Towpath Talk - May 2021 - Preview

1 Issue 187, May 2021

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Boaters living on the Kennet & Avon Canal have been able to get a Covid vaccination thanks to co-operation between the Bathbased charity, Julian House, the NHS, the local authorities along the canal and Canal Ministries who provided the boat. The floating clinic on board nb Litania spent two weeks travelling from Bath to Wootton Rivers, mooring up along the way so that boaters could pop in for a jab without the need for an appointment.

Pictured beside the clinic on Devizes Wharf are, from left, Carla Boardman of Julian House, Deborah Griffin from Wiltshire Council and nurses, Debbie Simpson and Sarah Davies.

TRAVELLING THE GREAT WEST WAY

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CANAL BY SOCIAL PRESCRIPTION

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NEW LIFE FOR IWAI’S DUNROVIN

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PADDLEBOARDER’S PLASTICS PLEA

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BOATS FOR SALE Starts on

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Floating clinic on the K&A

PHOTO: BOB NAYLOR/WATERMARX MEDIA

‘Don’t drink and drown’ alert as waterside pubs reopen THE Canal & River Trust is urging people to stay safe by the water this spring as they return to waterside pubs, bars and restaurants following the easing of the Government’s coronavirus restrictions.

With people in England now able to visit the outside areas of bars, pubs and restaurants, the trust reiterated its support for the Royal Life Saving Society UK’s campaign which warns people not to walk home next to water

and not to enter water when they are under the influence of alcohol.

Debbie Lumb, CRT national advisor for health and safety, said: “How wonderful that we can enjoy spring with friends and family at one of the many waterside pubs, bars and restaurants.

"We know that spending time by water and being close to nature is good for your health and well-being; we just want those visiting the wonderful

canalside pubs, bars and restaurants to take care after they’ve been drinking.

She added: “I imagine there will be lots of meet-ups with friends as restrictions continue to ease but make sure to stay safe when enjoying yourself.

“On your way home after a fun day or night out, you and your friends need to be careful. If you’ve had a few drinks, don’t walk home by the water’s edge, find another route.

“Stay with and look out for your

friends to make sure that you all get home safely.”

The key points of the safety message are: look out for your friends, make sure you all get home safely; find another route home away from the water’s edge; don’t enter the water if you have been drinking; alcohol seriously affects your ability to get yourself out of trouble.

For more information about enjoying water safely, visit the society’s website https://www.rlss.org.uk/

Crick show dates

Colne Valley petition

Virtual Canalway Cavalcade

WITH the prospect that live events this year will now be possible, dates have been announced for a live 2021 Crick Boat Show from Friday to Sunday, August 20-22. These dates are subject to any changes in restrictions due to coronavirus.

The August show will have the boating industry at its centre although some adjustments will be made to the established show content and layout to ensure that the show complies with any government guidelines and is a safe event for all involved.

SUPPORTERS are being urged to sign Sarah Green’s petition at change.org in respect of two HS2 planning applications currently before the London Borough of Hillingdon. It is understood the council has not yet granted consent for applications 74320/ APP/2019/3187 and 76182/APP/2021/399 for the Colne Valley Viaduct earthworks and for the river diversions and changes for increased flood risk. A letter will be sent to the new leader of the council in respect of works which it is claimed could damage water supplies.

ALTHOUGH the Inland Waterways Association has been unable to physically hold its annual Canalway Cavalcade due to coronavirus restrictions this year, it is hoping to capture its spirit through a virtual event at waterways.org. uk from May 1-3. The Cavalcade will return to London’s Little Venice on Saturday, April 30, 2022, for the full early May Bank Holiday weekend. The origins of the event were also due to be shown in a webinar – The Story of IWA Canalway Cavalcade – on April 27.

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WELCOME AS I write in mid-April, boaters can now spend the night aboard and holiday hire fleets are on the move again – but there are two more mileposts to pass on the roadmap to recovery before we are likely to see any events and gatherings.

It was particularly disappointing to hear that the Braunston Rally had been postponed for a second year – see the report on page 16 – although it now looks as if August could be a busy month with the Crick Boat Show and the IWA Festival of Water on successive weekends.

With the emphasis still on Zoom meetings and webinars, I attended the online media launch of a review into the Great West Way – see feature on page 4 – and am booked in for Canal & River Trust’s National User Forum on which I hope to report next month.

Colin Wareing has been out and about, revisiting Toddbrook Reservoir where permanent repair plans have been unveiled – report on page 8 – and visiting stoppages in Cheshire, including the landslip at Anderton, see page 5.

Our Greener Boating page returns this month on page 18 with reports

by Jonathan Mosse and Phil Pickin while Lee Senior takes a walk along the Grantham Canal in Great Outdoors on page 71.

Alison Alderton reports on plans to transform the site at Dunrovin – a former Nissen hut on the banks of Lough Ree where she lived for a while – to a new IWAI clubhouse and RNLI lifeboat station, see page 72.

And talking about waterside homes, Helen Gazeley chats to estate agent Sheridan Parsons who has launched a new specialist agency, see Wet Web on page 76.

On a positive note, some of the work parties have restarted – albeit with social distancing in place – and we look forward to reporting on more activities as the summer unfolds.

Happy cruising

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Janet

Editor Janet Richardson jrichardson@mortons.co.uk Publisher Tim Hartley Group advertising manager Sue Keily Advertising sales team leader Tania Shaw – 01507 529489 tshaw@mortons.co.uk Advertising sales representative Chris Heaton – 01507 529354 cheaton@mortons.co.uk Editorial design Chris Abrams Production editor Pauline Hawkins Publishing director Dan Savage Commercial director Nigel Hole Contact us Customer services 01507 529529 Telephone lines are open: MondayFriday 8.30am-5pm. help@classicmagazines.co.uk www.classicmagazines.co.uk News & editorial Tel: 01507 529466. Fax: 01507 529495 editorial@towpathtalk.co.uk 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 – May 27, 2021

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Countryfile at Braunston Marina BBC’s Countryfile recently visited Braunston Marina to film a report by Tom Heaps on the impact of canals on the past, present and future of our countryside.

Wharf House Narrowboats, which recently relocated to the marina, have built two, as well as converting the Rowan from diesel to hybrid electric drive (see photo on page 18).

Tom was joined by Paul Rogers, national chairman of the IWA, which recently published its Sustainable Boating vision document.

The 200th anniversary of the Regent’s Canal was also celebrated

by Margherita Taylor during the programme, which went out on April 11.

Countryfile presenter Tom Heap, left, with his film crew and, behind centre, Phil Abbott of Wharf House Narrowboats, Paul Rogers of IWA and Tim Coghlan, Braunston Marina. PHOTO SUPPLIED

Working to repair Shropshire Union breach

By Colin Wareing

FOLLOWING a breach on the Shropshire Union Canal back in January contractors for the Canal & River Trust have been repairing the damage.

Attributed to the effects of Storm Cristoph, the breach between Wharton’s Lock 10 and the Beeston Iron Lock 11 in Cheshire washed away part of the towpath, which has also required rebuilding.

The site is fairly inaccessible to heavy machinery so a temporary roadway had to be laid from a nearby country lane across a farmer’s field.

The canal was drained of water down to Wharton’s Lock while a dam was installed above the breach site to enable the water levels towards Beeston Iron Lock to be maintained.

Contractors have removed the debris prior to starting work to install the new embankment followed by a new canal bed and washwall. The Canal & River Trust hopes that navigation can resume in time for the spring bank holiday weekend at the end of May. Above the dam the water levels have been restored towards Beeston Iron Lock so Chas Harden’s holiday boat hire fleet at Beeston could start operating again when restrictions were eased. The towpath towards the breach site has been blocked with the large fence to the left of this picture.

PHOTOS: COLIN WAREING, COLIN AND CAROLE’S CREATIONS

UCAN ready to spring into action GIVEN the challenges everyone has faced this last 12 months, the anticipated display of bright yellow daffodils this year seemed so much more special somehow to the volunteers of the Uppermill Community Ac t i o n Ne t w o rk (UCAN).

They plant a variety of bulbs each year so to continue this work members have, in socially distanced pairs, been out and about again planting new bulbs – including bluebells – in the flower

beds at Wade Lock.

They hope these will grow year on year and give a visual delight to everyone who lives, works or visits the village beside the Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

A totally different, but equally rewarding arm of the voluntary work, is maintaining the bird boxes built in previous years.

Two volunteers focused on repairing and cleaning the boxes ready for the new breeding season.

Volunteers have also, as always, been

litter-picking and ap p re c i at e d the feedback from people walking alongside the canal, saying just how nice, clean and tidy the canal walk is.

UCAN is holding ongoing discussions with the Canal & River Trust about restarting group activity. It is always pleased to welcome new members; anyone who is interested and would like further information can contact Peter Killan on 01457 878361 or email peterkillan@ hotmail.com

The drained canal near Wharton’s Lock.

Contractors working on the breach site between Locks 10 and 11 on the Shropshire Union Canal.

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Canal trusts benefit from second round of government funding

THE Dudley and Chichester canals are among more than 2700 recipients to benefit from the latest round of awards from the £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund.

It will enable them both to get their popular boat trips back up and running as restrictions are eased.

Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust received £154,900 which, said chief

Chichester canal boat Kingfisher on its return journey.

PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON

executive Traci Dix-Williams, would help pay bills, protect jobs, develop the business with some new offers and put in place recommendations made by the consultants it has worked with.

“As we cannot go into the caverns till May, due to them being classed as an indoor venue, we have launched a new Explorer Boat,” she said.

The Chichester Canal Trading Company, the trading arm of the Chichester Ship Canal Trust, received £18,200 which will be used to restart its boat trips on the historic waterway from the city out into the countryside.

Trading director Ian Jackson said: “The boats and the volunteers have been unable to get out on the water since restrictions back in October.

This funding will enable us to get the boats shipshape again and ready for new customers.

“Our volunteer crews will also renew their training and we can start to bring new volunteers into the team.”

After months of closures and cancellations, this funding will be a much-needed helping hand for

organisations returning to normal in the months ahead.

Announcing the second round of awards, culture secretary Oliver Dowden said: “Now we’re staying by their side as they prepare to welcome the public back through their doors – helping our cultural gems plan for reopening and thrive in the better times ahead.”

A street art trail in Sheffield. PHOTO: CRT

Canalside art comes to Walsall THE Canal & River Trust is working with a local street artist group to create public art along the Walsall Canal.

Supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, the new piece of canal art is being painted on a wall by local artistic groups Maia Creatives and We are Culla.

The project, which is part of a national street art trail across the canals in England and Wales, is aimed at transforming less caredfor spaces alongside canals into beautiful places with the help of local artists and community groups.

It is hoped that the art will encourage local people to visit the canal and enjoy the work of local artists. The art will replace antisocial

‘tagging’ on the wall and will tell the stories of the different communities who live along the canal.

Cities including Sheffield, Oxford, London, Leicester, Coventry and Birmingham already have some street art along their canals which has helped add extra colour and life to the waterways.

CRT West Midlands director Adnan Saif said: “As a charity, Canal & River Trust spends more than £1 million a year clearing off graffiti tags and scribbles from across our canals.

We want to work with local graffiti groups and artists to replace this with art and colour along the canal.

“Our research shows that being by water makes us all feel happier and healthier and I hope local

people enjoy this new piece of art and take some time to explore their local canal.”

Laura Chow, head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “It’s thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery that community projects like this one along the canal in Walsall can happen, and they make a real difference in connecting local communities to their local waterway.

“We’re glad funding raised by our players is supporting Canal & River Trust to develop their national street art trail and look forward to seeing other locations coming alive.” Future funding is intended to be awarded by Postcode Earth Trust, a promoting society of People’s Postcode Lottery.

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A view over Bath’s rooftops from the Kennet & Avon Canal.

Brunel’s SS Great Britain is due to fully reopen on May 17 at Bristol.

The Rose of Hungerford trip boat operated by the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust.

The Wessex Main Line railway passing beneath the Dundas Aqueduct near Bath.

PHOTOS: JANET RICHARDSON

Go west – take the slow way this summer

By Janet Richardson

WITH emphasis on staycations as we follow the roadmap out of lockdown, what better way is there to see some of the UK’s most iconic landmarks than to take the Great West Way? Whether you are travelling by canal, river, road, or railway between London and Bristol, there is no shortage of destinations and visitor attractions.

These include Hampton Court Palace, Windsor, Maidenhead, Reading, Swinley Forest, Newbury, Whitchurch Silk Mill, Stonehenge and Avebury, Wiltshire, the Kennet & Avon, and Bath.

Speakers at the online launch of the Great West Way’s review, entitled The Journey So Far and The Way Ahead, included Richard Parry, chief executive of the Canal & River Trust, the waterways and well-being ambassador for the Great West Way. He described the Kennet & Avon Canal as a key element – a ‘slow way’ option running for 87 miles through the very heart of the route.

This is featured in a guide to the Kennet & Avon Canal, of which 100,000 copies have been printed.

Mr Parry said: “As people emerge from lockdown, they might be thinking about taking a holiday, booking a short break, or simply seeking a change of scenery. The Kennet & Avon Canal offers a relaxing way to explore the London-toBristol route and we hope visitors might find the map both inspiring and useful.”

The guide to the Kennet & Avon Canal has been launched by the Great West Way, in partnership with the Canal & River Trust and the Kennet & Avon Trade Association. It can be collected from local information points or downloaded online from www.

GreatWestWay.co.uk/explore/maps

It promotes the waterway and neighbouring attractions, including the boat trips operated by the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust, Bruce Boats, the Kennet Horse Boat Company, and the Wessex Rose; industrial heritage at Crofton Beam Engines, Claverton Pumping Station, and Wadworth Brewery; and showcases the opportunities to enjoy fine food and drink, too.

Great West Way director David Andrews said the corridor has an important role to play in the country’s national tourism recovery.

Describing the challenges and strategic opportunities, The historic Claverton Pumping Station. he described it as a catalyst

for change which would not only make a difference to the region but also to England as a whole.

“It is five years since we first took steps on this great journey of ours and this review launch has been an opportunity for us to reflect on just how much the Great West Way has achieved so far,” he said.

He stressed the importance of being brand-led and getting industry on board from the start, 300 businesses having attended development workshops.

Minister for Sport and Tourism, Nigel Huddleston, said the Great West Way was one of the first projects supported through the Discover England scheme. It had generated many initiatives and products, with fantastic individual offerings along the route.

Acknowledging that it had been an ‘incredibly difficult’ time for the tourism sector, he added that the tourism recovery plan would focus on consumer demand, reducing barriers to travel, and looking to the future with the Building Back Better theme.

Sally Balcombe, chief executive of Visit Britain/Visit England, explained that the Discover England Fund, launched five years ago, is a £45 million programme aiming to ensure England remains competitive in the global tourism industry. The Great West Way is one of 14 large projects, and an example of partnership working.

“Our job is to build for the future and ensure we have a plan which really delivers a sustainable legacy,” she said. “We are a safe and secure country – a compelling new part of the tourism landscape.”

Mr Andrews added that although the Great West Way was originally aimed at overseas visitors, it has focused very much on the domestic market this year.

In the question-and-answer session which followed, Mr Parry was asked if it was possible to complete the journey one way on a narrowboat.

He replied: “It depends on the company you book with, but most offer as much flexibility as they can. The towpath is a continuous route and there are 20 people on the towpath for every person on a boat. It is a great way to see this wonderful countryside.”

Taking the slow route through the Vale of Pewsey.

The Dundas Arms beside the Kennet & Avon Canal at Kintbury.

The Great West Way – headline results: • 270 Investing Great West Way Ambassadors signed up.

• 26 Investing Destination Ambassadors.

• Four Title Ambassadors – Bristol Airport, Canal & River Trust, Great Western Railway, National Trust.

• 82 Great West Way Official Tour Operators producing new programmes.

• 450 bookable new products.

• 80 new themed consumer and trade itineraries.

• 1800 tourism businesses along the route engaged with.

• 900-plus one-to-one meetings with travel trade.

• 300 million press coverage reach and 5.25 million social.

• 200 businesses using the Great West Way branding.

• Five industry awards won.

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First look at HS2’s Oxford Canal Viaduct HS2 Ltd has revealed the first images of its planned Oxford Canal Viaduct and has been seeking views from the local community about the design of the viaduct between Banbury and Daventry.

Set low in the landscape, three pre-stressed concrete spans will take Britain’s new low carbon, high-speed railway 62.5m across the canal, towpath and a country lane near the village of Wormleighton.

It is one of 15 viaducts and bridges across the central section of the HS2 route which is being designed by HS2’s main works contractor EKFB – a team made up of Eiffage, Kier, Ferrovial and Bam Nuttall – working with architects Moxon and design partners ASC – a team made up of Arcadis, Setec and Cowi.

HS2 Project client director Ambrose McGuire said: “The Oxford Canal Viaduct is one of eight key design elements on the central section of the HS2 route and I’m pleased to see the amount of thought that’s been put into the design.

“The building of the canals revolutionised transportation and helped to build modern Britain so it’s great to see how our contemporary design includes a nod back to those 18th-century pioneers.”

The viaduct has been designed to be as open as possible to improve the environment for boaters and walkers, allowing views across the landscape and the horizon.

The design combines a simple overall form with a special focus on materials for the parts of the structure that are close to the canal and its visitors.

Rough-cut masonry features in the design where it faces on to the canal and towpath. This is to give a sense of design continuity and as a nod to the architectural heritage of the canal.

EKFB technical director Janice McKenna explained: “We were given the challenge of designing a structure that would sit as lightly as possible above the canal, while being low enough to protect views across the countryside.

“That’s why we came up with the idea of lengthening the span over the canal to bring in light, while keeping the continuity of the towpath and using the same kind of rough-cut masonry that is such a feature of the existing canal bridges.”

Opened in stages between 1774 and 1790, the 75-mile-long Oxford Canal is one of the oldest in Britain and was designed to bring coal from the Coventry coalfields to Oxford and the River Thames.

HS2 Ltd held an online design engagement event to gather feedback from the community.

One of the key questions was whether the masonry finish used on the wall in front of the abutment should also be extended to the two sets of piers that support the structure. Feedback was due to close on April 30. www.hs2.org.uk

Fresh look for historic swing bridge

THE historic Stroudwater swing bridge at Saul Junction has received a makeover from the Canal & River Trust.

Installed in 1886, the bridge crosses the Stroudwater Navigation and is the last of its kind on that waterway. It sits where the Stroudwater Canal meets the

About the bridge

This swing bridge is the last of its kind still in place on the Stroudwater Navigation so has both great historical and rarity value.

It is not listed but is an important local element in the Canal Conservation Area and in the assemblage of historic structures at Saul Junction.

The bridge is a locally distinctive structure and makes an important contribution to interpreting the vernacular architecture of the Stroudwater. It also enables an understanding of the 19th century engineering of swing bridges.

Together these factors make the bridge a crucial heritage survivor, helping to promote Saul Junction as a visitor destination and focal point in the restoration of the Cotswold Canals.

Gloucester & Sharpness Canal, forming an unusual ‘canal crossroads’ feature.

The work has been carried out by RW Davis Boatyard at Saul Junction which specialises in the restoration of historic vessels. It has included: repairs and replacement of the timberwork, cleaning and repainting of the iron railings and realignment of the bridge to swing correctly.

While it’s not possible for people to use the bridge (as it is partly on private land) anyone visiting Saul Junction can now enjoy seeing this great piece of historic engineering looking at its best once again.

The Canal & River Trust is grateful for the support of the Association for Industrial Archaeology which has funded the refurbishment.

The team celebrates the launch of the refurbished swing bridge.

The refurbished swing bridge at Saul Junction. PHOTOS: CRT

Canal blocked by Soot Hill landslip

By Colin Wareing

ANOTHER of the effects of Storm Cristoph in January 2021 has been a landslip blocking the Trent & Mersey canal near Anderton in Cheshire.

Earth, rocks and trees were deposited into the canal from an embankment between bridges 200 and 201 north of Anderton at Soot Hill, just before Barnton tunnel.

Engineers from the Canal & River Trust have been working on a plan to repair the slip and reopen the canal but have been faced with some significant problems.

The embankment will need to be stabilised before the canal can be cleared. But complications include houses at the top, a public footpath over the black and white bridge, a main gas pipe crossing the canal and the site is not easily accessible to machinery.

It may be necessary to drain the canal for the construction of a temporary roadway in the canal bed to gain access.

In the meantime a pipe has been installed along the towpath side of the canal to maintain water levels in the area.

Canal & River Trust contractors have been on site looking at ways to safely allow boat movement through the affected area without destabilising the embankment, slipped material within the canal or the gas main. A further update was due by April 20.

The Cheshire cruising ring could be unavailable for some time and any boaters who want to travel from northern waters to the south will need to travel through Manchester and down the Peak Forest and Macclesfield canals – as we went to press, the latter was closed due to an issue with a culvert in Macclesfield.

A visualisation of the Oxford Canal Viaduct with a smooth concrete finish on the piers.

The viaduct visualisation with a masonry leaf finish. PHOTOS: HS2

Debris in the Trent & Mersey Canal following the landslip at Soot Hill. PHOTO: COLIN WAREING, COLIN AND CAROLE’S CREATIONS

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Canals on prescription in Nottingham

Paddling on the Nottingham & Beeston Canal.

Canalside gardening. PHOTOS: CRT PEOPLE living in Nottingham may soon be prescribed an afternoon of paddleboarding, a wellbeing walk, or some canalside gardening.

A project making use of the Nottingham & Beeston Canal to help people tackle mental and physical health problems has been awarded nearly £50,000.

More than 75,000 people in Nottingham live within 1km of

a waterway, and the canal runs for five miles from Meadow Lane Lock near Trent Bridge to Beeston Lock.

Linny Beaumont, partnerships and external relationships manager for the Canal & River Trust, said: “We are delighted to have secured this funding and to be working with such a talented and diverse partnership to give local people access to a range of

activities which we really hope will give them the help they need.

“With so many people living and working a stone’s throw from Nottinghamshire’s waterways, we think they have a key role to play in increasing the amount of social prescribing taking place in the county.”

Social prescribing is where GPs and other primary care professionals refer people to

non-clinical services to support their health and wellbeing.

This is typically done through a link worker who connect people with charities, services and community groups for practical and emotional support.

Health boost

The Thriving Communities project will focus on the canal to provide physical activity, art, heritage, and other support to people referred through

social prescribing pathways. It will also give those living along the canal – which runs from Nottingham to Beeston – access to activities to boost physical and mental health.

This includes canoe and p a d d l eb o a rd s e ssi o n s, gardening along the canal, volunteering opportunities and wellbeing walks.

There will be photography courses, arts activities, cookery classes and, when Covid restrictions allow, communal

meals at venues along the canal.

The project is being run by a partnership of local organisations including the Canal & River Trust, Nottingham Community & Voluntary Service, Notts County Foundation, Canalside Heritage Centre, Nottingham Photographers Hub and local foodbank Himmah.

Funding has been provided through the National Academy of Social Prescribing, Arts Council England, Natural England and Historic England.

Waterways for everyone

THE National Community Boating Association (NCBA) plays an important part in the heart of community boating.

Its vision is to maintain a network of well resourced, well managed boating organisations that provide community boats for everyone, while promoting the safe use of community boats by its members.

It relies on members’ fees, fundraising and charitable donations to support its valuable work.

There is no ignoring the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic; it has affected everyone in some way or another at some level.

To assist its members, the NCBA has waived fees for a second year. Due to the pandemic, fundraising has been near non-existent and charitable donations have dwindled dramatically.

The hope is to now look to the future and prepare the communities to open again for safe boating.

Do you remember a time before 2020? A time of boating down the canal and enjoying an

experience with friends or family? If you do, you’ll probably have hired a community boat from one of the NCBA’s project community boats.

Its members are a network of community boats providing trips and training to all. They are the lifeline of the canal system, and NCBA is proud of each and every one of them.

The association’s work is vital to ensure its members reach a recognised level in order to provide training courses and boat safety resources.

Your support can make a serious difference to the survival of these projects and ensure they can prepare the re-opening of waterways for everyone.

To find out more about the association and how to get involved in supporting it now and for the future, visit the website https://national-cba. co.uk Alternatively, would-be supporters are invited to contact NCBA chairman Paul Unwin directly on email at: paul@national-cba.co.uk

The Wirral Community Narrowboat Trust’s narrowboat Over the Rainbow, providing boat trips during an Easter gathering at the National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port.

PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON

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Residents turn detective Shaping the cut at the ‘hell hole’! to find cause of pollution along Worcester canal

WORCESTER residents are being asked to turn detective and help find the source of recurring oil pollution on the Worcestershire & Birmingham Canal.

Working in partnership with the Environment Agency, the Canal & River Trust has spent the last few weeks trying to find the source of the pollution between Sidbury Lock 3 and Blockhouse Lock 4 in the city centre.

It is characterised as a rainbow sheen on the water and accompanied by a smell of fuel, and is proving difficult to trace.

Investigations into its source so far have drawn a blank.

CRT environmental experts are regularly monitoring the stretch to ensure that the pollution is having minimal impact on wildlife. The team is also using absorbent mats to soak up and remove as much oil as possible from the water.

Alex May, environmental scientist at the trust, said: “This pollution really has got us scratching our heads. Normally it’s fairly straightforward to trace where pollution has come from, as you would find evidence of a spill from a local drain as it discharges into the canal.

“These drains are supposed to be for clean rainwater, but sometimes wrongly connected drains can lead to problems.

“Everything we have investigated so If you would like to share any information, call 03030 404040 or email enquiries.westmidlands@ canalrivertrust.org.uk

far hasn’t pointed to the source, so we’re asking local people to tell us if they know anything or have seen anyone dump something into the canal.

“Unfortunately, we have found a small number of dead fish along this stretch of canal, so we’re really keen to get to the bottom of this and find the source to ensure no more wildlife is harmed.

“Research shows that spending time next to water makes us all happier and healthier.

“So it’s important we look after our canals and the wildlife that lives along it, to ensure they are great places for local people to visit and enjoy.”

SHROPSHIRE Union Canal volunteers resumed work in March, continuing the restoration of the 330m dry section of the Montgomery Canal at Crickheath.

When finished, this will link the national canal network to the winding hole at Crickheath, which is in water.

The monumental task of substantially overbuilding an area of subsidence affecting both sides of banking in the middle of the section was completed late last year.

A massive pumping-out programme ran throughout a weekend in March to remove thousands of gallons of rain and ground water so machines could operate at both ends of the project.

The emphasis has now shifted to preparing a smaller section of the channel next to Crickheath winding

hole, which has also suffered from subsidence, in readiness for remedial treatment.

Other tasks were undertaken in what proved to be a very successful session.

The very sloppy bed of the channel at the end near Pryce’s Bridge – which has been dubbed ‘the hell hole’ – was levelled off and stabilised with grouting material. This was part of preliminary work towards shaping the channel in readiness for lining with layers of waterproofing materials and blocks in the summer.

Another team removed unwanted sections of newt fencing, installed new sections to cope with boundary changes, and repaired damaged parts.

To compensate for lost time, there will now be two work parties per month until Christmas.

The ‘hell hole’ prior to the work.

Levelling out and stabilising the ‘hole’. PHOTOS: SUCS

Safer route over lock gates

By Les Heath

The pollution is causing a rainbow sheen on the water and a smell of fuel. PHOTO: CRT

LIFE is much easier for boaters leaving the River Trent and joining the Trent & Mersey Canal thanks to a new structure at Derwent Mouth Lock.

Until this year, boaters and walkers using a public footpath had to cross over the top of the lock gates.

Now the Canal & River Trust has provided a wide walkway alongside the top gates, providing a safe route for walkers using the footpath to Great Wilne and Draycott.

It will also be welcomed by boaters using the lock this summer.

Until its demolition many years ago, everything going to and from a lock keeper’s cottage had to be carried over the gates. The path from the cottage door to the lock side (in the foreground) is all that remains today. PHOTOS: LES HEATH At one time the lock had a keeper’s cottage on the opposite side to the towpath, and everything going to and from the cottage had to be carried over

the top of the lock gates.

If only the lock keepers of yesteryear could have enjoyed today’s new luxury!

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An artist’s impression of the proposed side channel weir and ‘tumble bay’. IMAGE: CRT

A sketch view of the top of the dam. IMAGE: CRT

£12m repair plan unveiled for Toddbrook Reservoir

By Colin Wareing

A PERMANENT repair plan has been announced for restoring Toddbrook Reservoir in Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire, following the damage to the slipway in summer 2019.

The Canal & River Trust is planning to build a new side channel weir, ‘tumble bay’, spillway channel and stilling basin on the northern sailing club side of the dam, at an estimated cost of between £12 million and £16 million. The auxiliary spillway will be decommissioned and the dam slope grassed.

Daniel Greenhalgh, Canal & River Trust North West director, said: “Repairing the reservoir is a huge engineering challenge and public safety is our top priority. The permanent repair design has been shaped by local feedback and guided by modern engineering best practice.”

Subject to planning permission, work is likely to start at the end of 2021 and will take about two years to complete.

The reservoir, which supplies water to the Peak Forest and Macclesfield canals, has been out of action and near empty of water since the spillway was damaged.

Ahead of the permanent repair, the trust and its contractors, Kier, have carried out a major project to make safe the damaged spillway and add a protective waterproof nib to the dam crest.

Once the new repairs are completed, the concrete and dropped bags of stone will be removed and the area will be grassed over.

Within the new plans, the proposed new spillway channel will run across the front of the headquarters of Toddbrook Sailing Club, which will need to be relocated. PHOTO: COLIN WAREING The repair plans have been drawn up by the Canal & River Trust’s project team, working with specialist engineering design consultants Arup following extensive technical investigations and design work.

Local input

Importantly, there has been a lot of input through public consultation with the residents of Whaley Bridge. The town was threatened by flooding when the reservoir – a well-used and appreciated facility for sailing, walking, open water swimming and angling – overtopped the spillway in 2019.

Daniel commented: “It was a nice surprise to find out how many dam engineers, both working and retired, live within Whaley Bridge and the local area. They have taken an interest, and provided great input and ideas into the consultations.”

Two options were put forward from an initial 13 potential proposals considered by the design team, which continues to develop the details of proposals to ensure the most effective design solution is adopted.

A second public consultation into the proposed plan will be organised for later in the spring, probably online, in advance of a planning application to High Peak Borough Council this summer.

Daniel continued: “The new spillway will unfortunately require the relocation of the sailing club’s clubhouse and slipway. We are committed to working with them to ensure we provide suitable

replacement buildings, boat storage and slipway to support their continued use and enjoyment of the reservoir once the project is complete.”

At the moment the club is sailing on the waters of the Errwood Sailing Club, a few miles away towards Buxton.

Temporary repairs to the spillway face have been stabilised and grouted but once the new spillway is operational the concrete and dropped bags in, of stone will be removed and replaced with grass. The channel at the bottom of the slope will be filled in and grassed over.

PHOTO: COLIN WAREING

Play area move

“The proposed work will also require some changes to the northern area of the park,” explained Daniel. “The play area will have to be repositioned, and we will carry out landscaping works to ensure that, when finished, the park remains an enjoyable and open public space.

“We are working to develop our plans to ensure this happens as sensitively as possible.

“During construction, part of the park will unfortunately have to be closed, but we hope to be able to move some of the play equipment to an alternative location so it can continue to be available.

“These changes are necessary to construct the new side channel weir, ‘tumble bay’, spillway channel and stilling basin in an optimum alignment, both within the landscape and for reservoir safety. The stilling basin will then connect with the River Goyt at the existing To view more detailed information about the repair plans, visit the Canal & River Trust website at: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/ restoring-toddbrook-reservoir

location via a channel through the park.

“The use of a side channel weir allows us to connect the existing reservoir bywash into the top of the tumble bay, which will mean water flows down the spillway at all times.

“We were guided in this design modification by public feedback, indicating that a continuous flow of water down the spillway was preferable to having a predominantly dry channel.”

Construction work on the dam will be followed by works to the inlet cascade at the far end of the reservoir to increase its resilience to high flows from the Todd Brook stream.

It is hoped to reopen the reservoir to the public in early 2024 and once again feed water into the upper Peak Forest Canal.

Meanwhile, work continues to re-establish flow through a feeder of water into the canal from Coombs reservoir. Due to some challenging locations under buildings in the town, the release of water from Coombs is currently into the river Goyt and then pumped out into the canal at the Whaley Bridge basin.

High-volume pumps will remain in the reservoir to manage water levels until the end of the project.

A sketch view looking from the park towards the spillway. IMAGE: CRT

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Characters of the Cut Alice Griffin talks to railway worker and liveaboard boater Pete Tuffrey who is branching out as an artist.

WHEN artist Pete Tuffrey needs to With almost 3000 fans on his page escape from the hustle, noise and and a popular eBay shop also, it seems pressure of day-to-day life, he puts his quest to carve out a self-taught and the music on, sets out a palette of independent creative career is paying paints and immerses himself in a time off. Like many modern-day artists, social long forgotten. media has allowed him to be a one-man “I try to portray what it feels like band and sell direct. “I paint new work to live this life, both now and in the every week and sell mostly through industrial past, without sugar coating. Facebook. I also sell small pieces that I I want the viewer to smell the smoke!” list on eBay every Friday night.”

Pete’s love for the canals is obvious and Looking through Pete’s vast shines out from his impressionistic, collection it’s not difficult to see why atmospheric artwork that reflects the his work has become so popular, and lingering history and peaceful beauty there is something magical about of the towpath. imagining him working in the very The lifestyle stayed with him after a location that so often influences his brief spell on a narrowboat some years paintings. Although he is flexible as to ago and he’s now been living aboard for where he paints. five years, first on the Oxford Canal and His current day job on the railway now with a mooring on the Gloucester – track maintaining – means he can & Sharpness to be closer to his young sometimes be found painting in his daughter, Amelie. Pete’s home is parents' garage when he’s working narrowboat Thyme, a 32ft Barney boat away. There’s no doubt though that (trad) and more recently, narrowboat his boat is where he works best. “The Della, a 19ft butty. “This latest addition view from my window, the weather, will be my studio as I jump into full- winter days with the fire burning and time painting,” he tells me. painting with some music playing.

Painting since the age of about 30, There’s nothing like it.” it initially started out as a hobby. “I With names like Monday Morning was painting portraits and searching Mist and Winter Silence for his pieces for my style. I also did some street art of art, it’s hard not to be drawn in and using stencils and spray paint and then mesmerised by the world as he sees began using this technique with traditional waterway landscapes. It was at this point my path was set.”

By his own admission he’s a poor sketcher but believes that paint can be pushed and pulled until you get what you want. “This is especially the case with light. I’m obsessed with getting the light right!”

As his painting style grew, Pete decided to set up a Facebook page and now his popularity has also grown. With no interest in galleries or the pretentious side of the art world, this way of creating and Pete’s daughter Amelie beside his boats Thyme and Della. selling suits him perfectly.

David Revill, third from right, with NWDCT volunteers before the pandemic. PHOTO SUPPLIED Pete Tuffrey relaxes by the fire. it, and as output seems prolific there’s plenty to go around. He puts speed down to his technique. “The normal routine is to prep the canvas in spray paint/ under painting in the workshop and complete the painting back on board.

I tend to build in layers of acrylic which dries very fast so I can complete a lot of pieces quickly.”

For Pete, painting is an escape from a world that he at times finds deafening and to be able to merge this passion with his lifestyle is what many people dream of. “For me, life afloat is about community, nature, living in time with the seasons and being aware of the resources I use. I think boats are great for teaching you what you really need in life.”

Some of his most treasured paintings are not boat-related though. “My favourite is simply me and my daughter on the beach and is called Together. Another recent commission was a secret Valentine’s gift. “It’s of an old bus that the guy lived in years back so it meant a lot to him.” Pete always finds these jobs enjoyable: “It’s nice to see people’s reactions!”

He’s hoping to take the leap into full-time painting next year. “It will be exciting but also scary as I’ve been working on the railways for 32 years, but I’m planning to be brave!” And with the best little shipmate, daughter Amelie, by his side – I’m sure he’ll be just fine!

Alice Griffin is a freelance writer, intermittent boat dweller, and longtime wanderer, currently living a low-impact life in the Highlands of Scotland. www.alicegriffin.co.uk Instagram: alice_is_in_wanderland

This painting of an old bus is a recent commission. PHOTOS SUPPLIED

One of Pete’s atmospheric paintings.

eBay: petetuffreyart Facebook: petetuffreyartist Instagram: @petetuffreyartist Twitter: @petetuffreyartist

Pete Tuffrey painting on his narrowboat.

New chairman elected by North Walsham & Dilham Canal Trust A FOUNDING member of the North Walsham & Dilham Canal Trust, David Revill, has been elected as the charitable organisation’s new chairman.

The trust works with local landowners to maintain and restore the nine-mile North Walsham & Dilham Canal that runs from Antingham to Wayford Bridge in Norfolk.

“I’m honoured to chair the group of trustees and volunteers who give their time to restore our local canal,” Mr Revill said. “And I’d like to thank the previous chair, Tom Carr, for his dedicated service over the last few years and for his expertise in working with local landowners on the project.”

He continued: “I’ve worked on the North Walsham & Dilham Canal now for over 20 years and, with restrictions placed on our work, as well as on the lives of so many of our volunteers, it’s fair to say the current period has been one of the most challenging to date.

“Nevertheless, we are looking forward to making new ground with the restoration project this year and will be continuing to improve the canal for the benefit of the public, local residents and the wildlife and ecosystems it sustains.”

As coronavirus restrictions ease over the coming months, outdoor volunteer groups were set to resume on the North Walsham & Dilham Canal in April. Organised by the North Walsham & Dilham Canal Trust, volunteer groups meet twice monthly to build and maintain canal banks, clear scrub, restore canal

structures and prepare for re-watering sections of dry canal bed just east of North Walsham.

“It’s an exciting time for the trust,” NWDCT volunteer James Warner Smith commented. “Over the last year more and more people have been spending time outdoors and have been enjoying walking, fishing, canoeing and paddleboarding along stretches of the restored canal, so it’s a great time to be involved with the charity.

“Along with other volunteers, I warmly welcome David Revill, who has decades of experience with the project, to his position as chairman of the trust and look forward to the continued work on our local canal.”

More information can be found at nwdct.org

New chairman of North Walsham & Dilham Canal Trust David Revill. PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON

Flagship of the Year Award launched for 2021

NATIONAL Historic Ships UK has started its new awards season with the launch of its Flagship of the Year Award to promote and celebrate historic vessels on its registers.

Twenty-nine very different craft, from SS Shieldhall in 2009 to HMS Belfast in 2020, have flown the flag for maritime heritage since the award was inaugurated.

Over the last year, many historic vessels have had to cancel or postpone sailing seasons, events and programmes that might have made

them eligible to apply for flagship status. With that in mind, National Historic Ships UK is seeking vessels which have continued to raise their profile throughout the Covid-19 outbreak by online activities, social media, developing learning resources, offering virtual tours or other creative means.

There are three different categories: Operational Flagship; Static Flagship and Virtual Flagship. National Historic Ships UK will also award a National Flagship

of the Year, chosen from all entries.

The National Flagship will receive £500 to spend on the vessel or related digital activities and a special Flagship Broad Pennant to fly at the masthead once the ship is active again. The Operational, Static and Virtual Flagships will receive £250 to be spent on the vessel or related digital activities and a Broad Pennant comprising the colours of the National Award Pennant reversed.

Visit www.national historicships.org.uk

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Major works at West Midlands reservoirs

THE Canal & River Trust has launched a £1.6 million programme of improvements to the reservoirs at Earlswood in Warwickshire.

Built in the early 19th century to supply water to the Stratford Canal, the lakes at Earlswood consist of three reservoirs: Terry’s Pool, Windmill Pool and Engine Pool.

Together the 200-year-old reservoirs occupy 70 acres and are popular with people from across the West Midlands for

walking, fishing and sailing.

Required to ensure the reservoirs are compliant with reservoir legislation, the works will involve improvements to the reservoirs, the canal feeder channel and the River Blythe. They are expected to be completed by early November, but it’s likely the water levels can be allowed to refill and so some of the roads and footpaths will reopen a little earlier.

To allow the trust and its engineering contractor Kier to

The old engine house at Engine Pool Reservoir. PHOTO: CRT

safely access the reservoirs, water levels have been temporarily lowered by 1m in Terry’s Pool, and up to 2.5m in the Engine Pool and Windmill Pool.

John Ward, the trust’s head of project delivery, explained: “From time to time we need to carry out repairs and maintenance to our reservoirs.

“The reservoirs at Earlswood are 200 years old, and these statutory works are necessary by law, under the Reservoirs Act. “It is important that the trust does this work so people can continue to use and enjoy the lakes and waterways.”

Apologising for any inconvenience caused to residents, the sailing club, angling club and other visitors, Mr Ward added: “We know how important Earlswood Lakes are to local people, for wildlife, recreation and for health and well-being.

Our aim is to complete the works as efficiently and safely as possible, minimising disruption to people and wildlife.

“Canal & River Trust ecologists have been involved in the planning of the works to ensure the impact on wildlife and the environment is minimised.”

One of the lakes where water levels have been lowered.

PHOTO: ROBIN JONES

The Windmill Pool and Valley Road. PHOTO: CRT The drained Engine Pool.

PHOTO: CRT

The works involve: • Raising and improving the core of the main dam along Valley Road to improve its resilience during flood events.

• Installing new drainage and a collector drain within the embankment of the main dam to help drain rainwater away from the embankment.

• Repairing erosion damage along the dams in Engine and Windmill Pools, and the toe of the dam in the River Blythe.

• Raising the footpath along the top of the River Blythe embankment at Windmill Pool to ensure a uniform level with no low spots over which water could spill.

• Fitting a trash screen to the River Blythe Culvert to improve water flow during floods and enable the removal of litter and debris.

• Creating new permanent access areas to allow maintenance and repair workers better access to the reservoir. These areas will be at the base of the Windmill Pool and Engine Pool dams, as well as near the River Blythe channel outlet on Windmill Pool dam.

• Channel de-silting along the canal feeder channel.

• Strengthening the embankment between the canal feeder channel and Engine Pool.

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Pumps in operation at Terry’s Pool. PHOTO: CRT

A warning to people to stay off the beaches. PHOTO: ROBIN JONES For more information, visit the website https:// canalrivertrust.org.uk/ earlswood-lakes-repairs Call the Canal & River Trust on 03030 404040, or you can email enquiries. westmidlands@ canalrivertrust.org.uk.

Find them on Twitter at: @CRTWestMidlands

Te m p o r a r y closures: • Wood Lane Car Park.

• Windmill Pool footpath on the right bank down from Valley Road.

• Engine Pool footpath from Valley Road to Malthouse Lane Park, including Wood Lane footpath of Engine Pool.

• The causeway road on Malthouse Lane between Engine and Windmill Pools.

• Valley Road between the junction at Wood Lane and the B4102 Shutt Lane junction (reopening by August 20).

• The Sailing Club on Windmill Pool.

• Angling on Terry’s, Engine and Windmill Pools.

Remaining open: • The footpaths around Terry’s Pool (except where it runs between Engine and Terry’s pools).

• Engine Pool footpath alongside Malthouse Lane.

• Windmill Pool footpath alongside Malthouse Lane.

• Malthouse Lane Park and car park.

• Clowes Wood and New Fallings Coppice, Wood Lane.

• Earlswood Lakes Craft Centre and Manor House Tearooms, Wood Lane.

• The Reservoir Inn*, Earlswood Common.

• Red Lion pub*, Lady Lane.

• The Bulls Head*, Limekiln Lane.

• Ambleside Bistro & Garden Centre, Norton Lane. *When pubs reopen in line with the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown.

Skipton swing bridge to be replaced in £300k project PREPARATION work for the replacement of the damaged Gawflat Swing Bridge over the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in Skipton will start on Monday, May 10.

As reported last month, the old bridge is due to be removed on Sunday, May 16 followed by the installation of the new bridge on Sunday, May 23. Work on the £300,000 project should be completed by May 28.

The bridge, which ‘swings’ open to allow boats to pass along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, and is ‘closed’ to give residents access to Aireville Park, was damaged last year and became difficult to operate.

As the bridge is part of a heavily used footpath which connects the town to the park, the leisure centre, Craven College and Skipton Academy, the Canal & River Trust was able to keep it working with the help of volunteers

who have assisted boaters to open and close the bridge until repairs could be arranged.

Sean McGinley, director for Yorkshire & North East, said: “This is an important pedestrian route for Skipton, so we have tried to minimise the inconvenience as much as possible.

“We will need to close Carleton New Road on the sharp bend for two Sundays, which will allow a crane access to the site.”

Although Carleton New Road will be closed from the train station end on Sundays May 16 and 23, Engine Shed Lane and Sandylands sport fields will still be accessible via Carleton Road.

The new bridge weighs about 20 tonnes and is constructed of steel. It has been designed to be easier to open by boaters than the current bridge, and will last for decades to come.