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Issue 178, August 2020
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Footloose and furlough-free
PUSHING THE GARDEN BOAT OUT
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RESTORATION WORK TO RESUME
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Enjoying some quiet time: just one person sits on a towpath bench on a weekday afternoon around Banbury’s Castle Quay shopping centre as narrowboat Melodeon makes her solitary way during lockdown along the South Oxford Canal. For full story see pages 4-5. PHOTO: TIM COGHLAN
HISTORIC NARROWBOAT:
THE KING
‘Save water’ message as levels recover from dry spring
GREEN POWER AND PROPULSION
WHEN storms Ciara and Dennis caused widespread flooding earlier this year it was hard to envisage that there could be water shortages ahead. But as the country locked down in March, one of the driest springs on record saw the North West receive only 30% of its average monthly rainfall in April and 27% in May, according to figures reported by Canal & River Trust senior hydrologist David Mould at the latest press briefing.
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BOATS FOR SALE Starts on
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And in the trust’s North East region, it was just 14% in April and 28% in May. This resulted in notably or exceptionally low river flows across the north of the country at the start of June. Some of the river catchments feeding the Leeds & Liverpool Canal missed some of the rainfall in June and the situation on the Lancaster Canal had been exacerbated by rampant weed growth. Other affected canals include parts of the Rochdale Canal and
the Ashton Canal where additional demand for water was being met by the Peak Forest Canal, which was already struggling with the loss of supplies from the Toddbrook Reservoir. David said: “The message is to save water by sharing locks where possible, letting us know about any sudden leaks and closing gates and paddles.” Boaters should also follow any instructions regarding locks which must be left empty or locking anti-vandal devices.
He added that while the trust hopes to keep the Leeds & Liverpool Canal open during the remaining holiday season, with some restricted hours, it may have to implement closures in October if rainfall amounts don’t increase. Since the meeting, unsettled weather in early July, especially in the north of the country, has resulted in more rainfall but it remains to be seen whether this will replenish depleted water stocks in the weeks and months to come.
Paddle sport boom
Police chief’s dip
Back to work
A GROWING interest in paddle sports saw a 145% increase in visits to the Canal & River Trust’s online pages in May and June. The biggest jump was on the Paddleboarding for Beginners page, which saw growth of 264%. Industry body, British Canoeing, also reported a record growth in participation, with membership numbers up 23% compared with last year. Numbers of people discovering their local towpaths soared over lockdown, with places across the country still showing increases of up to 240% over the period of June 19July 5 compared to pre-lockdown averages.
WEST Midlands Police Chief Constable Dave Thompson ended up in a Birmingham canal while recovering knives. He had joined the Ladywood neighbourhood team on patrol when they received reports a 16-year-old was being robbed at knifepoint. Officers chased the suspects and a bag was thrown into the canal at Northbrook Street. As the Chief Constable retrieved the bag he fell into the water but was quickly pulled out. He later shared a photo of his discarded uniform on Twitter, saying: “Tonight I had a little swim.” Three teenage boys were detained.
MOST of the Canal & River Trust’s furloughed colleagues – around 630 at the peak of the pandemic – were expected to be back at work by mid-July. Essential facilities were kept open through the lockdown but some works were deferred. The first tranche of volunteer lock keepers are back with a phased return of other volunteers including towpath rangers and those manning welcome stations. While volunteering activity has been on hold, some areas have seen an increase in discarded litter, prompting CRT to ramp up its Plastics Challenge, see story on page 16.
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WELCOME WHILE boating may be back, other aspects of life on the inland waterways are only slowly recovering. With social distancing guidelines still in place, work parties are still being impacted, especially where many of the volunteers fall into ‘vulnerable’ categories. However there are some signs of a return to active life such as on the Wey & Arun Canal where a bridge project has just been completed – see report on page 13. Roving Traders have been back along the towpath – see picture on this page of a pop-up market at Middlewich – but events are still being put back to 2021, the latest being the 52nd Southampton International Boat Show, due to take place in September, although British Marine is exploring the options to run an alternative, smaller scale outdoor event. Virtual shows and meetings have been testing everyone’s technology but, as David Kent writes on page 67, they are not a substitute for the real thing – as I found when trying to attend my first Zoom encounter – although I did get there in the end. I really enjoyed reading Tim Coghlan’s account of his journey under lockdown along the South Oxford Canal, see page 4 and hope that the canalside pubs which were closed are now welcoming customers again. Another casualty of the coronavirus restrictions has been live entertainment and Helen Gazeley follows the fortunes of two travelling theatre companies on page 68. Having the ‘last word’ of this issue, NABO general secretary Mark Tizard applauds the coal boats and marinas which have continued to serve fuel throughout the crisis and urges boaters to continue supporting canalside businesses over the coming months. Hear, hear
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Pumping water into the Peak Forest Canal THE Canal & River Trust has been taking steps to maintain water levels following one of the driest springs on record, writes Colin Wareing. As reported on the front page, Peak Forest Canal has already been struggling with the loss of supplies from the Toddbrook Reservoir which has been drained for repairs following last year’s dam wall failure. Contractors Kier have been constructing a higher crest wall which will continue to provide added protection until the permanent repair project is completed. Any excess rainwater falling in the reservoir will be extracted by on-site pumps or used to feed the Peak Forest Canal. A feeder channel from Combs
Reservoir has also been blocked and to keep the water flowing, it has been fed into the river system and then pumped up into the canal from the River Goyt.
Water being pumped into the Peak Forest Canal at Whaley Bridge.
Contractors carrying out remedial work at Toddbrook Reservoir. PHOTOS: COLIN WAREING, COLIN AND CAROLE’S CREATIONS
Boating is back on the Trent & Mersey AS BOATING returned on July 4, three Roving Canal traders held a ‘pop-up market’ over the weekend at Middlewich on the Trent & Mersey Canal, writes Colin Wareing. They were All Things Spanish, who had come north after a while trading along the Grand Union; The Hippie Boat, which had stocked up with a range of colourful clothes and the Pirate Boat, with all things people needed to become modern-day pirates! With the lockdown and the cancelling or suspension of the floating markets that are a great part of these traders’ income, these pop-ups are a lifeline. The general feeling of the traders was that it was great to get back to doing what they love – meeting customers face to face.
Traders pop up along the towpath at Middlewich.
Landmark judgment confirms housing benefit for boat licence fees IN A landmark judgment issued on June 25, 2020, the Upper Tribunal has confirmed that housing benefit is payable for boat licence fees because the boat licence fee if living aboard is rent. Specifically it is a payment in respect of a licence or permission to occupy a dwelling and thus it qualifies under Regulation 12(1)(b) of the Housing Benefit Regulations. Regulation 12(1)(b) is directly transposed to the Universal Credit Regulations so this judgment also applies to claims for the boat licence fee as housing costs in Universal Credit. In the case brought against the London Borough of Camden, the boater, referred to as Mr B, was represented by barrister Justin Bates, instructed by the National Bargee Travellers Association (NBTA). Upper Tribunal Judge Mr E Mitchell found that the boat licence without a permanent mooring qualifies under this regulation because the boat dweller without a permanent mooring is required to make a payment in respect of a licence to occupy the land, including land covered with water, that while moored, comprises part of his houseboat dwelling. Although the decision was made in respect of a boat licensed without a home mooring, it also covers boat licences with a home mooring (housing benefit for mooring fees is already within the scope of the regulations in Regulation 12(1)(f ) which is also transposed to the Universal Credit Regulations). In paragraph 69 of the judgment, Judge Mitchell said: “...a ‘dwelling’ is comprised of more than simply the houseboat. It includes the land used for the purposes of mooring it. “When a houseboat is moored, the dwelling is comprised for housing benefit purposes of the houseboat itself, the canal or river bank used for mooring and, probably, also the land beneath the
vessel (given the Interpretation Act 1978 definition of land, which includes land covered by water). “If someone other than the person dwelling in the houseboat owns the land comprised within the houseboat dwelling, the owner in principle is free to licence its use, for mooring purposes, to that person.” He continued in paragraphs 82 and 83: “I therefore conclude that payments made by Mr B to the Canal & River Trust were payments in respect of a licence to occupy that part of his houseboat dwelling comprised of land owned or managed by the trust. “It is not disputed that the payments are periodical in nature nor that they are made in respect of a dwelling occupied by Mr B as his home. The payments therefore fall within regulation 12(1)(b) of the 2006 Regulations and constitute ‘rent’ for the purposes of that regulation. “It follows that the local authority, acting on December 1, 2016, did not establish a proper statutory ground for superseding Mr B’s award of housing benefit. The authority’s decision is set aside. “For entitlement purposes, the result is that the authority’s actions on December 1, 2016, had no effect on Mr B’s existing housing benefit award. That is the effect of the decision given before the start of the reasons for this decision.” The judge also decided that the costs of compulsory third party insurance and Boat Safety Scheme examination did not qualify for housing benefit under Regulation 12(1)(b) on the grounds that these payments “...were made in respect of services necessary in order for the conditions for grant of a licence to be satisfied” and were not payments in respect of the boat licence itself. The judge made it clear that he was not drawing a distinction between a boat licence without a home
mooring, a boat licence with a home mooring or a houseboat certificate: the decision covers all three. He also used the word ‘houseboat’ in the everyday sense to mean a boat that is used as a home. This decision follows a difficult period for boat dwellers due to an adverse judgment in the Upper Tribunal in 2017 (Kirklees MBC v JM) which was undefended by the boater and which had reversed a Social Security and Child Support Commissioners’ decision of 2002 that boat licence fees, regardless of whether the boater had a mooring, were eligible for housing benefit. From 2017, many boat dwellers both with and without a home mooring saw the housing benefit for their boat licence either withdrawn on review or refused with a new claim. If you have been refused housing benefit for the boat licence fee or if your housing benefit was stopped, you can now either make a new claim or seek permission to appeal out of time. The same applies to those who claimed Universal Credit for the boat licence fee and were refused. If your housing benefit was refused or stopped and you did not appeal, you may be able to get permission to appeal out of time. If you did appeal, your appeal should have been stayed pending the outcome of this case and you should now contact the tribunal with the judgment. If you appealed and your appeal was not stayed but was decided against you, then you should contact the tribunal for permission to appeal out of time. The full judgment is available at http://mrtns. uk/abvlbc
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Planning permission sought for canal restoration scheme The opening of Staveley Town Lock in 2016.
THE Chesterfield Canal Trust has submitted plans for the restoration of the remainder of the canal within Chesterfield. The route, which covers the 1.6 miles from Staveley to the edge of Renishaw, is mostly through open countryside. Part of it sits on the Staveley Puddlebank, which is an embankment running for nearly half a mile across the Doe Lea river valley. The canal will cross the river on a 37m long aqueduct. When it is finished, the canal towpath will provide a delightful walking and cycling route which will link up with the Trans-Pennine Trail, the Arkwright Trail and the Norbriggs Cutting Trail. The volunteers from the trust will build another lock at Staveley to complement Staveley Town Lock which they built a few years ago. Altogether the trust has spent well over £200,000 on its work on this site.
Digging out the canal at Eckington Road Bridge.
Derbyshire County Council’s reclamation department has also sunk considerable funds into the project which, along with the loop road, has totally transformed the area. The canal is integral to the local landscape and the canal trust is discussing how the restoration is central to the vision for Staveley currently being developed as part of the Towns Fund. Staveley is one of 100 towns allocated up to £25m each to support capital regeneration projects, and the trust believes that this application should be one of the chosen projects. The trust was planning to start restoration work at Renishaw on a further kilometre of canal, working with volunteers, but the Covid-19 situation scuppered their plans. The hope is that this work can start in the autumn. When both sections are complete, they will extend the canal within Derbyshire by two-and-a-half miles.
Staveley Puddlebank pictured in May 1970. PHOTOS: CHESTERFIELD CANAL TRUST
In 1989, 20 miles of the Chesterfield Canal lay derelict between Worksop and Chesterfield. Since then, 12 miles and 34 locks have been restored. Three new locks and 11 bridges have been built, plus two marinas. Just over eight miles remain to be completed and this planning application covers 20% of that distance. This is the next step in the trust’s campaign to complete the restoration of the canal by 2027, which will be the 250th anniversary of its opening. For further information, visit www. chesterfield-canal-trust.org.uk The application can be viewed on Chesterfield Borough Council’s planning website at www.chesterfield.gov.uk/ planningapplications
The volunteer work party in Staveley Town Lock.
E-scooters should not be used on towpaths THE Canal & River Trust is working with the Department of Transport, local authorities, national bodies and commercial operators to understand if (and how) electric scooters can be used safely on towpaths. During the Covid-19 pandemic there has been a significant increase in towpath use especially in urban areas during lockdown and although CRT has very little data, it is aware that more people are using e-scooters on its land, despite their exclusion under the law, very much as they are on pavements, roads and other public spaces. E-scooters are not mentioned in the Towpath Code or in the Better Towpaths for Everyone policy which were created before their development. Therefore by default, their use is currently prohibited under the
trust’s general canal bylaws. General permission has been given for all bicycles and vehicles that are designed for, and used as, mobility aids as well as specific permission for some operational vehicles such as sit-on mowers, quad bikes and vans where towpaths allow and only on an individual basis to complete vital operational and engineering works. According to a position statement on the trust’s website: “We know there will be obvious safety concerns, so until we can be satisfied that people will not be put at risk we will not be giving permission for e-scooters to be used, except in controlled trials. “In the meantime, therefore, e-scooter users should not use towpaths and use alternative routes instead.”
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Melodeon moored below King’s Sutton Lock – in immaculate condition and not looking its 38 years. The canal is otherwise deserted.
Furloughed on the South Oxford Canal
As the lockdown eased in June, but before the canals reopened to full leisure boating, it once again became possible to use narrowboats for non-leisure purposes – like moving them to be put on sale. For this, going through locks and staying aboard was permitted. Seizing the opportunity to go boating again, Tim Coghlan collected a brokerage narrowboat in Oxford and brought it to Braunston Marina. He recalls an eerie experience: the canal was almost empty of boats and boaters, villages and towns were seemingly deserted, and his beloved canalside pubs closed... THEY say things come to those who wait, but sometimes you have to wait a long time. I was contacted in early October last year by Nick, the owner of narrowboat Melodeon – which was lying at Abingdon – with a view to selling it for him. The boat was a 40-footer trad built by Colecraft in 1983 and fitted out by its team of true craftsmen, headed up by Lennie Beauchamp, who had learnt his trade from the legendary Charles Nurser in the dying days of canal carrying. Despite the boat’s relative age – now more than 35 years old – Nick assured me that Melodeon had been well maintained in an A1 condition since new – as proven by a recent survey. He was only the second owner, and it had been his for more than 30 years. Now in their 80s, he and his wife could no longer cope with canal locks, which were getting tougher by the year, as their maintenance seemed to slip in the priorities of the CRT. Nick paid me the compliment of saying he had read several of my articles, including one in which I had talked about my own boat – a 1991 45ft Colecraft, also fitted out by Lennie Beauchamp and
which likewise had had only two owners since new. We had never met before, but he told me that if there was any broker to sell his boat, it was me! With a compliment like that, I had to go and see it. All that Nick had told me was true. It was like inspecting a much-loved vintage car. No cost had been spared in the fit-out. The floor was solid American oak planking with black seams to resemble a deck. The sides were of tongue and groove mahogany, and the ceilings likewise of Douglas fir. A new Isuzu 35hp engine had been installed in 2010, so that was up to date. The boat’s only failings were a primitive shower arrangement and a very basic small chemical toilet. Despite them, we agreed to an asking price of £34,950 – way above the £30,000 ceiling I would normally place on a boat of that age in good condition. Nick wanted a final two-week swansong cruise on the Thames, where the locks were still manned, and then for us to bring the boat to Braunston. But in that time things dramatically changed. Heavy rains put the Thames on red alert, then there
was an emergency lock closure on the Oxford, and then another on the Thames, then flooding on the South Oxford and by the time all this had been sorted out by mid-March, the coronavirus had forced a total lockdown, which was not partially lifted till June. We half-kept in touch, and then suddenly in June I received a call from Nick saying he and his wife were ready to bring the boat up to Oxford – a finalfinal halfway cruise. They could now get through, and the canals were open for us to bring it the rest of the way. We could meet above Osney Lock on the Thames. I rang my friend Hugh Anscombe, who immediately said he was game for it. He had crewed for me on and off since 1982 – firstly on my Contessa 32 cruiser-racing yacht, including the 1987 Fastnet – and since I came to canals the following year, many hundreds of miles of cruising. Like me, he enjoyed working the canals like the old working boatmen, going non-stop from five in the morning till nine at night. For long-day cruising in midsummer, with the canals in lockdown the conditions were perfect – though Hugh pointed out he had recently had his 75th birthday, and maybe we should take things a bit easier….
The boat’s interior – fitted out to the highest standard by Lennie Beauchamp, with oak flooring, and tongue and groove mahogany sides and Douglas fir roof.
‘Hugh the Crew’ at Melodeon’s helm. Hugh Ansco mbe has crewed variously for Tim Coghlan since 1982, includ ing Jam ’Ole Re-Runs and a Fastnet Race.
Isis Lock and on to the Oxford Canal, only a few hundred yards away, as he did not know the condition of the two unmanned Thames Locks before reaching the Duke’s Cut – he had heard the electrification was not working and it was a case of ‘gates to manual’, and big stiff gates they were. But I had my own reasons for doing so. As Inspector Morse said to Lewis in The Wench is Dead – an episode set on the Oxford Canal in past and present times – ‘It always pays to revisit the crime scene,’ and the crime scene I intended to revisit was where I thought Mr Toad had stolen the barge woman’s horse in The Wind In The Willows. Just whereabouts along the Thames the scenes in that wonderful book are set is the subject of much discussion, starting with Toad Hall – but there is only one canal that joins it in open country, and that must be the Duke’s Cut. The first lock, Godstow Lock, proved every bit as difficult as Nick had said it
would be. I made no progress in opening it, and had to ring him for any tips he could give. I could not believe the winding wheel – so many turns it to achieve so little. We were saved when a passing runner, who was also a boater, came and sorted things out – twice the turns and twice as hard. At the next lock, a boat was already coming down – a 1972 27ft GRP Nauticus cruiser. It was the only boat we saw moving that day. It was part of the procession of old boats with young crews, heading for a new liveaboard life in London. I wished the two alternative-lifestyled young men all the very best. Having been put right by the young men, this lock transpired to be quite easy, and we were soon on our way. The entrance to the Duke’s Cut was very overgrown, with the indicating signage hardly visible. It very much resembled the one on the map in the book. Once clear of the Duke’s Lock we entered a long pound, which resembled the one where Mr Toad
Melodeon in Somerton Deep Lock. At twelve feet deep, it is the deepest lock on the Oxford Canal – even deeper than Denham Deep Lock, at 11ft 1in the deepest lock on the Grand Union Canal.
The Boat in the run to Somerton Deep Lock – the South Oxford Canal seen at its very best.
Empty roads and river
The Boat now ahead of us passing under Somerton Mill Bridge.
Our rendezvous with Nick was set for 4.30pm, but with the roads empty from Braunston to Oxford, our taxi driver was to have us nearly there by 3pm. I rang Nick and found that the Thames had been likewise empty, and he was already moored above Osney Lock. We agreed to meet up the moment we got there. It was something of a pit-stop, baggage on board, a quick walk through with Nick, and we were off waving goodbye at 3.30pm exactly – with, I noted, something of a tearful smile from Nick and his wife as their boating days slipped northwards away from them. Nick had recommended we cut through
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www.towpathtalk.co.uk may well have stolen the horse. The boat was heading for the lock where the barge woman had planned to meet up with her husband, who was out poaching rabbits. We progressed northwards and I was hit by the closeness of the road to the canal below Thrupp – like the place described in the book, where Mr Toad-on-the-road first met the barge woman. It was all making sense. The author Kenneth Grahame knew this part of the world very well from his school days in North Oxford, when he was allowed to wander freely into the countryside he loved. Passing the two closed canalside pubs at Thrupp was very painful, but it meant we were free of temptation, and able to continue into the late evening with the canal entirely to ourselves. At 9.15pm, with light fast disappearing, we finally tied up above Pigeon Lock. In those six hours, we had travelled some 12 miles and passed through 11 locks. It would have taken twice as long in normal times.
Locks against us
A check of the weather forecast showed it would be raining by eight the following evening. We therefore decided to get up at five, in order to be going by 5.30am. Again the canal was empty and we were able to keep a good steady wash-free pace, hardly touching the throttle. However our self-isolated bliss was to change when rounding the bend beyond Somerton Bridge. We saw in the near distance a boat setting off from its mooring. It was bad news as the boat would now be in front of us, setting the locks against us. However the next lock was Somerton Deep, which at 12ft was the deepest lock on the Oxford Canal. There would be time to have a good look at this splendidly isolated lock and the lock keeper’s cottage, which had been restored from dereliction since my last visit more than 20 years before. And once the boat in front had gone, and we had cleared the lock, our pace would much as before – our morning’s run so far had found all the locks set against us. I went on the bank to help with the lock,
mud by the towpath bank below it. Could we give them a tow? asked Mrs ‘Towed’, as I nicknamed her. This we did, with me commenting: “Does this now put us ahead?” “No problem,” she replied, “we’d already decided to stop here for lunch.” The Boat was the last boat we saw on the move for several hours until we reached the Claydon Flight north of Cropredy, where we met one coming down the flight. It was the last we met for the rest of that day in high-summer – on what is the most popular canal on the waterways.
Rural isolation
“I’m free!” Mrs ‘Towed’ after we had released the towline, having pulled The Boat off the mud. while Hugh took the helm. I learnt that the boaters in front were moving their mooring from a lower Thames marina to Cropredy. He worked in the airline business and now saw himself furloughed for many months – so why not go canal cruising further north? I was intrigued by the boat name The Boat. The answer was that they’d had the boat built at Nantwich a few years before, and while it was under construction they could not agree on a name, and used the code name The Boat and it stuck. Once I saw them on their way, and began emptying the lock, I thought I had seen the last of them. But an hour or more later, we caught up with them at Aynho Weir Lock, where the Cherwell River crosses the canal, making it a difficult lock at the best of times. A boat coming down had got stuck, mainly due to the lock winding gear failing to work. We all helped out – as boaters do – and both boats ahead of us were able to get on their way. Again I thought I had seen the last of The Boat, but at the next lock we found that they had managed somehow to get stuck on the
Melodeon approaching Claydon Top Lock – the last lock of a long day. PHOTOS: TIM COGHLAN
Now ahead and on our own again, we reached King’s Sutton Lock. The lock is a true marvel of survival, seemingly standing in splendid rural isolation, with its historic wharf buildings and lock keeper’s cottage all well maintained – a movie set in the making. Yet it is only a few hundred yards from the main railway to the east and twice that to the M40 to the west. But with the wind in the right direction you would never know. The lock was in total contrast to the next one, Grant’s Lock, where the lock keeper’s cottage was in a shocking state of abandoned dereliction, as was the one at Little Bourton Lock the other side of Banbury. The CRT had sold the cottages respectively in 2004 and 2008, and therefore now had no control over them. But as has been shown at Somerton Deep, these cottages can be saved and made into homes, and unlike Somerton Deep in its remote location, they were within an easy cycle-ride of Banbury on the towpath – an ideal project for a young energetic couple to take on. The cottages both form part of the Banbury Canal Conservation Area and the council could do better in enforcing their repair and preservation. But then Banbury Council’s care or otherwise for its canal is legendary, as we would shortly see. Indeed not long after Grant’s Lock, we passed under the M40, and not long after that, we entered Banbury’s latest canalside horror, a sprawl of modern housing the design for which, no architect need apply. The object seemed to build over-bloated Georgian lookalikes and as close to the canal as possible. No attempt had been made to protect the canal from this monstrous intrusion in terms of keeping it away from the canal with thick tree screening. Further on we encountered the council’s great Monument to Mammon – the shopping centre around Banbury Lock and with it the incarceration of Tooley’s Wharf – a piece of hallowed canal ground if ever there was one, for here it all began with Tom Rolt in 1939. As a token to the great man, a brutal inner relief road bridge a few hundred yards to the north had been named Tom Rolt Bridge. The phrase ‘turning in his grave’ came to mind. I was glad to be clear of the place and heading back into open country. We pressed on through the afternoon, clearing Claydon Top Lock at about six. We had now passed through 23 locks and travelled more
The derelict and vandalised lock keeper’s cottage at Grant’s Lock just south of Banbury. The Canal & River Trust sold it off in 2004, and it is not their responsibility. But something needs to be done to save this important part of our canal heritage. than 24 miles with 10 lock-free miles to go to the top of the Napton Flight, where we had decided to call it a day. It was time to get out the beers. The only thing of new-interest on that summit pound was the machinations of HS2 as it tore its way through the eastern end of the Cotswold Escarpment, with huge mounds of earth. There was at least 10 years of this disruption and mess still to come, compared with the two years or so it took Brindley to build his Oxford Canal on the summit. And HS2 is being billed as the state-of-the-art progress. At about 8.30pm the predicted rain arrived on time. We pushed on for another half hour and called it a day a short distance from the Napton Top Lock at Marston Doles. It was still raining, though down to a drizzle, when we looked out the following morning. After an indoor breakfast we set off again at 6am, each working four of the
eight Napton Flight locks. Someone had gone down the day before, and every lock was set against us and had to be refilled. But we were on our own, with no boats waiting to go up or down. We finally cleared the Bottom Lock at about nine, for the final run-in to Braunston, which amazingly we did in two hours, with still nothing moving on the canal. It was only 11am, and we had been planning to have lunch on board in the marina. Instead we pulled up on the 14-day moorings opposite the Boathouse Inn – normally packed in mid-June, but now having plenty of space for us. Here we enjoyed another celebratory beer with our lunch. We had travelled from Oxford to Braunston in well under two days – against the usual four. We knew we had set a no-wash record for ourselves that we would never repeat. A wise man once said that ‘adversity creates opportunity, if you only look for it.’ How true!
The incarceration of Banbury’s historic Tooley’s Dock – with its Tom Rolt associations.
6 NEWS
In brief
Lapal letters
FORMER Towpath Talk contributor David Scowcroft is using his skills to help present a case for the Lapal Canal Trust by writing to funding sources. He has written over 50 personalised letters, including to all the Birmingham MPs, with reference to the recent parliamentary debate on canal restoration. According to a report in the July-August edition of WorcesterBirmingham & Droitwich Canals Society magazine 58, there were five new applications for funding in process. A grant of £2000 was received from the John Feeney Charitable Trust, bringing the total of cash and pledges to more than £400k, against the target of £700k.
Volunteer awards
NATIONAL Historic Ships UK and the Marsh Christian Trust are offering three awards to recognise the contribution volunteers make to historic vessels. The awards celebrate an individual volunteer, a group and lifetime achievement. Their work can apply to all aspects including: front-of-house, customer care, online promotion, engaging the public and fundraising, as well as conservation, maintenance and operation. www.nationalhistoricships. org.uk
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Canal bridge is major step in heritage railway project A close-up of the new metalwork on the canal bridge. PHOTOS: FOGCML
By Robin Jones
A MAJOR step in the reunification of the two heritage era Great Central Railways has been achieved with the completion of an 18-month programme to restore a bridge over the Grand Union Canal at Loughborough. The elegant cast-iron bridge, which was built in the late 1890s to carry the GCR’s London Extension over the canal, last carried a train in 1972. Work was expected to be completed early in the year, but was delayed first by winter storms and then the Covid-19 lockdown. However, the project was finished over two days in
July following the resumption of work, although some minor work remains to be carried out on the Loughborough landmark and a final inspection to ensure it is fit to carry trains again. Contractors developed an innovative approach to the repairs. This meant work could be carried out with only one closure of the canal, which took place last November and December to avoid disruption to pleasure boats. The bridge is the second of seven phases of work on a chain of planned infrastructure to reconnect the Great Central Railway with its northern neighbour the Great Central Railway (Nottingham), thereby creating an 18-mile steam highway between the outskirts of that city and Leicester. The link
The canal bridge side panels being replaced on July 3. was removed by BR after the line closed in 1969. Already a new bridge has been built over the Midland Main Line at Loughborough. Andy Fillingham, chairman of the Friends of the Great Central Main Line (FoGCML), said: “Once again we have to say a very big thank you to everyone who has supported the appeal to reunify the railways, particularly the crossing the canal campaign. It’s an amazing what we have all achieved together and shows
how people power is getting the two railways reconnected. “We’re now raising money for the next stage of the Great Central Railway Reunification project. Installing two more bridges that are needed is expected to cost £3 million. “Despite the lockdown and uncertain times, supporters from across the East Midlands and further afield have been very generous and we have now raised £170,000 and the total is climbing all the time. We’re delighted to
have some good news to share about the canal bridge in these difficult days. “We can’t continue to build until we have raised the majority of the money but hope that everything that has happened so far will inspire people to find out more, get involved and donate.” If you would like to help the Reunification project, visit www.gcrailway.co.uk/unify
Severn fish pass project is unlocked AFTER nearly three months of championing new ways of working due to the coronavirus pandemic, environmental engineering company Land & Water is resuming the construction of one of four fish passes along the River Severn in Worcestershire on behalf of its client, Kier. As part of the project – known as Unlocking the Severn – Land & Water aims to construct a large deep vertical slot for a fish pass at Holt Weir. This is essential for the rare migratory fish, the shad, to travel to their natural spawning grounds. The fish pass will also benefit salmon, eels and lamprey. This project is one of the largest river restorations of its kind ever to be attempted in Europe. Lucy Lee, contract manager at Land & Water, said: “Despite being previously delayed due to the prolonged River Severn flooding over the winter months, we now have a great chance to take advantage of the drier summer weather and lower river levels, making work easier and safer for our team.” The company has prioritised the development of safe working practices, in accordance with government guidelines, to ensure that work can be carried out without posing a risk to its employees or the public. Programme director Jason
Leach said: “It is important to us that we have the social distancing rules in place to protect our staff and the general public, while ensuring as little disruption as possible. “We have worked with construction company Kier so that we can adapt to the current challenging conditions, delivering the project in a safe and timely manner.” Works on site will include establishing site access and compounds upstream of the weir, the construction of a small slipway and offloading point and the installation of a large temporary dam structure within the river to prevent water ingress into the works area. The large mass dam is being installed from a floating pontoon. Land & Water’s team will also excavate the bank, using its
specialist long reach excavators and tracked dumpers to make working on the bankside easier and safe. Meanwhile, it will oversee permanent solutions in the form of soil nailing and the installation of large-scale Legato blocks, using a 100-tonne crane and 16-piece Ravestein pontoon to achieve this. Fi n a l l y , engineering landscaping will be managed as part of this project, including erosion protection and amenity improvement of the area. Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the European Union LIFE pro g ramme, Unlo cking the Severn will also deliver ambitious heritage, education and science programmes that aim to reconnect eight million people with the river.
A crane and pontoon will be used for soil nailing and block installation. PHOTO: LAND & WATER
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CBOA calls for green transport solution to ash recycling plan
REPRESENTATIVES of freight barge operators have claimed their call for talks about carrying ash by water has fallen on deaf ears. Plans to extract up to 1m tonnes of ash a year from the Gale Common site near Selby were due to go before North Yorkshire County Council on July 21. The pile was created by ash from the now closed Ferrybridge and Eggborough power stations and can be used in concrete making and other applications. But the Commercial Boat Operators Association (CBOA) has accused developers EP UK Investments Ltd of not engaging with them about alternatives to
transporting all the ash by road. CBOA claims it could result in 400 20-tonne trucks a day on Yorkshire’s crowded roads, with a heavy lorry passing through Whitley, near Selby, every two-and-a-half minutes. An alternative to lorries could be the use of barges, each carrying 500 tonnes. Gale Common Ash Disposal site is close enough to the Aire & Calder Navigation that a conveyor belt can be used to take the ash, which would then be loaded direct into large bins on a flatbed pontoon barge. This happens in Belgium. The applicant has stated that under the right circumstances, the canal could
provide a transport solution: “It is our intention to give this matter further serious consideration after planning permission is hopefully granted for the project.” But according to CBOA this will be too late. It argues that the planning authority should have a detailed analysis of the road and water transport options before making a decision. Chairman David Lowe said: “We think recycling this enormous ash pile is a good concept. The green thinking behind that needs to be applied to also produce a green transport solution. The owners’ attitude forces us to ask the planners to
make sure we have a discussion which can make a drastic difference to the lives of local people.” CBOA has long pointed out the environmental benefits of using water freight – and in reducing road congestion. The Tyndall Centre for Climate Change (Manchester University) reported that CO2 from barges can be 25% of that produced by lorries. Other emissions – such as nitrous oxide – are less. Even if a lorry was to be wholly electric based, there would still be dangerous particulates from brake pads, tyre wear and road surface wear and congestion, none of which arise from using barges.
In brief Snowdon by night
FRIENDS of President chairman David Powell will be making a nighttime ascent of Mount Snowdon on August 8-9 to raise money for the Multiple Sclerosis Trust. He has been following a fitness regime since his wife Jan was diagnosed with the condition and saw the challenge in MST’s Open Door magazine. David has set up a Just Giving page with the aim of raising £940 which would fund the trust’s personal enquiry service for a week. If you wish to help him reach his goal, visit https:// www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ davidpowell72
Swan defender
A BOATER was pushed into the water after trying to stop a group of young people believed to be attacking swans beside the Regent’s Canal at Limehouse. According to some accounts the birds were mating but others said a girl involved was trying to break up a fight between two male swans. Anyone with information is asked to contact the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999 or CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111.
Ships data
The type of flatbed pontoon barge used in Belgium.
PHOTO SUPPLIED
NATIONAL Historic Ships UK is seeking data about some vessels on its registers. This may relate to past or present history, location, ownership, condition, conservation work, level of surviving original material, as well as current and historic images. The full list of ships can be viewed on the website at https://www. nationalhistoricships.org.uk/
8 NETWORKING
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Jones the Boats founder receives IWA trophy
Canal Trust branch chairman Dave Maloney with the Tony Davy Award, at Double Bridge near Lacock. PHOTO: JUSTIN GUY
Charity award for ‘outstanding’ canal volunteers
DEDICATED volunteers have been praised for contributing an amazing 12,000 hours towards the restoration of a local waterway. The Melksham, Chippenham & Calne branch of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust has received the charity’s annual Tony Davy Award for 2019. This accolade – named after the charity’s first chairman – is presented to the branch whose volunteers donated the highest number of hours throughout the year. Local supporters provided more than 12,000 hours of activities including work parties, boat rides, fundraising events and public talks. Their contribution has been estimated as being worth around £135,000. Branch chairman Dave Maloney said: “This award celebrates the amazing achievements of our volunteers, donating thousands of hours of their own free time to work together in pursuit
of a common goal – breathing new life into the former Wilts & Berks Canal. “Their efforts are truly outstanding.” Branch volunteers, working in partnership with the trust, continue to make steady progress in restoring the historic waterway. Recent years have seen a significant stretch between Chippenham and Lacock brought back to navigable status, allowing workboats to carry out further improvements and providing a popular attraction for walkers, runners and cyclists. The Pewsham flight of locks, which lifted canal boats on their journey from Melksham to Chippenham, continue to be restored together with the adjacent dry-dock. Volunteers have also continued clearing hundreds of metres of the former line on private land on both sides of the A4 between Chippenham and Derry Hill, and there is a longer-term project to reopen the towpath on the northern edge of Melksham to create a safe route for families to visit Lacock. Dave added: “Many of our activities are slowly restarting after lockdown so we’re very keen to hear from anyone interested in joining us. “There are lots of roles available, from digging, bricklaying and grass cutting to project management, engineering, fundraising and research, with a wide range of opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds. “Members receive regular updates and newsletters, and invitations to enjoy a wide range of social events.” He concluded: “A great way to meet new people and learn new skills, while leaving an important legacy for
SHROPSHIRE resident Peter Jones has been recognised with an award from the Inland Waterways Association for his work in promoting the Llangollen Canal and boosting tourism in North Wales. Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch chairman Michael Haig presented the Tetlow Cup for outstanding services to the waterways at Ellesmere Wharf on July 1. He commented: “Peter Jones has recently retired after more than 15 years running his eponymous trip boat business Jones the Boats, offering excursions across the iconic Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. “During this time, he became one of the best-known figures on our local waterways and has done more than most to introduce countless visitors to the wonders and delights of this stretch of the upper Llangollen Canal.” Peter Jones said: “I was amazed and honoured to receive this award. It is a humbling experience for something like this to come out of the blue. I am truly flattered for what I have done to be appreciated by people from far and wide.” Following the aqueduct’s designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Peter also found
himself promoting the canal on TV programmes as diverse as Countryfile and Flog It! and has played a leading role in establishing the World Heritage Site as a well-known tourist destination. The Llangollen Canal runs from the Shropshire Union Canal at Hurleston Junction to Llantysilio Bridge just beyond Llangollen, where it terminates into a feeder from the River Dee. The Llangollen Canal also links to the Montgomery Canal at Frankton Junction, and is 46 miles (74km) long with 21 locks. The canal’s unusual strong current is due to its use to move Welsh water from the River Dee to Hurleston Reservoir, which supplies the residents of Crewe and surrounding areas in Cheshire. It is one of the most popular canals in the country for boating and is served by numerous well-appointed bases for holiday hire boats. In a normal year these businesses attract thousands of visitors to the region, many from overseas. IWA is campaigning hard for targeted government financial support for these and other waterways businesses which are suffering severe disruption during the spring and summer of 2020.
future generations – creating a valuable new amenity for the local community as well as giving a much-needed boost to tourism, trade and employment.” The aim of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust is to restore the waterway from the Kennet & Avon Canal near Melksham to the Thames & Severn Canal near Cricklade and the River Thames near Abingdon, connecting Chippenham, Calne, Royal Wootton Bassett and Swindon. Visit www.wbct.org.uk
Michael Haig, right, with Peter Jones and his wife at Ellesmere Wharf. PHOTO: SUSAN WILDING
‘Huge’ range of subjects for Waterways Ombudsman WATERWAYS Ombudsman Sarah Daniel has issued her first annual report since taking up the post in July 2019. During the year, she received 41 enquiries about the Canal & River Trust, a drop of two. Seven new investigations were opened, which was significantly less than the previous year’s 15 and the number of complaints resolved was 10. Commenting on her first year in office, Sarah said: “The range of subjects which I have had enquiries on is huge and the callers and complainants are deeply passionate about their own issue and the waterways in general.
“It is heartwarming to know there are so many people who care about our waterways and who enjoy and wish to maintain the
pleasure they bring to us all.” The majority of complaints were about boating issues and of the 10 resolved, three were upheld in part, one was settled and six were not upheld. A goodwill award was proposed in one case which was partly upheld. As well as summaries of all completed investigations, the report also includes details of other work completed by Sarah this year and sets out details of future work plans for the Waterways Ombudsman Committee, which has also issued its annual report, and Waterways Ombudsman the Ombudsman for the Sarah Daniel. PHOTO SUPPLIED coming year.
The Wa t e r w a y s Ombudsman scheme deals with complaints about the Canal & River Trust and the Avon Navigation Trust, which are referred to the Ombudsman after completion of each trust’s own complaints process. The Waterways Ombudsman Committee oversees the work of the scheme and remains satisfied with the operation and funding of the scheme. The annual reports are available online at www.waterwaysombudsman.org click on publications
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Characters of the Cut Alice Griffin meets the boater who has brought a new meaning to gardening afloat, with a little help from a Crowdfunding campaign.
Kit Acott Mattingly and husband Mike among the plants in their floating greenhouse. WHEN Kit Acott Mattingly was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018, she found herself longing for a garden from which to grow organic food to aid her recovery. However, completely unready to leave her life on the canals, she tentatively floated the idea of a garden butty on Facebook. This post led to friends offering to contribute and a subsequent Crowdfunding campaign. “We managed to raise enough money for steel to build a hull and with my husband, Mike, we took the idea to Paul Barber of PJ Barber Boat Builder Ltd. He suggested that with our small Lister SR2 engine, pushing the boat would be more efficient than a butty so the idea of a shunt was happened upon.” Aboard their boats, 47-year-old 30ft Gyptian, and one-year-old shunt garden extension, Hortus (Latin for garden) which is 25ft, Kit and Mike continuously cruise the length and breadth of England. A retired herbalist who still happily offers one-to-one teaching, Kit was brought to the canals eight years ago. Led by wanderlust, a love of the waterways and 18th century engineering – as well as a desire to be close to nature – she is passionate about her way of life. “I am happiest living simply. We make our bread, grow our veg and live in a tiny space. I like having just a handful of clothes, along with just my most favourite and useful books.”
Before Hortus was built they grew only herbs to sell as part of their trading, but in her previous life Kit worked on a smallholding and grew up with horticulture. “I’ve never grown vegetables any other way than organic,” she tells me, and now she is able to use produce grown aboard to make healthful juices. “Juicing makes me feel well, gives me energy and is a good way of getting way more than my five-a-day.” Kit also makes good use of nature’s abundance by foraging: “I forage all the time, using lots of young nettles in juice, which I also dry to add to soups and stews throughout the year. I make elderflower and elderberry cordial, pickled ash keys, crab apple, damson and bramble chutney as well as hawthorn, elderflower, meadowsweet and dog rose tea.“ Kit’s gardening approach is basically large-scale container gardening, making use of 10 60-litre containers, plus a greenhouse. “We make our own compost using a wormery and gather molehills as we go – along with river sand – to make our own potting medium. I also add things like ground eggshells and tea leaves to this mix, which helps reduce our waste.” Starting many plants early in the hothouse at the front of the boat, Kit then plants out into the main hold, which has curtain sides that in winter and spring create a cold greenhouse. “Once the plants are strongly
established in the containers and the frost risk is over, we open up the curtains.” The plants are then fed comfrey and nettle concentrate to provide potash and nitrogen, banana skins for potassium and seaweed and eggshell calcium. Kit’s garden seems to bloom with this approach, with a variety of foods to harvest. “This year we are growing salad, tomatoes, peas, French beans, potatoes, beetroot, leeks and cavolo nero, along with mint, coriander, bay, chives, oregano and rosemary.” I asked Kit if she had any tips for others dreaming of food production aboard their boat: “I would suggest a couple of long thin troughs of culinary herbs, as fresh herbs add so much pizzazz to cooking so you get very good value for very little space.” Kit also enjoys a large tub of flowers on her gas locker lid. “I fill this with bulbs, cowslips, summer allium and ivy for a tiny all-year-round flowerbed.” But her absolute top tip is to water every day and feed every week. Once Covid restrictions have lifted, Kit plans to trade once again. “I trade secondhand china, and soon coffee as the garden was designed to maximise space for growing, but also to house a tiny space for a takeaway coffee kiosk.” Trading from her boats as she wanders is Kit’s priority these days and it’s heartening to know of her deep affection for this way of life, as well as for the environment. “It's deeply important to me to live a low-impact life. The boat gives us the opportunity to produce electricity from solar panels, to stay mindful of our water usage, to live without a car, and to travel hundreds of miles at human pace.”
Facebook: Wild Geese Travelling/Hortus, Kit’s Garden
Garden extension Hortus being shunted by narrowboat Gyptian.
The main hold has curtain sides that in winter and spring create a cold greenhouse. PHOTOS SUPPLIED
Alice Griffin is a writer and long-time wanderer… currently planning her next adventure. I n s t a g r a m : alice_is_in_wanderland www.alicegriffin.co.uk
10 NEWS
www.towpathtalk.co.uk The construction of a haul road on the offside of the channel.
Montgomery restoration work set to resume
PLANNING is taking place to resume restoration work between bridges 84 and 85 on the Montgomery Canal in August. Detailed, specific tasks will be calendared by the Shropshire Union Canal Society and only essential volunteers will be attending these dedicated work parties which will now take place twice a month between August and December in order to achieve the revised target of a 2021 completion date. The Covid-19 situation following an incredibly wet winter seriously affected the plans to complete the remaining dry section of channel, to link the national network with the newly constructed winding hole terminus at Crickheath. Preparatory work on this 330m
section began in January 2019 to remove trees and vegetation in preparation for the installation of great crested newt fencing. A period of newt entrapment then followed from February up to June 2019. Ecologists handed this section over to the Shropshire Union Canal Society in June 2019 and ground work took place until March of this year. Due to the unstable nature of the ground, which has a deep bed of peat and sections of running sand, a decision was taken to engage contractors, starting in July, to conduct the complex remedial work needed in two specific sunken areas to catch up with the considerable amount of lost time. This will allow the other tasks such
as installing a land drain, and some shaping and lining, to continue when work parties resume. Volunteers classified by the NHS as high risk will not be allowed on site until national clearance is given. Medium risk volunteers will be advised to attend later in the year. The number of volunteers will be kept to a minimum and a strict code of working practice will be observed, including face masks, appropriate PPE and a rigorous regime of disinfection. There is obviously a deep sense of frustration regarding the enforced lay-off, but the contingency measures being devised and the incredible will and enthusiasm of the volunteers will see the project through to completion.
The current sttatte off the ch hannel with towpath depressions visible on the right-hand side.
A sump and the ďŹ rst section of the land drain which will be installed over the complete 330m length to be restored. PHOTOS: SUCS
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Wey & Arun Canal Trust director John Reynolds being interviewed by a BBC South team. PHOTOS:WACT
Trip boat swings back to base
THE Wey & Arun Canal Trust’s trip boat Zachariah Keppel made a spectacular return to its home at Loxwood, West Sussex, after spending several months away for repairs. It was floated along the Thames from All 4 Marine yard in Chertsey to Penton Hook Marina, from where it was transported by lorry to the wharf at Loxwood and lifted by a 76-tonne crane over the towpath and into the canal. The unusual sight of a 50ft long, eight-tonne narrowboat
flying through the air created quite a stir, and was filmed by a BBC South team for a piece on that evening’s programme. Zachariah Keppel was taken to the boatyard in January as it had developed rusty steelwork and the decision was made to appoint professional boat repairers to carry out the work required to allow ZK to be deemed passenger-worthy once more. With the rusty internal fittings replaced and the hull buffed off internally and externally,
primed and painted with black bitumastic paint, the 45-yearold vessel should have another 10-15 years of life. The boat was named after Zachariah Keppel, a builder from Alfold, who was the contractor responsible for building the Wey & Arun Canal. He went bankrupt and had to give up the job before it was completed. Now that ZK is back home, volunteers will replace her ballast and flooring, making her ready to take passengers when government restrictions allow.
The Zachariah Keppel is lifted over the towpath into the Wey & Arun Canal.
Benefits to economy of waterway restoration debated in Parliament MP CRAIG Williams focused on the progress of the Montgomery Canal restoration during an adjournment debate which he recently secured in the House of Commons. The member for Montgomeryshire went on to talk about the wider success and benefits of waterway regeneration across the country. He said: “If we look at the gross value added effect of restoring canals, we see that there is a huge positive return to the Exchequer and the public purse.” The importance of tourism to the waterways was also raised, with many businesses and charities currently struggling
as a result of restrictions imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Craig Williams supported the many letters that have been sent to the Government as part of IWA’s campaign for a package of support for navigation authorities and waterway businesses. He concluded his speech by suggesting that investment by Government in waterway restoration would be excellent value for money, helping the UK economic recovery by driving domestic tourism, supporting communities and providing health and environmental benefits.
12 IWA ROUND-UP
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AROUND THE BRANCHES COMPILED BY IWA’S GEMMA BOLTON
IWA responds to High Speed North consultation THE IWA has responded to a Call for Evidence by the National Infrastructure Commission for a Rail Needs Assessment for the Midlands and the north. This consultation is part of a review of HS2 ordered by the Government to inform an Integrated Rail Plan which it expects to publish by the end of the year. Although construction of Phase 1 of HS2 from London to Birmingham and Fradley has been authorised, and its continuation to Crewe in Phase 2a is proceeding through Parliament, the future of the remainder of HS2 is under review.
The proposals for Phase 2b include an eastern leg from Birmingham to Leeds which has blighted the restorations of the Ashby Canal and the Chesterfield Canal for many years, as well as threatening noise and environmental damage to the Coventry Canal, Erewash Canal, the Aire & Calder Navigation and other waterways. The western leg from Crewe to Manchester would have major landscape, noise and heritage impacts on the Trent & Mersey Canal and Middlewich Branch. IWA’s submission includes the responses it made to the Phase 2b Working Draft
Proposals for Phase 2b have blighted the restoration of the Ashby Canal for many years.
PHOTO: ANGELA ACOTT
Environmental Statement in December 2018 and the Design Refinement consultation in September 2019, as the threats to the waterways IWA detailed there remain unanswered. The aim of the review is to redesign Phase 2b to better integrate with wider rail improvement plans for the north and Midlands, proposed by Northern Powerhouse Rail and Midlands Rail Hub. Chief among these is a new or improved transPennine railway between Manchester and Leeds and Sheffield, as the central section of a high-speed network from Liverpool to Hull and Newcastle, dubbed HS3 or High Speed North. The consultation offered an opportunity for IWA to review the chequered history of HS2 and its many well-documented design flaws and management failings. For Phase 2b these include, says the IWA: • poor integration with the existing rail system; • no provision for integration with the transPennine improvements or
connections to Scotland, with south facing terminal stations in Leeds and Manchester; • an eastern leg station at Toton inconvenient for both Derby and Nottingham, and a route that bypasses Sheffield and requires extensive motorway diversions; • a western leg that goes through the Cheshire salt field with severe subsidence dangers still not yet investigated. IWA’s conclusion is that the way forward is to start with determining the trans-Pennine route which will connect Leeds to HS2 via Manchester, with the continuation to Crewe being rerouted. Reasons are also advanced for scrapping the eastern leg in favour of upgrading existing railway lines to the East Midlands and South Yorkshire. This would reduce impacts on the Trent & Mersey Canal and remove them altogether from the Coventry, Ashby, Soar, Trent, Erewash, Nottingham, Chesterfield, Sheffield & South Yorkshire and Aire & Calder waterways.
Narrowboats moored at Bridgwater Docks. PHOTO: IWA VOLUNTEER MIKE SLADE
The future of Bridgwater Docks AT THE annual user group meeting for the Bridgwater & Taunton Canal last December, Canal & River Trust informed those present that it would not be renewing or extending its lease of Bridgwater Docks upon its termination date. Any of the boat owners whose mooring agreements ran beyond the termination date would receive a credit or a refund for the unexpired period. The Canal & River Trust also reported that it would be undertaking dilapidation works at the docks, as required under the terms of the lease and would be working with Somerset County Council to secure the future of the docks. It was therefore a surprise to learn that the lease had been temporarily extended. CRT had also written to boat owners in May stating that their mooring agreements would be terminated in advance of the eventual termination date of the lease and that they should prepare to remove their boats in the event that nobody is found to take the docks on for the future.
ThebranchhaspointedouttoCRTand to the county council that the Bridgwater & Taunton canal is an isolated waterway and the secure moorings on the canal are fully occupied. Removing the 30 or so boats moored in the docks will be both inconvenient and costly to the boat owners. CRT has responded that it will continue to extend the mooring agreements for three months at a time for the foreseeable future but will not make any contribution to the costs of removing boats from the docks. IWA West Country Branch continues to lobby the local authorities and others within Somerset about the future of the docks and is working in particular with Somerset County Council and Bridgwater Town Council. At the moment discussions need to take place on the dilapidation obligations that CRT has under the terms of the lease. Until these are agreed it may be premature for any parties who might have an interest in the future of the docks to get fully involved.
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Volunteers rise to the challenge to complete bridge build
The completed bridge at Harsfold. Volunteers socially distancing while they work.
THE last brick has been laid at the Wey & Arun Canal Trust’s latest restoration project, a bridge at Harsfold in West Sussex. Volunteers worked flat out to complete the bridge building project after floods, winter storms and then coronavirus lockdown put construction behind schedule. Small teams of six volunteers worked
Some of the Harsfold team.
five days a week to get the job finished and allow the landowner access to his fields ahead of harvest. Work on the 7m clear span steel and concrete bridge began in September but was set back by the deluge of rain and storms seen during December, January and February, making work ‘hard going’, according to project manager Dennis Gillen.
The compound, which is close to the River Arun, just escaped being flooded, but the mix of clay and rain meant the construction site was a mudbath and delivery trucks and lorries struggled to reach the site. Just as the team managed to get the steel beams in, construction was halted due to coronavirus lockdown. When work resumed following easing of government restrictions, volunteers
had to operate in very different conditions and strict social distancing, but the team carried on undaunted. Dennis paid tribute to the dedication of the volunteers: “They are an amazing team,” he said. “Everyone comes and
gets on with it. They are all very skilled and great volunteers. They’ve worked so hard to get the job done.” The area will now be reprofiled and the temporary bridleway diversion will be removed.
On the almost finished bridge. PHOTOS: WACT
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Rover in Ripon Barge Beagle – sniffing out good finds for crews with canines
THE Ripon Canal was once the northernmost limit of England’s connected canal system but with the opening of the Ribble Link, the Lancaster Canal to Tewitfield now holds this title. However, reaching Ripon by boat is still considered a great feat – but what is there to do for boat crew and their canine companions once this important destination is reached? Being a short canal (2.3 miles or 3.7km) walking the entire length of it is easy and offers a chance to take in the wildlife and some of the canal’s architectural delights. From the compact basin, surrounded by a mixture of restored buildings and new yet sympathetically designed town houses, the towpath runs along the eastern bank. This is easily accessible, good
underfoot and wide enough for wheelchair users. Heading out of the town, on the opposite bank, stands the sanitary station which has won architectural design awards for its styling, which matches the former lock keeper’s house at Rhodesfield Lock. Beyond the lock, the pretty tree-lined canal provides welcome shade in the summer months for boaters, walkers and fishermen. Anglers are provided with sturdy wooden platforms keeping them off the main thoroughfare. Bell Furrows Lock stands adjacent to Ripon Racecourse Marina. From here, the route heads into the countryside where there is a bird sanctuary in wetlands formed from old gravel and sand extraction. Among its many visitors is the little ringed
Barge Beagle at Bell Furrows Lock.
Early morning along the canal. plover, a migrant wading bird. Barge Beagle loved snuffling along this section, picking up the invisible scents of creatures which have already passed this way. The Ripon Canal has been awarded Green Flag status for its wildlife, accessibility, heritage and benefits to those living nearby. This honours the staff and volunteers, without whom this canal may never have been
restored and reinstated for boaters in 1996. For a circular walk, cross Nicholson’s Bridge and follow the path which arcs back towards Rhodesfield Lock. Otherwise continue ahead, passing the pretty red brick Renton’s Bridge, to reach Oxclose Lock allowing access on and off the River Ure, a pleasant spot where your dog can enjoy a paddle before the return walk.
Next time: Barge Beagle heads inland from Ripon for an off-water day out.
Rhodesfield Lock.
Pets on the Cut Ripon Sanitary Station.
Oxclose Lock. PHOTOS: ALISON ALDERTON
Great dame Ava is used to living on boats. PHOTO: ALISON WILKERSON
Alison Wilkerson spies an eye-catching and unusual dog while cruising along the cut. CRUISING on the cut is a real privilege; especially when the weather is kind and the seasons show you wonderful wildlife in both creature and plant form. Cruising also opens your eyes to a huge variety of boats, people and pets who share our inland waterways and one such pet, a large grey dog with an amazingly shiny coat on a rather interesting-looking boat, really caught my eye while cruising past. The dog was a great dane/ old tyme bulldog mix known as a Taylor’s bulldane, called Ava. She was two-and-a-half years old and owned by Tim, a management consultant, specialising in human resources (HR) and talent management, whom she had lived with for a year and a half. She was actually rehomed along with her brother whom she lived with on a boat, in the north of England, but now both still live on boats, only separately and in the mid/
south. Luckily they now live not that far from each other so still meet up, which is wonderful. She also has two very special doggie friends namely Sol, who has appeared in Pets on the Cut Issue 168, October 2019, and Logan. “Hello and woof, woof” from Ava! She gets on very well with other dogs, adores people, chases cats and likes to play (not hurt) with other creatures, so watch out hedgehogs! She also has excellent recall which is useful, especially when off-lead as there are so many tantalising smells to investigate on the towpath as well as lots of interesting people and dogs to greet. Tim purchased his 50ft boat (his first) in 2013 from near Bath via eBay (as we did) and unlike us, had a survey carried out, which is always a wise decision; even though it was as good as the advert described it’s always best to get one done. He had it taken out of the
water, placed on a lorry trailer and transported to his required destination. It was built in 1991 by Mick Sivewright and is one of five stern wheelhouse boats the same width as a narrowboat. It was actually built for The Wash and inland coast rivers but spends its time mainly on the non-tidal canal. Ava is used to living on boats so has no problems living on this space-saving boat and has cruised around 150 miles since being rehomed. In fact many dogs live happily and safely (many have dog lifejackets) on boats, proving that rescue/adopted dogs can indeed be rehomed and live on boats. Please take note, rescue centres, as we know this has been an issue for some. She loves swimming in rivers and lakes and keeps very fit by running with Tim on long runs. Her favourite toy is a squeaky Christmas pudding (not just for Christmas) and food-wise, she looks forward to sardines, which Tim refers to as crocodiles and yes, her ears certainly do prick up when he says that word.
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