peterborough IWA chairman Chris Howes to accuse the Environment Agency of ‘attempting to rewrite history’. Nearly 11 years ago EA piled across sufficient of the entrance to the lock between Chatteris and Manea in Cambridgeshire to prevent access through the lock by boats. EA recently explained in a Parliamentary briefing that this was because the top gates were leaking. Chris had been challenging the loss of statutory navigation in correspondence with the Minister and asking why EA had never published the necessary notice. An emergency closure notice has now appeared on EA’s team-up waterways calendar and appears to have been retrospectively issued. The same entry has also now been
placed on the calendar dating back to July 2006 and is scheduled to ‘repeat daily’. Although dated July 1, 2006, the notice has a footnote that it was 'created on May 2, 2017’ and is signed by Eastern Region waterways manager Irven Forbes. Chris said: “This appears to us as a clear attempt to rewrite history and retrospectively justify the unjustifiable! The reason – seriously leaking gates – given by Mr Forbes in his Parliamentary briefing, is no more valid today than it was 11 years ago. The piling doesn’t extend across the entire opening so the gates are still holding back a considerable head of water.” But according to an Environment Agency spokesman the reissuing of this closure notice is simply a result of EA adding its notices to a new calendar system, designed to offer customers an improved service. He added: “We are not legally obliged
Auto-renewal of boat licences FOLLOWING feedback from boaters the Canal & River Trust is reinstating an option for boat licences to be renewed automatically after the charity carried out a drive to make sure its customer information was correct. Licences which are due to start on June 1, 2017, will fall into this process if applicable. Boaters will need to make sure their licence details are up to date and can make any amendments at the trust’s licensing website here. The trust will continue to send a notice of renewal each year so boaters can check their licence details are
correct. The renewal will also advise if any details are no longer valid and give boaters the option to opt out if a licence is no longer required. It will also send boaters a message if the licence was unable to be auto-renewed. Amanda Crosland, business support and licensing manager at the Canal & River Trust, said: “The option to auto-renew will mean there’s one less task for boaters to worry about. They won’t need to fill out the same form every year. We’re always looking for ways to make things easier for boaters and would love to hear any further suggestions.”
More boats lining up for Liverpool and Bristol THE Northern and Western Boat Shows have announced more of the boats that will be joining the line-up at Liverpool on June 23-25 and Bristol on July 21-23 at the heart of the Mersey River and Bristol Harbour Festivals. Brands exhibiting at either Liverpool or Bristol include Aintree Boats, Avon, Axis, Bavaria, Beneteau, Collingwood Boat Builders, David Moss Boatbuilders, Dad’s Boats, Demon Yachts, Dutton Amphibious Cars, Excel Boats, Explorer Boats, Gemini Marine, Highfield, Jeanneau, Narrow Boats, Ocqueteau, Parker, Viking, Viking Canal Boats, Warrior and Zodiac. Event director Richard Milbourn
said: “Not only is there so much to see at the shows but the festivals are great fun for all the family. “Liverpool is proud to welcome Armed Forces Day, with plans for some of the most spectacular and iconic displays from the Armed Forces being welcomed to the city on Saturday, June 24.” Visitors will be able to buy tickets to give them exclusive access to the boats on display on the pontoons with the festival and land exhibition free for all to visit. Early Bird pontoon tickets for access to the boats are just £5 per day (plus booking fee) or £8 if bought on the day. To book tickets, visit www.northernboatshow.co.uk or www.westernboatshow.co.uk
IN BRIEF
Anderton adventure area
Piling across the entrance to Welches Dam Lock. PHOTO: CHRIS HOWES to maintain Welches Dam lock or the short Horseway Arm. The £9 million it would cost to make them safely navigable is not an efficient use of funds. Boaters can easily bypass this section and continue with their journey.” As reported last month, Chris and
fellow boaters John Revell and Jeff Walters reached Welches Dam Lock via the Old Bedford River in April. An EA focus group meeting was due to take place on May 23 at Denver to discuss issues surrounding the Old Bedford Navigation and its management.
Changes to free moorings at Abingdon By Elizabeth Rogers
THE Vale of White Horse District Council has produced proposals to tighten the length of stay on moorings on Thames-side meadows in Abingdon. This move follows the completion of registration procedures with the Land Registry in respect of the ownership of the land. Currently boaters can moor at Abbey Meadow, Hales Meadow, Rye Farm Meadow and Wilsham Road for up to five nights, free of charge. It is proposed to restrict this to three
nights from later this year and to introduce permits for the Wilsham Road mooring on a long-term basis. The council has also produced a list of rules relating to the mooring areas outlawing the use of barbecues, fires, camping and carrying out major maintenance work on boats. According to the council, the objective of the new policy is to allow boaters to moor free of charge for a reasonable amount of time and to discourage overstaying. It will carry out its own enforcement of the new regulations with the likelihood of fines for infringements.
Operator sought for Gloucester trip boat THE Canal & River Trust’s National Waterways Museum Gloucester is searching for an operator to run a trip boat service that will show people the secrets of the city’s historic docks from the water. Moorings are based by the museum and will give visitors an opportunity to take to the water to find out more, with a year-round service offering trips for tourists, private hire, community groups, schools and others. CRT head of museums Graham
Boxer said: “Gloucester Docks is having a renaissance, with bars, cafes, shops and restaurants springing up alongside the old wharves and warehouses, not to mention the museum. “This is a great time to come on board: people love getting out on the water and taking a boat trip gives them the perfect opportunity.” The trust is seeking expressions of interest by June 30, 2017. Interested parties may then be required to enter in to a formal tender process.
● More information, including a copy of the marketing particulars, can be found on the business and trade pages at www. canalrivertrust.org.uk Any queries should be directed to richard.beardsley@ canalrivertrust.org.uk
ELEMENTS of the Anderton Boat Lift design will be incorporated into a £50,000 adventure area which will be the starting point for a new Anderton Nature Park walk. It will open in June at the waterway landmark which celebrated a 10% rise in visitor footfall last year. Created by Flights of Fantasy Creative Play Ltd of Sandringham, Norfolk, the new play area includes elements of the lift, a bridge, control house and mooring area and uses blue surfacing to suggest water. It will be fully accessible and Disability Discrimination Act compliant for disabled people as well as being accessible for buggies.
Liverpool water taxi
THE Canal & River Trust is searching for an operator to run a trip boat and water taxi business in Liverpool’s historic South Docks. A high-profile mooring will be based in Salthouse Dock and numerous boating options include tourist trips, private hire and events for community groups and businesses. Expressions of interest should be registered by July 21. Interested parties may then be required to enter in to a formal tender process. More information can be found in the business and trade section at www.canalrivertrust.org.uk or email richard.beardsley@canalrivertrust.org.uk
City centre living
A GROWING number of people at New Islington Marina in Manchester city centre have turned their backs on bricks and mortar and are living on narrowboats, writes Geoff Wood. Previous concerns about vandalism in the area appear to have cleared up and people who call the marina home include young families, professionals and couples. Resident Don Goggins said: “I wanted to be close to the city centre and I certainly am now.” Mike Worthington, 68, added: “I have always been interested in boats and I thought I would just go for it. I have been here for six years.”
Special edition glasses
Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust is hosting a beer and cider festival from Wednesday, June 28 until Saturday, July 1. As well as a choice of more than 40 real ales and ciders in the Beer Hall, the Gongoozler restaurant will be serving cakes, snacks, hot and cold meals. Special edition souvenir glasses will be available as well as the chance to visit the limestone mines and caverns by boat. Entry price: £2.50 entrance to Beer Hall with free entry for card-carrying CAMRA members. There is an additional charge for boat trips.
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STTV’s Paul Mills named as our Volunteer of the Year
Volunteer of the year for 2016, Paul Mills. PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON
VETERAN waterways volunteer Paul Mills has been recognised for his years of dedicated work with Towpath Talk’s Volunteer of the Year Award for 2016. The honour was bestowed during a special presentation at Alvechurch Marina and along with the prestigious trophy Paul took home a £100 cheque for his volunteer group and a £1500 boating holiday courtesy of sponsor ABC Leisure. Until 2012, Paul spent 20 years as fundraising and project officer for the Shropshire Union Canal and Middlewich Branch when a diagnosis of advanced prostate cancer forced him to retire from the role.
Harry Arnold presents Mike Slade of IWA West Country Branch with his award. PHOTO: JACK HARRISON
Wigan lock keeper Peter Baxter receives his award from Harry Arnold. PHOTO: JACK HARRISON
Not to be deterred, he formed a new group – the Small Tasks Team Volunteers – to work with the North Wales & Borders waterways within the Canal & River Trust’s new structure. The STTV has since provided essential restoration and improvement of facilities in key parts of the Shropshire Union, Llangollen and Shropshire Union Middlewich Branch canals. On collecting his award, Paul said: “It’s fantastic to have been named winner. But while I might be the one collecting the prize, the recognition is for the whole team and not just myself. I’m so pleased for everyone, they fully deserve it.” Paul beat off stiff competition from his fellow finalists: Mike Slade from the IWA West Country Branch, Peter Baxter, a volunteer lock keeper from Wigan and Basingstoke Canal Society volunteer David Junkison who was unfortunately unable to attend on the day. Towpath Talk editor Janet Richardson, one of the award judges, told the winners and their supporters: “All of our finalists are winners in that their efforts have been recognised by the people and teams who have nominated them.” Along with their commendations, each finalist received £100 towards the volunteer organisation of which they’re a part.
Judges and finalists from left: Haley Hadley, Harry Arnold, Janet Richardson, Mike Slade and Peter Baxter with, front, winner Paul Mills. PHOTO: JACK HARRISON
The awards were presented by members of the judging panel: Towpath Talk editor Janet Richardson, ABC Leisure sales and marketing director Haley Hadley and waterways journalist Harry Arnold. The fourth
judge, Canal & River Trust head of community engagement Caroline Killeavy, was unable to attend but sent her congratulations to the winners. Watch out for details of next year’s award scheme in Towpath Talk.
Members of the Small Tasks Team Volunteers (STTV) celebrate their 100th project at Roundthorn Bridge on the Llangollen Canal. Unfortunately our Volunteer of the Year Paul Mills, who had planned the project, was unable to be present. PHOTO: STTV
Winner Paul Mills, centre, with son David and wife Irene and, right, supporters Brian Holmes, John and Jan Riley are pictured with from left: Haley Hadley, Harry Arnold, Mike Slade and Peter Baxter. PHOTO: JACK HARRISON
The site at Roundthorn Bridge. PHOTO: WATERWAY IMAGES
Marathon effort for canal restoration fund TOWPATH runner Denzil Lawrence raised £1100 by completing the London Marathon and donated this magnificent sum to the Chesterfield Canal Trust’s Restoration Fund. He went to meet some of the volunteer work party who are doing the restoration work at Staveley, where he was presented with his Place in History certificate to acknowledge his donation. Denzil said: “My favourite running route is along the course of the Chesterfield Canal. From my home village of Spinkhill, I often run past the Staveley basin. I’ve appreciated every encouraging hello from the Chesterfield Canal Trust’s volunteer workforce along the way!
“Seeing the progress in the restoration of the canal over the years has been an absolute joy. The trust is creating a beautiful place to run, cycle and walk for generations to come. It’s great to have met some of the volunteers today.” In 2016, the Chesterfield Canal Trust spent more than £85,000 on the restoration of the canal, carried out by its volunteer work party. For 2017 only, the trust is running its Place in History Restoration Fund in order to keep up the same level of progress. All money raised will go towards the costs of plant and materials. If the trust can raise sufficient funds,
its volunteers will complete 400m of new canal east of Staveley Town Lock, including a huge spill weir. To donate online, search for Chesterfield Canal Trust and click on the donations button at the top of the page. Alternatively, write to the Trust at Hollingwood Hub, 22 Works Road, Hollingwood, Chesterfield, S43 2PF. RIGHT: Denzil Lawrence meets work party volunteers Terry Berridge, Adrian Sturgess, Mick Hodgetts, Dave Kiddy, Ralph O’Gorman and Dave France. PHOTO: CCT
NEWS 5
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Crowds in Little Venice asked to keep politicians’ focus on canals
THE Inland Waterways Association’s 35th annual Canalway Cavalcade was opened by waterways Parliamentarian of the Year, Lord German, over the early May bank holiday weekend. Speaking to an audience which
included IWA’s vice-president David Suchet and his wife Sheila, Lord German stressed how important the canals are, adding that pressure should be applied to politicians and the Government to ensure that those restored are not lost.
Singer Paul Weller was spotted among the crowds who came to view 140 boats gathered in Little Venice. Brownings Pool was filled with boats decked with gleaming boat brasses, flowers and colourful bunting.
Little Gem was the winning boat in the pageant – with the ugly duckling sat in the canoe behind. PHOTOS: CHRISTINE SMITH, IWA
Highlander was runner-up in both the pageant and illuminated boats parade.
Winner of the boat handling category was Mark Saxon on board Rachel.
Festival-goers wandered the area where the Regents and Grand Union canals meet, sampling delights such as strawberries dipped in Belgian chocolate and browsing an array of crafts such as hand-crafted leather goods and Spanish cookware. One of the highlights of the festival is the themed pageant which attracted more than 20 competitors dressed to match the Waterways Tales themes. Ratty and Toad boated along in Wind in the Willows; The Narrow Dog to Carcassonne was represented as well as
The Ugly Duckling, who sat dejectedly in a canoe being towed behind four unfriendly ducks. On Sunday evening more than 20 boats lit the waters of Brownings Pool as they paraded their displays in the illuminated procession. Further activities and entertainment for visitors over the weekend included canoeing and kayaking sessions offered by Pirate Prince, morris dancing, Punch and Judy, tales of women and waterways in wartime, fairground rides, 100 trade, craft and food stalls and a real ale bar.
CAVALCADE AWARD WINNERS
These flamenco dancers add a dash of panache to the pageant.
Brownings Pool was filled with boats decked with gleaming boat brasses, flowers and bunting.
Best privately owned boat in pageant: Little Gem, runner-up: Highlander Best community/volunteer group in pageant: Ben Gorton Boaters Sunday best: Iquitos Illuminated boat: Chalky, runner-up: Highlander Newcomer to pageant /illuminated boats: Rachel Boat handling: Mark Saxon on Rachel, runner-up: Iquitos Novice boat handling: Helen Dobbie on Augusta Best boat: Miss Ellie 2 Boat handling (ladies only): Helen Dobbie on Augusta Illuminated boat visitors award: Joint winners – Arc 2 and Highlander Pageant privately owned visitors award: Little Gem
Lottery boost for historic steam launch THE Consuta Trust has been awarded £99,500 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for the Consuta Project based at Child Beale Wildlife Park near Pangbourne. Withthehelpofitsvolunteersupporters, the trust maintains and operates the steam launch Consuta which was built in 1898 by S E Saunders at Goring using a revolutionary new construction process. This resulted in a very lightweight launch that was capable of 27mph on the Thames, only producing minimal wash. The Consuta Project will undertake a series of works during the next 18 months to install a historically accurate steam boiler and new superstructure, returning Consuta to her original profile and specification. The work will also
result in major improvements to her steaming performance and contribute to her long-term survival. The project also provides a unique opportunity to explain and demonstrate this marine heritage to the 150,000 young family visitors who already come to this popular outdoor park every year. To do this the trust will be establishing a display exhibition with a variety of activities aimed at inspiring, educating and training visitors of all ages by explaining the development and use of these fast steam launches. The Consuta Trust restored this historically important launch in 2001, which every year since has been displayed at numerous Thames events. Umpire launches are a very special
class of boat, first used from 1870 to carry umpires for the popular Victorian river sport of rowing races, and at the time, these launches were some of the fastest small vessels in the world. The traditional style launches, now fitted with petrol engines, are still used at Thames regattas to carry umpires. Consuta, built nearly 120 years ago, is the only working example of a steam umpire launch. Her revolutionary method of hull construction is the basis for modern plywood and was patented by Saunders as ‘Consuta Plywood’. Trust chairman Brian Smith said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have received National Lottery support for the Consuta Project, especially as it will be used to encourage younger generations to
Consuta carrying the race umpire at the Henley women’s regatta. PHOTO SUPPLIED
learn more about the history behind the development of these amazing river launches.” Local MP Richard Benyon added:
“Consuta is an important part of our Thames heritage locally and I am delighted that this grant will see her being given a new lease of life.”
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IN BRIEF Regional flagship
THE Daniel Adamson was recently named the Regional Flagship of the Year 2017 for the North West for her commitment to education and engagement with the region’s maritime heritage. This year, National Historic Ships UK decided the applications more strongly represented regional rather than national event programmes and it was decided to award four Regional Flagships to recognise the commitment that many vessels give to their home cruising grounds.
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High Sheriff launches Montgomery Canal Appeal By Harry Arnold
A NEW public appeal to fund the restoration of the Montgomery Canal – under the banner of ‘Restore the Montgomery Canal!’ – was recently launched by the High Sheriff of Shropshire, Mr Charles Lillis at The Navigation Inn, Maesbury.
Canoe marathon
TWO friends are to cross the North from west to east by canoe to raise cash for Cancer Support Yorkshire, writes Geoff Wood. Andrew Wellock and Andrew Lambert have started training for their 160-mile trek along both the Leeds & Liverpool Canal and the Aire & Calder Navigation. The two men, both from Ilkley, West Yorkshire, will be tackling the challenge in a two-man Canadian canoe covering 25 miles a day on the 160-mile route. They will set off on Sunday, July 9.
Going green
MORE waterways will be going for Green Flag status this year, Manchester, Pennine & Potteries waterway manager David Baldacchino told a recent Canal & River Trust users’ forum. Following on from the success of the first two, the Macclesfield and Peak Forest canals, the Shropshire Union, Chesterfield, Kennet & Avon canals and the River Lee Country Park will be seeking to achieve the award, which sets the benchmark for recreational outdoor spaces.
Middlewich meeting
A SPECIAL meeting of Middlewich Town Council was held recently to discuss the proposed Middlewich Marina development, writes Geoff Wood. Several concerns were raised over a lack of affordable housing, the possibility of contaminated land on the site, traffic congestion on Brooks Lane Bridge and disruption to existing businesses. Coun Bill Walmsley, Middlewich First, said 146 new homes on the marina site could impact on existing businesses and cause traffic problems.
VIPs make their contribution at the appeal launch. From left are chairman, Montgomery Canal Partnership, John Dodwell; High Sheriff of Powys, Mrs Sue Thompson; chairman, Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust, Michael Limbrey; High Sheriff of Shropshire, Mr Charles Lillis and chairman, Inland Waterways Association, North-West Region, Sir Robert Atkins MEP. PHOTOS: WATERWAY IMAGES
The aim is to finance the work required to rebuild the derelict and dry section beyond Crickheath, the end of the current Lottery-funded restoration. It is planned that volunteers will work on this section through the village of Pant to the Welsh border at Llanymynech. Main works include the removal of a disused railway embankment and the rebuilding of the dropped Schoolhouse Bridge on a lane south of Crickheath. This is the last bridge obstruction in Shropshire and a volunteer engineer has already prepared plans for reconstruction. The appeal has already got off to an excellent start, with £118,000 raised so far, helped enormously by £70,000 from the Tony Harrison legacy fund administered by the Inland Waterways Association. Just before the launch, £5000 was received from a private trust – subsequently confirmed to be an annual gift. Another supporter handed over a personal cheque for £1000 at the event. Dedicated collecting buckets have been produced in which the public are being asked to put a £2 coin – at least. There are two miles of dry canal bed to restore and two miles of coins would raise about £250,000 – although full restoration to Llanymynech will cost more than that. A generous donor has
Kennet across the Mersey By Colin Wareing
LEEDS & Liverpool short boat Kennet recently returned to Liverpool having spent the winter at the National Waterways Museum in Ellesmere Port. Built as a cargo carrying vessel, she is 60ft compared to the longer 70ft boats and has been preserved and converted into a floating exhibition
space by the Leeds & Liverpool Canal Society. Kennet is normally to be seen plying the canal through Lancashire and Yorkshire and played a leading role in the 2016 celebrations of the canal bicentenary. Crewed by four society members, she returned to Liverpool by travelling down part of the Manchester Ship canal and across the River Mersey.
offered to match what is raised from the public as part of the appeal, up to £60,000 over five years. Chairman of the Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust Michael Limbrey said: “We are delighted with the launch of the appeal. “Our guests showed a great deal of
Kennet on the Manchester Ship Canal travelling towards the city of Liverpool, which can be seen in the distance.
PHOTO: COLIN WAREING, COLIN & CAROLE’S CREATIONS
support for the restoration, recognising that the revived canal will be a valuable and attractive part of the national waterway network and a great asset to the local community.” More information about the appeal and how to contribute is on www. RestoreTheMontgomeryCanal.uk
New marina planned at Ingestre Bridge
A boat passes the site of the new Trent & Mersey Canal marina by Ingestre Bridge No 78. PHOTO: WATERWAY IMAGES By Harry Arnold
Rich history
MORE than 1.1 million people took to the water, both inland and offshore, in the North West last year, a rise of 97,000 on the previous year, according to the annual Watersports Participation Survey, writes Geoff Wood. And Lancashire's canals were seen as the home of both a rich history and a vibrant future.
Rebuilding the dropped Schoolhouse Bridge is one of the main aims of the appeal.
PLANNING permission has been granted for a new 196-berth marina at London Road (A51), Pasturefields, Shirleywich, on the Trent & Mersey Canal. In waterway terms this is on the south side of Ingestre Bridge No 78, two miles north of Great Haywood Junction. As passed, the plans include a service building with offices, laundry, toilets, cafe/restaurant and an apartment for a site manager. There is to be a canalside services block with pump-out, water, gas and fuel etc. and there are twin
dry-docks. Berths vary in size, with 30 of the 20-metre berths laid out as super berths – for just one boat each. The owner – who is a waterway enthusiast of many years standing – purchased the land 13 years ago after an initial meeting with the local authority to establish that there was the likelihood of gaining planning consent for a marina. Originally the idea was to create a tourist attraction – with everything built in 1700s period style – which would house a Staffordshire canals visitor centre and much more but local authority officers rejected this innovative concept.
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.
Could technology be part of the solution? LITTER continues to be high on the agenda, and litter and plastics in particular are in the press almost weekly now, with a huge range of schemes from high-level national campaigns through to local action. Impacts of litter in the marine environment are broadly the same as the freshwater environment. Pollution from contaminants in the materials can affect wildlife and water quality.
Coots nesting among the litter. PHOTO: DOM WALTON
Certain types of plastics are known to absorb chemicals from the surrounding environment, such as PCBs and heavy metals at concentrations up to one million times higher than in waters around them, with ingestion of these toxins having life-threatening impacts upon wildlife. And not forgetting entanglement and ingestion as wildlife can get caught in packaging or mistake smaller fragments for food. About 80% of marine litter comes from the land and a similar if not a higher percentage can be said of the rubbish found in canals and rivers. Research reveals fairly obvious though still rather saddening observations: that people are more likely to drop litter or discard larger items of waste in an area that is already littered; that available bins within a couple of paces of someone who needs to get rid of something can but doesn’t always help and the question of responsibility and ownership. This last one is perhaps the most dismaying; that people have no sense of ownership or respect for public spaces, whether it’s the water or the path alongside a riverbank, forest or seashore and that they think it is someone else’s job to clear up rubbish. This is a pretty good indication that it’s rarely going to be a boater that intentionally throws waste overboard as the very reason
The Seabin: a small floating drum that catches litter. PHOTO SUPPLIED for being on the water is to enjoy and appreciate the natural surroundings. However, our proximity to the water and the banks mean that boaters are likely to be more aware of and impacted by litter (a juddering tiller a sure sign with a big sigh that the propeller is fouled!)
Floating drum
Despite so many awareness-raising campaigns, the problem continues at source, and it’s hard to know how to stem the flow. Innovation, as much as behaviour change, may play a part. Looking at developments in the marine sector, one of the stand-out products right now is the Seabin, a small floating drum that catches litter. Crowd funding helped with more than four million views on YouTube.
A pool of polystyrene in an inland marina. PHOTO SUPPLIED The latest version is in production with the first installations due to happen very shortly. A larger-scale example in the form of a trash skimmer can already be seen in waterfronts around the US, operating essentially as an industrialsized pool filter, filtering water through 24 hours a day, capturing floating debris and absorbing surface oil or other contaminants. While they wouldn’t be able to cope
with the shopping trolleys, bicycles and tyres, who knows, the technology may come across to the inland waterways soon. Anything that helps to deal with contaminants and rubbish has to be a good thing for the environment as well as your hull and prop. To take a look at the Seabin visit http://seabinproject.com/ and for more information on The Green Blue visit www.thegreenblue.org.uk
8 NETWORKING
SOCIETY NEWS
Visitor centre
THE historic Gatehouse at Bond’s Mill Estate, owned by the Robert Hitchins Group, recently began a new lease of life as the third Cotswold Canals Trust Visitor Centre. The trust now occupies the Grade II listed building, situated on the northern bank of the Stroudwater Navigation Canal at Stonehouse. Originally built as a gun turret within the Second World War defences to protect Bristol and Avonmouth, the octagonal building will be a centre for displays on the history of the Gatehouse, the Stroudwater Canal and the Bond’s Mill business park.
Summer walk
THE Ramblers Welshpool Group, led by Vic and Sandra Smith, are arranging a summer walk for IWA members and friends on Sunday, July 9. Starting at 9am from Llanymynech Wharf Visitor Centre, the seven-mile route can be taken as two separate sections with the ‘mid-point’ back at the heritage centre where the lunch stop will be made using the picnic facilities there. A more demanding route, the first section includes a steep ascent using one of the mineral rail inclines. The gentler route in the afternoon will include a towpath walk towards Carreghofa Locks and the Vyrnwy Aqueduct.
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Successful canal open day at Clayworth THE Retford & Worksop Boat Club recently opened its doors to the Chesterfield Canal Trust and the general public. A glorious sight in bright sunshine, there were dozens of boats moored for many hundreds of yards in both directions along the canal bank at Clayworth, as well as a host of attractions. Such was the success of this wellattended event, it is hoped to repeat it. The Seth Ellis trip boat ran cruises all day, all of which were fully booked, and John Lower gave two fascinating talks about the canal, its history and its restoration. George Findley, who has been making fenders for over 40 years, demonstrated the art of fender making. The trust brought its promotional trailer, which dispensed lots of literature and information, and ran a sales stall and tombola. The Canal & River Trust also had a stall signing up new ‘friends’.
George Findley demonstrates the art of fender making. PHOTOS SUPPLIED Chesterfield Canal Trust chairman Robin Stonebridge and vice-chairman Jim Bower did a great job on the barbecue providing burgers and hot dogs galore. More trust members provided light refreshments, while the boat club opened its bar.
Castle break
OWD Lanky Boaters Group patron Sir Humphrey Wakefield has offered a short break for two at Chillingham Castle, his home in the North East, for the group’s raffle at Country Fest on June 3-4 at Crooklands showground, Kendal. Sir Humphrey has family connections with the area.
Festival seeks funding
ORGANISERS of one of the UK’s longest-established jazz festivals are searching for sponsors to help fund this year’s event, writes Geoff Wood. Marsden Jazz Festival, set beside the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, celebrated its 25th year in 2016 and the charity is hoping the live music weekend this autumn can keep the tradition going strong for another 25 years with the support of the region’ss businesses.
There was a display of historical information and documents plus guided tours of the village, including the fine church. Finally, Python, the 88-year-old ex-British Waterways working boat
currently being restored by trust volunteers, was on show for all to inspect. Afterwards, everyone agreed that it had been a thoroughly worthwhile event and plans are afoot to repeat it.
Chaplains walk the towpaths to support boaters By Geoff Wood
Long distance path
LOUTH Navigation Trust is working with East Lindsey District Council to explore funding opportunities to restore the 11¾-mile waterway which is still in water throughout its entire length despite being closed to navigation in 1924. ELDC has commissioned Sustrans to look at the possibility of creating a multi-user path stretching from the mouth of the Humber to the River Witham. It would use the towpath of the Louth Navigation as the northernmost section of a 30-mile route linking up with the existing Water Rail Way multi-user path that runs mostly along the river from Lincoln to Boston. (Easterling, March 2017)
Trip boat Seth Ellis passes narrowboats lining the canal at Clayworth.
Receiving the award for the Tees Barrage are, from left, Lee Butler, Stuart McKenzie, Mike Marshall and David Crane from the Canal & River Trust with Professor Tim Broyd, president of the ICE. PHOTO: NEIL DENHAM
Tees Barrage is ‘people’s choice’ THE Canal & River Trust has received a special ‘People’s Choice’ Award at the Institution of Civil Engineers (North East) Robert Stephenson Awards 2017 for the Tees Barrage. As part of the ICE North East 125-year celebrations, two significant infrastructure projects were recognised with special 125 Robert Stephenson Awards – the Tees Barrage and Gateshead Millennium Bridge. Both were presented with commemorative plaques, having been the two most popular projects selected among ICE members in the North East. CRT customer operations manager Mike Marshall was joined by colleagues Stuart McKenzie, Lee Butler and David Crane to accept the award from Professor Tim Broyd,
president of the ICE, at the ICE’s North East annual dinner, held at Gosforth Park Hotel in Newcastle. Mike said: “As well as the day-today running of the Barrage and the River Tees, our team has been working with some brilliant local volunteers to help transform the waterscape at the barrage to create a place the local community can enjoy. “With new wildlife displays in our Welcome Station, a dipping pond, bug hotel, flower displays, outdoor seating and of course opportunities for fishing, boating and seal-spotting, I hope people will visit and we’d love to hear from anyone wanting to join our volunteers.” The Robert Stephenson Awards recognise engineering excellence in North East infrastructure projects.
BOAT owners praying for a peaceful voyage may be getting a little extra help from the clergy. A network of 40 waterways chaplains is being established throughout Britain to cater for the spiritual needs of those afloat on canals. Senior waterways chaplain Mark Chester said: “Our waterways chaplains support all they come across, but especially the more vulnerable and marginalised who live aboard. “As the more vulnerable silently travel through our communities in their boats, you would be forgiven for not realising they had been there. “Many would not choose this way of life, but have had it thrust upon them for
economic and personal reasons.” And there is support for the waterways chaplain from the head of the Anglican church. Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said: “The Church exists to go to people not for them to come to church. “Jesus Christ went to the people. And so the work of the waterways chaplains is to go to people.” Waterways chaplains give up a number of days each month to walk an area of towpath and get to know the people there. Their day-to-day work is hugely varied, as Mark Chester explained. He said: “They walk the paths looking for people in need of care, engaging in conversation. “They may assist anglers or help with locks, establishing relationships with all they meet.”
Boaters to paddle for cancer charity By Harry Arnold
THREE narrowboat owners – Clive Vick, Mike Roberts and Alan Vidler – are to get closer to the water by paddling canoes through the canal and river network from Kendal to London to raise funds for Cancer Research UK. The enterprise was launched at Braunston Marina’s National Boat Share Show where one of the canoes was on display. Plans and timings are not yet finalised but they are fundraising via an internet link – www.justgiving.com/ kendaltolondon When they reach an agreed amount they are guaranteed TV coverage of the trip, so readers may like to support this worthy enterprise.
Narrowboat owner and paddler Clive Vick, with his fundraising assistant Jackie McIver and one of the canoes, launch the Kendal to London trip at Braunston. PHOTO: WATERWAY IMAGES
Frank’s fundraising walk is back on track By Geoff Wood
CANAL enthusiast Frank Carter – a member of the Huddersfield Canal Society – will be putting his best foot forward in June to raise money for charity. He will undertake a 70-mile sponsored walk around the entire South Pennine Ring to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society.
Canal enthusiast and photographer Frank Carter. PHOTO SUPPLIED
But prior to his start on Tuesday, June 20, there will be a special event at Sowerby Bridge on Saturday, June 17 to raise funds supporting the Jo Cox Foundation to coincide with the first anniversary of the tragic death of the Labour MP for Batley & Spen who lived with her family aboard her boat in Wapping when the House of Commons was sitting. Frank, 70, who has numerous photographs and postcards of the entire length of the Rochdale Canal, said: “I am arranging for a photographic exhibition to be held on Saturday, June 17 in the Sowerby Bridge parish church which overlooks the canal, with all profits to be donated to the Jo Cox Foundation. “This has been established to support Jo's friends, family and colleagues in their efforts to continue her work and
One of Frank’s scenic views of the Rochdale Canal. PHOTO: FRANK CARTER to highlight the issues she cared about so deeply, from the plight of innocent civilians in Syria to the despair caused by loneliness and social isolation in the UK.” Frank’s walk was due to have taken place last September but was postponed
while his wife received treatment for an illness. Anyone who would like to sponsor Frank can get more information on https://www.justgiving.com/ fundraising/Frank-Carter1
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River people
Elizabeth Rogers meets waterways officer Tony Forster, who lives and breathes boats for work,, rest and play. “I AM certainly a river person, I am a river man,” says To ony Forster. Both his working life and a his leisure time keep him deep ply involved with boats. As a waterways officer off the Environment Agency hiss daily life involves being outt and about on a patrol boat,, enjoying undertaking a rolee that had become an ambition early in his working life. Tony has indeed a thorou ugh knowledge of all types of wattergoing craft, for his first job on leaving school at the age of 16 was with a boat building company. He was offered an apprenticeship at Andrews Boathouse in Bourne End. It was Andrews who developed the original design of the slipper launch, an innovative idea, back in 1912. These wooden launches were made from mahogany, and had a sloping back. Changes over the years resulted in the design becoming longer and longer and Tony remembers them being in sizes of 25-30ft – and even as long as 50ft. “There are still quite a few around today, mostly on the River Thames,” he said. “Some are farther afield. I have heard of a couple being on the River Dee in Cheshire, and there are others scattered around elsewhere, including some abroad. They have been seen on the River Seine in Paris.” At the boatyard, Tony was working on these and many other designs. “As an apprentice I was doing painting, varnishing and all the kinds of work that a 16-year-old in his first job does,” he recalled. “I spent seven years there, then unfortunately the boatyard closed down in 1984, and everybody was made redundant.” As an interim form of employment Tony set himself up as a freelance boat builder, and also spent some time in France, with a friend. But during his time with Andrews the boatyard had visitors who inspired in Tony his ambition for what he really wanted to aim for. “I was in my overalls, underneath a boat, scraping away the bitumen and getting covered with black tar,” he remembered, “when in came one of the Environment Agency’s patrol boats accompanied by two of its staff, smartly dressed in a uniform of smart shirt and trousers and shiny shoes. Their launch was in a lovely glassfibre boat, and I thought, what a wonderful job, that is the job for me.”
Royal highlights
Tony’s ambition became realised when he was successful in his application for a vacancy with the Environment Agency and on April 1, 1985, he began working as a boatman. He was based at Boulters Lock, near Maidenhead, which is still one of his bases. The team of two went out on a patrol boat, where there were many different forms of
Another occasion that Tony A enjjoys looking back on is the hisstoric pageant that took place alo ong the River Thames as part of th he celebrations of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012. D Three T of the Environment Agency’s patrol launches took A p in the parade, with Tony part a aboard the leading launch.
Sp peedboats
Waterways officer Tony Forster: “Boats are in my blood.” PHOTO: ENVIRONMENT AGENCY
observation to be carried out. “We kept an eye on all sorts of things,” said Tony. “We were concerned with registration enforcement, ensuring that every boat – even a canoe has to be registered – was complying with regulations. We also kept watch for speeding boats, any exceeding the speed limits. “As you go alongside a line of moored boats you can see on each whether or not they are displaying the required registration. Some moorings may have a row of nine or 10 boats, so it can be quite time-consuming.” Tony has now been with the Environment Agency for 32 years and he enjoys his work as much as ever. “Every day is different,” he said. Now his title is waterways officer, overseeing the whole fleet of the agency’s launches on the River Thames. The fleet numbers 13, and there are also two craft known as workboats which are used by staff carrying out tasks such as laying marker buoys, and going out to deal with maintenance work such as tree cutting. “Being smaller, they can be taken out to backwaters and small streams, and they can be used by our staff going out to these and other tasks at one of our sites,” Tony explained. His career has included many highlights, but those particularly memorable include the royal occasions and historic events. “I have done two or three trips with the Queen on board,” he is proud to say. These were with the agency’s biggest inspection launch, the Windrush, and one of the occasions was to take the Queen to Henley when she was travelling to open the River and Rowing Museum in 1998. He remembers the day as being one when the water was in flood. “It was quite scary,” he recalled. “But we did it fine, with no problems at all.” When the Queen makes a journey afloat she is accompanied by her ceremonial escorts, the Queen’s Watermen, dressed in their red ceremonial uniforms. The Windrush is 46ft long and can carry 10 passengers along with two crew. It is in regular use for taking official visitors out on the river and it has facilities for serving refreshments to guests.
Boaats play just as important a part for Tony in his leisure time as they do in his working life, for he is a cla classic speedboat enthusiast. One aspect of this is his restoration projects, working on boats from the 1950s and 1960s. He has four in his workshop at present. “Two are completely finished, and the other two I am still working on,” he said. “I bring them back from having come to me in a very bad condition and state of repair.” The other aspect is going out on the water in these craft with his fellow members of the Classic Motor Boats Association of Great Britain, of which he is the Thames Valley area representative. It holds 12 to 15 events each year, but as he may be on duty at weekends Tony is not able to take part in all of these. The most local venue for him is on a lake at Chertsey, close to the M3. “We rent it out for the day and about 20 boats go along there, we can use it as we like for the whole day,” Tony explains. “It is a lovely thing to do,” he says enthusiastically. “We are all racing around together with no speed limits – off we can go. It’s great.” Other venues are Lake Windermere, although speed limits are now in place there, and Loch Lomond, where there are still no restrictions. “There are also other places to which we get invited, where we can run all these lovely speedboats together,” he adds. “Boats are certainly in my blood,” he said. “I live and breathe them”. Tony’s wife Chris encourages his enthusiasm, and his classic boats have become a family interest, shared with Chris and their twin daughters. His family background was not especially related to boats, although his grandparents worked in the shipbuilding industry in Sunderland. “I sort of drifted into boat building with my first job, and it is something I have never regretted,” he said. On a working day there may be planned programmes such as inspecting a landing stage, but there is also always the unexpected, such as a dead sheep floating in the water, spotted as the patrol boat rounds a corner, or a serious incident such as a boat on fire. Faced with such, Tony has fire-fighting equipment on board the patrol boat. “No two days are the same,” he concluded. “They can be quiet or in the summertime exceedingly busy. My days are very, very varied.”
NETWORKING 9
10 COMMUNITY BOATING
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An adventure but not on water
In this article Derek Stansfield, director of training for the National Community Boats Association, outlines two initiatives that the NCBA has undertaken over the past year that have proved to be an exciting and instructive experience. AN OLD mentor of mine once said that if you know the outcome of your journey, whether this be an expedition, an activity or a project, then it is no longer adventurous. Obviously if we take this in its extreme – an expedition to tackle a new route on a mountain such as Everest or K2, or a single-handed sail round the world – then this applies. It equally applies on smaller ventures such as Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions. We may know where we want to be, or to get to, but things may happen on the way that divert you from this course or make the journey more difficult or demanding than first envisaged. We can of course relate this concept to anything
we tackle even if it’s i ’ not necessarily il a physical venture. This hypothesis can be applied to two undertakings that the NCBA has embarked on over the last year or so. The outcome was at first clearly understood in what we wanted to achieve and this was clearly focused. However, the path has not always been a smooth one and it could be argued that it has been an adventure in many ways with considerable ups and downs on the way. The first of these endeavours has been to totally revamp the NCBA website. Although the content of the website is still as relevant now as when first created there were perceived problems with its presentation and navigation.
One of the Nottingham Narrowboat Project boats going through a lock. PHOTOS SUPPLIED
A small working party was set up to look at the site and to work with Luke Slowen, the website administrator, in bringing this up to date and making it more user friendly. The ‘find a member’ tag is now shown geographically and the members’ own area will be easier for them to update themselves. Most of the past Towpath Talk articles have been incorporated into the website as part of the ‘news’ section and thus provides an archive of useful information for both members and visitors to the site. While the new website is up and running we recognise that the work is not finished. Teething problems will arise and suggestions for improvements will always be made and readily received.
Training guide
The NCBA has, as was described in detail in a previous Towpath Talk article, a progressive training and assessment scheme consisting of the Community Crew Certificate, The Boat Handling Course and the Certificate in Community Boat Management. These have all had their separate course profiles and syllabi. There has been a demand for these to be held in one document that contains information on all courses and that can be used practically. A small team was set up to produce such a document and it was soon evident that the production of such an undertaking was to be an adventure lasting over a year. Consultation took place with workshops at the Annual Conference and continuous input from the National Training Committee (NTC). It was not intended for the document to be in competition with any others such as the CRT Boater’s Handbook and the RYA Inland Waterways Handbook,
NCBA director of training Derek Stansfield, right, on a sailing adventure. but to rather complement them and concentrate on the NCBA awards. Therefore, the title of the document was an effort in itself and went through many manifestations. The final outcome was NCBA Courses – Notes for Trainers. Although its title suggests that it is primarily for trainers, candidates may also find the content useful. The final document will be in a ring binder format so that pages can be taken out and used on the boat, thus alleviating the need to take out the full document. This therefore relies on all pages being suitably waterproofed. The date for launch of the document has yet to be decided but will be during the current season. My thanks are due to the team that worked with me on this project including: Richard Clarke, Bob Ratcliffe and Paul Unwin, and of course the NTC.
First Thames regatta for children with disabilities THE first Rivertime Accessible Regatta will be opened by HRH the Princess Royal at The National Sports Centre, Bisham Abbey, on Wednesday, June 14. More than 350 pupils from local special needs schools will take part in what for many will be their first experience with competitive bell boating, accessible sailing, wheelchair powerboating and canoeing. Organisers Rivertime Boat Trust, together with Give Them a Sporting Chance, have also called upon other charities and organisations to provide a chance for the regatta participants to try out other land-based accessible sports, such as new age curling, archery and wheelchair basketball. Plans are already under way to make this an annual event on the river. In addition, participants are encouraged to follow through with the ‘chain of goodness’, by raising funds for a charity of their choice in whatever way they choose. www.rivertimeboattrust. org.uk www.givethemasporting chance.com
COMMUNITY BOATING 11
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Mayor of Newbury Julian Swift-Hook relaunches KACT’s trip boat Jubilee with its new signage. PHOTOS: KACT
Anniversary celebration for trip boat Jubilee
Celebrating Jubilee’s 40th birthday are, from left: Trevor Staig, chairman of Newbury Branch of KACT, Mayor of Newbury Julian Swift-Hook, chairman of West Berkshire Council Quentin Webb and KACT president David Bruce.
KENNET & Avon Canal Trust narrowboat Jubilee, based in Newbury, celebrated its 40th birthday at the start of its popular public boat trips for the 2017 season. To mark this special occasion, the trust’s Newbury Branch invited the chairman of West Berkshire Council, Quentin Webb, and Newbury Mayor, Julian Swift-Hook, to a short relaunch ceremony to unveil the boat’s new signage. Afterwards the guests joined the crew for a cruise through Newbury before the first regular public trip of the season. Trips run on Saturdays and Sundays (at noon and 2pm) and on Thursdays (at 2.30pm) throughout the season until October. The boat also runs special pirate, Halloween and Santa themed trips and is available to charter for private functions.
Skippers and crew sought for Wey & Arun trips THE Wey & Arun Canal Trust is seeking more skippers and crew members for its boat trips which operate from Loxwood in West Sussex. All the proceeds raised from the trips go towards the restoration of the canal. James Field, chairman of Wey & Arun Enterprises (WACT’s trading arm) said: “The trips are becoming increasingly popular; last year we raised £60,000 for the charity. We would like to do even better but we need more volunteer skippers and crew.
“Everyone operating the boats is a volunteer; all are given the training they need to fulfil their roles and all our skippers have a Maritime and Coastguard Agency skipper’s licence.” He added: “Our volunteers range in age from their 40s to their 80s and come from all walks of life.” If anyone is interested, they can telephone 01403 752403 or email office@weyandarun.co.uk for more information and one of the boat group will be in touch.
Accessible boating holidays for people with disabilities PEOPLE who are wheelchair users need not miss out on the enjoyment of a holiday on the canals thanks to organisations such as VASD (Voluntary Association for Surrey Disabled). A member of the Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation (QEF), it provides accessible holidays on board the QEF Jubilee which is specially equipped for people with disabilities. Based in Hemel Hempstead, the boat provides accommodation for eight people including three wheelchair users and is equipped with accessible ramps, hydraulic lifts, hoist tracking systems, a medical bed, accessible shower and flushing toilet. It also has adapted controls so that disabled people can steer. QEF Jubilee cruises the Grand Union Canal between London and Birmingham with nature reserves, pubs, shops and plenty more to do along the way.
The boat’s controls are adapted so that disabled people can take charge. To find out more call 01372 841100, email info@ vasd.org.uk or visit www.VASD.org.uk
QEF Jubilee provides holidays for disabled people. PHOTOS SUPPLIED
12 IWA ROUND-UP
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AROUND THE BRANCHES WITH IWA’S MARION BIRCH
Leicestershire
West Country SOMERSET Wildlife Trust presented the branch with a new set of tools, ready for volunteers to set about litter picking at French Weir in Taunton on Easter Sunday. The new tools were put to good use in May at another litter pick in the same spot and will continue to be a really useful asset to the team.
May was a busy month with four work parties in Bridgwater and Taunton. Tasks included painting, clearing back overgrown brambles and removing litter from the towpath on the River Tone between Bathpool and Hankridge and collecting litter and other items of rubbish from the towpath of the Bridgwater & Taunton Canal.
IWA West Country Branch volunteers Jacqui Budd and Mike Slade being presented with tools by Olivia Dullaghan. PHOTOS: IWA
An impressive array of tools donated by Somerset Wildlife Trust.
1967 IWA National Rally in Leicester, the branch just couldn’t refuse. The volunteer team has been working hard to ensure a big turnout of private, trading and historic boats and it is bound to be a spectacle for visitors.
Come to Leicester’s Riverside Festival over the weekend of June 3-4. PHOTO SUPPLIED
IWA WORK PARTIES IN JUNE
Lichfield BUDDLEIA was cleared from the offside canal wall by the Brereton Community Centre at the end of March. Buddleja davidii is a non-native invasive species, which out-competes native plants, producing dense thickets, and can cause damage to buildings and structures. Following a thorough search of the area to check for nesting birds, volunteers from IWA Lichfield Branch worked together with volunteers from Brereton Millions and the Canal & River Trust who together filled most of a workboat with the vegetation. Other volunteers picked 12 bin bags of litter along the canal and the surrounding area. Plans are under way for a future wildlife reserve along this section of the Trent & Mersey Canal, with funding provided by Brereton Millions.
THE branch was asked by Leicester City Council to take over the boat bookings for the city’s Riverside Festival over the weekend of June 3-4. What with this being the event’s 20th anniversary and with the date marking the 50th anniversary of the
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
Wednesdays June 7, 14, 21, 28 and Saturday June 10
Clearing vegetation which was encroaching over the towpath. On May 5, branch volunteers were back up at Brindley Bank in Rugeley to cut back vegetation which was encroaching over the towpath, and remove overhanging branches from the top path. As well as scrub bashing, volunteers did their bit to support the local ecosystem by installing bat boxes in some of the trees and trialling wildflower seed scattering.
IWA Ipswich Branch supporting River Gipping Trust: Pipps Ford (Needham Market, Ipswich, Suffolk IP6 8LJ) or Baylham Mill Lock (Mill Lane, Ipswich, Suffolk IP6 8LG), River Gipping. Meet at 9am to continue clearing storm damage to Pipps Ford or carry out maintenance at Baylham Mill Lock, finish at 3.30-4pm. Contact Martin Bird 01394 380765, restoration@rivergippingtrust.org.uk
Sunday June 11
IWA Lincolnshire Branch supporting Sleaford Navigation Trust: Volunteers meet on the second Sunday of the month to carry out a variety of tasks to maintain the navigable section of the Sleaford Navigation. 10am-3pm. To confirm date and location contact Chris or Steve Hayes 01522 689460, workparties@sleafordnavigation.co.uk
Midlands
Sunday June 4 and Tuesday June 20
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 June 3 and Tuesday June 27
IWA North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch supporting the Burslem Port Trust: Twice-monthly work party on the Burslem Arm, Stoke-on-Trent, 10am to 3pm. Meet at Luke Street, Middleport, Stoke-on-Trent ST6 3LY. Contact Steve Wood 07976 805858, steve.wood@ waterways.org.uk
Volunteers on the work boat. PHOTOS: MARGARET BEARDSMORE
Thursday June 8
IWA North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch and the Caldon & Uttoxeter Canals Trust: Monthly work party on the Uttoxeter Canal at Bridge 70, Crumpwood. 10am-3pm. No parking at site so please meet at 9.30am at Denstone Village Hall, College Road, Denstone, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire ST14 5HR for a lift or, if on foot, meet on site at Bridge 70 at 10am. Contact Steve Wood 07976 805858, steve.wood@waterways.org.uk
Thursday June 15
IWA North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch and Trent & Mersey Canal Society: Monthly work party on the Cheshire Locks, Trent & Mersey Canal. 10am-3pm. 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 June 17
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
Saturday June 24
IWA Chester & Merseyside Branch: Monthly work party in the Chester area working at various locations alongside the Shropshire Union Canal, 10am-4pm. Work will include painting and vegetation clearance. Contact Christine Fraser, christine.fraser@waterways.org.uk
South
Tuesdays June 20 and 27
IWA Oxfordshire supporting Banbury Canal Partnership: Meet at 9am, work until about 1pm. Contact Colin GarnhamEdge, 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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14 NEWS FOCUS
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Bridging the gap
– a canal’s north-south divide Driffield Navigation Trustees David Hamilton, right and David Taylor at Wansford Lock. PHOTOS: JANET RICHARDSON
There are plans to create a heritage centre and museum at Mortimer’s Warehouse.
By Janet Richardson
CELEBRATIONS will take place in the East Yorkshire market town of Great Driffield to mark the 250th anniversary of the Act of Parliament to create the canal which bears its name. As reported last month, a waterways festival will be held over the weekend of July 1-2 centred around the Riverhead Wharf – the canal’s head of navigation. Open to the public for the first time will be Mortimer’s Warehouse thanks to the current owners Jayne Briggs and John Scholey who are supporters of the local organisations which seek to return the canal to its former glory. Plans are also in the pipeline to create a heritage centre and museum in the building. The Driffield Navigation Trust manages the canal and the Driffield Navigation Amenities Association raises funds and organises working parties. I met two of the navigation trustees, chairman David Hamilton and press officer David Taylor, also both DNAA members, who explained that these integrated organisations work very closely together. They were formed in the 1960s – a pivotal period in the canal’s history as it also saw the construction of a road bridge which effectively cut off the two-mile northern section between Wansford and Driffield. But this was before the resurgence of the canals for recreational use. With the Frodingham arm there are 13 miles of canal altogether – all in good condition and all navigable apart from the low Wansford bridge which is the
only obstacle and was built in 1967 by the former East Riding County Council to replace an old wooden bridge which was in a dangerous condition. David Hamilton explained: “You can just about get underneath the concrete bridge with a canoe. At the time there was no effective management of the canal, no one to fight the cause of the waterway and reach an agreement with the council that if the waterway came back into use they would replace the bridge.” Although he believes there was a gentlemen’s agreement, it was never fully documented. The bridge is now owned by the East Riding of Yorkshire Council which is waking up to the tourism and economic potential – especially since the Tour de Yorkshire. “But it is getting the financial and political will to do it.” DNAA has now launched a fund for the replacement of the bridge with a structure which can be opened for boats to pass through once more.
Trade links
Opened to traffic in 1770, the canal was built to establish important trade links between the market town and Hull. The original navigation was upstream of Snakeholme Lock but in 1805 the building of Struncheon Hill Lock raised the water level of this formerly tidal section to 6ft. The southern end of the canal locks out at the end of Aike Beck, near Beverley, into the tidal River Hull which flows into the Humber Estuary giving access to the inland waterways network – and the rest of the world.
The attractive Riverhead area could play a central part in the town’s renaissance.
The only narrowboat you can currently see in Driffield is this garden feature.
What a contrast: boats moored at Bethell’s Bridge towards the southern end of the canal. This enabled the large barges and 60ft square-rigged keels to bring coal to Driffield’s warehouses to fire old steam engines on the land and return with 70-tonne cargoes of grain and local produce from suppliers such as the Linseed Oil & Cake Company which had a factory in the town. With the arrival of the railway and, particularly, the growth of road haulage, canal traffic dwindled and died off – the last commercial craft on the navigation was the Ousefleet which delivered coal to Frodingham Wharf in December 1951. After 50 years of voluntary activity including a £500,000 investment in new locks and bridges, most of the canal has been fully restored. Teeming with wildlife, it passes through some of the most beautiful East Yorkshire countryside which you can’t see from the road. One of the projects in recent years has been the £75,000 restoration of Wansford Lock in 2009 to provide a bywash which also serves as a flood relief channel. This had become a matter of urgency following the flooding of several nearby
homes in 2007. Since then the villages of Skerne and Wansford have created a community lockside garden and picnic area which is also popular with visitors.
Trip boats
This year will see the replacement of two accommodation bridges serving the two trout farms alongside the canal and the launch of a new trip boat – a former North Sea oil rig lifeboat – to operate between Riverhead and Wansford. But the main event will be the July extravaganza which will include a full programme of events and a gala dinner dance for 250 people in a marquee on the Saturday evening. Mr Hamilton said: “We couldn’t let such an important landmark in the history of the canal pass without celebrating it in some way.” As well as the support of both the canal organisations, Driffield Town Council has given a £5000 grant towards the cost of the festival and is also backing development plans. “The canal made Driffield and
The popular lockside picnic area and community garden at Wansford.
Obstacle to navigation: the road bridge at Wansford. we hope it will be part of the town’s renaissance,” he added. It is hoped to have as many boats as possible moored in the canal basin over the weekend of July 1-2. Smaller boats on trailers, dinghies and canoes can be launched at Riverhead and a crane will be provided to lift in bigger boats by prior arrangement. Boaters hoping to bring larger craft can reach the moorings outside the Trout Inn below the Wansford Bridge from where transport will be provided to the festival. Larger boats up to about 35ft long can sail to North Frodingham Landing where they will be lifted out by crane and transported by road to Riverhead. Lifting out will take place on Tuesday, June 27 with the boats being returned to the landing on Tuesday, July 4. For more information contact David Hamilton on 01262 420271 or 07721 913401. For dinner dance tickets and boat lifting contact DNT vice-chairman Mr Scholey on 07753 817957.
A new landing on the north side of Bethell’s Bridge.
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16 EVENTS ROUND-UP
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Sunshine success for Boat Share Show By Harry Arnold
AROUND 250 visitors enjoyed the spring sunshine to inspect and enquire about 15 boats at this year's National Boat Share Show over the weekend of April 22-23. Most of the craft were managed by one of the four shared ownership management companies – BCBM, Carefree Cruising, J D Boat Services and Ownashare – but there was also a selfmanaged boat, Nashira, to view. The age of the boats varied from Carefree Cruising’s Otter – launched the day before the show – to a veteran still going strong after 22 years. Share prices ranged from as little as £750 up to around £10,000 for the newest and highest specification boat.
Throughout the weekend 28 families took advantage of the event to become new share owners. They will join around 2500 families who already own shares and go boating each year on their own boats for less than the cost of hiring. Other visitors went away to contemplate this investment and there will no doubt be a number of follow-ups to the show. The organisers have since told us that they understand that most of the shares in Otter are sold and Carefree Cruising are taking bookings for a 2018 boat. They also said that the available share in the self-managed boat Nashira was sold in the last half hour of the show. The National Boat Share Show takes place annually in April each year thanks to the generosity of Braunston Marina
J D Boat Services were represented at the National Boat Share Show for the first time this year. They brought their latest boat Heron and sold one of the available shares.
PHOTO SUPPLIED
The interior of the newest boat in the show – Carefree Cruising’s newly launched Otter.
There were 15 boats for visitors to view at this year’s National Boat Share Show. PHOTOS: WATERWAY IMAGES UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED
and owner Tim Coghlan. In recognition of this, the organisers – boatshare4u. co.uk – will be making a donation to the Friends of Raymond, the boat restoration charity that is supported by the marina.
Both historic boats were on display at Braunston with the butty Raymond proudly showing off its new traditional cabin, fully rebuilt and finish-painted in the original Blue Line Carriers
All three shares on offer in Firefly were sold on the first day of the show. PHOTO SUPPLIED
livery. This is the sort of expenditure that the donation will help to fund. Other companies offering services at the event were T R Boat Handling and Willow Boats.
Historic Braunston pair Nutfield and Raymond were again on show, the latter sporting a newly rebuilt and repainted cabin.
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18 EVENTS ROUND-UP
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Boaters celebrate lock restoration – 30 years on By Janet Richardson
AN ANNIVERSARY cake was the centrepiece of celebrations to mark the 30 years since the restoration of Bottom Lock on the Sleaford Navigation. The lock, which is also known as Taylor’s Lock in memory of the late David Taylor who was instrumental in its restoration, enabled
Pat Taylor cuts the cake on board Wigford watched by Dave Pullen, Penny Carnell, Rebecca Franks, Mel and Sue Sowerby and Dave Carnell. Inset: A close-up of the cake. PHOTOS: JANET RICHARDSON
the reopening of the navigation through to South Kyme. Made specially for the occasion by Penny Carnell, the cake was cut by David’s widow Mrs Pat Taylor on board Lincoln tug Wigford, one of several boats attending the South Kyme gathering over the early May bank holiday weekend. These included, for the first time, widebeam boat Calahonda – owned by Steve and Jo Hogg
Boats gathered at South Kyme include Calahonda, believed to be the first widebeam boat to make the trip.
from Langrick – which was towed along the KymeEaufromBottomLockbyDavidBallofthe Langrickboatyardon72ftnarrowboatSovereign. The village comes together for this annual celebration during which other events included a duck race, scarecrow competition, boaters’ service at St Mary and All Saints Church, evening entertainment and a fete at the historic Grade I listed Kyme Tower.
Villagers watch the duck race in the sunshine.
Anniversary event at Ellesmere Port By Harry Arnold
Historic boats wander the Wyr yrley r Thirty-three historic boats lined the Brownhills’ Bro waterfront for this year’s HNBC Grand Wyrley Wander rally. PHOTO: WATERWAY IMAGES By Harry Arnold
THE Grand Wyrley Wander attracted 33 boats of the Historic Narrow Boat Club which cruised the Wyrley & Essington Canal section of the BCN over the Easter holiday weekend. The main focus was on the Brownhills town centre waterfront (by Tesco for those who don’t know it) with the Brownhills Community Centre as a base and the focus for social activities. Organisers told us that the days before were a little worrying when they were hearing reports that both the BCN’s Birmingham and Wolverhampton levels
were several inches down, but although the deepdraughted boats struggled in places – and raking rubbish from the propellers became a regular activity – most made it to Brownhills relatively unscathed. Water levels increased during the weekend and a number of the boats left the site to explore both the Cannock Extension and the Anglesey Branch to Chasewater while there. By the Monday morning the Wolverhampton level was right up and most of the boats went on a cruise to Walsall Basin. Canal & River Trust chief executive Richard Parry came along for the trip on the HNBC chairman’s
The deep-draughted boats did a great job in promoting this underused section of the BCN network.
boat Warbler. On-shore events included a talk by Martin O’Keeffe on the local canal, followed by the Sight Seen video Last Coal Run from Anglesey, which was very appropriate. Unfortunately, Bernard Hales with his BCN tug Enterprise, complete with train of Joey boats, the stars of this film, were unable to attend the rally. Malcolm Braine talked about the recovery and restoration of President, followed by the film Atlantis, which was made at a yard at Norton Canes. A ‘Grand Tat’ auction raised almost £400, which was donated to the Lichfield & Hatherton Canal Restoration Trust. The HNBC boats – moored two or three abreast on both sides of the canal – made an impressive sight in Brownhills’ town centre, also subsequently packing Walsall Town Basin. This not only made for a successful members’ gathering but did much to navigate and create interest in this much-underused section of the Wyrley & Essington Canal and indeed the BCN network.
ONE OF the highlights of this year’s Easter Gathering at Ellesmere Port’s National Waterways Museum was the official launch of the Window on the World project by local MP Justin Madders. Based aboard the reconstructed horse-drawn Leeds & Liverpool short-boat George, the public can discover what life was like aboard the boat during its working days as the vessel cruises that canal. The boat will return to the museum during the winter. Thirty-eight narrowboats and barges gathered at the museum for the 40th anniversary of this event. There were perhaps fewer of the former craft this year as others were attending the Historic Narrow Boat Owners’ annual event in the Midlands. There was still much to see and do, however, with the Shropshire Union Fly-boat Restoration Society again using the Saturday morning to hold its AGM. Although past years’ practice of combining it with a major shanty singing event was discontinued, there was folk music from award-winning folk artist Phil Underwood, popular duo Mick Ryan and Paul Downes and the Chester-based five-piece Full House. They were joined by local folk band – and regular visitors to the museum - the Wirral Singers and Ringers. In a new show, Idle Women of the Wartime Waterways, Heather Wastie and Kate Saffin told the story – through theatre, poetry and music – of the women who volunteered to work the boats on the canals during the Second World War. They were nicknamed ‘Idle Women’ because of the ‘IW’ insignia on the badges they wore. More than 2000 visitors went to the museum over the weekend, not only to see the visiting boats but to view the collections, with costumed interpreters bringing sites like the Porters Row cottages and the Slipway to life. There were behind-the-scenes tours by the museum’s Young Curators and volunteers
Toasting the launch of the Window on the World project aboard the George are, from left: CRT chief executive Richard Parry, Justin Madders and his wife, CRT head of museums Graham Boxer, and BMS president Di Skilbeck. PHOTOS: WATERWAYS IMAGES – including those from the Boat Museum Society – plus a whole host of family activities. Boat trips were run on the Shropshire Union Canal level aboard the museum’s passenger boat Centaur and accessible boat Over the Rainbow. Below, on the Manchester Ship Canal, the recently restored steam-powered tug and directors’ boat Daniel Adamson ran ‘mini cruises’ along this somewhat bigger waterway towards Eastham Locks. CRT head of museums Graham Boxer said: “These gatherings are always special, but this year was even more notable as it marked four decades of boats and crews coming together at the museum. The highlight for me was our toasting of George on its return to the Leeds & Liverpool Canal this year.” The weekend engendered considerable publicity for the museum with a long piece on BBC TV and aerial pictures in local and national newspapers including such august publications as The Times.
George – as restored in its original carry company livery. The boat has now been put back in simpler National Coal Board colours which were carried at the end of trading. LEFT: A visiting boat locks down into the bottom basin past narrowboats on display in the wide locks.
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Piece of Hollywood history opens Harleyford Estate’s revamped marina GUESTS gathered recently at the Harleyford Estate Marina to celebrate the grand opening of the newly completed second lagoon with a very special ‘guest of honour’. Attendees were treated to a day of celebration to commemorate the opening of the new extension which, at nearly three times the size of the existing lagoon, provides an additional 148 berths to the marina and mooring location along the Thames. Key stakeholders involved in the seven-month project were in attendance including Harleyford Estate’s owners the Folley family, Marlow community representatives, marina staff, moorers and principal contractors Greenford Ltd as well as subcontractors and suppliers involved in the works.
‘Special guest’ the Judith R is an impressive Art Deco yacht built in 1935 for Barnaby Balaban, the head of the iconic American film company Paramount Pictures. The film industry bigwig used the Art Deco masterpiece to travel to and from his office in Manhattan every day as well as host lavish A-List parties and private soirees. Now in the UK, this vessel has been lovingly restored by its current owners. Harleyford Estate’s chairwoman Angela Folley stood at the bow of the Judith R as it sailed through the 14m wide channel joining the original and new lagoons, cutting the ceremonial ribbon stretched across the entrance. Mrs Folley said: “It was wonderful to be able to commemorate the day in such a spectacular way on such
a beautiful vessel. After the years of planning and hard work we are thrilled to finally have the second lagoon open and it was wonderful to share this day with the key stakeholders involved in the works as well as our valued friends and customers.” The transformation of this previously unused patch of land resulted in a modern extension to the existing lagoon with little or no disturbance to moorers or day-to-day operations. Specialist civil engineering firm Greenford Ltd was selected to complete the works given the company’s extensive experience with similar projects in the past. Construction began in August 2016 and was completed by March 2017. The works included excavation of the new lagoon, sheet piling and bank strengthening,
‘Guest of honour’ the Judith R prepares to sail through the channel that joins the original and new lagoons where Harleyford Estate chairwoman Mrs Angela Folley cut the ceremonial ribbon, watched by guests at the grand opening. PHOTO SUPPLIED new access roads, electrical service bollards, pontoons and parking facilities as well as soft landscaping to ensure a seamless insertion into the existing natural landscape. Harleyford Estate has always taken exceptional care to develop the marina without compromising the
natural beauty of the surrounding area. Part of the estate, the marina, which has received the 5 Gold Anchor award since 1986, is located on the Thames between Temple and Hurley Lock. www.harleyford.co.uk www.greenford.ltd.uk
New MD for ABC Leisure Group ABC Leisure Group has announced the appointment of Carl Onens as managing director in a planned leadership succession. He has been working for the company in a number of roles and will succeed Ed Helps who will be stepping down at the end of May. Ed is not leaving ABC and will continue as an executive director working on projects. Announcing Carl’s appointment, he said: “The management board has been working with us for a similar amount of time to
Carl and this development will ensure that ABC will have a long, profitable and exciting future.” Carl Onens said: “I am delighted to be able to lead a strong and capable team at ABC and look forward to building on the success and progress the business has made under Ed.” RIGHT: Incoming ABC Leisure Group MD Carl Onens. PHOTO SUPPLIED
CRAFT SHOPS TO HELP BOOST TOURISM AT BARTON MARINA Workboat Wallaby awaits its turn in the workshop. PHOTOS SUPPLIED
Aqueduct Marina awarded contract to repair historic CRT workboats THE Canal & River Trust (CRT) has awarded a contract to Church Minshull Aqueduct Marina to repair and refurbish five of its fleet of maintenance workboats with probably more to come. It is hoped that this arrangement will continue as a rolling programme of annual work. Aqueduct Marina is required to recognise and implement the industry best practice, working to an exacting specification. The Work Boat (Code of Practice) Regulations state that commercial craft cannot be over plated so where necessary the marina engineers are working with CRT to find a solution which provides a consistent national standard for future work. Managing director Robert Parton said: “It is a tribute to the skills and facilities of the team at Aqueduct Marina that CRT has entrusted these vital craft to us.” Workboats are used exclusively for undertaking works on the waterway infrastructure where the work requires direct access from a craft. Painted in the bright blue CRT livery, maintenance boats sometimes look a little careworn; hardly surprising after all their hard work. Robert Parton added: “When out and about, keep your eyes peeled for these
BARTON Marina has announced plans to build new craft shops to expand its appeal as a Staffordshire tourist hotspot. Owners, Barton Tur ns Developments Limited, have been granted planning permission for nine retail/craft units alongside the marina. Each unit offers a floor space of 22sq m and work is due to take place in 2018. The consent includes first floor office accommodation to support the growing business operation at the site. The new structure will be in
keeping with the brick and timberclad character of the marina. Designed by Brownhill Hayward Brown, the development will see the marina build on its reputation as a popular tourist destination. Director, Mark Williams, said: “Barton Marina has been a local success story for many years. As Lichfield-based architects, we’re thrilled to be involved in a project which will further enhance the site as a unique visitor destination.” A spokesperson for Barton Marina said: “We’re very excited
Blaby nearing completion. rejuvenated craft, which are crucial to the ongoing task of making our canals and rivers safe and usable for all. “The team here at Aqueduct Marina are proud to be involved in keeping the maintenance fleet in good working order.”
An impression of the new shops alongside the marina. PHOTO SUPPLIED
with the stunning development which will meet the demand for additional retail units, although on a smaller scale from the existing. It will help to create an all-yearround shopping experience in one of Staffordshire’s most idyllic waterside locations. “The marina is already at the heart of a thriving food and entertainment scene. It makes sense to maximise the setting and give visitors even more of an excuse to spend a few hours enjoying what the site has to offer.”
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A trulyy local boat Phil Pickin visits Liverpool’s waterfront to review a narrowboat built for an Everton fan. THE latest narrowboat from Liverpool’s Aintree Boats can truly be thought of as a Merseyside project. It has been built locally for a customer from Birkenhead who, having lived elsewhere, is now coming home to continuously cruise in his new floating home. Called One Eyed City (which I’m told is an old Merseyside term for Birkenhead)
The use of oak is very evident in the galley.
The sink offers great views for anyone washing up.
and painted in Evertonian colours, where better could we view this boat than in the Albert Dock on Liverpool’s iconic waterfront. The guys from Aintree Boats are keen to point out that they design and build a wide range of narrow and wide beams, and describe themselves as builders of ‘high quality and value for money’ boats. A description that must have merit as they tell me that they have already started work on their 200th boat, quite an achievement for a company that has been in business for just over six years. They went on to tell me that it’s their aim to include features on their boats that their competitors charge extra for. They try to do this at an affordable price with boats costing from £85,000. Narrowboats, it would seem, still prove to be the most popular, something the team at Aintree are more than happy
The eye-level oven and grill.
Large windows make the interior very light.
Great views
So let’s see an example of what has proved to be so popular with their customers and take a look at this highly originally named boat in more detail. One Eyed City has a cruiser stern and a reverse layout, something I’m told seems very popular at the moment. Finished in vivid blue with a white roof and chrome double-glazed window frames, the boat looked smart in the bright sunlight on the day we visited. From Aintree’s signature ‘pinched bow’ you board into a good-sized welldeck fitted with a cratch and storage lockers. With the cover sides in place this will provide a useful outdoor seating area as well as covered access into the boat through steel forward doors. The main living area is lined with oak to the gunwales and with off-white top panels framed in oak. The result looks good and with the large windows the room is very light. The boat was awaiting the owner’s furniture when seen but the focal points of the multi-fuel stove and wall-mounted TV were in place ready for furnishing. With the exception of the washroom, the floors throughout are solid oak. The use of oak is very evident in the galley with very substantial worktops and drainers on both sides of this walkthrough area. Good use of spare space is evident with the now almost obligatory wine rack and behind the oak cupboard doors is a Shoreline fridge. Space has been left for a washing machine should the owner decide he wants one. An eye-level oven and grill complete the area with a nice touch of the side doors opening in front of the sink offering great views on a nice day for anyone washing up.
Extra storage
The fixed double berth which sits to the port side of the boat.
The good-sized shower cubicle.
The sizeable stern area.
SPEC SHEET
with and currently there is an 18-month wait for one of their boats.
Moving forward you come into a walk though washroom lined with washroom panels and cushion floor floor-covering. The pump-out toilet sits opposite a very modern wash basin and a good-sized shower cubicle completes the room. Next you come into the fixed double
Aintree’s signature ‘pinched bow’. PHOTOS: PHIL PICKIN
berth which sits to the port side of the boat. Lockers and a wardrobe provide storage with chrome double-glazed windows to both sides providing natural light. As with the rest of the boat the dark blue material used in the upholstery and curtains contrasts well with the pale colour of the oak and lining materials. The final room is fitted with bench seating to both sides which can double up and provide extra berths. The room has what would seem to be plenty of storage locker space below and further cupboard space either side of the stern steps leading out on to the sizeable stern area. This benefits from some extra lockers, something that the guys at Aintree have found to be very popular with customers. With storage on any boat at a premium it’s not surprising people have picked up on this feature. The finish on this boat is very good with seemingly no rough edges or blemishes anywhere. At around £85-87k for a 57ft boat finished to this standard is good to see. It’s not at the top of the price range but the standard of finish certainly seems to be on a par with others priced higher than this one. Given that Aintree Boats have been building these complete boats alongside fabricating the hulls for others to finish it’s good to find out they’ve learnt a few things as the design has evolved. Things like the stern lockers, mentioned earlier,
Hull: 57ft cruiser stern narrowboat with 7ft 6in bow and stern Steelwork: 10/6/5/4 with lockers on bow and stern decks Hull includes: Integral grab rails, pinched bow, steel front doors. Technical: Engine: Beta 43/prm engine and gearbox Bow thruster locker: Beta 55kgf Power: Victron 3kva/120ah inverter/charger combi Heating: Eberspacher 4kW central heating + 1kW immersion heater Lighting: LED lighting throughout Washroom: Pump-out toilet Interior: Lined in oak to gunwales Off-white top panels encased in oak frames Ceiling lined in off-white with oak trims Two bedrooms Solid oak flooring Multi-fuel stove Thetford oven and hob 12v Shoreline fridge freezer and integral grab rails all show a good attention to detail. This level of detail also extends to the cruising kit included with every new boat. Aftersales service also seems to be very important to the guys. As was pointed out and as is the case of this boat, ‘boat builders are not only building high-value items but they can also be people’s homes’. With that in mind they feel ‘why shouldn’t you take pride in what you build?’ Pride in what they build is also very evident, as is the enjoyment in the whole boat building and owning process – something that shows in the boats they build.
Builder:
Aintree Boats Ltd Unit 14-16 Brookfield Drive, Liverpool L9 7AS Tel: 0151 523 9000 www.aintreeboats.co.uk
78 PRODUCTS & SERVICES
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WHAT’S NEW A Beginner’s Guide to Living on the Waterways Reviewer: Kathryn Smith
LET’S ignore the old adage for a minute because the cover of this book gives a very strong clue to its ethos. A Beginner’s Guide to Living on the Waterways eschews the clichéd lone narrowboat on the cut at sunset, for a slightly ramshackle wooden boat with pitched roof, patio doors and a duck atop. Authors Nick Corble and Allan Ford explore liveaboard boating as an alternative lifestyle, embracing both the diversity and practicality of this way of life and highlighting the necessity for the would-be boater to actively consider if this is something they wish to pursue. The authors have a wide range of boating experience between them and attempt in the first two chapters to deal with the psychological aspects of living aboard, ‘the fundamental, less tangible considerations’ needed before committing to the lifestyle. For example; they balance the appeal of joining a floating community with the difficulties of retaining citizen status and access to state services that arise when relinquishing a postal address on land. This is a useful attempt to get the potential
boater considering if they will suit the lifestyle and one that many similar books overlook in favour of suggesting a ‘try before you buy’ boating holiday. This theme of realism continues into the glossy centre colour photograph hs with bikehire boats, ex-lifeboats, craft that are more tarp than boat and even floating gardens. The remaining nine chapters deal with the practical aspects of living aboard; choosing a boat, mooring, heating, cooking, sanitation, boat layout, electrics, engines, finance, maintenance and survival tips. Each chapter ends with a series of questions and notes the reader is encouraged to engage with themselves. The book offers a beginner sufficient information to allow serious consideration to begin and the authors provide a list of organisations, books and websites at the end for those who wish to do further research. A Beginner’s Guide to Living on the Waterways by Nick Corble and Allan Ford (paperback, 120 pages) published by The History Press at £16.99. ISBN: 978-0-7509-6990-1
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
Innovative clothing for enjoying the great outdoors RReviewer: Phil Pickin
A ANYONE who loves the outdoors knows how much the o right clothing enhances the experience e of being outside observing wildlife and this was o part of the thinking behind p Country Innovation, a UK-based C c company that began in 1996. The founder, Maria Chilvers, began developing the range made from Ventile® 100% cotton fabric developed during the war for RAF crews. Since then the range of products sold has expanded with many
Odd happenings along the River Thames Reviewer: Elizabeth Rogers
A COLLECTION of ‘extraordinary but true’ stories has been compiled by Iain Spragg in London’s Strangest: The Thames – the latest in the ‘Strangest Tales’ series. All relating to incidents along the River Thames, they come in a surprisingly slim and compact volume in which are contained 85 descriptions of odd happenings from the Saxon era to the 21st century. One of the earliest is on the subject of the children’s nursery rhyme ‘London Bridge is falling down’ which was written in the 18th century. The times when London Bridge did fall down however were six and seven centuries earlier. These were in 1091 when William the Conqueror’s then only 25-year-old bridge was blown away in a hurricane and in 1136 when the bridge rebuilt by William II burnt down. The effect of climate change comes into the past history of the river, with the Frost Fairs in London, the last in 1814, now a tradition of the past. One sight in 1535 would have been of Henry VIII – not known for the slimness of his figure – travelling along the Thames aboard the royal sleigh. It is to be hoped that the ice was as thick as the 11in (28cm) of 1684. Whether or not the reappearance of the seahorse in the Thames for the first time since 1976 when one was found in the Thames estuary by a fisherman in 2004 resulted from climate
change is open to question n, as they prefer warmer waters. However in 2008 a colonyy was found in the Dagenham m area, exactly 24 hours after thee seahorse had been officially declared a protected species under the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act. Tales also relate to various locations along the river. A Reading resident was horrified in 2013 to see what he had thought was a tree-trunk actually had the body and tail of a crocodile. Investigations revealed that it was a fabricated one that had been used in the James Bond film ‘Live and Let Die’, in a scene where Roger Moore escaped by walking over the backs of a row of crocodiles. Former England and Arsenal goalkeeper David Seaman was fishing on a stretch between Cookham Dean and Marsh Lock when he saw in the water what he described as a giant rodent – ‘as big as a sheep’. This turned out to be an escaped capybara from a local farm. And there was nothing imagined or mistaken in the sightings of a polar bear – but that was back in 1252. This polar bear had been a gift to the king of England, Henry III, from the king of Norway, King Haakon. London’s Strangest: The Thames (paperback, 176 pages) published by Pavilion Books, price £7.99. ISBN: 978-1-909396-48-7
Id deal for boaters, the Venture trousers are quick V drying and easy to wash. d PHOTO SUPPLIED
being developed as a result of input from some famous naturalists like Simon King and Bill Oddie. The result is a range of products that are very practical but also help anyone who is looking to observe wildlife and enjoy the outdoor lifestyle, all while remaining as unobtrusive as possible. With the market place awash with clothing ideal for walkers etc, you find many items are brightly coloured, something that is not ideal when watching wildlife. So it’s good to find a range that is aimed at those who want to be less conspicuous without wanting to don camo clothing. We looked at a couple of the items from the range including the Venture trousers which are made from very soft lightweight fabric, making them ideal for travelling. They are quick drying (something I can vouch for) and easy to wash, ideal qualities for boaters. They feature eight pockets and a side elasticated waist. Articulated knees and a webbing belt are also included. All of these features are noted by Country Innovation and, having tried these trousers out in the field, I have to agree that these are a cut above others in
the price range. The Venture trousers are priced at £55. We also looked at the Microfleece top which would be ideal as part of layered clothing as it’s lightweight, breathable and has flat lock seams. It’s wickable and is quick drying after a machine wash and is fitted with a good quality zip which tucks away at the top of the collar. A nice touch that shows Country Innovation’s attention to detail. As with the trousers you have a choice of colours as long as you like green! In keeping with the company’s focus on providing clothing to those who spend time in the outdoors, the range is produced in colours that make you as unobtrusive as possible. The Microfleece is priced at £35. In keeping with their obvious affinity with the natural world, and their aim of helping customers enjoy wildlife and the environment, some items within their range help provide an income to a wildlife charity. A donation is made to the Simon King Wildlife Charity when any Linnet jacket is purchased – an innovative way of supporting a worthy cause while purchasing very well made and effective outdoor clothing.
● For more information about any of the items mentioned please visit https://www.countryinnovation.com y
The healing power of the outdoors Reviewer: Sarah Palmer
I’VE been a fan of Alys Fowler’s approach to gardening for some time: her embrace of non-conventional methods makes a refreshing change to the rather strait-laced approach of some gardening writers. So, I was rather intrigued to learn that she was about to release a book – Hidden Nature – A Voyage of Discovery – not about how to grow your own, but about exploring canals. Alys, as anyone who has watched The Edible Garden knows, is that often rare thing in media land, someone who has left the orbit of London, in her case ending up in Kings Heath in Birmingham. And she didn’t let me down with her unconventional approach to the canals of her adopted city. After a chance conversation with a friend about wanting to be an adventurer in her early years, she was advised, essentially, to adventure in her backyard and see what she found. The result is this book that speaks of transitions of old lives to new ones, the familiar to the unfamiliar and looking at ordinary things; canals, wildlife and waterside plants with wholly fresh eyes. The book is essentially two stories bound up in one. The first is the adventure she has, after abandoning her garden for a few seasons, armed with a red inflatable kayak and a fold-up bike around the various locks and cuts of Birmingham and its environs. It’s a beautiful
story of how she paddles along the canals enjoying a different perspective on the ordinary and the overlooked; sometimes solitary, at other times with friends. She travels the canals taking them in sections for hours or full days at a time, charting their industrial decline but post-IWA renaissance, but not yet their gentrification or the development of eye-watering by-the-canalside properties you’d find in the capital. The other story within this book, which is part memoir, part nature study, part urban commentary and part selfdiscovery is the disintegration of Alys’ marriage to her husband Holiday, and the guilt she feels about making a new life for herself, with a woman, leaving him to deal with his cystic fibrosis without her as his wife and carer. In this way it has parallels with Richard Mabey’s Nature Cure, which charted his return to health after a severe depressive episode by him leaving the familiar and coming to love the East Anglia he turns to for rehabilitation. The restorative power of nature is a common genre for writers in this country. But what I liked about this book and its approach to the healing power of the outdoors was that Alys doesn’t turn to a perfect wilderness, with sweeping vistas and stunning scenery to document her dark night of the soul. She turns to the abandoned, the overlooked, the litter strewn and in some cases
the polluted, p and this coupled p with the beauty in unexpected places, seen up close from the waterside, demonstrates how nature always finds a way and can recolonise what man has left unloved. In her eyes the common buddleia, the pigeon and the rat rise above their over familiarity to become something worth a second look. Her section on eels is particularly rewarding. Where you or I may see just a weed growing next to a tin can she identifies a rare plant thriving against the odds in poor soil. As a writer, she is at her best extolling the virtues of her ungentrified, unsanitised environment. I hope that she continues in this vein for other works of exploration of our urban environment as I enjoyed her transition from gardens to waterways. Hidden Nature – A Voyage of Discovery by Alys Fowler is published by Hodder & Stoughton (hardback £20, also available as an e-book, price on request) www.hodder. co.uk ISBN: 9781473623033
TECHNICAL 79
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Keeping the waterways clear RIVER Canal Rescue (RCR) is speaking at this year’s Flood Expo – the world’s biggest flood prevention exhibition and conference – explaining how boat salvage and recovery keeps the UK inland waterways clear, manages flood risks and supports the environment. The two-day event, held at ExCeL London on September 27 and 28, offers more than 200 industry exhibiting suppliers, interactive debates, live demonstrations, and 80 expertled seminars which will discuss how the latest flood research, concepts and solutions can help prepare, prevent and manage flood water. Organisers describe its speakers as ‘the brightest minds, engineers and authorities within the flooding world’. Joining RCR managing director, Stephanie Horton, will be academics and representatives from national organisations including the Environment Agency, Flood Advisory Service and Damage Management Association, city councils, research/campaign groups and flood protection/prevention specialist firms. RCR was invited to run a seminar after the Expo organisers heard about its work with East Riding of Yorkshire Council to remove 22 sunken boats from the River Hull by September this year, supporting their strategy to manage flood risk in the local area. Stephanie said: “I’m delighted that boat salvage and recovery is being recognised as a crucial element of flood prevention; if we can keep the inland waterways clear, we can increase the water flow – particularly after heavy rain – which in turn reduces the risk of localised flooding. This is a great opportunity to share this message and show what can be achieved when working in partnership with local authorities.” The event is free to attend when registering via the Flood Expo website. To find out more about River Canal Rescue visit www. rivercanalrescue.co.uk
How to test your batteries and use a multi-meter TESTING battery voltage is not something the everyday boat owner would undertake, however, being able to test your own batteries gives you an insight into many things. The readings gained from checking your battery voltage, for example, can tell you whether the gauges on your ignition panel are correct or how long you need to charge your batteries until they are fully charged. In order to check your battery voltage you will need to understand how to use a multimeter/battery tester. First, attach the test wires to the multi-meter; the black test wire attaches to the plug marked COM, the red test wire to the plug not marked with an A (it will be marked only by symbols which include something similar to Ω). All testers have the ability to read volts and some will do it automatically. If the automatic function is not present, you will need to select the one marked V followed by two lines (the bottom line will be broken). This stands for voltage (direct current), then choose the sub setting 20 for 12v. The number reflects the maximum volt reading so for 24v choose the sub setting 200.
Place the black probe on the – (negative) terminal. PHOTOS: RCR Once selected, you are ready to test the battery voltage. Before testing batteries, remove any covers and leave the batteries to stand for an hour. Once you are ready to test them, isolate by turning off the isolator switches. Then place the red probe on the + (positive) terminal on the battery and the black probe on the – (negative) terminal. The multi-meter should now show a reading. To test domestic batteries, you can do it two different ways. To gain a battery bank reading, either place the red probe on any one of the battery
+ (positive) terminals and the black probe on any one of the – (negative) terminals or disconnect each battery individually and follow the first test procedure. The battery bank reading is great for gauging battery capacity and charging requirements. As a guide 11.8v or below is completely flat, 12.2v is 50% capacity and 12.6v-12.8v is fully charged. Individual tests are equally great for identifying faulty batteries as one may show a significantly lower or higher reading to the others. This indicates the battery is ready for replacement.
● River Canal Rescue runs boat and engine maintenance courses throughout the year. To find out more visit www.rivercanalrescue.co.uk email enquiries@rivercanalrescue.co.uk or call 01785 785680.
With both probes attached the multi-meter is showing a reading. ● Do you have a burning question on boat maintenance which breakdown and assistance firm River Canal Rescue can help you with? If you are keen to see a particular technical topic covered, contact us at Technical Tips, Towpath Talk, PO Box 43, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ; email editorial@towpathtalk.co.uk
PROMOTIONAL FEATURES
Valiant’s new Moisture Meter launches on to the market!
SINCE the launch of Valiant Fireside’s new Moisture Meter with colour change technology, sales have rocketed. Bob Sizeland, managing director of Valiant, commented on the product’s success: “We are delighted with the reception our new Moisture Meter has received. I think the popularity of this product highlights a real need among customers to get the best burn from their timber – not just on an efficiency level but also in environmental terms. “Burning seasoned wood reduces chimney deposits and environmental pollution. The new colour change technology makes it even easier to ensure you are burning seasoned wood.”
Portable
The Moisture Meter is 110mm tall by 50mm wide, making it conveniently portable with the ability to read moisture levels in structural timber and brickwork as well as wood fuels. It also shows the ambient temperature in Celsius or Fahrenheit. Its key feature is a unique colour changing backlit display which makes it visually easier
to detect when the wood is suitable to burn. The Moisture Meter comes complete with a protective storage bag and has a 12-month Valiant manufacturer guarantee. Fuel quality is the single most important aspect of making a successful fire. To burn effectively the moisture content of firewood needs to be less than 20%, whether it be an open fire or in a stove. The Moisture Meter reads moisture content by percentage to within a decimal point, giving you an exact reading of how seasoned your wood is.
Deposits
For narrowboat owners, the Moisture Meter is a practical way to reduce chimney deposits in your flue. In a standard house, the flue of a wood-burning stove is typically 5-6in diameter and 4.5m tall. On a narrowboat the flue diameter is smaller, often measuring in at 4in diameter and, of course, a lot shorter in height (approximately 2m). The reduction in flue sizes on narrowboats means chimney deposits build up faster. Burning fully seasoned wood, that has a
● For further details and to order the new Colour Display Moisture Meter, please visit www.valiantfireside.com or email sales@valiantfireside.com
The Moisture Meter’s key feature is a unique colour changing backlit display which makes it visually easier to detect when the wood is suitable to burn. PHOTO SUPPLIED moisture content of less than 20%, will reduce your deposits, smoke and the risk of a fire. Valiant is based in Hertfordshire and offers a wide range of stylish and practical accessories for all your fireside needs. Valiant is committed to offering customers innovative, quality and sustainable products.
Maximum protection for your boat engine PREMIER Lubricants Marine Engine Oil is specifically formulated for use in boats requiring an API CC performance. The additive level has been chosen to prevent bore polishing or glazing while giving maximum engine protection. The SAE 10W40 CC classification makes this suitable for use in all boat engines where an SAE 15W40 may be required. SAE 10W40 will flow more rapidly at low temperatures, providing improved engine protection. The use of incorrect oils in lightly loaded engines can lead to problems with bore glazing and bore polishing. The designation API CC has been unused for some years, although many engine manufacturers continue to specify this grade. Some experience suggests that using oil of the recommended replacement grade, API CH-4 and above may well cause oil burning problems and cylinder bore glazing. In order to prevent bore glazing or bore polishing, it is worth outlining the differences between these two conditions and why they occur. Bore glazing usually occurs in new or rebuilt engines that are run under light/constant loads. If a lubricant with high levels of additive is used, i.e. with a high-performance level, then excessive additive chemistry combines with the wear debris that is generated to produce a ‘chemical grout’ which effectively fills the honing marks in the cylinder bore. The honing marks are there to retain an oil film which not only lubricates the compression rings and oil control ring, but ensures good sealing between the ring edges and the liner. This in turn helps to maintain correct operation compression levels and power. When these honing marks are filled by the ‘glaze’, the oil is lost/burned and compression drops. It is important to use running oils that are formulated at the correct level to allow wear to
take place but also keep the engine clean and operationally efficient. Bore polishing manifests itself in the same way as glazing, but the process is different. Polishing occurs if a lubricant, that produces a high level of ash, is used in engines that have been run under light/constant loads. This ash originates from the additives in the lubricant that are designed to keep the engine components clean and protect them from wear. All engines burn a small amount of lubricant as an oil film is required to protect components such as top compression ring, valve guides and valves stems that are exposed to extremely high temperatures. The oil is ‘incinerated’ and an ash is produced that can get down on to the main body of the oil. This ash is abrasive and very slowly, due to the washing action of the oil under high pressure areas (i.e. ring and liner) the honing marks are polished away. A mirror finish can often be found on the cylinder bores when this happens. Again, as with glazing, the removal of honing marks affects oil retention and compression. It is important to use oils with a performance level that does not generate a high ash, but still has sufficient performance to protect engine components from wear and to keep them clean. Glazing or polishing result in the engine having a significant increase in oil consumption and lower compression (reduced power). Our advice therefore is not to use modern hi-tech multigrade oils in boat engines which remain at static revs for long periods. ● See advertisement on page 6. For further details or to place an order, please call 01782 410381, email sales@ premierlubricants.co.uk This product is also available to purchase online at www.premierlubricants.co.uk
80 BRAUNSTON PREVIEW
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Alice’s story
Tim Coghlan looks back on the remarkable life of former working boatwoman Alice Lapworth, who was born on a horse-drawn butty narrowboat in the Second World War. Although she and her late husband Les ceased working the boats in 1963, she has never left the canals. She has attended every Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally since they started in 2003, and this year she will again be steering the butty Raymond in the famous Parade of Boats Boats.
Still boating on through the generations: Alice Lapworth with her great-granddaughter Ocean Lilly (3) on Raymond at the 2016 Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally. PHOTO: TIM COGHLAN
Mersey Weaver days: Alice aged about six with her mother Annie. PHOTO: ALICE LAPWORTH COLLECTION
ALICE’s story begins towards the end of the Second World War, when around September 20, 1944, boatman George Wain and his heavily pregnant wife Annie tied up their ancient wooden horse-drawn butty narrowboat, the 1903-built Etruria, on the Trent & Mersey Canal at Tunstall – a village north of Stoke-onTrent on the southern end of the Harecastle Tunnel.
They had come to that village as they had elderly family, retired from boating and living in the cottages beside the canal, who could help with the birth and their two existing children. There was also a good hospital nearby and George and Annie wanted to have all their children born in hospital. On the morning of September 21, Annie and George went to that hospital, she thinking that her baby was starting to arrive. But after an examination the midwife sent them back to their boat, telling them that the baby would not arrive for a few days yet. So with time seemingly on his hands – a rare treat for a working boatman – George took the afternoon off to buy the fish and chips for dinner, first ‘taking in the pictures’, and leaving Annie with their two children on the boat. While he was gone, his wife suddenly went into labour and took to their bed in the butty, having first asked someone around to call the midwife. By the time the midwife arrived Annie was too far gone to go to hospital, and the child was born there and then; the infant was weighed in a nappy hung from the hand scales a nearby fisherman had lent the midwife.
By the time George returned to the butty with the fish and chips, the midwife had gone. He found his wife asleep, and woke her to give her the food, asking her what she was doing in bed at this time of day. She handed the baby to him from beside her, saying, ‘Do you want this?’ He had no idea of the birth of his daughter – the only child of their final tally of 11 to be born afloat. They named her Alice.
Watercress beds
George worked for the ‘Mersey Weavers’, the Mersey, Weaver & Ship Canal Carrying Co Ltd to give the company its full name, which mainly worked the northern canals from the Potteries up to Manchester. The company had been slow to modernise, most of its fleet being horse drawn, but during the 1940s engined boats were being introduced to the fleet, either as a relatively few new-builds or conversions of butties to motors, installing the new twin-cylinder Bolinder engines. In 1946, George was given a new pair of boats, and the wooden Etruria was unceremoniously sunk in the canal near a railway bridge in the Potteries which had alreadyy become a graveyyard
for such boats. Alice was only two, and so though born into horse-boating – one of the few now-surviving boatmen that was – she has no memories of it. The ‘Mersey Weavers’ were wooden and by the 1950s, with the general decline in the carrying trade and a lack of funds for maintenance, the fleet was in a very run-down condition. Due to the leaks, the boats were affectionately known as ‘watercress beds’. George’s Bolinder engine gave him nothing but trouble. Alice remembers her father ‘forever in the engine room, sometimes working all night trying to get it fixed for the next morning.’ The main load was china clay, which involved using the Anderton Lift to descend from the Bridgewater Canal to the River Weaver for loading at Western Point, where ships from the Manchester Ship Canal could discharge. Another raw material for the Potteries was fish scales, which they collected from the Manchester Docks. The sacks were of poor quality and sometimes broke when being loaded. They made the boats stink and difficult to clean after a run – important if the next load was wheat.
Alice’s s parents with their pair of BWB boats at Braunston Top Lock c1958. PHOTO: ALICE LAPWORTH COLLECTION
BRAUNSTON PREVIEW 81
www.towpathtalk.co.uk In 1958 British Waterways Board (BWB) acquired the ‘Mersey Weavers’ fleet, a decade or so after it had acquired the fleets of Fellows, Morton & Clayton and the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company. With its heavy hand, BWB lost money and soon closed the fleet – as it did to so many other carrying companies. The boats were scrapped by the simple expedient of sinking them, wherever they would not foul whatever was left of the navigation. Here and there the boats can still be seen below the water to this day.
No luxuries
With the work gone, the Wains moved south, to take on a pair of BWB boats based at Bulls Bridge in London. The runs were mainly to the North Warwickshire Coalfields, bringing coal down to the greater London area. This move south was to change Alice’s life. Aged 13, she met the 17-year-old Les Lapworth, when moored outside the Greyhound Inn at Hawkesbury Junction, near Coventry. The dashing lad with the ducktail asked her if she was going to the pictures. When she said yes, he told her he would see her there. Although he hadn’t offered to buy her ticket, he came and sat next to her – and then carried on as if he had. In the year that followed, they used to meet here and there, passing on the canal or when their parents’ boats happened to tie up at the same place. The boatmen had their favourite spots. By the following year they were courting, and Les gave her his transistor radio ‘’cos she had no luxuries’. At the age of 15 Alice was working a pair of boats with her 17-year-old sister. They teamed up as a foursome with their parents, so as to provide more living accommodation for the ever-growing younger family. Meanwhile Les’s father had given up the struggle and moved off the boats into Coventry. His wife had died when Les was 15, and it had deeply affected him – as it had Les. After a couple of years of trying to work the boats with his children he had had enough. Les moved with him ‘on to the bank’, but soon missed the canal. Aged 19 he went back, running a motor on his own for BWB. The following year, aged 20, he proposed to the by then 17-year-old Alice, with the romantic words: “Please marry me and steer my butty.”
Having obtained the requisite written parental consent forr Alice to marry, the youngg couple did the deed at Coventryy Register Office. Their weddingg photograph reveals so much about the then boatmen’s lives. Les at 5ft 3in was the tallest. Alice looks quite diminutive and yet she was working a pairr of boats. And the men were all wearing their suits, which h they carefully kept for special occasions in the drawer underr the cross-bed. The weddingg reception was in an uncle’s cottage in that small terrace thatt runs up to the Greyhound, and d still survives. After that Les took his bride for a drink at the Greyhound. The landlady Mrs Nelson refused to serve her, as she knew how young she was. But for once, the gallant Les had already reached into his pocket, and bought his bride a Babycham. Spotting this, the landlady allowed her to finish it, but said with stern admonishment that on this occasion she would make a special exception, but there was to be no more. It was the only Babycham that, to this day, Alice has ever drunk. The honeymoon was to go down by train that day to Bulls Bridge to pick up their pair of BWB boats – their first home, the motor Kenilworth and butty Satellite. They had orders waiting for Brentford on the Thames, to load barrels of lime juice for Boxmoor near Hemel Hempstead. No sooner had the crane lifted out the barrels on delivery, than Les reacted badly to a smallpox inoculation – there was a minor epidemic at that time and with it a consequent mass inoculation. Les was in bed for a week.
High heels
Shortly after, they collected coal from the Midlands to take to the Jam ’Ole. Descending Denham Deep Lock, near Uxbridge, Les set up the ropes to open the gates from the boats, then opened the paddles and jumped down on to the cabin roof of the descending motor. It was a jump too far, and he very badly twisted his knee. It was to get worse. That night he split his thumb open chopping kindling wood on the counter. By the time they got to Bulls Bridge, his knee was so swollen that he could not get off the boat and a doctor had to visit him to drain the fluid. The injury was to affect him for the rest of his life and he walked with a slight limp.
Jam ’Ole rerun 2004: Alice joined the early morning start, steering the butty Brighton, which was for a time one of her parents’ pair of boats. Brighton is now paired with Nuneaton and owned by the Narrow Boat Trust. PHOTO: KEN KROEKER
Three Mersey Weaver butties at the top of the Anderton Lift in about 1948. These are the type of butties on which Alice was born and her parents worked horse-drawn in her first two years, when she, her parents and her older brother and sister all lived in one cabin. PHOTO: WATERWAYS TRUST Another order was to take an urgent load of copper from Birmingham to Limehouse Basin in London Docklands. There was a bonus on it if the order was delivered within five days. Alice by now was quite pregnant, so Les got his brother George to help. By working almost non-stop, they did it in three days – the goods being loaded by crane straight on to an awaiting ship. Back at Bulls Bridge, Les used the bonus to buy Alice the ‘highheeled going-out shoes’ she had always wanted. Later that same eventful year, and before she was 18, Alice gave birth to their first child Denise at the nearest hospital to Bulls Bridge. Weeks later they were back on the move again. With orders to load coal near Coventry, they stopped for Christmas at Hawkesbury Junction, mooring in what the boatmen called the ‘Wide ’Ole’, just outside the Greyhound. This time Alice barred herself from the pub, because she would never take a child into
The last run. Les Lapworth at the second 2004 Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally. He died suddenly a few months later. PHOTO: VAL ROBERTS
one. Indeed in those days thee Greyhound was quite a rough h pub, with singing and dancing g on the tables of what is now w a salubrious restaurant, and d boatmen stepping outside to o settle their differences. It left Less to carouse with his mates, fillingg their Buckby cans with beer so o they could continue drinking and d singing outside the pub long afterr closing time. A few days after Christmas,, when the mines reopened, Less and Alice went to load the coal.. On the return, they stopped forr New Year’s Eve at the Greyhound,, just above the Stop Lock. Thatt night the Great Freeze of 1963 3 began. The boats could not movee for 13 weeks. BWB provided some sort of relief canal maintenance work, but otherwise they were on the dole. Les was loaned a donkey jacket and a pair of wellington boots to do the work, which he had to give back when the thaw at last came. More than anything else, that winter killed the carrying trade on the canals, coinciding as it did with the opening of the M1 motorway, which brought London lorries into the very heartlands of Warwickshire coal mining. Les and Alice took the load they had sat on for three months down to the mill at Apsley. They went on to Bulls Bridge for orders, only to be told by BWB that they were redundant. They could buy their boats if they wished, or as a concession, they could live on them until they found somewhere else to live. With money nearly exhausted after not working for three months, they chose just to live on them.
‘Please steer my butty’:: Alice and Les’s s wedding day in 1962 at Coventry Register Office with their respective fathers. Les was the tallest at 5ft 3in. PHOTO: ALICE LAPWORTH COLLECTION
Proud father: Les Lapworth with baby Denise at Bulls Bridge in 1962. PHOTO: ALICE LAPWORTH COLLECTION So they headed north with their pair of boats to Coventry to where Les’s father was living ‘on the bank’, taking a mooring just around the corner from the Greyhound Inn. They had hardly been married a year, Alice was only 18 and Denise a babe of six months old, and they only had what little money they had managed to save. For the 21-year-old Les, the prospects looked bleak, although Alice recalls: “He never looked back once we left the canals.”
On the bank
Alice and Les now made a new life ‘on the bank’ at Coventry, working hard and going to evening classes to learn to read and write. Les went on to start a very successful garage door manufacturing business which still exists to this day. But neither ever lost their love
for the old working boats, and would attend rallies up and down the country, where both could be seen driving a motor or steering a butty. Les would always jump at a chance to go ‘proper boating’ – joining his great friend the late David Blagrove on freight carrying runs, which helped to keep trade alive on the canals. In the spring of 2004, they took a pair of loaded boats down from Manchester to London. And as something of a pat on the back to me, he loved coming on my Jam ’Ole runs, which he told me he would not miss, as long as he could still go boating – a promise he kept. He died suddenly late in 2004. But Alice is still boating on, and says she will continue to steer in the parade of boats at the Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally just as long as she can. She has never missed one since they started in 2003.
Show opening: Alice, right, with her brother-in-law, former working boatman Tom Lapworth, at the opening of the 2014 Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally, joining the cheque presentation to the Friends of Raymond, with actors and canal enthusiasts Timothy West and Prunella Scales. PHOTO: PAUL BENNETT
82 CROPREDY COMPETITION
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Fairport’s Cropredy Convention celebrates band’s 50th year LEGENDARY songstress Petula Clark will be making her first UK festival appearance at the age of 84 when she heads a stellar line-up to celebrate Fairport Convention’s 50th year. Over three days from August 10-12, Fairport’s Cropredy Convention alongside the Oxford Canal near Banbury will present more than 30 hours of live music from 19 acts to an audience of up to 20,000 festival-goers. “We’re really proud to be the first British festival that Petula has played,” said Fairport bassist and Cropredy co-organiser Dave Pegg. “I saw her show in Birmingham and it blew me away – she is a wonderful live performer. “I was surprised how many of her hits I knew and her contemporary songs are really great too. Our audience will love her, I’m sure.”
With a career stretching back to 1949, she has three Grammy Awards and millions of record sales to her name. Her Top 40 hits including Downtown, I Know A Place, My Love, and This Is My Song. The three-day event will open on the Thursday evening with the customary musical welcome from the host band Fairport Convention’s semi-acoustic line-up. Also taking to the stage on Thursday is the 14-piece Trevor Horn Band. Considered to be one of the most influential record producers in popular music, Trevor Horn started his career as a bass guitarist. A co-founder of The Buggles (Video Killed The Radio Star), he has gone on to work with, among many others, Paul McCartney, Tom Jones, Rod Stewart, Seal, Frankie Goes To Hollywood and Genesis.
Inspired by American and world folk, talented young six-piece CC Smugglers perform with infectious enthusiasm. PHOTO SUPPLIED
Headlining on Friday, Petula Clark is making her UK festival debut. PHOTO SUPPLIED
The band will feature fellow producers Steve Lipson and Lol Crème – between them they’ve had more than 200 hit singles – and there may be guest appearances from some of the musicians they have worked with. Petula Clark will headline on Friday when other acts will include six-piece Birmingham band Quill and multiinstrumentalists CC Smugglers. There will also be a set by the winner(s) of the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award. Saturday afternoon opens with a triple bill of performances by former members of Fairport Convention – Ashley Hutchings, Judy Dyble and Iain Matthews. Returning by popular demand are Marillion and making his Cropredy debut is Scottish solo performer Dougie MacLean before the festival comes to a rousing finale with a stunning set celebrating Fairport’s Golden Anniversary.
The arena stage sits at the bottom of a hill with seating and picnic area on the incline. PHOTO: RICHARD SINCLAIR The band will be joined by Richard Thompson and other former members plus surprise guests to perform the very best of a repertoire covering half a century. Fairport’s Cropredy Convention is aimed at all ages with an emphasis on families and has developed a reputation as a particularly friendly and safe festival. The event is renowned for its real ale bar provided by Wadworth, the Devizes brewery. This bar is used by the public and performers alike making Cropredy one of the few major events where festivalgoers mingle with the musicians.
Floating traders on the Oxford Canal. PHOTO: RICHARD SINCLAIR The village’s two pubs also do a roaring trade and both put on ‘Cropredy Fringe’ events featuring live music from local bands.
●The Convention is one of the cheapest three-day festivals of its kind. Tickets are exclusively available from Fairport’s website fairportconvention.com and ticket phone line 01295 404044 at discounted prices if purchased before June 1. There is also a chance to win tickets in our competition below.
TICKETS TO FAIRPORT’S CROPREDY CONVENTION 2017 - 50th Anniversary!
Towpath Talk has teamed up with Fairport’s Cropredy Convention to offer readers the chance to win £445 worth of prizes!
2017 will mark Fairport Convention’s fiftieth year and Cropredy will celebrate the anniversary in style with a stellar line-up and musical guests. The dates will be
Thursday 10, Friday 11 and Saturday 12 August. Headliners for 2017 include three-time Grammy Award winner Petula Clark, whose string of Top 40 hits in the UK and around the world includes Downtown, I Know A Place, My Love, and This Is My Song. The festival will also feature the Trevor Horn Band, The Divine Comedy and Richard Thompson amongst many others.
1ST PRIZE
a pair of adult three-day festival tickets with camping if required, plus up to three under 12 child tickets
2ND PRIZElt
a pair of adu Saturday only tickets mp (ca ing is free)
Tickets are exclusively available from Fairport’s website: fairportconvention.com and ticket hotline: 0900 637 1644. To be in with a chance of winning, simply visit www.towpathtalk.co.uk and enter your details online before Monday, July 24, 2017. Terms and conditions apply. The winners will be the first two names drawn at random. There are no cash alternatives available.
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WHAT’S ON
Compiled by Janet Richardson
Email details of your event to: pbatten@mortons.co.uk or send details to: What’s on, Towpath Talk, PO Box 43, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ
Canal artist invites public to go gongoozling
SCOTLAND’s first canal artist-in-residence has captured the spectacular sights of the nation’s inland waterways on canvas and is inviting the public to go gongoozling. The first exhibition of her work opened recently at the Park Gallery in Falkirk where it can be seen until Sunday, June 25. Entitled Gongoozler – a term for someone who takes joy from watching the world, and one or two boats, pass by on canals – the exhibition marks the culmination of a 15-month residency that saw artist Lesley Banks travel the Forth & Clyde, Union, Monkland, Caledonian and Crinan Canals creating paintings that celebrate the environments and stories of Scotland’s 250-year-old waterways. The residency, funded by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland Open Project Funding and supported by Falkirk Community Trust and Scottish Canals, has resulted in the creation of more than 40 paintings of the nation’s canals. They feature everything from the Falkirk Wheel to Neptune’s Staircase, The Kelpies and even the few remaining sections of the Monkland Canal. Lesley said: “I’ve spent the past year gongoozling, using the towpaths as a studio and capturing some incredible sights on the waterways throughout changing seasons, weather and times of day. “The Gongoozler exhibition is the culmination of that experience and celebrates the unique character of each canal, from the majestic Caledonian to the post-industrial Forth & Clyde, in a sequential form that will allow people to explore the waterways on canvas as if they were walking the towpath with me.” The Gongoozler exhibition can be seen at the Park Gallery at Callendar House, Callendar Park, Falkirk. More information at www.falkirkcommunitytrust.org/venues/park-gallery
WHAT’S ON IN JUNE
Chesterfield Canal Society: Ducks and Drakes craft activities and cruises (about 25 minutes) on the John Varley II at Tapton Lock Visitor Centre from 11am. Boat fares £3 per person, no need to book, just walk up. Tapton Lock Visitor Centre (S41 7JB) 01629 533020.
June 3-4
River Canal Rescue: Boat and engine maintenance course with RCR engineers. RCR head office, Baswich, Stafford (by Bridge 101, Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal). Two-day course £120. Contact 01785 785680, enquiries@rivercanalrescue.co.uk or visit www. rivercanalrescue.co.uk/rcr-courses/ 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
June 4
Dogdyke Steam Drainage Station: Open day from 1.304.30pm. 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. IWA Towpath Walks Society, London: Regent’s Canal: Little Venice-Camden. Starts Warwick Avenue tube station (North/Lords exit) at 2.30pm. Costs £10, £8 student/concs. Contact Roger Wilkinson 0203 612 9624.
June 10-11
River Canal Rescue: Electrics course with Howard Williams. RCR head office, Baswich, Stafford (by Bridge 101, Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal).Two-day course £150. Contact 01785 785680, enquiries@rivercanalrescue. co.uk or visit www.rivercanalrescue.co.uk/rcr-courses/
June 14
River Foss Society: Evening walk, four miles around Dunnington. Meet 6.30pm at Cross Keys pub with optional meal afterwards. Contact Anne Bednarski 01904 764086. IWA Warwickshire: Walk near Ufton. Meet at White Hart Inn, White Hart Lane, Ufton CV33 9PJ. NGR: SP 378 622. 10am. IWA South London: The Wey & Arun Canal by Alan Thomas. The Primary Room, the United Reformed Church Hall, Addiscombe Grove, Croydon CR0 5LP, 7.30 for 8pm. All welcome, no admission but £2 donation asked towards costs. Contact Shea Richardson 07803 904803, shea.richardson@homecall.co.uk
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, June 4 from 12.30-4pm. There will be guided tours of the restoration site and the chance to see volunteers at work, canoes on a rewatered section and a video of the restoration in the church. There will also be sideshows, with 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.
Timberland Pumping Station
Gongoozling artist Lesley Banks near the top of the Falkirk Wheel. PHOTO SUPPLIED
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.
June 2
IN BRIEF
June 15
River Foss Society: Himalayan Balsam Pull to reduce the spread of this invasive plant along the River Foss. Work clothes required. For details of meeting point contact 01904 758510, sdmike.05@gmail.com
June 18
Erewash Canal Preservation & Development Association: Open afternoon at 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 IWA Towpath Walks Society, London: East India Docks-Thames-Docklands. Starts East India DLR (by zebra crossing) at 2.30pm. Costs £10, £8 student/concs. Contact Roger Wilkinson 0203 612 9624.
June 19
Friends of Cromford Canal: Mr Brunton’s engine and the Fritchley Tram Road by Dieter Hopkin. Ironville Church Hall, 7.30pm. Free admission.
June 20
Herefordshire & Gloucestershire Canal Trust: Bees by Janet Williams. The Royal Oak, Much Marcle HR8 2ND, 7.30 for 8pm. Everyone welcome.
June 23-24
River Foss Society: Full River Foss walk over two days. First half (15 miles) Easingwold to Farlington; second half (14 miles) Farlington to York. Both days meet 9.30am at Blacksmith’s Arms, Farlington, with car share to start. Finish Blue Bridge, York, on June 24. Contact Bob Jowett 01904 764702, bob.jowett1@btopenworld.com
June 24-25
Roving Canal Traders Association: Chester Floating Market along the Shropshire Union Canal towpath between Chester Ring Road Bridge No 123D and City Wall Park CH1 3LH. A wide array of floating traders selling their wares, a day out for the family. Open 10am-5pm each day, free entry. www.rcta.org.uk St Pancras Cruising Club: Cruise to Horsenden Hill with evening BBQ. Advance booking not required. Cruise co-ordinator Tony Hay, contact via vicecommodore@ stpancrascc.co.uk. All boaters welcome, no charge for participation. www.stpancrasccco.uk
June 27
Derby & Sandiacre Canal Society: Canal society walk, details at www.derbycanal.org.uk
River Canal Rescue provides support for Idle Women tour FREE breakdown and emergency assistance is being provided by River Canal Rescue to the Alarum Theatre Group’s 15-week tour of The Idle Women; Recreating the Journey. This follows the 320-mile route wartime trainees working on the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company (GUCC) boats would have taken 75 years ago. Performers and crew are travelling on a historic 80-year-old working boat and a support narrowboat. Their journey started in April at the site of the GUCC depot at Bull’s Bridge, West London, before heading into London on the Paddington arm and to Limehouse via the Regents Canal. Then it’s up to Birmingham via the Grand Union and on to Coventry before making their return journey to Camden on August 5. The wartime trainees took three weeks to do the journey; Alarum will take three months, performing Idle Women of the Wartime Waterways 50 times in 40 venues. It tells the stories of the young women – later nicknamed ‘Idle Women’ – who worked on 72ft narrowboats carrying 50 tons of cargo during the Second World War. The 70ft working boat nb Tench, which was built in 1936 and is a single motor craft constructed with wrought iron plate sides and a three-inch elm bottom, carries a skipper and two crew. Tench was one of the last two narrowboats built at the WJ Yarwood and Sons yard at Northwich, Cheshire. Its modern counterpart nb Morning Mist will house the production team and two performers, Kate Saffin and Heather Wastie, providing catering and lockwheeling support. RCR managing director Stephanie Horton said: “We are always happy to support new and interesting events to keep our canal heritage alive.” ● To find out more about the tour visit www.alarumtheatre.co.uk To find out more about River Canal Rescue visit www. rivercanalrescue.co.uk
MACHINERY will be on display during open days hosted by the Witham First District Internal Drainage Board at Timberland Pumping Station in Lincolnshire on Sundays June 4 and 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.
Home fires
CROFTON Beam Engines is displaying Wiltshire at War Exhibition 4 – Keeping the Home Fires Burning until June 25. Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, it is part of the Wiltshire at War: Community Stories project. The pumphouse is situated on the north side of the Kennet & Avon Canal near Marlborough. For more information, please see www. wiltshireatwar.org.uk
Old England
NEW musical show Canals of Old England by emerging playwright and musician Phil Underwood will be performed at the Stony Live Festival, York House, Stony Stratford on Saturday, June 10. It tells the story of the golden age of the English canals in the 19th century and is aimed at increasing awareness, in a fun and entertaining way, of the key part they played in the development of industry and trade. The story is underpinned by the writer’s personal experiences as a boatman living on the Grand Union Canal. To book tickets visit http://bonnetandbelt.com/ canals-old-england
Beatlemania at Newbury
THE theme of this year’s Newbury Waterways Festival will be Beatlemania. There will be live music from the Acoustic Beatles Shambles, boat trips and a beer tent at the annual event held by the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust on Sunday, July 23. Admission is free and the public can enjoy a spectacular display of colourful and decorated narrowboats on the towpath while Newbury’s Victoria Park will be filled with stalls, activities and entertainment for all the family.
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WHAT’S ON 85
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Riverside fun at Leicester festival
Lock 13 and Snow Hill bridge – one of Margaret Fairhead’s machine-stitched pictures of the Farmer’s Bridge Flight. PHOTO SUPPLIED
Farmer’s Bridge Flight in pictures STITCHED pictures inspired by the Farmer’s Bridge Flight on the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal will be showcased by Margaret Fairhead at Birmingham & Midland Institute until June 3. A member of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, she created the pictures for its bicentenary exhibition. She started by stitching two different views of the twin tunnels under Newhall Street, followed by pictures of the towpath and canalside buildings between there and Snow Hill. After the initial drawing/designing, paint or fabric shapes were worked over fabric and then free machine stitching is used to create a textured 3D effect. Since then Margaret has also explored the other section of the flight, from Newhall Street to the National Indoor Arena, near Symphony Hall, central Birmingham – locks 1 to 9 – so has an even larger collection now. A visit to the Caldon Canal was another source of inspiration – a more rural setting, including footpath bridges over the canal. The Birmingham & Midland Institute is situated in Margaret Street (BS3 3BS)– not far from the Newhall Street canal access – and is open from 9am Monday to Saturday. Contact 0121 236 3591, www.bmi.org.uk
THIS year marks the 20th anniversary of Leicester Riverside Festival, an annual two-day festival that takes place over the first Saturday and Sunday in June (3-4). Open from noon each day, it is spread over sites at Bede Park, Western Boulevard, Bede Park Piazza, Castle Gardens and the Mile Straight (River Soar). Narrowboats will gather on the River Soar where there will be boat trips, canoe and small boat rides and hire as well as demonstrations by Sea Scouts and Fire and Rescue Service. Castle Gardens has children’s activities with an ecological and environmental focus. There will be more family activities at Bede Park including a fun fair, food stalls, arts and crafts, beer tent, acoustic music stage and lots of join-in activities and the Piazza area has a large music stage featuring live bands. Western Boulevard has a street market with arts and crafts and street food and a Ride Leicester cycling area. www.visitleicester.info/riversidefestival
IN BRIEF
Galton Valley Museum
THE Friends of Galton Valley Canal Museum will be hosting an open day on Saturday, July 8 with a guided walk to the site of James Watts’ original pumphouse. The 1892 pumphouse in Brasshouse Lane, Smethwick B66 1BA will be open to the public and attractions will include heritage narrowboats, Icon craft boat, boat trips, furry friends from Dudley Zoo and face painting. Admission is free. www.sandwell. gov.uk/museums
Fun at Foxton festival
Waiting to board one of the boat trips.
THERE will be a festival atmosphere at Foxton Locks in Leicestershire over the weekend of June 17-18. As well as a music festival, with busy show arena, there will be a food and beverage village, craft marquee, fun dog show, historic enactments, canal trading boats and much more – a great range of entertainment for the whole family. Admission is £7 per adult, children under 16 free when accompanied by an adult and free parking. More information from http://www.foxtonlocksfestival.co.uk/
Floating markets
Canal boats and canoes on the River Soar. PHOTOS SUPPLIED
THE Roving Canal Traders Association has announced its floating markets for this summer. A wide array of floating traders will be selling their wares – a great morning or afternoon out for the family. Entry is free and they are open from 10am-5pm each day. Markets will be taking place on the following dates: May 27-29 Stoke Bruerne and Fazeley; June 24-25 Chester; August 25-58 Merry Hill, Dudley and September 23-24 Birmingham, near Barclaycard Arena. For details of locations visit www.rcta.org.uk
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IN BRIEF
Tringford Pumping Station
AN open day jointly organised by the Wendover Arm Trust and Canal & River Trust will take place at Tringford Pumping Station on the Wendover Arm on Sunday, July 23. The whole building will be open during the event which will be open with free entry from 11am to 4pm. Tea and cakes will be available. Parking will be available only at Startops Car Park, Marsworth, with a free shuttle service starting at 10.45am and running every half hour with the last return journey at 4pm. www. wendoverarmtrust.co.uk
Locks and linocuts
WATER, locks and linocuts are the subject of an exhibition by well-known canal artist Eric Gaskell at the National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port until July 9. There are more than 30 linocuts, paintings, proofs and sketch books as well as hundreds of drawings and videos via on-touch screens. The exhibition at the museum at South Pier Road, Ellesmere Port CH65 4FW opened in mid-May.
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The Hare and the Tortoise – and other tales
AESOP’s Fables is an exciting collection of tales, all told with wood-carved marionettes on board the Puppet Theatre Barge. As well as the evergreen classic The Hare and the Tortoise, other stories feature storms to be weathered, ferocious lions to be overcome and a group of daredevil mice who plot to hoodwink the cat. As ever with Aesop, there are always a few morals to take away. This 60-minute production is suitable for everyone aged three and above. Performances will take place on Saturdays and Sundays until July 9 – at 11am and 3pm on Saturdays and at 3pm on Sundays. There will also be daily shows at 3pm from Monday, May 29 to Friday, June 2, with a relaxed performance at 11am on May 27 and a captioned performance on June 18. Described as ‘one of London’s more elusive treasures’, the Puppet Theatre Barge is moored at Little Venice, Blomfield Road, London W9 2PF (Warwick Avenue tube station). It is an established 55-seat theatre with all modern facilities. Tickets: adults £12, children £8.50, concessions £10, no booking fee. Contact the box office on 0207 249 6876 or online at www.puppetbarge.com
Pod programme
GLASSWARE designer and artist Kate Webley’s summer event programme continues with stands at Artsmix Market, Albion Market Place, Leeds, on Saturdays June 3 and 17 followed by Braunston Historic Boat Rally on June 24-25. Kate is based on the Chesterfield Canal at Worksop where she works from her floating studio gallery, The Pod. Visit www.pod4art.com for more information about her work.
Aesop’s Fables told with puppets. PHOTO SUPPLIED
Two and four-legged walkers enjoying a Poddle in the countryside. PHOTO: WACT
Poddle to help bring canal back to life A WALK in beautiful countryside viewing hidden heritage sites is on offer from the Wey & Arun Canal Trust. The trust provides a detailed guide to the route, a free lunch and refreshments including tea and cake along the way. In return for a great day out in the Arun Valley, walkers raise a minimum of £20 each for the trust in sponsorship. Everyone is welcome to join in the sponsored walk – known as the Poddle – on Sunday, June 4. Walk co-ordinator Margaret Darvill said: “We welcome everyone who would like to support the canal restoration through an enjoyable day in the country. Walkers can do half
the route, either the morning or the afternoon, if they wish.” A bonus for community groups is that they can raise money for their good causes through a 50/50 sponsorship option, without having to do any of the organising. Teams of walkers which collect more than £200, a minimum of £20 each, split their proceeds equally with the trust.
Lost route
The annual Poddle supports the restoration of London’s Lost Route to the Sea, a waterway which ran from Pallingham in West Sussex to Shalford in Surrey. This year, walkers will follow a 12-mile route around the Arun Valley, starting and finishing at
Ingfield Manor School at Five Oaks, north of Billingshurst, with lunch at Wisborough Green Scout Hut. The route includes the canal from Loves Bridge, past Rowner Lock – the site of the first volunteer working party on the canal – to Lordings. Walkers will be able to see a unique waterwheel and a restored aqueduct. After lunch, the route heads across farmland and past the partially restored Malham Lock then through woodland back to the school. Individuals and groups can register to join the Poddle at www.weyarun.org.uk/events. For more information, call Margaret on 01483 894606 or email her at poddle@weyandarun.co.uk.
WHAT’S ON 87
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Portal welcomes local artists DUDLEY Canal and Tunnel Trust is showing work by Dudley Society of Artists at the Portal until June 10. The Canal-side exhibition features more than 50 diverse works by talented local artists. The respected art society has been meeting and exhibiting for the past 89 years and despite being an amateur society, several members have achieved success in exhibitions both locally and nationally. The society’s current home is Castle High School and Visual Arts College where
members meet weekly to work on their current projects, have demonstrations and work on portraiture from live models. For the past 89 years, Dudley Society of Artists has held the annual exhibition at Dudley Museum and Art Gallery but following its closure, Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust offered an alternative venue. The exhibition is free to visit in the temporary exhibition space of the Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust’s visitor centre, the Portal. All art works will also be for sale.
Award-winning comedy comes to Lion Salt Works Museum
Gloriator, a photo from the performance. PHOTO SUPPLIED
Work by local artists on show in the Portal. PHOTO SUPPLIED
THE atmospheric Lion Salt Works Museum near Northwich is hosting a riotously funny show revealing just what happens when a glamorous French actress and her hapless assistant stage their version of Hollywood blockbuster Gladiator. Part of the Cheshire Rural Touring Arts Spring programme, it will be performed on Friday, June 9 at the museum, which is located on the Trent & Mersey Canal and has its own moorings. Gloria Delaneuf, played by Pauline Morel, is well versed in mime, mask and the mysteries of stagecraft. Her UK tour manager Josephine Cunningham (Susie Donkin) is not. Together they have created Gloriator – a production of bravery, honour, and costumes made out of cardboard. Wonderfully inventive, physical and very silly, Gloriator was scripted by French/English female
comedy duo Spitz & Co, aka Pauline and Susie. The play runs for an hour with no interval. The play is suitable for anyone over 12 years old and costs £8.50 for adults and £6.50 for under 17s. To book tickets contact the Lion Salt Works Museum on 01606 275066 or visit www.ticketsource. co.uk/cheshireruraltouringarts
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BOATING
HO LIDAYS Canal breaks and river cruising in the UK, Ireland and Europe
Thousands enjoy taster sessions at hire bases By Harry Arnold
AROUND 5000 people visited the 19 bases across England and Wales of the Drifters’ booking consortium on Sunday, April 23 as part of the group’s National Open Day. More than 3800 of them enjoyed a free boat trip at the events, which were supported by the Canal & River Trust (CRT) and offered canal boat holiday taster sessions at each of the hire bases. Fine spring weather helped to push the visitor figures up by around 1000 over Drifters’ 2016 series
of open events. It was also assisted by the fact that the profile of the waterways has been boosted by popular TV programmes like Celebrity Carry on Barging and Great Canal Journeys. Drifters Waterway Holidays chairman Tim Parker said: “It’s absolutely vital that we attract newcomers to the canals with taster events like these, so that more people discover the joys of a canal boat holiday and the beauty of our inland waterways. We hope the thousands of people who visited our open day events come back to the canals again soon.”
Ullswater Steamers’ Lady of the Lake is 140 years old. PHOTO: WATERWAY IMAGES
Lakes steamer anniversary trips By Harry Arnold
ULLSWATER Steamers’ Lady of the Lake – believed to be the oldest passenger steamer operating on the Cumbrian Lakes – celebrates her 140th birthday in June. Built of iron by T B Seath & Co of Rutherglen for the Ullswater Navigation & Transit Co, she was launched in 1877. In a chequered career – including two sinkings and being almost burnt out – she still retains her Victorian profile and elegance. Like the majority of the Lakes passenger boats she is still described as a steamer and her original four-cylinder engine was described as one of the most economical of the
time. Crossley diesels replaced the steam engines in 1935, to be later modernised with twin Kelvins. Lady of the Lakes’ birthday is being celebrated by an Ullswater Steamers’ offer of a commemorative gift to all passengers who travel with them on June 24-25. For more details contact them on 01768 482229 or ullswater-steamers.co.uk Over on nearby Lake Windermere the wellknown historic 1936-built motor passenger vessel Teal is being given a makeover by staff of Windermere Lake Cruises, which includes a new generator engine and front deck and a refurbished bridge. A member of the National Historic Fleet, Teal has twice welcomed Her Majesty the Queen on board.
Visitors enjoy a boat trip at Drifters’ Anglo Welsh hire base at Great Haywood, by the junction of the Staffordshire & Worcestershire and Trent & Mersey canals. The RNLI also benefited from this event. PHOTO: WATERWAY IMAGES
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See a different side to the city...
New video from British Marine
Old Turn in Birmingham – hub of the canal network. PHOTO SUPPLIED CANALS can be the prettiest, chocolate box places – but the reality is that they were born and grew in urban settings and served the needs of the growing industrial cities. So perhaps part of your cruise this year – whether in your own boat or a hired one – could be in one of the UK’s major cities? No canal is prettier than the Shropshire Union around Norbury Wharf where magnificent views alternate with deep green cuttings teeming with wildlife; but just a few miles south and you can climb into the Black Country with the whole of the Birmingham Canal Navigations to explore. “The contrast is amazing, the rural canals are fantastic but urban boating can be great fun and in some respects, because of its relative quietness, you feel like a 1960s canal explorer,” said Norbury managing director Simon Jenkins. “The canals are better cared for these days but you get to see what cities were like back in the industrial past. There are some great little pubs to hunt out too although you must remember that security must be paramount and pick the right places to stop. He continued: “The Black Country canals are just fantastic and should definitely be on your list to do. You can easily spend a week or more discovering urban canals, and the little offshoots that are essentially dead ends but can offer a lot. “Take the Wyrley and Essington canal, for instance. It starts at either Wolverhampton or Rushall and meanders its way through both
countryside and urban spaces but there are two arms off it which go to either Anglesey basin or the Cannock extension down to Norton Canes.”
Step back in time
Simon added: “The Anglesey branch goes up to Chasewater and is amazing as when you get there the canal opens up into a big basin at the foot of the reservoir and is lovely. “Or take in the Walsall canal, or even better the canals around Netherton, and its massive tunnel and the Delph locks, or even do the old Birmingham main line with its Titford branch, the Engine arm branch to name just a couple.” Nowhere brings to life the old Birmingham canals better than the Black Country Living Museum at Dudley where you can moor right alongside the old boat docks and step back into the last century. It is a favourite set for the TV series Peaky Blinders. By way of contrast you can moor above a massive shopping complex at Merry Hill and a visit to central Birmingham is a must. The city centre may be the hub of the English canal network but the metal bashing of the past has been completely transformed here. There is now modern architecture and Michelin-starred restaurants, to say nothing of a music arena and conference centre where once stood mattress spring makers and brass founders. The city has its own contrasts and it is the ever-changing canalside views that make cruising such a fascinating pastime.
BRITISH Marine has launched a new video highlighting the many benefits that cruising the UK’s inland waterways has to offer. From day trips on the River Thames to holidays on the Kennet & Avon Canal, the film offers inspirational ideas for newcomers from some of the most iconic destinations in the UK. With more than 400 British Marine member companies operating in the inland sector, the video will benefit the many businesses surrounding our beautiful waterways enticing more people into the world of inland boating. Sarah Dhanda, chief officer of membership and services for British Marine, said: “From sightseeing day trips to idyllic holidays on the canal network, there are so many ways that people can get out on the water. “From spending quality time with friends and family, taking advantage of the many health and well-being aspects as well as being at one with nature, spending time on our inland waterways has so much to offer people of all ages. “With more than 672,000 people enjoying the pastime of inland boating last year, we are confident this new video will further grow this interest and get more people cruising on the water.” The video is part of British Marine’s continued efforts to promote inland boating. In addition to this project, the organisation is also working in partnership with VisitEngland to operate and grow the highly valued Quality Accredited Boatyard (QAB) and Boat Grading Scheme. To watch the new inland video, please visit www. britishmarine.co.uk/inlandboatingnextadventure
90 FOOD & DRINK
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FOOD & DRINK staurants Canalside pubs & re.. to satisfy all tastes.
‘Down the stream’ to one of Oxford’s oldest pubs By Elizabeth Rogers
A DISH of the day may not be from a catch of that name, but at the Perch Inn at Binsey – a small village a short distance to the west of Oxford – fish does feature regularly. It is delivered daily from the markets at Brixham in Devon. As the full à la carte menu is available daily from noon to 10pm, boaters who are out and about on the stretch of the River Thames that runs alongside the pub can be sure of a hearty lunch or early evening meal, whichever may be their preference of traditional English food. The Perch has a mooring site that can cater for three or four boats at any one time. Moorings are for daytime only. As well as the main menu there is a choice of lighter meals by way of bar snacks and the opportunity for just a short break, tea or coffee and biscuits – brewed and served by somebody other than whichever member of the boating crew would otherwise have been tasked to do so. Children are well catered for with not just smaller portions from the main menu, but a menu of their own. The Perch does not provide accommodation, but it has another focus as well as food and the full range
The historic Perch Inn at Binsey near Oxford. PHOTOS: DAVID BODSTOCK AND DAVID FISHER
of beer and wines. It is a popular venue for local functions which are held in the marquee that is in place on the lawn throughout the summer months. Catering for weddings is one of its specialities. It is popular throughout the year with walkers and cyclists and other visitors from farther afield, as being close to the site of a fascinating feature from the legendary, factual and fictional history of Oxford. This is Binsey’s Treacle Well, an actual well in the churchyard of the village church dedicated to St Margaret of Antioch.
Miracle cures
To begin with the legends: These centre around an early eighth-century princess, nun and later abbess, St Frideswide (Frithuswith), who hid in a wood in Binsey when being pursued by a Mercian king, named Algar. At the abbey where she and the other nuns lived they had to collect their water from the river until following the prayers a well miraculously opened up – the Treacle Well. Treacle here is a description from the old meaning of the word, referring to the water having healing properties for treating illness. St Frideswide is said to have carried out miracle cures there. The history is that the well remains, attracting all these visitors and that St Frideswide is a name
The cosy lounge area. still much associated with the city. Christ Church Cathedral has a famous St Frideswide window and a church in Botley, built in that western suburb of Oxford in Victorian times, is dedicated to St Frideswide. The pub itself is also historically interesting, being several centuries old. And now we come to the fictional – and literary – associations. Lewis Carroll is said to have used the Treacle Well as the inspiration for one of the parts of his story of Alice in Wonderland and another association with Binsey is that a governess who lived in the village of Binsey was the real-life person on whom he based his character the Red Queen. Additionally, Carroll first read the story to the
A log burner keeps diners warm in the colder weather. original Alice, Alice Liddell and her family, when they were at Binsey. St Margaret’s Church was a place of pilgrimage in the Middle Ages for its associations with the healing properties of the water and the church is kept open daily for visitors. St Frideswide’s, where Alice Liddell is said to have contributed to some of her carving work on the door, is not open. Whether or not boaters calling at The Perch have time to venture further and discover the local history, they can be sure of a refreshing break. ● The Perch is open daily from 10.30am. Contact 01865 728891 or visit www. the-perch.co.uk
FOOD & DRINK 91
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Nottingham’s Fellows, Morton & Clayton pub closes
CAMRA AWARD
By Harry Arnold
ONE of Nottingham’s best-known waterside pubs, the Fellows, Morton & Clayton on the Nottingham Canal section of the River Trent Navigation, closed its doors on Easter Monday. As its name indicates it was the original historic FMC Company warehouse in the centre of the city. In modern times it was first converted and opened to the public as a waterways museum, then later turned into a pub. According to local newspaper reports, Adrian Draper – licensee for more than eight years – is blaming the terms of his agreement with the owning pub company Ei Publican Partnerships, formerly Enterprise Inns. He is quoted as saying: “We can’t afford the beer tie and rent. It’s actually a profitable business but the pub company takes most of it and the tenant is left with the crumbs.” He added that he paid £60,000 for the lease but the pub company only paid £34,000 a year. Steve Westby, Nottinghamshire chairman of pubs watchdog the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), commented: “This is very sad news. And worrying, because it appears to be the ‘pubcos’ once again. The poor licensee doesn’t have a chance. Things need to change.” The pub company said that it aims to reopen the site with a new operator as soon as possible.
The Fellows, Morton & Clayton pub on the Nottingham Canal waterfront. PHOTO: WATERWAY IMAGES
The current state of the Crown Wharf site in Stone, with the original Joules Brewery building – still bearing its name – on the left of the picture. PHOTO: WATERWAY IMAGES
Brewery’s scheme for historic wharf buildings By Harry Arnold
A KEY site on the Trent & Mersey Canal in the centre of Stone, Crown Wharf, could be redeveloped as part of a scheme put forward by a local brewery. Owned by the Canal & River Trust, the site has lain semi-derelict and undeveloped for a number of years. It is next to the historic premises of the well-known Canal Cruising Company, one of the longest established familyowned hire boat operations on the waterways. The main area, fronting on to the canal and adjacent to the original structure of the old wharfinger’s cottage, has mostly been used as casual car parking over recent years. We understand that development company McCarthy & Stone has first option to buy the site but no future plans have been approved by the local authority. Plans for retirement homes were rejected, mainly because of strong local opposition to a housing development. Stone Town Council has now issued a statement saying that it has been approached by Joules Brewery – which used to be based in nearby canalside premises – with a scheme to restore the wharfinger’s cottage for use as a restaurant/coffee shop and to create a Joules Brewery Tap with the potential of housing a Joules shop. The plan would also facilitate space for a new-build community theatre/
cinema and for the town council to build a heritage and tourist information centre. The proposal has considerable support in the town which prides itself as once being the original headquarters of the Trent & Mersey Canal Company and indeed dubs itself ‘Stone – Canal Town’. Support comes from local groups and individual residents and Stone Town Council’s chairman of the general purposes committee, Rob Kenny, said: “This is a great opportunity for a new leisure and tourism development in Stone which could provide both an attractive gateway to the town for canal visitors and exciting new facilities for residents.”
THE canalside Telford’s Warehouse in Chester has been named as Cheshire pub of the year, writes Geoff Wood. It was chosen by the Chester and South Clwyd CAMRA branch after a regional survey. Members nominated their favourite watering holes to create a shortlist. Each pub was then visited by ‘anonymous shoppers’ who checked out venues according to community focus, beer quality, style and decor plus the friendliness of the venue. Owner Jezz Horrill said: “There is stiff competition out there with venues that sell really good real ales so to win outright is incredibly special.”
92 INSIDER EXTRA
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Theatre company shows go on despite boat breakdown THE show is set to go on for narrowboat theatre company Mikron as the waterways community pulls together to repair the 81-year-old historic boat Tyseley. Just weeks before the start of its 2017 waterways tour, the narrowboat unexpectedly broke down on the River Soar, near Nottingham, putting its scheduled programme of theatre performances across the nation’s waterways at risk. Getting the show back on the water required Tyseley, built in 1936 as a commercial boat that worked throughout the Second World War until the demise of commercial boat-carrying on canals in the 1960s, to be craned out of the water at Redhill Marina. The 20-tonne, 72ft boat, which is on the National Historic Ships Register, was then taken by road to a specialist repair yard at Debdale Wharf Marina, near Leicester. Artistic director at Mikron Theatre Company, Marianne McNamara, said: “We were just about to make the final preparations for our 2017 summer narrowboat tour when Tyseley’s historic and rare Russell Newbery engine suddenly stuttered to a halt. “Getting her repaired requires particular expertise so suddenly our 2017 programme was in doubt. Fortunately,
Top tips to prepare your canal boat for the Thames A pre-season narrowboat prep for the tideway
Mikron Theatre Company’s historic narrowboat Tyseley. PHOTO SUPPLIED
the goodwill of the waterways community has shone through. When she broke down it felt like a family member had been seriously injured and I’m so very grateful to all those who have pulled together to make this possible.” Now in its 46th year, Mikron Theatre Company tours original, accessible theatre to audiences that other companies don’t reach aboard the octogenarian craft. In a strange twist of fate one of the company’s latest shows, In at the Deep End, is the story of 200 years of heroic rescues by the RNLI. The narrowboat tour gets under way on June 3 at the Wharf Inn, Welford, near Market Harborough. Marianne added: “Tyseley is often referred to as the Old Lady of Mikron, being 81 years old – she is as much a character in the company as any that the
actors portray, and audiences are delighted to greet her every year when the team arrive to present their latest show. “Built as a commercial boat, she carried Guinness during the Second World War before being turned into a restaurant boat and then, for the last 46 years, a floating theatre barge. “The waterways community has really pulled together to get Mikron’s modern-day floating troubadours back on an even keel – people have dropped everything, transport permits have been pushed through, and Redhill Marina started the rescue by coming out and tugging the narrowboat along the River Soar to their yard. “Ray Bowern Barge Transport also shifted its haulage schedule to get Tyseley to Debdale Wharf Marina in time for the emergency works to begin.”
WITH the start of the new cruising season, the Port of London Authority (PLA) is helping narrowboaters prepare to make the challenging journey between canals and waterways along the tidal Thames. Canal boats often travel along the Thames as they transfer between waterways including the Grand Union Canal, the River Lee, and the non-tidal Thames to Oxford and beyond, but can struggle with the demands of the powerful river. When the weather is calm and the tides are right, a journey down the tideway can be calm and boaters can even ride the tidal current to reduce fuel use. Conversely, travelling on the tideway against the current can be demanding on the boats with tidal flows of four knots (about 4mph) and waves up to 1.2m. PLA assistant harbour master Darren Knight said: “The tidal Thames can catch some narrowboaters off guard after travelling on the calm waters of the canals. It is best to have your narrowboat in tip-top condition when travelling on the tidal Thames as it is a demanding waterway. “We have a few simple tips that will help make a narrowboat journey safer and hopefully allow for a more straightforward trip.”
PLA’S FOUR TOP TIPS
Engines – The engine will be working harder than normal so make sure that filters, hoses and wiring are in good condition and that fuel and oil have been checked. Safety equipment – Safety equipment is important should anything go wrong during the journey. Check that your navigation lights work, for travelling during low light conditions, your lifejackets or buoyancy aids are in working order and that you have a VHF radio tuned to London Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) on Channel 14 and/or have saved the VTS phone number (0208 855 0315) in your mobile. Water ingress protection – while the canals tend to have calm waters, the tideway can have large waves so check that water cannot easily enter through any openings in the engine room vents, cabin doors and weed hatches. Have the right information to hand – Before you set off check the tide times, mooring locations, and Thames navigation restrictions in the PLA Notice to Mariners and the PLA Online Events Calendar. This helpful information is available through the PLA Tidal Thames App and www.boatingonthethames.co.uk. Regular Thames boaters should consider becoming a member of the Tidal Thames Navigators Club.
A narrowboat travels on the Thames near Greenwich. PHOTO: PLA
This month’s seasonal recipe from Anna Pettigrew
Courgette falafel
RECIPE
Tasty and vibrant falafel with added courgette for those extra vitamins! Great served hot or cold with pitta bread and salad. SERVES 4 The cast of Best Foot Forward: Craig Anderson, Claire-Marie Seddon, Rose McPhilemy and James McLean. PHOTO: PETER BOYD PHOTOGRAPHY
Putting their ‘Best Foot Forward’ Geoff Wood caught up with Mikron Theatre at one of the early season performances of their other 2017 production Best Foot Forward at the historic Swan at Dobcross, Saddleworth. BEST Foot Forward is a two-hour show which traces the history of the Youth Hostel Association. And the West Yorkshire-based company did the subject proud. Well thought out and sometimes cheeky, the show gives food for thought and mirth in equal measures. The set, with a multitude of often bizarre road signs, provided the audience with
some laughs even before the action started. But it was soon into the plot, with big business vying for prime site youth hostel, against considerable resistance. In between the cast showed their versatility by playing a variety of musical instruments
– and selling programmes before the show started. The cast – Rose McPhilemy, Craig Anderson, Claire-Marie Seddon and James McLean – are convincing and add plenty of pace. They are also adept at playing musical instruments. The large upstairs room at the Swan, now one of Greater Manchester’s top performance venues, is well suited to an intimate performance. This formula seems to suit as the loyal following of theatregoers each year continually proves.
● For the 2017 tour dates of both shows visit https:// mikron.org.uk/tour_dates
Preparation time: 35 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes ● 1 small/medium courgette (roughly 150g/5oz) ● 2 x 400g tins chickpeas, drained and rinsed ● 3 tbsp plain flour ● 2 garlic cloves, crushed ● ½ tsp cumin ● 1 lemon, zested ● 3 tbsp sunflower oil for frying ● Salt and pepper Trim the courgette, then grate. Wrap the courgette in a clean tea towel and squeeze out any excess moisture. Set aside. Put the chickpeas, flour, garlic, cumin, the lemon zest and a little seasoning in a food processor. Whiz until medium coarse. Add the courgette and
pulse briefly to combine. Don’t overmix. Divide the mixture into 12-14 equal falafels. Heat the sunflower oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and cook the falafels in two batches for around 2-3 minutes each side, until golden and crisp. Serve with salad and pitta bread.
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
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ATLANTA 24, built 1990, 4 berth, new Honda 15hp engine, new hood and safety certificate, all original (not painted), recently taken out of the water (bottom cleaned and repainted with slip), interior covers expertly recovered, cooker, toilet/shower, hot & cold water system (new hot water boiler), fridge, television, also other boat accessories, don’t have time to use it, £11,800 Tel. 01283 222920; 07974 203429 for further details.
BITTERN 2 berth GRP cabin cruiser, marina 20 by Hemming and Morris c1980, 20ft x 6ft 10” beam on single axle trailer with 9hp 4-stroke Honda outboard, porta potti, 2 ring gas hob, fenders, mooring spikes, ropes, BSC 2019, oiro £3800. Tel. 07784 524437.
MAYFIELD SAFARI 21ft, 1996, Suzuki 9.9hp outboard, electric start engine, 2 double bed or one double, 2 singles, 2 ring gas hob and grill, 12v water pump, new rear cover 2016, BSS Boat Safety 17/4/2021, comes complete, £5000. Tel. 07982 247528. Staffs. DAYBOAT 12ft GRP removable caddy c/w Suzuki 4 Tahatsu 3.5 engines, oars, life belts on trailer with winch, easy to manoeuvre, family friend. Tel. 07521 376726. Beds. VIKING TROY 23ft cruiser, excellent example of popular 1991 cabin cruiser, 15hp Honda outboard, serviced 2014, out of water cleaned painted 2015, new carb and propeller, reupholstered cabin and cockpit, 4-berth galley kitchen, plus many more extras, BSS Cert expiry date 2019, £9500. Tel. 01633 485836. Gwent.
MILLIE ANNE 62ft trad, 2005, 62ft, 4 berth, Beta marine 43hp engine, 150 ltr fuel cap, 560 ltr water cap,wide hatch which allows for two at the stern, constructed by Nick Thorpe Boatbuilders and fitted out by the owner to a good standard the interior cabin is predominantly light ash panelling with a hardwood trim, equipped with living aboard in mind the boat has both a 2.5Kw combi inverter and a 3.5Kw Travel Power generator, LED lights throughout, Hoover w/machine/dryer, Jabsco pump-out wc, both full size under counter fridge & separate freezer, Webasto diesel central heating and a Kabola diesel stove. Essentially designed for two people with a further two using an L-shaped dinette the 62ft hull feels spacious and would be perfect for long term cruising, £54,995. Tel. 01270 525 046.
SEMI TRAD NARROWBOAT 62ft aluminium reverse layout, 2 +2 berth, lovely boat, ideal liveaboard or long term cursers, 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 washing machine, Vetus engine, very little use, bow thruster, full central heating, diesel, currently on Lancaster canal. Tel. 07708 196483 for more information and viewing.
TRADER 41+2, lovely sea boat, 1982, 3 bedrooms, 6 berth, 2 bathrooms, one bath, two showers, twin diesel engines, flybridge, dual wheel steering, well equipped galley, tender and outboard, Davits VHF radar, Chartplotter auto pilot, economic 120hp Sealion diesels, 8KVA generator, holding tank, water maker, a perfect live aboard and deep river or coastal cruising, £52,000 ono Tel. 07802 495499. Email: susieboon1@ gmail.com Leics.
SHEBA NARROWBOAT Built by Orion boats, 1996, 36ft traditional stern narrowboat, 4 berth, traditional back cabin, central engine room with Lister HRW2 two cylinder diesel engine, Newage PRM 160D2 gearbox, forward cabin with Squirrel stove and galley area, £18,000. Tel. 0151 3558493. Cheshire.
TOTALLY STUNNING 64 x 12 abode, top of the range luxury wide beam, less than one year old with only 8 hrs on Vetus 80 engine, 2 pack epoxy on hull, built-in 7kw generator and d/glazing, top spec kitchen with a host of Smeg appliances throughout inc dual fuel cooker, microwave combination oven, fridge/freezer, washer dryer, dishwasher, wine cooler, built in Smeg coffee machine, 2 satellite TV’s with Vuqube 2 system, jacuzzi bath, shower cubicle, Webasto heating, log burner, pop up TV in bed, deck seats 8, bow thrusters. etc... ready to go, view at Devizes, £165,000. Tel. Mick 01380 870067; 07989 19243.
WILSON TRAD 60ft, extra headroom, oak fit-out, built 2014, 6ft 10” beam, 2 berths, Barrus 45hp engine, 159 ltr fuel capacity, 300 ltr water capacity, superior oak fit-out, v roomy and light, extra large portholes with integral shutters, 6 x 2v cell batteries, 3kw Victron invertor/generator, 12v and 240v multi-fuel burner with oven and gas oven, Shoreline fridge, solid oak cupboards, king size bed, utility room with w/machine and freezer, cratch cover with window panels, solar panel, s/s water tank with filter, solid oak and much much more, fully kitted out for live aboard, £99,950. Tel. 07454 759228. Kennet & Avon currently Newbury.
WOLVERLEY NARROWBOAT “...in a new, private, totally non-profit, 12 share ownership club. Secondhand, 60ft, Reeves/Milburn semi-trad boat with rev layout and berths for up to six (1 fixed double (extends to Kingsize), 1 make-up (dinette) double, 2 singles that can make-up as S/King double), all cabins have direct access to toilet, Nanni Diesel (Kubota based) 40 bhp engine with PRM 260 gearbox, owners need practical skills and willingness to be ‘hands on’ in looking after the boat and running Owners’ Club, buy-in cost £3500 for 1/12 of the boat + £500 towards mods/upgrades, setup and operating costs for 2017 season. Future contributions payable monthly from November at around £45 pcm. Further details see www.sharewolverley. org.uk
DREAMCATCHER 65ft trad narrowboat, 2004, 65ft beam, 6ft 10”, 3 berth, Beta marine 43hp engine, 250 ltr fuel capacity, 250 ltr water capacity, Dreamcatcher is at present our home, built 2004 by Fox Boat yard in March in Cambs as sail away, fitted her out ourselves and have been living on her ever since, BSC till next year, dry docked last year and had her hull blacked and anodes checked, bow thruster tube built into her hull but we’ve never had the need to fit the thruster itself, a true residential boat, bedroom with 4ft 6” fixed bed with storage under, toilet cubicle holds Thetford toilet, shower cubicle in bathroom, kitchen with eye level oven microwave, fridge, s/s 4 burner hob, and units and worktop large lounge, 2 year old cratch cover, £55,000. Tel. 078830 19334 to make arrangements. Trent & Mersey Canal, Derbyshire. MIDLAND CANAL CENTRE 32ft, all steel, 3-berth, Lister water cool surveyed, history, calorifier, cooker, fridge, BSC 2019, stern cover, new full inventory, inverter, hull checked and paint ready to go, £19,950. Tel. 07808 407073. Stoke-on-Trent.
TRADITIONAL NARROWBOAT 30ft, all steel, built 1994, well maintained, two berth, Heron fire, full size oven, gas/electric f/freezer, engine 1.8 BMC, rainwater cooled, PRM Delta 1/20 gearbox, 230 landline pick-up, full licence and mooring available, £17,950 ono. Tel. 07814 168990. HARBOROUGH STERN NARROWBOAT 1979, 59ft, 3 berth, Lister SR3, 30hp engine, 250 ltr fuel capacity, 500 ltr water capacity, Lister engine SR3 air-cooled, regularly serviced, Lister gearbox LH150 hydraulic gearbox, recent gearbox overhaul (March 2017), blacked and 4 new anodes fitted in March 2017, BSSR Safety Certificate (March 2017 until March 2021), overplated with 5mm steel, hull survey completed March 2017 and available, £30,000. Tel. Mark 07722 416986 to arrange viewing. London. INFLATABLE SEAGO 2.3m inflatable deck with paddles and pump, also two new Seago 175N life jackets, new, still in packaging, not used, £250 ono. Tel. 07593 175498. Notts. HISTORIC INTEREST 15ft end of BCN Joey hull iron rivet construction over 100 years old, build into a classic shell, £500. Tel. 07710 270380. Delivery possible. Derbys.
Engines
ARMSTRONG SIDDELEY AS2 1969, AS2, 22hp engine, AS2 coupled to a Parsons type D box, recently removed from noted boat, very good order, history known, this is not a Merganser, hand start only, close offers to asking price, £800. Tel. 07721 939763. Monmouthshire. GARDNER 4LK diesel engine, fully rebuilt by Gardner engine specialists, with PRM 260 gearbox if required, a new starter motor and alternator with full guarding and all water cooling pipes are fitted, all aluminium and pipework are highly polished, also a Gardner 1L2 engine, fully restored and ready for running in a boat or to run a generator. Tel. 01254 202341. Lancs.
LISTER HA2 cylinder diesel engine, excellent runner, not marinised, variable speed, (Lister diesel engine spares for sale), good used parts, £600. Tel. 01205 480693. Lincs. RUSTON HORNSBY 2YWA, aircooled diesel engine with PRM gearbox, 20hp, will turn 20” prop, can be seen running, £2700 ono. Tel. Chris 07523 647073 for details. Lancs. SAAB MARINE ENGINE Model GG, with reverse gear, fully rebuilt, includes the propeller and drive shaft, all fully painted and polished parts as required. Also Saab marine engine, model 2H, with controllable pitch propeller, fully rebuilt and includes drive shaft and propeller, a beautiful sounding engine. Tel. 01254 202341. Lancs. VETUS MARINE ENGINE M310 good injectors/pump, head and valves, block and pistons and started motor. Crank could do with regrind. Took narrow boat from Northamptonshire to Leeds Liverpool no problem, £250 ono. Tel. 07787 10459. Notts.
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-boat-of-yourown to avoid any difficulties with legal and safety issues involved.
LARGE BOAT ANCHOR attached to a long length of heavy duty rope, suitable for narrowboat, £40. Tel. 01509 545479. LOFRANS ‘ROYAL’ manual anchor winch, 6mm chain/rope gypsy, unused, new, suit 6-10 metre cruiser/ sailboat, £300. Tel. 07812 370681. Mid Staffs. PORT HOLE gold coloured, non-opening channel glaze? to fit 12” diameter hole, £60 ono. Tel. 07908 935231 after 11am. Lancs.
Wanted FLOATING JETTIES WANTED approx 292 metres required. Tel. Jim on 07843 967531. NARROWBOAT PROJECT WANTED for school library, Weedon Bec Primary School near Daventry is looking for a narrowboat to turn into a school library, does not have to be canal worthy as we want to re-site in our school grounds. We are looking for as long a boat as we can afford, happy to work on the boat to convert it into a library for our school. If anyone has any leads, potentials or ideas where we could find one please do not hesitate to contact us, tel. 01327 340547. Weedon Bec . WANTED 18 X 12.5 L/H PROP, 1 1/2 shaft, for SR2 Lister. Tel. John 07936 698237. Man.
Equipment
Parts for sale
TRADITIONAL STOVE Smith & Wellstood traditional coal fired range, 2 hot plates and oven, 54 cm wide x 42 cm deep (hob 32 cm) x 46 cm high (including legs), stored indoors since last used ca. 1945, £150 Tel. 01829 732539. Cheshire.
BARGE ANCHOR very heavy vintage anchor, 5ft x 5ft approx, would make nice garden or mooring feature. Collect from Newark-on-Trent. £200. Tel. 07971 589612 for more details. DANFORTH ANCHOR 14kg Danforth anchor c/w 2 metres, 13mm linked drag chain and 12 metres of 20mm rope warp, £100 ono Tel. 01925 413190. Cheshire. JABSCO WATER PUMP 294702231C, new impeller fitted, fits Watermota and Volvo AQ, vgc, £130 Tel. 075000 51587. Cheshire.
HONDA EC2200 petrol generator housed in generator frame v.g condition, Honda GX160 5.5hp 4 stroke engine, rated at 1700 watts with 3.6L fuel tank, 115v and 230v power outputs, runs standard 240v appliances, over £300 new, Offers £250. Tel. 07787 104459. Notts. JERRY CAN for sale, 20 ltr, £7. Tel. 01327 700219. RUTLAND WIND CHARGER Model 910, partly rebuilt at Corby, I have bills, Open to offers. Tel. 07749 714693.
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ADVERTISERS’ ANNOUNCEMENTS
‘Every boater will want one’
MIDDLEWICH-based boat repairer Dave Hall of Slipway Services has put his own stamp on the industry by creating a range of innovative products over the last 20 years. A new product is currently in the development stage and, although still under wraps, is one which he is sure every boater will want in their bathroom! Dave started designing products for his boat – then a 20ft Norman cruiser – back in 1997 while recovering from a back injury. The first was a gas bottle basket which bolted to the transom in response to new safety regulations that gas bottles had to be either carried in a box with a leakoff overboard or safely attached to the outer hull. Boat inspector Brian Hayes saw the basket while he was carrying out a safety check on someone else’s boat and asked Dave if he could supply them. The next approach was from Midland Marine supplies, based in Norbury. “To cut a long story short, they ordered a large amount of the baskets which overwhelmed me for two reasons; I was making these as a hobby and I only had a 6x4ft garden shed to work out of,” Dave told Towpath Talk. He fulfilled this order, at the same time contacting boat builders and offering his services in stainless steel fabrications, such as water tanks. “The idea was instilled in me by Brian, because truth be told, I had no idea there was a narrowboat industry out there,” he continued.
“The response was mind-boggling, the fax spouted out drawings for quotes from many boat builders around the country and each quote I sent was accepted.” He arranged with a local engineering company to use its guillotine and folding machines to make the large tanks – up to 250 gallons – and upgraded from his garden shed to a 10x6ft tin shed from Argos. By the following year his products ranged from canoe portage trolleys to the baskets and tanks, all produced in stainless steel, and he was soon supplying the majority of narrowboat builders in England and Wales. The growth of his business meant that Dave had to find a more suitable workshop and he relocated to a 1500sq ft unit on an industrial estate. He purchased his own machinery, funded by the sale of the stainless steel baskets. “Things just snowballed, work never stopped coming in. And because I delivered the items I produced all around the country, I got to know the boat builders personally,” he said. The business flourished, and he gained the nickname Stainless Dave which stuck and to this day, some people still call him by it.
New beginnings
But in late 2004 disaster struck. A shoulder problem meant he was struggling to make his products, forcing him to give up the business and sell the machinery.
Dave Hall epoxy-coating the hull of a Piper narrowboat. PHOTOS SUPPLIED
A canoe that has been mounted on one of Dave’s portage trolleys. Following recovery from surgery he took a lorry driving job, having previously worked as an HGV mechanic, but out of the blue was approached by a boatyard owner and ended up running Uplands Basin Marina for six years. Running in parallel, he built up the business Slipway Services, carrying out work including two-pack epoxy coatings, hull blacking, over plating and general fabrication/welding. During this time Dave designed a locking device for boat fuel fillers, which he sold through the chandlery and also by mail order. Midland Chandlers are now sole distributors of the devices which he supplies as well as brackets for solar panels.
Reattaching the anodes to the newly coated narrowboat.
Inside the original garden shed.
A stainless steel tank Dave has manufactured for a Dutch barge.
A Piper stainless steel tank. In 2013 Artie and Ruth Chalmers, Elton Moss Boatbuilders and the Northwich Boat Company, the Boatfinder brokerage and Carefree Cruising, now consolidated under the banner of Middlewich Canal Centre, approached Dave and asked if he would be interested in helping them set up the Kings Lock boatyard and slipway. “I have helped out by rebuilding the old jetties, making them usable and safe, the slipway has been refurbished and the buildings have been modernised. I undertake two-pack epoxy coatings there and blacking as they do all aspects of boat repairs and painting.” He also moved his 62ft trad narrowboat Wellington, on which he lives with 22-year-old son Thomas, to a mooring at the Weaver Shipyard in Northwich, known as Jalsea Marine,
The fuel filler locking device.
where he does all the heavy work, such as over plating, welding and fabrications. Having worked with him for a time, his son has now embarked on a career with Midland Chandlers at Preston Brook. “They say that what goes around, comes around, and I guess it must be true, because although my shoulders still only allow me limited movement, I am once again producing stainless steel tanks and other related stainless steel items, but not in huge quantities.” Dave is not sure what the future holds but at 62 years of age he feels lucky to be part of a one-off industry and thanks all the trade people who he has had the pleasure to deal with, customers past, present and future and Thomas ‘for putting up with me, when sometimes my head was so full I might have seemed uninterested’.” He concluded: “When I look back over the past 20 years and see what I have achieved, from a 6x4ft garden shed, in an industry I didn’t really know existed to become a major player, I feel satisfied that I am just where I want to be, doing what I want to, when I want to do it. “This is true job satisfaction.” ● Contact Slipway Services on 07715 933749, email slipway. services@gmail.com or visit www.slipwayservices.co.uk
Continuous canal boat cruisers face car insurance postcode conundrum BOATER Stuart Tyler found himself a little out of his depth when he tried to find someone to insure his car, because he doesn’t have a regular postcode. As a continuous cruiser, Stuart never stays moored in the same spot for more than 14 days – creating a problem for insurers who rely on a fixed address to provide cover for his Volvo S60 Turbo. “I am partially disabled and I need easy access to the car so when we tie up at a new mooring I travel back and collect it the same day,” he said, speaking from his 37-tonne Dutch barge. But Stuart’s aquatic nomadic lifestyle is at odds with policies offered by most insurers. “Most policies say you have to notify your
insurer if you change your address, and I am changing mine at least every 14 days,” he explained. “I may only be a couple of miles further down the towpath, but if I don’t tell them I have moved, it is down to the insurance company to decide if I am still covered or not. The policies offered simply aren’t flexible enough. “They say I have to notify them because the insurance rates change from area to area, so I offered to pay the most expensive rate, but they wouldn’t let me do it. “I must have approached 20 or 30 different insurance companies, brokers too, but they all have the same notification statement which in effect is their get-out clause.” After a lot of to-ing and fro-ing, Towpath Talk put Stuart in touch with Herts Insurance
Consultants (HIC), who finally solved the riddle. “I am amazed to be the first person to go to them with this sort of problem,” he said. “There are hundreds, if not thousands, of people who do exactly as I do, cruise the canals and move their car as they go. “But the insurance companies say if you take the car and the boat away from the marina you are moving home and you would no longer be insured, which is a very unsatisfactory state of affairs.” The 70-year-old, who is currently moored near Southport, fears other boaters may have a notional insurance policy that fails to pay out in the event of a claim. Andy Morton from HIC said the broker’s Walkabout policy could provide cover for anyone
touring the UK, whether in a campervan or motorhome, or continuous cruisers like Mr Tyler. “It doesn’t entirely surprise us that Mr Tyler had these issues getting car insurance, because the vast majority of mainstream insurers will require a fixed address with a postcode to provide cover,” he added. “They don’t have the flexibility of a specialist broker, who can look beyond the obvious and find niche insurers prepared to offer cover that fits people’s actual lifestyles rather than their own strict underwriting criteria.” ● Herts Insurance Consultants: 0800 916 1286 Website: hertsinsurance.com
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Launch of Lowland Canals Association A NEW body to represent all users of Scotland’s Forth & Clyde and Union Canals, both on the water and on land, has been launched. The Lowland Canals Association replaces the former Lowland Canals Boaters Group, which, says Graeme Harvey, chairman of the new group, was too limited in its scope. A lifelong Union Canal enthusiast and practical restorer of the waterway for more than 40 years, Graeme said: “Our aim is to bring together everyone who uses, benefits from or is affected by the Lowland Canals. That, of course, includes boaters, but also everyone from local businesses, tourism interests, cyclists, walkers, runners and communities. “We all share a common interest in promoting and developing the canals as operating and living parts of the communities they pass through, and,
by working together, especially when liaising with Scottish Canals, we will be more effective in achieving our vision of really vibrant canals with all the benefits that this brings.” The new association is also working closely with the Great Glen Canal Users Association on matters of common interest. “These include the recent Scottish Canals review of fees and charges for moorings and transit boaters with which we have major issues in terms of methodology, pricing and implementation, and also the establishment of more effective, two-way communication with Scottish Canals,” said Graeme. Anyone wishing to join the association or who would like further information should contact Graeme at cen.scottherapies@outlook.com or phone 07748 188278. A website is in the course of construction.
Vulcan could sail at Summerlee REPLICA iron canal barge, Vulcan, could sail again on the surviving section of the Monkland Canal near Coatbridge, under plans being dusted down at the town’s Summerlee Industrial Museum to mark the site’s 30th birthday. The Vulcan replica, built in the 1980s, and renovated in a £300,000 refit in 2014, is currently displayed above the water in the museum’s canal section where it acts as a display area and classroom.
Vulcan, high and dry for display purposes, could sail on the remnants of the Monkland Canal at Summerlee Industrial Museum again in 2018. PHOTO: HUGH DOUGHERTY
But now curator Clare Weir is looking at the possibility of refloating the barge, whose original was launched in 1819, and sailing her on the canal. “We mark the 30th anniversary of the official opening of Summerlee in March 2018,” said Clare. “We are looking at various original plans for the museum with a view to being more operational and came across a proposal to sail Vulcan on the canal. The Monklands Canal linked Coatbridge with its iron works to Glasgow and beyond. “Horse-drawn barges, such as our replica, carried both raw materials and finished goods and were the backbone of the Industrial Revolution, so we are looking at the possibility of refloating her and using her for demonstrations of horse-drawn barge working.” A decision on whether or not Vulcan will sail again will be made later in the year, while work is also continuing on the restoration of the museum’s steam yacht, Firequeen, to have her back in action on the canal in time for the 30th anniversary celebrations.
CANAL COPS GET ON THEIR BIKES LOOK out if you’re intent on causing mischief along the banks of the Forth & Clyde and Union Canals. That’s the message from Police Scotland whose officers have taken to the saddle on pedal bikes and dirt bikes to keep everyone safe on and around the canal. Regular patrols are up and running and the officers are working closely with Scottish Canals, boaters, commercial boat
Cycling cops provide a visible police presence on the towpath. PHOTO SUPPLIED
hirers, clubs and societies, communities and residents to show that all trouble and troublemakers are ‘handle barred’ from the canals. Police say that the bikes allow the uniformed officers to mingle with regular cyclists and to get to hot spots fast along the towpath, a feature of operations that’s especially useful in urban areas along the canals where some boaters and users have been subjected to anti-social behaviour by local youths. The bikes will also help the drive to up the number of through transit boaters on both canals thanks to the very visible police presence by making what is already a safe environment safer still. A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “The canals are enjoyed by thousands of people safely every year. We want to ensure that this continues and develops while dealing with the minority who set out to spoil the enjoyment of others. The bikes are an ideal way of policing the canals as they make officers highly visible, mobile and able to step off and speak to and get to know people along the way.”
Waverley marks 70th birthday of paddler SHE first turned her paddle wheels on her maiden voyage on June 16, 1947. Now, 70 years later, on Friday, June 16, 2017, PS Waverley, the world’s last seagoing paddle steamer, will retrace her route by sailing from Glasgow to Blairmore and back, marking a unique seven decades of service on the Clyde. Waverley Excursions chief executive, Kathleen O’Neill, said: “We will be marking the event on June 16 as it is remarkable that the ship is still sailing seven decades after her launch. That is only thanks to a great deal of dedication and hard work by our staff, crew and volunteers, as well as the support of our passengers.”
Engineers and volunteers are working flat out to have the ship ready for the big day, with chief engineer Alex Sneddon heading up the team after long-term senior chief engineer Ken Henderson decided to step back into a consultancy role. Paying tribute to Ken’s outstanding contribution to the good health of Waverley over two decades, Kathleen said: “Ken’s expertise isn’t lost to us, and Alex Sneddon is a highly experienced steam engineer, but we are very keen to hear from any engineers with a steam ticket who might like to join us for a week or two over the summer to help out our full-time staff. “Working with us for a short period would be a unique experience and it might well suit a recently retired steam engineer or someone who wants to build on existing experience.”
Traditional techniques
Waverley Excursions chief, Kathleen O’Neill, chats to Peter Forbes of Mackay Boatbuilders of Arbroath as he caulks in the traditional way.
This year’s winter maintenance programme included a major low-pressure cylinder and condenser overhaul by staff and volunteers. Caulking of timber decking sections using traditional techniques delivered by Mackay Boatbuilders Ltd of Arbroath has also been carried out to eliminate leaks caused by modern silicone-based sealant systems breaking down after a short period at sea.
New hands: volunteers Stewart Davis and Lewis Jorgensen have 104 years of marine engineering experience between them. PHOTOS: HUGH DOUGHERTY
Waverley has also been successful in attracting new, highly skilled volunteers. Lewis Jorgensen has joined work parties after 50 years of high-level steam and diesel marine engineering experience, including with Northern Marine, and Stewart Davis, recently retired managing director of Glasgow-based Polar Engines, has also joined the team. “I love it here,” said Stewart. “I sailed on the ship as a wee boy and, now, using all that I learned over 54 years at Polar Engines, I’m helping to keep her in service.” “We’re fortunate to have a great team of volunteers,” said Kathleen. “But we always need more. If you would like to join us as we celebrate our ship’s 70th birthday, or, better still, if you have a marine steam engineer’s ticket, please contact me at kathleen@ waverleyexcursions.co.uk”.
Museum to preserve fishing industry images
Benches help take weight off Cally Canal walkers’ feet WALKERS along the Caledonian Canal towpath at Inverness can take the weight off their feet and ‘duck out’ of tiredness, thanks to a hand-sculpted 1.5m bench installed by the Scottish Waterways Trust. The bench, which depicts a duck with a paddle, was designed by participants
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‘Ducking out’ of sore feet, this sculpted bench offers walkers a rest near Inverness.
THE Scottish Fisheries Museum at Anstruther is angling to preserve more than 14,000 fishing industry images by digitising them and making them available online. Suzanne Patterson, digital project manager, said: “We have a whole host of images capturing the fishing industry with many images of fishing boats from sail, to steam and modern
vessels captured on negatives, prints, glass slides and colour slides. “We are now digitising the archive and it’s safe to say that the exercise will take us years to complete.” The museum is offering the public accesstothearchive,whichwillcontinue to grow as the project gathers pace, by accessing the pictures online at www. scotfishmuseum.org/photo-search
The Scottish Fisheries Museum is now digitising its photographic collection. PHOTO: HUGH DOUGHERTY
PHOTO: SCOTTISH WATERWAYS TRUST
Help Maid of the Loch sail again in 2018
on the trust’s canalside Nature Walks for Wellness programme which introduces local people with mental health issues to the benefits of accessing the environment. It was sculpted from western red cedar by artist Owen Pilgrim. Two similar benches, one showing a deer with a bell and the other, a wolf with a drum, are situated near the canal at Merkinch Nature Reserve and at Dunian Community Woodland. Stephen Wiseman, Scottish Waterways Trust’s Highland canal heritage officer, said: “Each bench is designed to watch over visitors to the historic Caledonian Canal and neighbouring green space and keep them comfortable on their journey.”
AN URGENT plea has gone out from the Loch Lomond Steamship Company for steam ship lovers to dig deep to help the company raise £1.7 million by the autumn. Achieving that sum, said chairman, Robin Naysmith, would release double that amount in lottery funding and allow the final preparation of the 1953-built PS Maid of the Loch to sail again. Restorers say that major items such as replacement boilers are necessary to make the vessel shipshape again. But the heritage restoration consultant who is advising LLSC said that, because the Maid was built and then dismantled to be transported to Balloch and reassembled, the company has a full set of drawings which even include steam pipe runs for the
Maid in waiting? If £1.7m can be raised by this autumn, the paddler could sail by summer 2018.
engine room. Engineers from PS Waverley are also sharing their expertise with Maid of the Loch’s restoration team and Scottish national tourism body, Visit Scotland, is supporting the project. Robin Naysmith said: “If we can raise £1.7 million by the autumn, we will be able to unlock £3.8 million worth of heritage lottery money which would enable us to sail in the late summer of 2018. “It’s an exciting prospect to be so near completion and we’re asking everyone who can help us achieve our autumn target with contributions large and small to donate now.” Full details of how to give money to the project are available by visiting www. maidoftheloch.org
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Light touch in Falkirk Tunnel By Hugh Dougherty
THEY’VE taken a light touch to illuminating the 690-yard-long Falkirk Tunnel, blasted through solid rock by navvies building the Union Canal. Scottish Canals engineers and contractors have completed a new lighting scheme, making the best use
Steven Berry examines a 195-yearold fitting for an original oil lamp.
of today’s technology. That’s in sharp contrast to the oil lamps which originally lit up Scotland’s most impressive canal tunnel when it opened. Now, colourful LED and heritage white lights produce ever-changing sequences, highlighting Victorian engineering magnificence. Project manager Steven Berry, Scottish Canals head of operations and delivery and mechanical and electrical engineer for Scotland, is justifiably proud and keen to show off the tunnel at its best. “We decided to take the opportunity to relight the tunnel and to enhance its features,” said Steven, as he explained how the whole light sequence, changing from heritage white light through greens, blues, reds and purples, takes an hour to run through. “If you stop to look, you’ll see the light changing along the length of the tunnel
wall, and, boaters sailing through will be accompanied by the travelling lights as they make their way along.”
Thump in the dark
Falkirk Tunnel is amazing enough, even without its new lights. Designed by engineer Hugh Baird, it was built between 1818 and 1822, and passes under Falkirk’s Prospecthill. Navvies dug three shafts, which are still visible, to bore down to complete the 18ft-wide and 19ft-high tunnel, with its 5ft-wide towpath. And it can be eerie at times. “I was down here on my own one night when the contract was under way,” revealed Steven. “There were no lights, and I could hear a ‘thump, thump, thump,” coming from the other end of the tunnel. I told myself that I couldn’t be hearing anything, but it was there, and I was pleased to get out!”
The white heritage light shows up the tunnel’s features, including the brick arches which hold back tons of rock.
Waterways doctor Hugh Dougherty meets the biologist who looks after the health of every Scottish canal.
The canal health doctor: Dr Olivia Lassiere checks out the greenery beside the Union Canal. PHOTO: HUGH DOUGHERTY
AS THE heritage and environment manager for Scottish Canals, Dr Olivia Lassiere looks after everything from water quality, to canal wildlife and from climate change – as it impacts on the waterways – to greenery in and around the towpath. “It’s a fascinating and exciting job,” said Olivia, who’s notched up 18 years with Scottish Canals. “When I started, the post was limited to biology alone, but, over the years, especially with the growing importance of the environment and our commitment to being environmentally friendly, it has developed enormously.” As author of SC’s environmental strategy, which spells out exactly what the organisation will do over the next decade to fulfil its ‘green’ obligations, Olivia is acutely aware that the canals operate under 140 pieces of environmental legislation. And, on a daily basis she’ll be in
touch with organisations such as Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, discussing everything from water supply – the canals supply water to several industries – to proposed works, and, where necessary gaining licences for operations to go ahead. At the back of all this lies Olivia’s fascination with the canal network, as well as a burning desire to ensure that all users have the best possible experience on and around the water, while ensuring that the canals are good neighbours which look after the environment, too.
Brexit effect
Based at Port Dundas in Glasgow, beside the Forth & Clyde, Olivia doesn’t have to go far to take a water sample, and you’re just as likely to find her in welly boots, hands-on, on a towpath anywhere in Scotland, as to find her behind her desk, writing plans and strategies and assessing how well the canals are performing environmentally. Olivia also ‘horizon scans’, to work out what environmental opportunities, threats and challenges lie ahead.
Man with the light touch: Steven Berry at the tunnel’s Edinburgh-end portal. PHOTOS: HUGH DOUGHERTY Steven also pointed out one of the features of the new lighting which makes the reflections on the ceiling in the canal water look like a solid surface, when looking down from the towpath. “It’s quite remarkable,” he said. “It looks so real, but, of course, isn’t.” The tunnel was built at the behest of local landowner, William Forbes, of Callendar House, who insisted that the Union Canal should not pass through his estate. He was worried that the industrial cargoes on the canal would bring down the tone of his land. As Steven points out, barges full of ‘night soil, the sweepings of the Edinburgh privies’ made their way along the Union for use as fertiliser on local fields, so perhaps Mr Forbes was right to push for the tunnel! In today’s, thankfully, cleaner world, the imaginative new lighting system makes this historic tunnel more than worth a visit, for the colourful
Green lights all the way.
“Right now,” she revealed, “I’m looking at the possible effects of Brexit on us. Much of the environmental legislation we operate under is European, although, at the moment, it looks as if it has been subsumed into UK and Scottish law, so it should still be there after Brexit is enacted. But it’s a good example of why I need to look ahead.” Looking backwards is also part of the job, and the clue’s in the job title, with ‘heritage’ in the first line. “We operate canals that are historic monuments,” explained Olivia, “so I work very closely with Chris O’Connell, our senior heritage adviser, to ensure that any projects take due notice of environmental and heritage considerations.” Olivia is also proud of the fact that she came up with the name ‘The Kelpies’, when the famous horse head concept was being developed, and that it stuck. But what gives the canal doctor the greatest pleasure is that Scotland’s canals are well-looked after environmentally and that all staff and users appreciate that their being in rude environmental health is the key to an even healthier future.
One of the shafts used by navvies to bore down through the rock to build the tunnel. Debris was also taken out via the shafts. installation brings out the best of an engineering marvel as a tribute to the men who built it. If you’re visiting the Falkirk Wheel and the Kelpies, tread lightly towards the Falkirk Tunnel, too. You’ll find it very illuminating in every sense of the word.
The light show in just one of its many hues.
Canal goes to the wall THE Forth & Clyde Canal has gone to the wall – literally – thanks to a painting of Bowling Basin by artist David Smith and an outline history of the historic waterway being placed on the wall of Glasgow’s Ashton Lane. Accompanied by paintings of shipbuilding on the Clyde and of Templeton’s Carpet Factory, the artwork has been fixed to the lane wall to celebrate Glasgow’s industrial heritage as part of a local Business Improvement District drive to refresh the popular west end venue. A BID spokesman said: “It’s important that we celebrate and remember the industrial heritage of Glasgow and, given the area’s proximity to the Forth & Clyde Canal, we felt it was important to give the canal a prominent place among the new murals.” The canal painting is called Salvage Bowling Harbour, celebrating the recent improvements there. It shows the historic buildings, railway viaduct and a boat, marking the site of the western end of the historic canal where it enters the Clyde. An accompanying potted history recalls the key dates in the waterway’s history, including its opening in 1790, closure in 1963, its subsequent revival and reunion with the Union Canal, thanks to the completion of the Falkirk Wheel in 2002.
130 TOWPATH TREASURES
www.towpathtalk.co.uk Words: PHILLIPPA GREENWOOD Images: MARTINE O’CALLAGHAN
The Merseyside Maritime Museum houses the International Slavery Museum.
International Slavery Museum The only national museum of its kind in the world
THE International Slavery Museum is located in Liverpool’s Albert Dock in the zone where ships once set off on their heinous mission to collect cargoes of people who had their freedom stripped from them. Situated at the centre of the World Heritage Site, the museum says it is ‘the only national museum in the world dedicated to the history of the transatlantic slave trade and its legacy’. Any museum that exhibits the unacceptable truth about the denial of human rights and the execution of gross atrocities in the pursuit of power and profit is an uncomfortable ‘must’ to visit. The revolting so-called trade that enslaved some people while building the prosperity of others was a
The Albert Dock.
complex web of connections in the years between 1500 and 1900, and the industries of Britain’s canals were inevitably entangled. No book that speaks about the joys of Britain’s canals would be ethically complete without facing the issue of slavery. Bristol, London and Liverpool had ports that thrived on the slave trade, and by the second half of the 18th century it is estimated that around three-quarters of all European slaving ships left from Liverpool. One reason for the dominance of this Lancashire port could be that it was served well by canals and rivers. Textiles from Lancashire and Yorkshire, salt from Cheshire, pottery from Staffordshire and metal goods (horrifically including chains and guns) from
the Midlands were all transported along the inland waterways to Liverpool – from where they became part of the trade triangle.
Trade triangle
The trade triangle was a three-way journey that started in goods from Europe being shipped to Africa where they were exchanged for people. The second part of the trade triangle involved the Middle Passage which was the six-to-eight-week voyage across the Atlantic to the Americas. Africans were piled in the holds of ships that ignored all cries of humanity, and not all survived the journey. On arrival in the Americas, the African people who had successfully fought off death during the passage were sold into slavery. The third stage of the triangle then carried resources from the American plantations home to Europe, including
The monument to the working horse with the museum beyond. such 18th-century riches as sugar, coffee, tobacco, rice and cotton. The profits of the trade triangle fed the lifestyle of high society with coffee shops in London and gentlemen’s coveted tobacco supplies. Many other industries were built on a pedestal of wealth rooted in the slave trade. Even unwittingly businesses could benefit from private investors and bankers made wealthy by indirect connection to lucrative trade in slavery. There were influential philanthropic canal people who joined the Africans in their revolt against slavery. Quaker families such as Cadbury refused to buy resources from plantations based on slavery, and showed by example that business could succeed from fair trade and ethical investment. Josiah Wedgwood supported abolition and produced a medallion with the image of an enslaved man, with the inscription ‘Am I not a man and a brother?’. Wedgwood’s medallion became the ionic image of the abolitionist movement. The political push of Quakers, William Wilberforce and Olaudah Equiano (the voice of African abolitionists) added muscle to the organised rebellion of the African people and eventually in 1807 the slave trade in the British Empire was ended. In 1833, slavery itself was abolished.
TOWPATH TREASURES/ANGLING 131
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The Towpath Angler Our monthly look at the angling scene
The famous Three Graces buildings with the iconic Liver Birds.
HAVING spent much of the time since writing my last article enjoying some Canarian sunshine I have few meetings to talk about. That said, at a meeting I attended last week it was quite worrying to hear of so many fears held by the delegates, who came from the whole spectrum of freshwater angling, about predation in all its forms. The problem is rife not just on still waters, both club and privately owned, but also on rivers and our canals. Of course, unpleasant though it is to see, predation is very much part of nature. However the damage and devastation it causes is not just on fish stocks per se but also on finances. In some cases people actually invest their life savings in setting up a fishery and buying quality fish for us all to catch. I know of one or two of these people who face financial ruin. Clubs, some with years of history have been forced to close down. It is probably pointless to lobby for mass culls etc. Indeed very few people, including anglers, would support the idea. However there is plenty of scope for more controls or even more robust controls. Something has to change before some of our favourite fisheries are wiped out. I understand that this may seem a bit of an overstatement but where there is an imbalance of fish stocks and predators then natural replenishment of fish stocks will never redress the balance. Therefore there is only one likely outcome. And it does not take long.
Action plans
Part of the Liverpool waterfront.
The former pumphouse, now a pub. When the sun shines hardest on any strawberries and cream day by the canalside, people nod and smile together as they mess about in boats or stroll the towpaths. The evils of slavery seem to belong elsewhere, but the insidious story of slavery travels even through Britain’s beautiful canals. The International Slavery Museum tackles the truth with brutal sensitivity. It manages to exhibit a positive reconciliation of what has passed and what can yet be done, which has to make this museum a treasure of the canals.
Liverpool Pier Head by the Mersey.
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
FACT FILE International Slavery Museum The museum is on the third floor of the Merseyside Maritime Museum in Albert Dock. As well as its permanent galleries, the museum runs a schedule of temporary exhibitions. Open daily. FREE admission. Cafe, restaurant and gift shop. Wheelchair access. Picnic benches outside by the water. www.liverpoolmuseums.o org.uk/ism Albert Dock/Liverpool UNESC CO World Heritage Site Albert Dock is one of the earliesst enclosed docks in the world, an nd is at the heart of the Liverpool World Heritage Site. whc.unesco.org/e en/list Location Liverpool. OS Grid ref: OS SJ340898 Canal: Liverpool Canal Link & River Mersey How to get there By train Nearest train stations are Liverpool James Street & Liverpool Central National Rail Enquiries 08457 484950
By bus Traveline 0871 200 2233 By car Nearby local car parks (charge) On foot There are paths all around Albert Dock and alongside the River Mersey which are very g alkers. popular with wa By boat ps: Boat trip ey Ferries, Liverpool. Merse Boat trips on the River Mersey and Manchester Ship Canal. 1 330 1444 0151 w.merseyferries.co.uk www Skylark, Salthouse Dock, ool. Boat trips around the Liverpo 540 373838 docks. 075 Local tourist info Albert Dock: www.albertdock.com Liverpool tourism information: www. visitliverpool.com Canal & River Trust Use the Canal & River Trust website to find specific local information on nearby canals.www.canalrivertrust.org.uk
Looking specifically at our waterways I have talked before about the Fishery & Angling Action Plans that are in place in each waterway. A key feature of these plans is predation. It is crucial that the waterways and their angling customers totally engage on the rolling out and management of the plans. At least then there is a chance that each understands the other’s difficulties but importantly they collectively identify actions that will truly make a difference. Last month I mentioned that in my local waterway we are to explore the opportunities for an anglers’ forum going forward. I think this will generate some proper interest. My first major commitment after returning from holiday was the Angling Trust Stillwater Team Championship. Twenty-eight teams of 10 took part and I must say that overall the day went extremely well. It is always reassuring to get the first ‘big one’ out of the way especially when it runs smoothly.
David Kent
It certainly reduces the apprehension for the other eight championships. Similarly things are looking very good for the upcoming AT/CRT Canal Pairs and Stillwater Championships. Up to now arrangements for all of these events are pretty much in place. That said even the best organisers cannot legislate for the whereabouts of the fish or, indeed, the weather. Talking of the weather, which has, not surprisingly, brought my wife and me down to earth after our holiday, it seems to be really playing havoc with the fishing. Fish everywhere should be quite active now but a combination of the cold rain and, lately, the bitterly cold easterly winds have really suppressed sport pretty much everywhere. Virtually from the very first day I fished at the age of nine I recall anglers saying that when the wind is from the east the fish bite least. Surely it must change soon although I am not going to hold my breath. At least the evenings are pulling out now and it is light enough to fish until 8.30pm already. As things stand I reckon a couple of hours after work probably offers the best chance of a few fish. I am not aware of any one bait dominating things so the old faithful maggot could take some beating. I entered an evening match myself on Bank Holiday Monday and while I did not pick up any winnings it was good to be on the bank again after the lay-off. Tight lines.
Wheelyboat for disabled anglers A WHEELCHAIR accessible Coulam 16 Wheelyboat was launched recently at Draycote Reservoir in Warwickshire following a successful fundraising campaign supported by Draycote Fly-Fishers Association. An established trout fishery for many years, the 600-acre lowland reservoir near Rugby is famous for its buzzer hatches and large grown-on brown and rainbow trout. Wheelyboat Trust director Andy Beadsley said: “Angling is an activity that most disabled
Draycote Fly-Fishers Association member Sean Hanlon, who was involved in fundraising, sprays bubbly to mark the launch of the new Wheelyboat watched by DFFA members. PHOTO: THE WHEELYBOAT TRUST
people can participate in very successfully given the right access and equipment. Our Wheelyboats overcome all the difficulties of accessing waters like Draycote.” Designed and developed by the trust and JM Coulam Boatbuilders, the Coulam 16 Wheelyboat is based on Jim Coulam’s 16ft reservoir fishing boat design and has been adapted to provide wheelchair users with step-free access on board. With an open cockpit and level floor throughout, the disabled angler can choose to sit at the bow or the stern and is able to drive and operate the boat quite independently. Wheelchair users board via a ramp from a pontoon on to a hydraulic platform that lowers to floor level. Removable handrails around the platform help keep the angler secure and simplify the boarding and disembarking procedure, which means that only one ablebodied helper is required for assistance. The project cost £9200 and was funded by the Janet Nash Charitable Settlement, Draycote Fly-Fishers Association and their members, and Fishery Management (UK) Ltd which has been running the fishery on Draycote since 2011.
Anglers tackle river rubbish STALWART anglers and friends braved driving rain and filled about 30 bags of rubbish from the banks of the River Aire near Carleton, writes Geoff Wood.
So high was the river that the annual river clean-up, organised by Skipton Angling Association, had to be restricted to the very top of the river bank
to ensure people’s safety. Bags were provided by the club and after two hours the litter pick was cut short when rapidly rising levels posed a threat to safety.
132 WET WEB
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The Wet Web
Helen Gazeley tunes into the latest audio equipment to help you make the most of music on board. THE ability of narrowboaters to dwell in restricted space has long been a source of fascination for passers-by on the towpath. But it’s now true, thanks to newbuild flats the size of rabbit hutches and the rise of the ‘rent generation’, that many are having to cope with the same sort of restrictions. One of the results has been a surge in solutions for living cheek-by-jowl with others, which in the hi-fi industry means a huge growth in personal audio equipment,
including headphones – useful if you’re trying to share a living space, and perhaps work in it too, while enjoying music. The choice, however, can be bewildering, especially if you’re new to the audio world. Coming up this month at Cranage Hall, Cheshire, on the other side of the M6 from the Trent & Mersey at Middlewich is the North West Audio Show (www.audioshow.co.uk). Free entry gives access to companies selling everything from tuneable audio cables to
speakers that wouldn’t look out of place in a modern art gallery, but there will also be a large array of personal audio and headphones to test out, along with the experts to explain their finer points. Would in-ear, on-ear or overear sets suit best, for example, and what about open or closed back headphones? Vernon Hamblin, of Unilet (www. unilet.net), explains: “Closed back and in-ear do have the advantage of minimising sound dispersion. You can even have some individually moulded to your ears – with an audiologist’s prescription – that will seriously improve isolation and sound quality.”
Sound quality
If you’re serious about music reproduction, connected headphones are likely to suit better than wireless. PHOTO: WWW.WIREONWIRE.COM
Active noise-cancelling (ANC) headphones can be surprisingly effective in toning down consistent, repetitive sound such as engine rumble as you charge the batteries, but headphones generally also provide a good route into improving the sound of your music set-up. While the choice between wireless and connected phones might seem a no-brainer if you want complete freedom of movement, the former does impact on the musical reproduction. “Wired headphones will always offer the best sound quality,” says Vernon, “because the audio quality of wireless
phones is compromised by the transmission carrier utilised.” Other shows coming up include CanJam (www. canjamglobal.com) on London’s South Bank, July 15-16, which focuses entirely on headphones and personal audio and costs £10 for a day pass, while Sound and Vision (www.bristolshow. co.uk), the biggest hi-fi show in the country, takes place in Bristol every February. Vernon organises The Indulgence Show (www. indulgenceshow.com), taking place this year at Hammersmith between September 29 and October 1. “It certainly offers
the opportunity to see, try and discuss all aspects of audio. Many of the manufacturers have boat experience, including from an installation perspective, as many of them are boat users/ owners themselves.” The secret to getting the best of these shows is to do some research before you go, so that you have an idea of what you’d like to try out while you’re there, and take a selection of music you know well with you, so that you can gauge the differences in reproduction more easily.
Meanwhile, there are any number of recommendations for the best headphones online. Check out techradar.com and whathifi.com for starters. For noise-cancelling headphones, Trusted Reviews (http:// bit.ly/2q1ecv8) has a useful rundown of differences for the beginner. And if you can’t get to a show, www.head-fi. org offers a very active forum for questions and opinions, as well as articles including buying and equipment guides for newbies.
Do you have a favourite blog or website? Email Helen at helengazeley@aol.com
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A shocking warning about a ‘silent killer’
Warning to boaters using Bank Newton lock
BOATER David Jones of nb Boadicea has brought our attention to a report he read from the US about people drowning after receiving electric shocks while swimming. He tells us: “I hadn’t given this any consideration before but the warning may be relevant to boaters and their crews/guests on this side of the Atlantic.” The article states: “Every day, about 10 people in the US die from accidental drowning, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But electric shock drownings are difficult to track. It’s known as a ‘silent killer’. “Even a low level of electric current in the water can be extremely hazardous or fatal to a swimmer – especially in freshwater, where experts
I DISAGREE that ‘HSE has accepted that there are no defects at Bank Newton Lock 40 on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal’ (News, Issue 136, February) where my narrowboat hung up on the north chamber wall and sank in less than two minutes. Following email correspondence with Mr Howard Whittaker, principal inspector of health and safety, concerns over the safety of the lock were put to the Canal & River Trust (CRT). Principally that this was not a fanciful risk, it involved potential fatalities to vulnerable members of the public, people could not be relied upon to mitigate the risk by following good boating practice, if they knew what that was, or to react appropriately in an emergency situation (i.e. serious wall hang-up), and there is a documented history of previous incidents and near misses involving wall and other hang-ups on the flight. And yet, even though CRT has provided a drawing of this out-of-vertical wall image, it still refuses to address the risk this defect poses in spite of at least six boats becoming hung up in the same location prior to my boat hang-up and sinking on August 10, 2012, including a wide-beam craft. It should be noted that it has on record 24 chamber wall hang-ups on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, 22 of them at five of the six Bank Newton flight of locks. A defective lock is clearly defined in CRT’s Minimum Safety Standard 2.d.3. Also CRT’s adopted and Approved Standard for Pubic Risk Management Pages 66 and 67 which both state: “Lock chambers and gates must be kept free of protrusions which could cause snagging of vessels.” After almost four years, I settled out of court in the hope that CRT, prompted by HSE, would carry out remedial work to safeguard CRT’s customers – boaters.
say the voltage will ‘take a shortcut’ through the human body. “There is no visible warning or way to tell if water surrounding a boat, marina or dock is energised or within seconds will become energised with fatal levels of electricity,” the non-profit Electric Shock Drowning Prevention Association reports. Safety tips include: • Use a plastic ladder, rather than a metal one, so it won’t help transfer electricity into the water. • If you start to feel a tingle in the water, swim away from the dock, which is where most electrical issues occur. • Check all of the wiring around your dock, including your ground fault circuit breaker.
Water, water everywhere MANY of you will remember a new venture, the Museum of Water, coming to Lancaster a couple of years ago. We deposited a bottle of Lancaster Canal water with them. I said at the time, this was unusual, but could develop into something special. The museum is now showing the water collection, including our Lancaster Canal water bottle, in
CUTNOTES
four places in Australia from Albany to Perth. If money is available for an unusual venture such as this, surely it will be available to open up the Tewitfield Locks, cross the M6 and open up the Burton section, providing we go about it in the correct manner. Frank Sanderson By email
The hang-up scarring in August 2012. According to Mr Churchill, this ‘footprint’ is only possible if a boat is parallel with the wall. PHOTO: KEN CHURCHILL This has not happened; CRT has installed signs prompting boaters to keep their boats parallel with Lock 40, knowing my boat was parallel with the north chamber wall. Boaters beware – failure to address the actual Lock 40 risk in order to prevent a similar incident happening continues to put boaters in danger. Thankfully, during my accident my wife and grand-niece were rescued from the sinking boat by breaking open the side hatch. Boaters involved in hang-up number eight might not be so fortunate... Ken Churchill By email Editor’s note: A Canal & River Trust spokesman confirmed that the news item referred to above correctly stated its position.
Never claim to be ‘the first’ Comment & Recollections from Harry Arnold
Ashamed to be British READING an appreciation of the life of former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Lord Patrick Mayhew, led me to recall a particularly unfortunate gaffe he made as the senior British representative at the official opening of Ireland’s cross-border ShannonErne Waterway. It was quite an occasion. I have never before or since been involved in such security. The whole site had cordons of both British and Irish army and police around it, including some circling in helicopters.
Standing up to make his speech in a somewhat pompous manner, Lord Mayhew didn’t even thank the assembled dignitaries and others but in a loud voice said – “I’m here to open the Shannon-Erne MOTORWAY.” There was a silence which seemed to last forever but was only seconds before he simply pressed on with his speech. It was one of the very few occasions when I was ashamed to be British, particularly among the good Irish friends we had made.
Unveiling of the commemorative stone at the opening of the Shannon-Erne Waterway. Lord Mayhew on the left.
ONE thing you should never do when writing for or to publications (particularly in letters to the editor) is claim to be the only, the first, or the last to do something. Unless you are 200% certain and, say, saw the lock collapse behind you as you came out of it. Somebody will almost certainly respond with an ‘Oh no you weren’t’ letter. So why do knowledgeable editorial staff publish such claims? Simply to encourage correspondence. I like the letters page of The Times for this. You see a claim published and immediately wait for some expert to rebuff it. A classic example was about someone making a claim about rowing the Atlantic in a certain year and it turned out that someone else had done it around a century before. Recently a claim was made about the US having the biggest non-nuclear bomb. An expert immediately wrote in saying that Britain had bigger ones in the Second World War, we just didn’t have aircraft powerful enough to fly high enough to create the same effect.
I have heard many boatmen’s stories. A classic for exaggeration being horses pulling the ice boat. “I remember us having 10 on,” then someone says we had 15, or 20, and so on. Reopening of canals and locks is a good modern example. You may see the shiny ‘first boat’ with the VIPs aboard go through but remember a humble maintenance boat (and possibly other craft) have already tested it to make sure everything happens smoothly. An intrepid single-handed cruiser of my acquaintance, Bernard Jessop (a good canal name for a start) and his then somewhat aged steel-hulled boat Buccaneer arrived at the IWA Gloucester National Waterways Festival on August 23, 1990 claiming to be the first boat to come right through the restored Kennet & Avon Canal, which was officially opened by the Queen on August 8. It should be said that there are other ‘first boat through the K&A’ claims from wellknown boaters. Bernard said that he demanded to be let down the still-closed Caen Hill lock
Was Bernard Jessop’s boat the first through the restored Kennet & Avon Canal? PHOTOS: WATERWAY IMAGES
flight. A request that apparently almost led to a fight with British Waterways staff (I said he was intrepid!). But the amazing thing about his whole cruise to Gloucester was that he had come down the tidal Bristol Avon and up the Severn Estuary to Sharpness completely on his own. Without the aid of a pilot. I seem to remember he was a bit concerned about the engine.
The D B Class RAY Bowern, boatyard owner and specialist in boat transport, is one of the characters in the marine industry who it is always fun to be with. Renowned as a raconteur and for his quick wit, we have known each other for quite a few years and worked together on enterprises such as moving a flotilla of boats over to Ireland. On one occasion an Irish friend suggested that he stopped talking so fast on the phone ‘or they’ll think you are the taxman’. Ray’s favourite accolade of excellence alludes (shall we say tastefully) to certain prominent items of canine reproductive organs. A few
years ago a then waterways journalist went to review a new narrowboat that Ray had built and finally asked if it was the prototype of a new series or marque. Thinking quickly on his feet Ray responded: “The D B Class.” Those of us who knew him fell about when we read the report. One of my favourites was when we were both discussing an elegant cycling lady of our acquaintance. “You know,” Ray said, “All 28in wheels and Laura Ashley.” In a few words – an immediate mind’s-eye picture. With him recently at a British Marine event, Ray referred to a ‘telephone wife’ (this is not a sexist story!).
Ray Bowern supervises the lifting out of boats for transport to Ireland. This is when a wife is delegated by her husband to ring up to ask about – in Ray’s case – transporting a boat. Before she can answer any of Ray’s simple questions, like ‘how long is it?’ she has to refer to her husband who is usually sitting in a
chair on the other side of the room. So, an extended three-way conversation develops. Ray’s exasperated response is: “Please either put your husband on or ring back with a full list of your requirements.” Probably put somewhat wittier than that.
134 THE LAST WORD
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CRACKER’S CHAT
More towpath ramblings straight from the horse’s mouth
“A cold north wind, the warm great and good and the Monty Triathlon” MANY years ago, the captain of a famous football club criticised some of the supporters by referring to them as ‘the prawn sandwich brigade’. He wasn’t aiming his remarks at the rank and file, who turn out on a cold, wet November night for a distant away game. He was of course aiming his barb at the ‘great and good’ who appear whenever there are free sandwiches available, usually in a warm hostelry and well away from ‘the sharp end’. Although censured for his venom, he was of course correct in his observations. There are always people seemingly removed from the ‘mud, blood and beer’, whether it’s in sport, war or canal restoration! However, it takes all sorts to ‘get things done’, and it
doesn’t matter whether you’re a mud-shoveller, pontificator or wooden spoon-stirrer like me, we all have the same aim. In our particular case, it’s the complete restoration of the Montgomery Canal. To that end, the latest initiative to be launched took place recently at The Navigation Inn, in Maesbury Marsh. The occasion witnessed the unique sight of Ictus the steamboat passing yours truly pulling Countess in the opposite direction. What a picture it was, and a perfect opportunity for a photograph. Unfortunately, we were all so busy, nobody took one! My crew were intent on reassuring me that Ictus’s whistle was not the sound of an approaching dragon, Ictus’s crew were busy stoking the boilers and the passengers were ensconced
inside sheltering from a cold, north wind! This public appeal for the restoration of the Montgomery Canal – under the banner of ‘Restore the Montgomery Canal!’ – was successfully launched on April 26 by the High Sheriff of Shropshire, Mr Charles Lillis.
Dry section
The appeal is to raise funds to restore the canal beyond Crickheath, the end of the current Lottery-funded restoration. Volunteers plan to work on the dry section of the canal through the village of Pant to the Welsh border at Llanymynech. This section includes a disused railway embankment, which volunteers of the Inland Water ways Association’s Waterway Recovery Group have already prepared for removal, and Schoolhouse Bridge on a local road south of Crickheath – the last bridge obstruction in
Students from Oswestry School with Cracker. PHOTOS SUPPLIED
Shropshire – whereof a volunteer engineer has been preparing plans for reconstruction. Chairman of the Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust Michael Limbrey said: “We are asking the public to put a £2 coin – at least! – into a bucket. There are two miles of dry canal bed to restore and two miles of coins would raise about £250,000 – although full restoration to Llanymynech will cost more than that.” The appeal has already got off to an excellent start, £118,000 has been raised so far, helped enormously by £70,000 from the Tony Harrison legacy fund administered by the Inland Waterways Association. Just before the launch, £5000 was received from a private trust – subsequently confirmed to be an annual gift. Another supporter handed over a personal cheque for £1000 at the event. More information about the Appeal and how to contribute on www. RestoreTheMontgomeryCanal.uk So, in my own little way, I contribute to this fantastic project by towing passengers up and down the seven miles of restored section, accessible from the Llangollen canal. My slightly jaundiced views are based on observations of the practical difficulties involved with restoring the Monty to its former glory. This is best illustrated by the fact that the section between Redwith and Pryces bridges, although officially opened in 2014 (twice), is still empty due to unquantifiable and seemingly unsolvable leakages. ‘Hay’-ho!
A wave from these face painted paddlers.
Monty Triathlon
Easter turned out to be three bad days and a great one. We had three lovely trips out on the Saturday, but Good Friday, Easter Sunday and the Bank Holiday Monday all drew blanks – ‘hay’-ho again! However, thanks to some Heritage Lottery Funding, several groups of people are experiencing the joys of horsedrawn canal boating. We’re running a couple of trips a month throughout the summer for the next four years, so let’s hope I’m still around to fulfil these obligations. The group in the picture were from Oswestry School and were taken out as
Mark Tizard, vice-chairman of the National Association of Boat Owners (NABO), summarises the main topics of discussion. COUNCIL members around the table at the Samuel Barlow pub at Alvecote marina comprised four boaters with a home mooring, three without and a boat shareowner. Discussions included the current licensing review, NABO’s hour-long contribution, that of other associations contained in CRT’s justpublished feedback and comments in the waterways press and social media. We noted that the remit seemed to have widened to be more of a general comment about congestion and continuous cruising. Some associations seemed to want to be prescriptive on how far you should cruise and on what basis, for instance without children or employment. It’s worth reiterating NABO’s policy that it is for CRT as the navigation authority to define what constitutes ‘bona fide’ navigation. Further we believe CRT has in effect defined ‘bona fide’ navigation by having granted full 12-month licences based on the cruising patterns to those who were previously only granted restricted licences.
Red diesel
We confirmed that our view was that either duty should be abolished or there should be no change to the current arrangements.
Peer to peer renting
CRT are still forming a view; it was noted that the original briefing given to the Navigation Advisory Group has been changed substantially. NABO is preparing a guidance document for the website. But how could any new rules be enforced effectively?
Cracker
● 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
TOWPATH TITTER
Fly on the wall at a recent NABO council meeting We do not see how CRT can subsequently legitimately change this definition and remain keen for it to enforce regular movement using its existing powers. The invitations to apply to attend the consultation workshops are available by email. Is CRT trying to preselect attendees by views and can it be trusted or is this a reasonable way to manage the situation and prevent the event being swamped by a vociferous minority? We noted that CRT has still not published its equalities policy following its briefing to the Navigation Advisory Group that indicated its guidance for boats without a home mooring would soon change following a meeting with the Equalities Commission. This has recently been followed up with the commission.
a reward for their volunteering efforts in the nature reserves at Aston Locks. The annual Monty Triathlon also took place recently, again under leaden skies and a cold north-easterly wind. Luckily the rain kept off, so the 200 entrants ran, cycled or canoed the 35-mile length of the Montgomery Canal. As you can see from the photos, participants efforts ranged from Olympic, through athletic to almost pathetic (not shown), but a good time was had by all. Until next time, I wish you well and may your bucket be full of carrots.
CONTINUING our light-hearted look at life on the cut with another contribution from Harry Arnold of Waterway Images.
London Mooring Strategy Review
The current group of representatives have had three meetings. CRT will publish a plan in September and although this is branded as local, it will undoubtedly be a model for elsewhere. It is expected to encompass chargeable elements of timed visitor moorings especially in central areas and more residential moorings and 14-day casual moorings in outer London. NABO’s London rep will report back on the next meeting. There has been a net increase of 350 boats in 2016, similar to the previous year. Reports were also received on the winter mooring workshop and from reps on the BSS (Boat Safety Scheme) committees. The next meeting is on June 10 at Wolverhampton Boat Club.
All Canal & River Trust workboats are now being equipped with lightweight rapid response vehicles. If you have a suitable anecdote or photo 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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