Towpath Talk - 20 PAGE PREVIEW of the June issue

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Issue 212, June 2023

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Liverpool lineup

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Boaters moored in Salthouse Dock join the festival atmosphere for the Eurovision Song Contest by decorating their boats with gaily coloured bunting while on the dockside above them street food vendors have set up their stalls. More on page 3. PHOTO: COLIN WAREING

CAMERAMAN GRANT IS CLOSER TO NATURE

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TAKING A TRIP AT NORBURY FESTIVAL P16

Delivering social change in the boating community THE Accessible Waterways Association (AWA) has secured support and funding from UnLtd to help build lasting social impact.

This will significantly help to widen the positive social impact in making Britain’s inland waterways accessible for all.

AWA founder Tracey Clarke said: “The financial award means we can set up on a professional basis. But the additional support, mentorship and guidance offered by UnLtd will be absolutely invaluable.”

The association is totally independent from any of the waterways authorities.

Much of the navigable network was built more than 200 years ago when

Bridge closure

impaired and lives afloat with husband Tim, who has a hearing impairment, and two furry crew members: Loki, Tracey's yellow labrador guide dog, and Ozzie, Tim’s pug mix, who is in training to be his hearing assistance dog.

She said: “Living with an impairment among such a sociable community as that of the boating world inevitably leads to discovery of ever more people who are also in a similar situation.

“This accumulation of knowledge led me to set up a series of meetings and then a Facebook group called IWAF (Inland Waterways Accessibility Forum).”

The aim of IWAF is to be a forum

the needs of disabled people were simply not a consideration and many of the structures and buildings are listed or subject to conservation orders.

That heritage presents challenges to adaptation and development.

However, AWA believes that it is high time for history to give way to progress, but in such a way as to retain and enhance that precious heritage so that everybody can enjoy and appreciate it equally.

There is a big need to find ways to work within, around and in sympathy with that heritage instead of dismissing adaptations as impossible because of its constraints.

Tracey is registered as severely vision

THE Temple Footbridge, which is part of the Thames Path near Marlow, has been closed until further notice due to safety concerns. According to the Environment Agency’s Thames Waterways the condition of the bridge’s deck boards appears to have deteriorated more quickly than anticipated. EA is working with the relevant agencies to put an emergency diversion in place but could not say, at the time of going to press, what the timescale for repairs will be.

Fishery tenders

THE management of two commercial fisheries is being put out to tender by the Canal & River Trust. It is inviting existing and potential new licensees to apply for the opportunity to help manage Blythe Waters, a mixed fishery totalling eight acres in Warwickshire and Naseby Reservoir, Northamptonshire, which is stocked predominantly with specimen carp. People are invited to contact the trust by Sunday, September 1 to register interest in either fishery and to receive further information.

for discussion among fellow disabled people who want to enjoy the waterways in any way, but who face extra challenges because of disability.

This in turn led to the setting-up of regular online meetings every two months between disabled boaters and relevant members of Canal & River Trust (CRT) staff. These meetings have become popular and constructive, leading to some progressive action. This includes designing some new mooring bollards that will be installed by CRT at strategic sites around the network, where designated ‘accessible moorings’ will be created.

Continued on page 2

Environment Day

WORLD Environment Day on Monday, June 5 will be celebrated with a lunchtime loop walk from Butler’s Cafe at Kirkstall Forge near Leeds to the River Aire and the Leeds & Liverpool Canal and back. It’s a simple, flat walk, ideal for beginners or those starting to get fit. It will take place from 12.30-1.30pm and will give walkers the opportunity to find local, free and accessible environment on their doorstep. For information visit www.canalrivertrust.org.uk

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2 WELCOME/NEWS

June 2023

WELCOME WHAT a month it has been! At the time of writing we have had two bank holiday weekends with another to come, a Coronation and the Eurovision Song Contest.

All these have been reflected in the events we have reported on in this edition. Colin Wareing caught up with boaters who had travelled through the Liverpool Link for this weeklong event, see report and photos on next page; we have a spread with a Coronation flavour on pages 4-5 and Phil Pickin visited the Norbury Canal Festival on the early May bank holiday weekend, see page 16.

But the bad news was that the organisers of the Moira Canal Festival had to pull the plug on this popular event because of flooded ground conditions, see Les Heath’s report on the next page. This was especially disappointing as it had been advertised and promoted in our paper and promised to be a great opportunity for visitors to enjoy and support the Ashby Canal. Better luck next year.

Also the cost of living crisis is still with us and a group of boaters have been taking their Energy Support Scheme campaign by water to the capital, see Sally Clifford’s report on page 7 while the Canal & River Trust and NABO (National Association of Boat Owners) continue to lobby the Government over the plight of liveaboard boaters who have yet to receive support, see Last Word, page 86.

As the show season gets into full swing, we have our final preview in the run-up to the Braunston Historic Boat Rally in which Tim Coghlan tells the story of three tugs which should all be present at the event to be officially opened by music mogul Pete Waterman. See pages 22-23.

Hopefully, as the saying goes, the world will smell of roses in June – and with it, the weather to match as we get ready to fully enjoy the summer holiday and event season.

Happy cruising

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Delivering social change in the boating community Continued from page 1 Out of these meetings has also come the idea of a Boaters’ Blue Card scheme which in turn led to the birth of AWA, initially to be the administrative body for the Blue Card Scheme. From there, the concept of the organisation has developed and will no doubt continue to evolve.

Tracey added: “AWA would also like to acknowledge the support we are receiving from the Canal & River Trust (CRT) and its generous offer in funding the initial print run of the Boaters’ Blue Cards.”

The Boaters’ Blue Cards are 15cm square durable cards for optional display in the windows either side of a boat. They will serve to inform passers-by (both on other boats and

on the towpath) that there is a person aboard who may perhaps be less aware of, or less able to react to, approaching hazards etc.

A clear, neutral logo simply states: Disabled Boater Aboard. It does not identify the person’s impairment. That is entirely up to the individual if they wish to display an additional card or sticker that shows an emblem appropriate to them.

This card will not (yet) grant any entitlement to mooring concessions or any other benefits. It will, however, serve to tell others that there is a person aboard who might appreciate a little extra consideration and/or assistance.

This would include informing lock keepers and other staff of the various waterways agencies that the bearer might need or be glad of some extra assistance

in working the locks or other structures.

Membership of AWA is open to all who live with disabilities, impairments or accessibility issues, and who want to enjoy the Inland Waterways and their surrounding environments. This may be as a boater (either living aboard or holidaying), a hire-boat owner, an angler, a cyclist, a gongoozler, a walker/wheeler on the towpaths, or a volunteer or staff member of the many waterways authorities.

Members will get a membership card which will entitle the bearer to some benefits and discounts. These will be added to and announced in the members only section of the website as AWA continues to negotiate affiliations with shops, pubs, restaurants, chandleries, marinas and other organisations.

There is also an option for corporate

AWA founder Tracey Clarke with Loki, her yellow Labrador guide dog.

membership, which is open to businesses and other organisations and will include a comprehensive directory entry to publicise the services they offer.

This can be enhanced by subscribing at different levels. More information can be found at www.awa-uk.org.uk About the AWA’s aims: • to be a hub of information, support and assistance to disabled people who want to enjoy the canals and rivers.

• to work with the various waterways authorities (Canal and River Trust (CRT), Environment Agency (EA), Broads Authority and many other organisations to do whatever is possible to make the UK’s network of canals and rivers, and their surrounding environments, accessible for everyone.

• to be the administering body of the Boaters’ Blue Card Scheme.

• to offer consultancy services to ensure that accessibility needs are fully and properly considered when new build, remedial or upgrading works are carried out on the waterways.

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Historical moorings contradict Water Safety Zones – NBTA

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This photograph taken between 1950 and 1969 shows barges unloading at Hackney Power Station, near Millfields Park in Clapton, now the site of a recycling centre.

THE River Lee in London has long been a multi-use space shared by all kinds of craft, states the National Bargee Travellers Association.

But it claims that in recent years, the Canal & River Trust has emphasised the rights of some river users over others.

NBTA has drawn attention to two sites near rowing clubs which CRT has proposed to designate as Water Safety Zones.

These two zones – one on the Lower Lee, running through Hackney and

Tottenham in east London, and the other further north in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire – will prevent itinerant boat dwellers from mooring in these locations for the 14 days which apply elsewhere on the waterways.

CRT has claimed that these zones are merely the enforcement of ‘existing rules and regulations’ and that these ‘no mooring zones’ have historically never been moored.

But NBTA states that boats

and large barges have been using and mooring on the Lee for many years and has published photographs of boats and industrial barges moored at some of these locations on the Lower Lee in east London.

Text message

In February CRT began removing mooring rings and historic bollards in east London. A text message to boaters requesting them to remove their vessels stated

All that is left of one of the bollards in Homerton. PHOTOS SUPPLIED

that the towpath at Marshgate Bridge 15, near Homerton, was already a ‘no mooring’ zone and that the boats were blocking navigation.

Frankie Perry was moored in the spot opposite Matchmaker’s Wharf when she received a text telling her that the mooring rings and bollards would be removed at 9am the next morning.

“It didn’t occur to me that there were any mooring restrictions in place; there were no signs, it’s not by a

bridge or bend, the navigation is wide, and there were mooring rings to tie up to,” she said.

NBTA also claims that the two rowing clubs that lie within these zones have been pushing CRT to implement mooring restrictions for years and have removed bars designed to help people out of the water in an emergency.

CRT subsequently issued a statement that it had informed the club involved that such actions were unacceptable.

NEWS 3

www.towpathtalk.co.uk June 2023

Boaters travel to Liverpool for Eurovision vibes Words & photos: Colin Wareing

THE staging of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool became a city-wide festival which included a fan zone on the pier head and around the Liverpool Link which connects the Leeds & Liverpool Canal to the Albert Dock.

Passage through the link and a mooring in Salthouse Dock had to be booked with the Canal & River Trust before arrival, with all passages and mooring spaces being booked up within days of the announcement that Liverpool was to host the event on behalf of Ukraine.

Despite a few mechanical issues with Handcock’s swing bridge on the way into Liverpool, everyone who had booked to go seemed to have made it in for the weekend thanks to the volunteer lock keepers on the Stanley lock flight.

The fan zone opened to the public at noon every day so, as a security precaution to the fans and boaters, all boat movement along the link had to be completed beforehand.

Once the canal boats had navigated through the Liverpool Link, they moored in Salthouse Dock, part of the Albert Dock complex. There boaters joined in the festival atmosphere by decorating their boats with gaily coloured bunting and reporting a great and noisy final weekend.

Well worth the effort to be able to say ‘I was there’ for what will hopefully have been a once-in-a-lifetime event.

Flooded ground causes cancellation of Moira Canal Festival

By Les Heath

ORGANISERS of Moira Canal Festival, which should have taken place on May 20 and 21, were said to be heartbroken after cancelling this year’s event because of bad weather.

A statement by the committee explained that they had made the decision to cancel due to flooded site conditions.

The statement said: “Regrettably, after a site meeting, we have been forced to cancel the festival due to poor site conditions caused by severe rain over the last couple of weeks.

“We are not confident that the site will have dried out enough to safely hold the festival.”

With only five days to go the committee explored other Leicestershire sites and new dates but

were not able to make it work for 2023.

Geoff Pursglove, chairman of Ashby Canal Trust, said he was disappointed with the decision but there was no other option.

To prevent any damage to the site, health and safety issues and the forecast of more rain before the event, it was decided that it had to be cancelled.

The festival first started in 2000 and this was the first time it has not gone ahead.

Proceeds would have gone to the Ashby Canal Trust which helps with the canal at Moira as well as supporting the restoration of the main section of canal.

The festival committee has already put forward provisional dates for next year’s festival – May 18-19, 2024.

A widebeam emerges from the Cunard Tunnel, bottom of picture. To the left is the River Mersey ferry terminal with an ocean-going cruise ship docked at the cruise terminal behind it while to the right is The Royal Liver building.

Some of the canal boats moored in Salthouse Dock.

A narrowboat passes through the fan zone on the morning as the big screens advertised that the pop group The Lighting Seeds would be performing there later in the day. This picture was taken from a gallery in the Museum of Liverpool Life under which the boat is about to pass.

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June 2023

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A rest stop below the railway bridge over the River Witham at Grand Sluice, Boston.

A ‘royal wave’ from club chairman Paul Harrington on board Cornerstone. PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON

The convoy of five narrowboats approaches Kirkstead Bridge on the River Witham. PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON

We’ve got ourselves a Coronation convoy!

Kirkstead Bridge on the River Witham.

Rest days were spent at Boston and Newark upon return.

Chairman Paul Harrington added: “The club is tiny compared with most clubs, but Fraser’s annual trips are highly anticipated by most members, even if they are unable to join in the convoy themselves.”

The club has mooring spaces for 23 boats, one of which is dedicated to the resident moorer-cum-caretaker. It has a social side, which includes several smaller cruises throughout the year, games nights within the club house and BBQ events. Recently the club has developed its own Facebook page.

Those narrowboats cruising were: Paul Harrington on Cornerstone; Fraser and Karen Chatburn on SImmerdown; Jacquie and Paul Birtles on Sapphire; Paul Thornley and Kath Smith on Elizabeth Ethel and Ian and Sally Harper on Kotare 2.

EVERY year Swarkestone Boat Club organises an annual cruise and it just so happened that this year it coincided with the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

The event was actually planned several months ago and the dates arranged for those boaters with work and other commitments. “When the King then organised his coronation, we decorated our boats accordingly,” said cruise organiser Fraser Chatburn.

“One boat had characters of Charles and Camilla in the front cratch window and another carried children’s dolls depicting a black-haired Rosie and red-haired Jim, which were confused with Megan and Harry!”

The club is affiliated to the AWCC (Association of Waterway Cruising Clubs) and has its premises on the Trent & Mersey Canal, between Shardlow and Willington. It actually moors many of its boats on what was the Derby & Sandiacre Canal, which is in the process of being restored.

Every year several members group together to have their annual cruise, which often includes a BBQ night and boating-related quiz. The purpose of these cruises is very much ‘team work’

to assist solo cruisers and those less able to push gates at locks and mooring up.

For 2023, Boston in Lincolnshire was chosen for what would be a challenging destination. With just 11 days, 80 hours of cruising, over 200 miles and a return total of 44 locks, this was on a few members’ bucket lists!

This was the first time that the club had used tidal waters as part of the annual trip. This was the River Trent between Cromwell Lock, just north of Newark and Torksey Lock to the west of Lincoln.

“All the locks on the Trent & Mersey are manual double locks,” Fraser explained. “The pleasure was for all five narrowboats to share the electric locks that are found between Nottingham and Lincoln, most of which are electrically operated and often manned by Canal & River Trust volunteers.

“This meant that during the tidal areas, which planned around incoming and outgoing tides at Hull, all members were close to each other.”

Several rest stops were calculated between the start and finishing points, which included the County Steps at Nottingham, North Higham on the Trent, Saxilby on the Fossdyke and

Characters of King Charles and Queen Camilla in the front cratch window of Cornerstone.

Taking a break in Boston. PHOTOS SUPPLIED UNLESS INDICATED

A video of the convoy passing under Kirkstead Bridge can be viewed on our Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/TowpathTalk

Jacquie and Paul Birtles with Sapphire.

Club chairman Paul Harrington wearing the crown!

Cruise organiser Fraser and Karen Chatburn on SImmerdown.

Kath Smith and Paul Thornley on Elizabeth Ethel at Boston.

Sally and Ian Harper on Kotare 2.

NEWS 5

www.towpathtalk.co.uk June 2023

Coronation award for Cheshire volunteer A CANAL volunteer from Nantwich has been recognised by the King and Queen as part of the official Coronation celebrations in conjunction with Royal Voluntary Service.

Trevor Dobson, who has been volunteering for six years with the Canal & River Trust, has been recognised for his contribution and crowned a Coronation Champion. This follows a call-out to the nation to nominate their volunteer heroes, which resulted in 5000 entries, with nominations made for individuals aged 14 up to 103.

He said: “I was surprised and delighted to become a Coronation Champion and honoured that the trust nominated me. Volunteering for the trust is like a ‘free gym' because of the exercise I get while doing something useful.

“I have been interested in the canals since my parents first took me on a cruise in 1965 and, now that I have sold my boat, I am privileged to help keep our historic canal network in good shape.”

Trevor has had a vast impact on the nation’s canals since he first started as a volunteer lock keeper with the trust.

He has bought communities closer to nature, working with teams across the charity and is a go-to volunteer supporting local teams in Cheshire.

His work helping to look after the canals and their towpaths means that the many thousands of people who use the canals across Cheshire have better

access to the historic waterways, and to the sights of the boats and wildlife along them.

Over the last five years Trevor has given close to 2000 hours of his time to the trust, and he alone has surveyed an impressive 112 miles of towpath.

With the support of Queen Camilla, a passionate advocate of volunteering and president of Royal Voluntary Service, the Coronation Champions Awards were launched to recognise exceptional volunteers from across the country at this momentous point in history.

Richard Parry, chief executive at Canal & River Trust, said: “Congratulations to Trevor for this well-deserved award. He is a fantastic ambassador for the Canal & River Trust and an inspiration to all.

“He helps to bring the local community closer to nature and ensure thousands can enjoy our canals and their rich wildlife safely. Volunteers like Trevor help us to ensure that our canals will be available for future generations to enjoy, and I’m delighted that his contribution has been recognised by Their Majesties.”

Lichfield Cruising Club chairwoman Joan Surplice and president Ken Hudson cut the Coronation cake.

A right royal day at Lichfield club

Trevor Dobson volunteering at Hurleston Locks. PHOTO: CANAL & RIVER TRUST

A ‘basin-ful’ of Coronation entertainment CHICHESTER Canal volunteers kicked off the Coronation celebrations on the Friday with a Toast to the King cruise, departing from the canal basin.

Visitors enjoyed lunch, drinks and listening to Chichester Fringe vocalist Georgina singing some beautiful melodies. Passenger Angela Bendy said: “An amazing lunch and what a great way to start our Coronation celebration weekend.”

Saturday was a day off for volunteers to celebrate or just relax with friends and family. And then on Sunday, happy boat trippers enjoyed a special cream tea and lots of vintage hilarity with Dolly and Gracie.

Georgina was back in full voice again with some very recognisable vintage songs. Volunteers returned on Monday to showcase all the excellent work that they do, as part of the King’s ‘Big Help Out’ initiative.

Despite the chilly weather, a steady flow of local people and visitors from further afield stopped by to learn more and the trust is looking forward to an influx of new volunteers.

There’s lots more entertainment (on and off water) planned, so do keep an eye open on www.chichestercanal. org.uk/events and on social media @chichestershipcanal on Facebook and @chichestercanal on Twitter and Instagram.

Volunteer crew members on board tripboat Kingfisher.

PHOTO: CHICHESTER SHIP CANAL TRUST

SUCH is the make-up of the A Coronation cake was cut by membership at Lichfield Cruising club chairwoman, Joan Surplice, Club that the majority of members accompanied by the club’s president, were around in 1953 for the Ken Hudson.

Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and In the evening members settled recall the day well. into the bar and took part in a royal No surprise then, that when quiz which was enjoyed by all. As is a club event was proposed to usual with LCC the whole day was celebrate the Coronation of King planned and run by volunteers from Charles lll the overwhelming vote the club’s membership who provided was for a street party, and what a a wonderful and memorable event. party they had.

The day started with the e Coronation parade and thee Westminster Abbey servicee being projected on to thee club’s big screen in the e clubhouse and was enjoyed d by around 40 members.

The afternoon saw thee members changing in n readiness for the partyy with lots of red, white and d blue featuring. The club’s marquee was set out ready for the event and looked amazing with tables laid with the best china tea service and cake stands.

Sixty members enjoyed an afternoon tea of sandwiches and cakes, and of course the teapots were working overtime for the true 1950s experience.

Drinks were provided, and the club’s president Members enjoying afternoon tea in the ee PHOTOS SUPPLIE proposed the loyal toast. marquee.

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June 2023

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Ground-breaking ceremony at Schoolhouse Bridge

THE long-awaited reconstruction of Schoolhouse Bridge on the Montgomery Canal is now under way following the cutting of the first sod by Coun Vince Hunt, chairman of Shropshire Council.

He said: “This has been a long time in coming and will advance the joining of both ends of the Montgomery Canal which is wonderful for tourism in Shropshire and will be a muchneeded economic boost for this part of the county.”

The event was attended by representatives of the Restore the Montgomery Canal team, which has promoted the rebuilding of this last highway blockage on the canal in Shropshire, with other canal volunteers, local property owners, the contractors and a councillor from the local parish council. Sadly, Coun Joyce Barrow was unable to attend.

Michael Limbrey, chairman of the Restore the Montgomery Canal group, said: “We are delighted that our contractors are starting to rebuild Schoolhouse Bridge almost six years to the day after we launched our appeal for the project.

“There have been complications on the way – a worldwide pandemic was one! – so the start

Coun Vince Hunt prepares to cut the first sod with, from left, Michael Limbrey, chairman of the Restore the Montgomery Canal! group and Don Howell of Beaver Bridges. is later than we had hoped.”

He continued: “Rebuilding the bridge is a £1 million project, the biggest volunteer-led project of the restoration so far. We owe a huge thank you to supporters in the area and across Great Britain who have supported the project with monthly donations and individual gifts, grants and legacies.

“The appeal has also received generous donations from the

Inland Waterways Association, the Friends of the Montgomery Canal and the Shropshire Union Canal Society as well as members of the Restore the Montgomery Canal group. We have also been assisted by a grant from Tarmac Landfill Communities Fund, supplies from TG Builders Merchants, Oswestry, and support from Shropshire Council and the Canal & River Trust who have helped our team get the project to its start and by Beaver Bridges who will be carrying out the work for us.” The work will continue until late summer.

Significant step

Michael said that the bridge reconstruction and the opening in June of the section to Crickheath restored by volunteers of the Shropshire Union Canal Society would together mark a significant step for the restoration.

“The start of this project dovetails with other key restoration events taking place on the canal, such as the Levelling Up Grant funded works in Powys, where the first section of dredging has been completed, and in Shropshire the

An aerial view of the work at Schoolhouse Bridge.

formal reopening of the canal to Crickheath Wharf (about half a mile from Schoolhouse Bridge) on June 2.

“This is the culmination of many years of work by volunteers of the Shropshire Union Canal Society assisted by funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and others, including canal societies. We look forward to the day when we can realise the ambitions of local authorities, communities and businesses as boats from across the country visit the borders of Shropshire and Powys.”

Richard Hinckley, Beaver Bridges sales director, said: “As a local business we are very excited to be conducting these prestigious works with the Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust and to continue the excellent work to date and contribute to the future legacy of the canal.”

Within days of the event, the contractor had removed the old road embankment which had blocked the canal for 60 years or more and is the main obstruction on the derelict section to the Welsh border at Llanymynech.

Removing the old road embankment. PHOTOS: BEAVER BRIDGES

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COLIN WAREING Lancashire in January 2019. PHOTO:

eams for 2019 k’s TTop TTeams T k’s Towpath Talk a s, we bid farewell awn AS A new decade dawn t th to 2019 with the results of our Towpath Top Team award which has been k Top Talk r r. running throughout the year.

With four teams shortlisted for the final with vote it was a veryy close-run contest t volunteers ty the Grantham Canal Society taking the title by a short head.

Such was the support also for from Crusader Community Boating first Blisworth that we are awarding our a rd – something Community Boat awa f the we had alreadyy been planning for r r. coming year. of Commended are the Friends the River Nene and the Waterways Buck.

Fiona and Chaplaincy’s Martin Award presentations to our finalists

are revealed

r The r. will take place in the new year. off a winning team receives the hire day boat carrying up to 10 people, generously sponsored by ABC Leisure Group Ltd. The runner-up will receive a £100 voucher to spend at Midland four Chandlers at Braunston and all finalists will receive a £100 donation towards their volunteering organisation the from Mortons Media Group Ltd,

alk.

Tal tth T publisher of Towpath Our thanks go to the readers who rose of to the challenge of finding a group a gone that extra ave unsung heroes who have f their local stretch off towpath, mile for a association or ays canal or river, waterways a our judging ave community boat – and gave shortlisting the of job panel a difficult four finalists.

• Continued on page 2

found on a boat moored Ouse bodies t achievemen f nd 100-dayCommunity of two men were fou probe Action Network (UCAN) THE bodies Boats gunshot were called UPPERMILL Y k city centre. Emergency services after starting in Yor investigating damage to narrowboats POLICE are Officers were after gunshots were fired in Cambridge. a December 5, at around 10.15pm, ay, called on Thursday, f m shots fro after nearbyy residents reported hearing near boats on the what was believed to be an air rifle the window of one River Cam. Photographs off holes in a since been published. One resident ave of the boats have the Chesterton told reporters thatt shots, coming from moored at Browns side of the river, were fired at boats on for about five Field, Fen Ditton, and this went no injuries were minutes. Cambridgeshire Police said reported and enquiries were continuing.

achieved its 100-day volunteering milestone 2300 hours of out in 2015. This included more than who, according voluntary work achieved by local people to, crafting to UCAN, “care about, and are committed environment”. and maintaining our beautiful local and for the positive Thanks were given to all supporters, work parties will feedback from the community. The next 8 and 20. The usual be on January 4 and 23, and February on Moorgate bridge canal the at 10am is point meeting Killan on 01457 Street but this can change. Contact Peter l.com peterkillan@hotmai or 878361

at around 8pm to Lendal Bridge on the River Ouse said officers on December 4. North Yorkshire Police f two men for attended “after concerns were raised with their touch in their 60s who had been out of bodies. Fire .” Upon arrival officers found the family.”

The deaths and ambulance services both attended. although did ‘unexplained’ were being treated as a post-mortem not appear to be suspicious and men had not The place. take examination was due to Talk went to press. tth Tal been identified when Towpath

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Rebuilding the Hazelhurst Bridge on the Caldon Canal. PHOTO: CANAL & RIVER TRUST

Caldon Canal has reopened to boats during bridge rebuild THE Canal & River Trust has reopened the Caldon Canal to boats, while the £2 million project to rebuild the Grade II listed Hazelhurst Bridge near Endon in Staffordshire continues.

This 12-month project, which has been enabled by an award from the Postcode Earth Trust thanks to funds raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, is expected to be completed in August.

Over the winter the canal was closed to through-navigation from the junction with the Leek Branch (Hazelhurst Junction), running south-east to Cheddleton Lock, but was reopened in April.

CRT project manager Ian Bogges explained: “On weekdays, passage beneath Hazelhurst Bridge is available twice a day from 9-10am, and from 1.30-2.30pm.” Restrictions have been extended until Friday June 16.

“As the towpath remains

closed from the junction with the Leek Branch (Hazelhurst Junction), running south-east to Hazlehurst Aqueduct until mid-July, for boats travelling west our contractors will facilitate the operations of the adjacent lock so that boaters don’t have to get off their boats. Boaters travelling east will be able to operate the lock themselves.

He added: “On weekends and bank holidays, unrestricted passage is available evenings from 5pm and mornings until 7.30am, and boaters can operate the locks from both directions without assistance.

The towpath on the main line (through the locks) remains closed from Hazelhurst Junction to Hazelhurst Aqueduct, however, boaters will be able to get on and off to operate all locks within this fenced section.

“There is a small restriction in height for boats travelling

under Hazelhurst Bridge.

A 2.1m minimum height is still available, equating to a reduction of around 30cm.”

The public right of way on the access pathway towards the bridge from Leek Old Road is closed for the duration of the works. Footpath and towpath diversion signs are in place.

Hazelhurst Bridge is an accommodation bridge that provides access across the Caldon Canal for farmers, residents and liveaboard boaters. It also provides access for the Canal & River Trust for maintenance work.

The bridge was irreparably damaged in March 2020 following the draining of the canal upstream for repairs to Hazelhurst Bottom Lock.

The Canal & River Trust is rebuilding the structure, matching its former location, form, scale and character, including using many of the original stone copings.

NEWS 7

www.towpathtalk.co.uk June 2023

Taking the slow way in the fight for a fair deal Continuous cruisers are taking their Energy Support Scheme campaign to the capital. Sally Clifford finds out more…

THE slow pace of travel will not deter their intention.

Regardless of the weeks it takes the flotilla of floating home owners navigating the country’s waterways to reach the capital, they are driven by a determination for what they see as fairness.

Retired primary school teacher Anita Weedy, who last year swapped bricks and mortar for Watt Way, her specially built 57ft fully electric narrowboat, came up with the idea for a slow cruise to London to highlight the plight of

Kim Marshall and husband Dave who are joining the slow cruise to London. PHOTO: SALLY CLIFFORD

continuous cruisers, like her, who are unable to benefit from the Energy Bills Support Scheme without a fixed address.

“I sold my house last year, I have paid my taxes all my life and moved on to an electric narrowboat and saw the adverts ‘Help for all UK households’ and found I was no longer entitled because I live on a boat. I thought that isn’t fair,” explained Anita.

She said the plan was for the flotilla to be in Braunston on May 21, to commemorate 100 years since the Great Canal Strike. Anita hoped other boaters would join her for the slow cruise to London on May 22.

Anita’s ‘Call to Action’ video is on TikTok and ‘Not All Households’ is her flotilla Facebook page.

Joining Anita are constant cruisers Kim and Dave Marshall whose cruiser stern, Porthceri, became their floating home in 2022.

The retirees face the same escalating living costs as everybody else and don’t think they should miss out on the scheme because of their lifestyle choice.

They have installed solar panels on the roof of their boat to help reduce energy costs, but they say the increased cost of food and fuel has placed a greater financial burden on their living costs.

“Coal has more than doubled,

“It’s about getting noticed,” said Anita, who hopes to hand in a petition to No 10 Downing Street.

“This is our household. It may be a floating boat but it’s our home,” said Kim. “You can’t just say because you don’t live in bricks and mortar you can’t have it.

We have the same overheads with heating and energy and everything else.”

Lobby

Pamela Smith, chair of the NBTA, holding the NBTA banner at Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival, 2022.

Anita Weedy, organiser of the slow cruise to London.

PHOTO COURTESY ANITA WEEDY

and that is only for a 25kg bag, not a hundredweight bag,” said Kim.

Petition

Back in January almost 5000 people had signed a petition launched by The National Bargee Travellers Association (NBTA).

Pamela Smith, NBTA chair, said: “The Energy Support Scheme was announced almost a year ago – supposedly to mitigate the worst excesses of the cost of living and fuel crises for every single household – and

PHOTO: NBTA.

yet after months of campaigns and appeals by itinerant communities for inclusion the Government has not only failed to deliver this much-needed support to boaters, but has specifically excluded them from the payments.”

She said many boaters are still facing massive financial hardships to keep up with the rising cost of fuel. “It is deeply unfair, with our community being left out of what was supposed to be a universal scheme that many of us will pay for anyway with our taxes over the coming years.”

Anita hopes the slow cruise will help to raise the profile of their plight.

The Canal & River Trust is continuing to lobby the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), making the case that the Energy Bills Support Scheme needs to include all those living on boats – see story on page 86.

The trust is advising boaters who are struggling with the cost of living to get in touch with its welfare team. To find out more visit www.canalrivertrust.org.uk A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson said: “We know this is a difficult time for many people facing high energy bills, including those living on boats.We understand some households may not be able to provide proof of address and the Government is keen to support them.

“We are working to establish whether there is an acceptable method for these households to provide proof of eligibility while protecting public funds against potentially fraudulent activity.”

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8 NEWS

June 2023

Clay donation aids canal restoration

TOWPATH

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THE restoration of the Chesterfield Canal will shortly take a great leap forward thanks to a huge donation of clay from Suon Ltd. Chesterfield Canal Trust will be spending £5.3 million on major works with its share of the Staveley Town Deal.

The value of the clay runs well into seven figures and the total volume is 160,000 cubic metres. It is currently at Foxlow, just north of Barrow Hill.

The trust is grateful for this wonderful gesture by Suon and also to the Chatsworth Settlement which has waived its right to the royalties that it held upon the clay.

Trust development manager George Rogers said: “Purchasing and transporting suitable materials from other sources would be prohibitively expensive and

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Hedge planting along the Cromford Canal.

Right: Replacing coping stones on the bridge at Sawmills. PHOTOS: FCC The historic Staveley Puddlebank which stretches across the Doe Lea Valley. PHOTO SUPPLIED cause untold disturbance to the local population.”

Nicholas Wood, estates director for Chatsworth, said: “We are very happy to have been able to support the Chesterfield Canal Trust with this project, and we hope it will help enable future generations to enjoy the canal for many years.”

A substantial section will be rebuilding the historic Staveley Puddlebank.

This is a massive structure 800m long that stretches across the Doe Lea Valley.

It was originally constructed in 1776 out of clay dug by hand and moved in wheelbarrows

by navvies. Where it crossed the river Doe Lea the bank was 10m high. It was partially bulldozed in 1972, hence the need to remodel it.

Ivan Fomin, chairman of the Staveley Town Deal Board, said: “It’s fantastic to see project sponsors working together to achieve the overall objectives of the Town Deal. This is an important donation that will help ensure the canal can continue to be enjoyed by local people and visitors, while making use of this natural resource in the local area.”

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School pupils help to plant a canalside hedge WORK parties have been busy at the section of the Cromford Canal at Lower Hartshay, which is owned by the Friends of Cromford Canal.

A further 400 whips of hawthorn and blackthorn were planted to continue the process of creating a new hedge, 400 having been planted last year.

During the last week of April, eight children from Ambergate School went to Lower Hartshay, Derbyshire with their teachers and planted 100 whips.

Despite someone deciding to remove plastic shields from some of last year’s plantings there is now plenty of growth coming through.

The whips are sourced from the Woodland Trust.

Water vole were sighted earlier this year on the adjacent section of canal owned by the Canal & River Trust. They were once a very regular sight on this section

but a sewage spill into the canal a few years ago is thought to be the reason for their disappearance.

FCC funded a delivery of dry coir rolls to High Peak Junction in mid-April and some were used immediately between Aqueduct Cottage and Gregory’s tunnel to re-enforce an area of the towpath edge that was showing signs of erosion and possible leakage.

Further work will have to be conducted, but not until the nesting season is over. The coir rolls have been a success over the years, with the first batch delivered in 2016 for locations along the length from Lawn Bridge, Cromford, to High Peak Junction.

Following further deliveries a total of 1km has been laid and is now fully established.

At Sawmills, near Ambergate, work has been taking place on the stone bridge to replace coping

stones which have been missing for a long time from the structure. The bridge was built by the Midland Railway in the 1840s.

Master mason Robert Shacklock had sourced the correct stone, which he brought to size and finished them off to look similar to the originals still in situ.

The team first had to unload the blocks and place them in position on the bridge. From lunchtime onwards the FCC team of volunteers did the lime mortaring to finish off the job. The finished repair looks good.

This complements the work last year on the rebuild of the canal wall at Waterloo Farm, on the original line of the canal just across the road from the bridge. The wall was originally built in 1794 and was part of a bridge.

Thanks go to Lockwood’s Haulage, Ambergate, for its support for this project.

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SHROPSHIRE Union Canal volunteers have been continuing the restoration of the Montgomery Canal south of Crickheath Bridge near Oswestry.

Their effort in May was spread across a wide variety of activities and experienced variable weather conditions; the one constant being the incredible output and progress made.

Work commenced on the towpath improvements next to Crickheath Bridge which are supported by a grant from the local council. The finished specification for the towpath will be resolved when this area is completed, but this new surface provides a level, self-draining path in the meantime, by removing trip hazards from mud and tree roots.

On this occasion, a four-day work party had been organised to include bank holiday Monday featuring The Coronation Big Help

Out event. It was by no means certain the works would be finished in this time.

In the event, the towpath improvements were completed in barely more than two days. A remarkable effort and compliments resounded from passing pedestrians and cyclists.

Much time and effort was spent during this work party tidying up of the previous works compound by Crickheath Basin. Two large soil heaps were levelled.

Repairs to the wharf wall continued and received considerable focus with a good number of the society’s regular volunteers getting involved and picking up skills from the expert Dry Stone Walling Association volunteers.

With several other tidying up jobs completed on day four the opportunity was taken to reflect on the progress made.

Working on the wharf dry stone wall restoration. PHOTOS: SUCS PUBLICITY

The 250m of new towpath.

Shropshire Union Canal Society is always looking to encourage new volunteers and members.

Interested persons should visit: https:// shropshireunion.org.uk for details of dates and contacts, also for news and information.

CHARACTER 9

www.towpathtalk.co.uk June 2023

Characters of the Cut Grant often sees the barn owl.

Grant Hebblewhite – happy ever after

By Alice Griffin

WHEN Grant Hebblewhite retired from the police in August 2021 after 30 years of service, he was looking for a relaxed life closer to nature, as well as a way of living that would allow him to move around.

“I love the proximity to nature, the people, and the freedom narrowboat life gives me – the ability to go off anywhere I like, when I like. I’m not one for staying in one place for long so this lifestyle suits me!”

Grant’s boat, Ever After, is a 50ft reverse layout with cruiser stern, built in 2016. “The main selling points for me were age, layout and the potential to make it my own inside.” Initially Grant took on a mooring for a year on the River Nene. “I wanted good accessibility to get work done, as well as the opportunity to adapt to living on board, picking up advice from other boaters.”

Despite having enjoyed his time on the River Nene, Grant is leaving it behind to move on to the canal system and cruise for a while before settling on a small marina as a base. “As Pappy to five grandchildren, I need to be local to my daughter for a while to help with childcare.”

First stop will be the Grand Union Canal, which Grant grew up alongside. “It was always there when I was a kid and I used to fish on it, walk and cycle along it.” I imagine this will be very relaxing, considering Grant’s maiden voyage bringing Ever After from Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, back to Northamptonshire. “I was on my own having never driven a narrowboat and had to do 29 river locks – it was an experience to say the least!”

Wildlife photography

Grant intends to spend much of his time, though, indulging in photography. “My interest in photography came from an early age when my grandpa used to take me out with a 35mm camera around the local park in Northampton.” This inspired in Grant a love of photographing nature and he now takes his camera everywhere.

“I’ll always take it with me when I’m walking my cocker spaniel, Meg, and this is often when I see the barn owl.” There have been many wonderful moments captured, like the privilege of getting up close to a kingfisher on the bow of his boat.

“There was word of a kingfisher in the marina and as I know how nervous they are, I came up with the plan of putting a branch on the bow of the boat hoping it would see it as a fishing perch.” It didn’t take long for Grant’s plan to work. “One day I was sitting in the saloon when I heard chirping so I looked to the bow where I saw a male kingfisher.

“I set up my camera on a tripod with a black bin bag covering the bow door so the next time he came I was able to get some lovely close-up shots.

I could hardly breathe as I took the photographs as it was only about four feet away from me.”

As well as beautiful photos shared on Instagram, in the last year Grant has decided to start documenting his journey on YouTube. He shared with me why he sees this as an important

Grant Hebblewhite takes his camera everywhere. thing to do. “My mother suffers with Alzheimer’s disease and so can’t tell me much about her early life now. My vlog will hopefully remain for my family to view, a reminder of where it began – my daughter sometimes watches my videos at night while feeding her baby!”

Grant also enjoys the process of filming and editing his videos and hopes to grow his skills as he continues. “I hope others interested in narrowboats, or just off-grid living, will enjoy them.” Watchers can also get a few tips in the kitchen as the cooking section of Grant’s vlog is apparently quite popular!

“Food and cooking are another passion of mine so I do enjoy filming these videos. Although I try not to make ‘how to’ videos, they’re more like a fly on the wall view of my life.”

Having enjoyed a long career in the police, working in a lot of different departments from patrol to CID, Grant intends to now sit back and enjoy retirement. “My plans are to enjoy my boat, travel as much as possible and indulge in my latest interest of painting, both in watercolour and on my iPad digitally.”

Sounds like a happy Ever After to me!

YouTube: @narrowboateverafter Facebook: @narrowboateverafter Instagram: @narrowboat_ever_after Alice Griffin is a writer and yoga teacher with a gypsy soul. Through her Slow Into the Seasons courses filled with nature, yoga, meditation and journalling practices, she inspires people to live their most authentic life. Website: www.alicegriffin.co.uk Instagram @wanderingalicegriffin

A kingfisher close-up

. PHOTOS: GRANT HEBBLEWH

Cocker spaniel Meg.

Grant’s narrowboat Ever After.

ITE

10 NEWS

June 2023

Crew sought for new London trip boat TWO London charities, The Angel Community Canal Boat Trust, better known as Angel Boat, and the London Canal Museum (LCM), have joined together to buy and operate a 45ft narrowboat named Long Tom. The boat will run trips on the Regent’s Canal for the London Canal Museum three days a week from Battlebridge Basin and provide a second boat for the Angel Boat, based at City Road Lock, to run trips for the local community.

To support this, experienced boaters are now sought who would like to act as volunteer skippers. They will be trained for the CCBM qualification and anyone interested or who wants further information should contact the Angel Boat at info@acct.org.uk Soon after the two organisations first realised that they both had the need for a less-than-full-time trip boat, a boat came up for sale near Ormskirk, Lancashire, on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. It was

New trip boat Long Tom sets off from Battlebridge Basin.

PHOTO SUPPLIED

a purpose-designed passenger trip boat used for regular cream tea cruises.

Unfortunately the business was closing because of personal circumstances unrelated to the boat itself. There followed an epic winter journey to Liverpool docks by canal, then to Watford by road where routine work was carried out on the hull, and a final canal trip into Central London.

The 72ft Angel II of Islngton. PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON

The boat will be run and managed by the Angel Boat with its 50 years of experience running a community boat.

LCM, with the ideal starting point for public trips on Battlebridge Basin, a few minutes from King’s Cross, will run regular trips through Islington Tunnel, as well as trips to Little Venice and Victoria Park.

The Angel Boat will tailor trips to suit the needs and requirements of its community hirers and will be able to continue to offer trips when its main boat, the 72ft Angel II of Islington, is out on residential trips with youth groups.

Volunteers from both organisations carried out some minor internal repairs and installed some new equipment obtained in readiness for passenger service. Being 45ft long the boat is well suited to short-distance work, being easy to turn at many places on the Regent’s Canal.

The boat has large windows for viewing, a pantry for serving hot drinks and prepared food, and a toilet.

Supported by the LCM’s education officer, it is ideal for educational groups and young people as well as for introducing the not-so-young to the London canals.

The canal in London is now accessible to all – although once upon a time trespassers would be prosecuted and the name ‘Long Tom’ is a nickname reportedly given by badly behaved children to a canal policeman who used to chase them away. www.angelboat.org

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

Visitor moorings available at Gloucester Docks THE Canal & River Trust has confirmed that visitor moorings in Gloucester Docks are once again available following progress made with dredging to remove the build-up of silt.

As part of a £1 million ongoing dredging programme the silt was bought into the docks last year via the River Severn when water levels in the river were historically low due to the exceptionally dry summer.

Molly Richards, area operations manager for the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal, said: “We are

pleased to have reopened the visitor moorings for boats in the docks.

“With dredging ongoing until early June, and a further programme starting in September, the trust’s team is on hand to advise visiting boaters the best place to moor.”

The trust has removed more than 19,000 cubic metres of silt from the docks since November and dredging is being targeted to address key priority areas for customers to ensure a navigable channel across the dock, and for berths in Victoria Basin and the Barge Arm.

Entering Islington Tunnel. PHOTO SUPPLIED

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NEWS 11

www.towpathtalk.co.uk June 2023

New mooring bollards in Loughborough Words and photos: Les Heath

PART OF MIDDLEWICH CANAL CENTRE

The new mooring bollards in use immediately after installation.

Sites prepared for a further 14 bollards.

DELIGHTED boaters were quick to take advantage of a new set of mooring bollards along a section of the Soar Navigation in Loughborough, Leicestershire.

Ten new bollards have recently been installed and a further 14 are planned.

Until now boaters mooring along this favourite stretch close to Loughborough town centre have had to use mooring pins on the grassed bank. The new bollards complement the ongoing extensive works to improve the towpath throughout Loughborough.

Come and see us at the

CRICK BOAT SHOW on Sat 27th to Mon 29th May Trade and Preview Day Fri 26th May

Cadets enjoying the boat on the River Soar. PHOTOS: TRAVIS EATO

Cadets launch new Soar wheelyboat A NEW wheelchair accessible powerboat has been launched on the River Soar in Leicestershire by local group FS Bulwark Navy Cadet Force and the Wheelyboat Trust.

The new boat – a Coulam Wheelyboat V17 – will enable children and young cadets with any type of physical or cognitive disability to take part in water-based activities from their unit’s HQ for the very first time, offering equal opportunity for all.

Derry Hand, chairman of the trustees of FS Bulwark Navy Cadet Force, said: “We have long wanted an accessible powerboat and are thrilled that our unit can now provide equal opportunities and experiences to everyone, but especially those who may not have previously had the chance.

“Now, any disabled child or young cadet can enjoy and explore the River Soar alongside their able-bodied cadets; FS Bulwark is a very community oriented unit and there are many

Deputy Lord Lieutenant Lt Col David Young cutting the ceremonial ribbon on the new Coulam V17 Wheelyboat Lilibet.

other groups nearby which I’m sure will benefit from using our Wheelyboat too.”

Named Lilibet after the late Queen Elizabeth II, a name unanimously voted for by the cadets and their parents, the boat was launched over the Easter weekend and took her maiden voyage watched by more than100 people.

These included excited cadets, proud parents and local dignitaries gathered at headquarters on the banks of the River Soar of FS Bulwark Navy Cadet Force – a youth charity encouraging customs and traditions of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines.

Deputy Lord Lieutenant Lt Col David Young cut a ceremonial ribbon and gave a short speech before the cadets set sail in the sunshine for an afternoon on the river.

Lilibet is fully accessible and provides wheelchair users, and those with other mobility issues, the freedom to board and operate the boat independently and safely.

She also has a bow door that lowers to form a ramp, which enables roll-on, roll-off boarding from either a pontoon or jetty. The new boat also has a drive-from-wheelchair helm and is powered by a 15hp outboard motor, suited to the leisurely boating required by the cadets on the River Soar.

To join FS Bulwark Navy Cadet Force and to use the new Wheelyboat, visit the group’s Facebook page: @FSBulwark, or contact the group via bulwark@ navycadetforce.co.uk or 07913 352447.

If you would like to discuss obtaining a Wheelyboat for public or private use, or want to find out more about The Wheelyboat Trust, visit www. wheelyboats.org

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12 IWA ROUND-UP

June 2023

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

AROUND THE COUNTRY WITH IWA’S AMY TILLSON

Fund Britain’s Waterways: new action group formed REPRESENTATIVES from a range of waterways organisations recently met virtually to discuss funding for the inland waterways.

The meeting on May 5 was jointly initiated by IWA and the National Association of Boat Owners (NABO) and was chaired by IWA chairman Les Etheridge.

His opening remarks covered the funding challenges facing the Environment Agency (EA), Scottish Canals (SC) and Canal & River Trust (CRT). EA has been given half of the revenue and a third of the capital figures it considers necessary.

SC estimates that there is more than £70 million of outstanding works on the Lowland Canals plus urgent needs on

the Crinan and Caledonian Canals to keep them navigable.

CRT is still waiting for the longpromised announcement about future funding. It is already suffering from its funding not being inflation linked, with monetary cuts almost certain to be imposed in the near future.

It was agreed that the outlook is bleak and not just for these three major navigation authorities. The meeting agreed that this impacts on the general public as well as boating businesses and boaters.

There was overwhelming support to form a group called Fund Britain’s Waterways which will allow many organisations to work together to influence the political decision makers.

This will form an important part of IWA’s Protect Our Waterways campaign.

Support from the general public was agreed to be vital to the success of the campaign and the intention is to widen the group to include all those who enjoy and benefit from the inland waterways.

Suggestions are welcomed as to which organisations should be involved (email protect@waterways.org.uk). The need to move quickly was agreed and further details will be announced as soon as possible.

IWA will continue to work hard to ensure that the message of the waterways family is heard loud and clear by national and local politicians and is delighted by the level of support for this initiative.

Canal through Milton Keynes gets a spring clean VOLUNTEERS from the IWA Milton Keynes Branch organised a canal clean-up through Milton Keynes from Fenny Stratford to Wolverton over the weekend of April 21-22.

Finds included four shopping trolleys, five bicycles, an electric scooter, half a telegraph pole, a fridge, a solar panel and a 20ft length of polythene sheet. The clean-up is held every year, helping to ensure that the canal through the city stays safe and attractive for all canal users, whether on the water or on the towpath.

The IWA volunteers were joined by staff and volunteers from Canal & River Trust, Parks Trust (which cares for local parks, woodlands and lakes in Milton Keynes), Buckingham Canal Society, the Electra Community Boat team, Oracle UK and Wyvern Shipping Company which also provides sponsorships for the event.

The Canal & River Trust provided two boats: Claydon,apoweredshallowdraught workboat suitable for collecting rubbish from the non-towpath side, and an unpowered hopper to

Volunteers working on the towpath improvement. PHOTO: IWA

Towpath upgrade paves the way for celebrations IWA Northampton Branch’s Towpath Adoption Group completed 96m of towpath improvements at Wootton Brook over five days at the end of April.

Ninety volunteers spent a total of 486 hours over the five days. Of these, Cummins Power Systems contributed 195 hours, plus the funding of the project. The Canal & River Trust was also thanked for its support.

The branch celebrates its 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Northampton Arm this year, so look out for celebrations of the fantastic work that members of the branch have achieved in that time.

Trimming overhanging branches.

Workboat Louise helps with a tree. receive all the rubbish.

The hopper was manned by a crew who used grappling hooks to trawl for submerged items, and was towed by Ocean Princess, skippered by James Griffin of Wyvern Shipping.

Buckingham Canal Society brought its tug Shoveler and workboat Louise, with hydraulic grab, to assist the hopper crew with fallen trees and large items hauled from the water.

James Griffin writes: “Much of Friday was spent trimming overhanging

PHOTOS: JAMES GRIFFIN

branches and removing trees that had fallen halfway across the canal.

Buckingham Canal Society’s workboat proved very useful to lift the trees into the hopper.

“On Friday afternoon Louise burst a hydraulic hose but they quickly had it repaired. By the end of Saturday, the hopper was well full and we had to stack rubbish on the decks at both ends.”

The towpath party consisted mostly of Parks Trust volunteers, joined

by contingents from the Electra Community Boat team and from Oracle UK, who all did a superb job.

The towpath haul was light, as some canalside town and parish councils are now also holding litter picks.

The convoy was led by the tea boat, Diane and Andy Witts aboard Diandy, whose supplies of hot drinks and cakes were much appreciated by all.

Thanks for a job well done are due to all who took part in the clean-up in whatever capacity.

A weekend of boating at Ware IWA Ware Boat Festival returns from Friday, June 30 to Sunday, July 2 for a weekend of boating activity and socialising. The boat festival is an integral and important part of the wider Ware Festival running throughout July.

Join IWA Lee and Stort branch in the beautiful and historic market town of Ware on the upper reaches of the River Lee, overlooked by the unique and iconic Victorian gazebos.

You’ll find activities provided as part of the boat festival including a riverside barbecue on Friday evening; themed boat parade and boat handling competition on Saturday afternoon followed by Haslam’s hijinks quiz in the evening and on Sunday a riverside boaters’ service, coffee and cakes.

There is plenty more to see and do

as the boat festival runs alongside the wider Ware Festival activities.

The river has played a key part in the development of the town, in particular providing a means of transport for agricultural products – especially malted grains from the 140 malthouses of the 19th century – into the heart of London.

Before then, it represented a boundary between the Danelaw and Anglo Saxon lands and – further back still – provided a crossing point of the River Lea for the Roman Ermine Street.

Everyone is invited to attend the festival and will receive a warm welcome. Booking is now open, find details online at https://waterways.org. uk/support/ways-to-get-involved/ events/ware-boat-festival-2023

Get involved – work party dates PLEASE contact the branch to register an interest if you would like to attend one of these work parties. It is advisable to wear stout shoes and old clothing, and take a waterproof. You may want to take a packed lunch and refreshments.

EAST June 4 and 20 IWA Northampton Branch: Work

parties are usually held one weekday and one Sunday a month, along the Arm, 10am-2pm. The tasks usually include vegetation clearance, weeding, litter picking and painting at locks.

Contact: Geoff Wood at geoff.wood@ waterways.org.uk for details.

Tuesdays IWA Milton Keynes Branch: Regular

work party at Fenny Lock on the Grand Union Canal. 9.30am-1.30pm. Work can include vegetation clearance, gardening, litter picking and painting.

Work parties are dependent on weather being agreeable. Contact: Pat Durham on 07510 195918; email pat. durham@waterways.org.uk

WEST Tuesdays & Saturdays IWA West Country Branch (Taunton & Bridgwater): Work parties in the

Somerset area, 10am-1pm. Contact: Mike Slade at mike.slade@waterways. org.uk; 07977 263840.

A festive riverside atmosphere at Ware in 2019. PHOTO: MIKE NEWMAN

13

www.towpathtalk.co.uk June 2023

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14 FREIGHT

June 2023

The Humber Estuary offers a well-dredged and maintained channel with the minimum of infrastructure.

Due to a lack of dredging, this inaugural trip up the Aire & Calder Navigation required 90 tons to be offloaded.

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Knostrop Depot Wharf.

Waterways freight pentagram Jonathan Mosse’s monthly look at freight developments on the inland waterways.

BOILED down to the bare essentials, wharfage, ‘track’ maintenance, crew/ training and the cost of carbon are the key pillars supporting freight on the inland waterways. Apart from boats, that is!

This, then, forms a ‘pentagram of needs’ which I intend to examine in greater detail over the coming months placing wharfage, as always, in pole position.

Which, in the first instance, leads one to question why more local authorities are not as enlightened as Leeds City Council which has a detailed, written policy protecting canal wharfs and rail sidings. So, when AC Marine Aggregates recently came up with a proposal to develop permanent wharfage to serve its business in Leeds it was met with the council’s full backing as the following response clearly illustrates:

Does Leeds City Council support AC Marine’s proposals?

Yes, it is an objective of the Local Plan to promote the sustainable movement of freight and make better use of the water transportation network that we are fortunate to have in Leeds.

Each year over a million tonnes of aggregates comes into Leeds, much of it on lorries to be used to make concrete for the construction industry, so it’s much better for Leeds if this can be moved by barge, rather than HGV. The council has made a climate emergency declaration to work towards becoming a carbon neutral city by 2030. As transport is one of the greatest emitters of carbon, we need initiatives like the one put forward by AC Marine Aggregates to help us achieve our carbon neutral commitment.

As well as all the other benefits that it brings, such as reduced road congestion, fewer road accidents and less air pollution, marine sand and gravel reduce the need for land-won aggregate that comes from quarries, often in the national parks and other rural areas and which then has to be

moved by HGV. The marine aggregate can be moved from the Humber Ports by barge into Leeds, which is much better for the environment.

There are only a few places left where it is possible to offload materials brought in by barge and in the centre of Leeds there is lots of pressure for new housing and office developments.

So, we aim to safeguard the few sites that we have left so they are not lost to other uses and to retain the opportunity for the loading/unloading of freight from the canal.

What does the council make of CRT efforts to expand wharfage space?

The Canal & River Trust has given us its support to safeguard the wharf at Knostrop Depot for freight purposes and we have shared aspirations for increasing the movement of freight on the canal.

We are pleased that there is interest in using the wharf space for its intended purpose and it’s great that Leeds has the infrastructure to give us the option to move freight in a more sustainable way.

We know that in the past couple

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Waterways freight: a pentagram of needs. of years the Canal & River Trust has worked hard to remove the barriers to use of the canal for freight, such as carrying out dredging and other works.

The proposal by AC Marine Aggregates will increase income to the trust and will bring significant benefits for Leeds and for the environment.

Can Leeds City Council exert any pressure on CRT?

The council is currently reviewing the planning policies which apply to the safeguarded wharves in Leeds in our latest Local Plan Update (Leeds Local Plan 2040).

We will be talking to the Canal &

River Trust as part of that process and we hope that it will continue to share our vision for a low carbon economy.

We are relying on other businesses and agencies to help deliver that vision and carry out the appropriate action on the ground to make it a reality.

The council will look to work collaboratively with the trust and due to the ‘use class order system’ in national policy, businesses often don’t need planning permission to locate on an industrial site if the use falls within the same category as was previously taking place.

Jonathan’s conclusion

However, when all is said and done, the actual monetary cost of shifting a ton of goods by water is, invariably, little different from moving those same goods along the public highway.

So, realistically, until an accepted method of accounting for the environmental cost – in other words, the cost of carbon – is recognised and factored in, I see little hope for significant modal shift in the foreseeable future… Leeds City Council apart!

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16 EVENTS ROUND-UP

June 2023

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Norbury Canal Festival – bigger than ever Report and photos: Phil PIckin

A MIX of sunshine and showers greeted visitors and stallholders at this year’s Norbury Canal Festival.

The annual event took place over the early May bank holiday weekend on the towpath at Norbury Junction on the Shropshire Union Canal. Despite the weather being somewhat unpredictable, a good number of visitors took the opportunity to visit more then 30 stalls and around 36 boat traders.

Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t kind, with rain falling almost throughout the second day of the three-day event.

As a result, the field being used as a car park had to be closed, and with little alternative parking available in the area, the rural roads soon became clogged with traffic on Bank Holiday Monday.

The number of traders was up on previous years, making the festival the largest ever, according to the Shrewsbury & Newport Canal Trust (SNCT), organisers of the event, which is used to raise funds for the restoration of the canals between Norbury and Shrewsbury.

Visitors found plenty of items on offer from the stallholders, including a wide range of gifts, clothing, food, drink and jewellery. A number of charity stalls also attended, aiming to make the most of the popular event.

A wide range of activities and attractions were on offer, including alpaca

trekking, a bouncy castle and trips on the canal. The Norbury Wharf Cafe proved to be popular, as did the many food vendors selling a wide range of snacks to visitors.

Live music also entertained festival-goers throughout the three-day event.

Workboats Bainton & Berkhampstead attracted attention from visitors on what could be their last Norbury Festival for some time, as both boats will hopefully end up in the basin at Wappenshall Wharf in 2024. It is hoped that by then, the basin will be in water and restoration of these historic boats can begin.

Events like the Norbury Canal Festival provide an ideal opportunity for the general public to find out more about the waterways and how they can both enjoy and protect them. So it was good to see the local IWA branch and SNCT were on hand to help answer questions from the general public.

So, despite the sometimes less than favourable weather, the Norbury Canal Festival proved to be as popular and colourful as ever. At least on this occasion, it wasn’t just the boating community that got muddy on the towpath, thereby ensuring all visitors gained the complete waterways experience!

When asked how the weekend went, SNCT chairman Bernie Jones said: “The weather could have been kinder for our festival. But the great British spirit shone through, and the vast majority of visitors really enjoyed it.”

Norbury’s trip boat, the Shropshire Star, makes its way past the traders and moored boats.

The event provided an opportunity to catch up with old friends.

Norbury proved popular to those visiting or just passing through.

Boat traders seemed to be doing good business over the weekend.

Big 40 for the Baldwin Trust

More traders could be found moored on the other side of the bridge close to the wharf.

Some of the boats attracted the attention of a camera crew.

THE Baldwin Trust’s 40th anniversary season began on April 1 with smiles and balloons to mark the occasion.

It has been operating fully accessible narrowboat cruises along the Leicestershire waterways since 1983, when the trust was started by Bert Halsey and his wife as a way of providing respite to the patients of the Baldwin Ward at Leicester Frith Hospital.

The trust currently operates two narrowboats: Dandelion, from Barrow Boating, and Halseyon Days from Leicester Marina. Both boats are wheelchair accessible and can accommodate up to 12 people.

Many local community groups have benefited from trips along the canals and rivers, with one user recently commenting: “It was so tranquil travelling at a slow pace, enjoying each other’s company and the river wildlife.”

All cruises are crewed by fully trained volunteers; stops along the route can be arranged, and you are welcome to take your own picnic and refreshments to enjoy.

If you would like to share this experience with family and friends, you can see availability and book online at www.baldwintrust.co.uk or email web@baldwintrust.co.uk The trust is always seeking new volunteers to train as crew and skippers, and to assist with the running of the charity. If you would like to learn a new skill, meet new people and spend time on the water, then it would love to hear from you.

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of The Baldwin Trust on board Halseyon Days. PHOTO: BALDWIN TRUST

17 FEATURE

June 2023

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Putting the waterways on the curriculum Their prominence in history is well documented and now canals are playing an integral part in the curriculum, as Sally Clifford finds out.

STRETCHES of water which at one time contributed to Britain’s industrial economy are becoming an invaluable part of the curriculum.

Much importance is placed on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), which broaden skill sets applicable to many workplaces and professions, and thanks to the charity, the Canal & River Trust, canals are helping to contribute to the delivery of these subjects.

The trust’s responsibility for almost 2000 miles of canals and rivers across England and Wales makes it a natural STEM partner in education.

Annette Simpson, learning and skills manager with the Canal & River Trust, explained the charity began delivering its STEM programme in secondary schools eight years ago.

It started through a partnership the trust had working with students on Rolls-Royce’s graduate programme.

Since then, the roll-out of both the STEM programme for secondary schools and the Explorers programme the trust provides through practical sessions and online resources for primary schools has led to increasing demand, with more than 100,000 children and young people benefiting from the programmes this year alone.

Real life examples

Annette said research has found it’s just as important for young children to be exposed to potential future career choices as secondary school scholars.

Pupils learn about the Tees Barrage as part of the STEM workshop programme.

“We have real life examples happening all the time, stoppages and environment works where children can see real life examples of things that inspire them to think about what they could do,” she explained.

Understanding biological habitats, calculating the physics of water management and learning about modern ecology challenges are just some of the ways the trust can demonstrate to children and young people how STEM applies to the real world through its programmes.

Focusing on ecology and wildlife conservation, the recent framework workshop delivered at schools in the West Midlands was developed as part of the trust’s Waterways, Wildlife and Wellbeing project and funded by the Green Recovery Challenge Fund.

More than 500 schools, serving children from a diverse range of backgrounds and within close proximity of the West Midlands’ network of canals, participated in the 18-month programme.

As well as learning about the trust’s work and volunteering opportunities, pupils participated in a Q&A with a senior ecologist. They also took part in practical based activities such as water safety sessions, water sampling and tackling pollution.

Due to the close links with geography, maths and science the workshops tailored perfectly within curriculum teaching time. A recent evaluation of the programme found the workshops proved particularly beneficial in engaging and raising the aspirations of more challenging students.

Annette explained some pupils thrive in an informal environment, learning hands-on skills outdoors.

“Being outdoors can spark an interest and improves their behaviour and attainment,” she said.

“And if they can see the end result of their learning they aren’t just learning for its own sake. If they want to be an ecologist or a waterway operative they can see the purpose, they can engage more and work harder.”

The workshops also exposed students to potential careers involving issues they were already passionate about such as climate change and protecting wildlife, and equipped them with transferable employability skills – communication, problem solving and team work are among the many skills they can gain.

Learning about the important part canals played in the development of the West Midlands enabled pupils to be

better connected to local heritage and the environment.

The impact the workshops had on pupils was also acknowledged by teaching staff. One teacher said: “So much of what the team at Canal & River Trust does reflects what I teach my biology A-Level students about biodiversity. Understanding what goes on locally to support habitats and wildlife will add relevance and help me bring these lessons to life.”

The workshops have also inspired schools to explore the canals as places providing further learning opportunities beyond the classroom for field trips and local studies.

Testimony to their success, demand for the trust’s STEM programmes are increasing, but the delivery is dictated

by the reliance on funding.

“We know demand is there and we can deliver lots more and we know it is beneficial to children and young people,” said Annette.

The trust’s aim is to reach as many young people as possible to continue the charity’s important work and also to address the potential shortage of engineers in future, as she explained: “STEM is such a broad church. We know there are shortages, we know it’s hard recruiting people so it is essential for us as an organisation to encourage young people to think about STEM. “It’s great for social mobility, encourages resilience, it benefits us as a nation and the young people.”

For more information visit canalrivertrust.org.uk

The Diglis Basin provides an educational visit as part of the STEM workshop programme. PHOTOS: CANAL & RIVER TRUST

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18 HERITAGE

June 2023

Historic boats on the move

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Python promoting Chesterfield Canal Trust at the Braunston Historic Boat Rally. PHOTO: SARAH SPENCER

Crowdfunder appeal launched for Chesterfield workboat THE Chesterfield Canal Trust recently launched a GoFundMe page aimed at raising £2000 for maintenance of its historic workboat Python.

Built in 1929, it is one of only four remaining ‘josher’ narrowboats and is painted in British Waterways livery.

Since the trust received the boat in 2009, volunteers have fully restored Python which is now used to promote its work. It was featured on a recent episode of Robbie Cumming’s Canal Boat Diaries TV series.

This year the boat is due to be docked for hull maintenance so additional funds are required. At the time of writing the appeal had already passed its goal with 90 donations totalling £2150.

Birthday boost for Clyde steamer Report & photos: Hugh Dougherty

Royalty Class narrowboat Victoria, built 1931 and FMC narrowboat Stafford, built 1895, prepare to descend Stoke Bruerne Top Lock No14 on April 29. PHOTO: GRAHAM NUTTALL

Heritage under the hammer Geoff Courtney reviews the latest canalia scene with reports on three auctions that saw all manner of memorabilia including a canal company locomotive nameplate find new owners.

TOP of the tree was a brass nameplate Jeanie that sold for £1700 at a GW Railwayana live online auction on March 11. It was from Manchester Ship Canal No. 34, an 0-6-0T built by Hudswell Clarke & Co of Leeds in 1904, 10 years after the 36-mile canal opened.

A cabside brass numberplate from another Manchester Ship Canal 0-6-0T built by Hudswell Clarke, No. 51 New Zealand, went for £190. This locomotive, which was built three years after No. 34 and worked on the canal railway throughout its 59 years in service, was withdrawn in 1966, when diesels replaced steam on the line. Railway memorabilia such as name, cabside number, and worksplates that have a connection with canal companies have an enthusiastic following within the transport collections sector.

A third item of interest to inland waterways enthusiasts at the same auction was a BR Western Region ‘Rosson-Wye the gateway of the Wye’ poster that sold for £500. The artist, Frank Sherwin (1896-1986), depicted leisure craft and fishermen on the river with the town in the background dominated by the 14th century parish church of St

The worksplate from a tug that sank in 1942, the year it was built, that fetched £100 at auction.

PHOTO: GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAYANA

The nameplate from Manchester Ship Canal steam locomotive No. 34 that sold at auction for £1700.

PHOTO: GW RAILWAYANA

A St Helens Canal sign warning vessel captains to ensure drawbridges were closed that sold for £400. PHOTO: TALISMAN RAILWAYANA

built by Lobnitz & Co of Renfrew in 1926. Lobnitz originated from Coulburn Lobnitz & Co established in 1874, and one of its ships, SS Shieldhall, survives as a volunteer-run pleasure cruiser on Mary’s, which has a 205ft high the Solent. This 1753spire and is one of the largest ton vessel is the largest churches in the Diocese of working steamship in the UK and is part of the Hereford.

National Historic Fleet.

Two items of canalia that featured in Talisman Finally, a shipbuilder’s brass worksplate, one of Railwayana’s March 18 500 lots in a live online auction were a London & auction held by Great North Western Railway St Central Railwayana on Helens (Sankey) Canal cast March 4, went to a new iron sign that sold for £400 and a marine lamp that went home for £100. It was under the hammer for £150. from a tug that sank in The sign was at least 100 the Bristol Channel in years old, and warned vessel 1942, the year it was built captains of a 40 shillings (£2) by marine and general penalty if a drawbridge was engineering company left open, while any person Amos & Smith of Hull who wilfully did so would be that was established in fined £5. A similar sign is on 1874, coincidentally the display at St Helens World of same year as the original Glass Museum.

This marine lamp Lobnitz company that The copper and brass from dredger Telford built Telford. Prices marine lamp, stamped LNER went under the quoted at all three DED (Docks Engineers’ Dept), hammer for £150 at auctions exclude was from Telford, a dredger auction on March 18. buyer’s premium of on the River Humber at Hull PHOTO: TALISMAN RAILWAYANA 15% (+ VAT).

A PRIVATE donor has given the Friends of TS Queen Mary a £1 million boost as the Clyde steamer celebrates its 90th birthday throughout 2023.

The cash will allow the charity, which saved the former Williamson Buchanan, London Midland & Scottish Railway, British Railways and CalMac-owned ship from scrapping and took her home to Glasgow in 2016, to push ahead with plans for full restoration to sailing order.

Friends chairman, Ian Sim, said: “We are delighted to receive such a boost to our finances by a donor who wishes to remain anonymous.

“The donor’s generosity will allow us to lift all the existing timber decks and replace them with steel, something which we have to do to conform to modern requirements to allow us to sail. Work will also be done on the wheelhouse, captain’s cabin and funnels. It’s our aim to return this much-loved steamer to sailing order and the Queen Mary will operate as a cruise ship, delighting day trippers, and also as a floating college, teaching marine and heritage skills around the country. This boost brings the realisation of our plans very much closer.”

The announcement on April 16 came just weeks after Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, patron of the ship’s restoration charity, was principal speaker at a private reception in Glasgow for members of the Friends of TS Queen Mary

A delighted Ian Sim announces the £1m donation with TS Queen Mary in the background. and supporters, marking the 90th anniversary of the launch of the ship’s hull at Denny Brothers of Dumbarton in 1933.

She praised the Friends for their vision in saving the Clyde steamer from certain scrapping and said that she was sure that the ship, which has a long and distinguished career, would sail again, serving the nostalgia, tourist and educational markets equally.

And demonstrating co-operation between TS Queen Mary and PS Waverley, the Friends of TS Queen Mary have chartered their ship’s sister Clyde steamer for a 90th anniversary cruise from Glasgow Science Centre to Gourock and return on Friday, June 23, leaving at 7.15pm and returning to Glasgow at 10.30pm.

Tickets are £38 for adults and £19 for children including a special anniversary print exclusive to the cruise and are available from www. waverleyexcursions.co.uk/book

TS Queen Mary at her Glasgow Science Centre berth. The steamer charity’s plans to have the ship sail again have been boosted enormously by a £1m anonymous private donation.

FAMILY HISTORY 19

www.towpathtalk.co.uk June 2023

Exploring your canal ancestry: boat builders Nicola Lisle continues her family history series with advice on tracing boat builders in your family.

SO FAR this series has looked mostly at the people who worked and lived on the waterways. But what about the people who built and repaired their boats?

Boat building firms were often familyrun businesses, passed down through the generations, so tracking down one ancestor associated with the business will often lead to information about other family members.

If you are lucky enough to have an ancestor associated with any of the wellknown boat building firms it should be fairly easy to find out more about them.

A quick online search for WJ Yarwood & Sons, for example, reveals that founder William James Yarwood was born in 1851, was an apprentice at an iron foundry and later a blacksmith before founding his own company in Northwich in 1896.

The company built boats for the Manchester Ship Canal Company and the Grand Union Canal Company, among others. During the Second World War, under the management of Yarwood’s sons, more than 100 vessels were made for the Air Ministry. A Yarwood’s motor boat, Sculptor, built in 1935, is now moored outside the Canal Museum at Stoke Bruerne.

Other famous boat building companies include Nurser Brothers of Braunston, founded by William Nurser (1837-1899) in 1876, and Tooley’s of Banbury, founded in around 1901 by George Tooley (18691940). Both specialised in building wooden narrowboats. Tooley’s boatyard,

Tooley’s Boatyard in Banbury. which dates from 1778 and formerly belonged to the Oxford Canal Company, is now the oldest continuously working boatyard in the UK. Many of your ancestors, though, will undoubtedly have worked for one or more of the many lesser-known companies, and there are numerous ways to track them down.

National Archives Discovery catalogue (https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov. uk) is a good resource. Enter the name of the company or individual to see if

Finding records

Census returns and birth, marriage and death certificates (discussed earlier in this series) give details of occupations, so you can discover or confirm whether any of your ancestors were involved in the boat building/repair business and where they were based. Note that they won’t necessarily be described as a boat builder; they might appear as boat maker, boat manufacturer, mechanical engineer, carpenter or blacksmith, among others.

If you know the name of the company your ancestor owned or worked for, the

The forge at Tooley’s Boatyard.

PHOTOS NICOLA LISLE

there are records available and whether they are held at the National Archives or elsewhere.

A search for ‘AH Watly, boat builder’, for example, reveals that a record of boats built is held in the Caird Library and Archive at the National Maritime Museum. There are more than 900 boat building companies or associations listed, of which around one-third are held at the National Archives.

Local record offices may hold information relating to boat builders in their area. Company records are particularly useful as they will have staff details such as full name, address, date of birth, dates of service and possibly sickness records, disciplinary matters and so on.

Employees may also be mentioned in company minutes and financial records.

Look also for toll records, boat registers and inspections and apprenticeship records, all of which might include

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details of boat building companies and their employees. You might also find boat builders listed in street and trade directories, along with their addresses and other details, while newspapers, family papers and oral histories are also worth exploring.

The Waterways Archives at Ellesmere Port (https://collections. canalrivertrust.org.uk/home) also includes records of boat builders. A search for Nurser Brothers, for example, shows that the archive holds more than 30 photographs and a collection of certificates of registration.

National Historic Ships (www. nationalhistoricships.org.uk) is an excellent resource for finding out more about your ancestors’ boats.

Search for a boat name, and if it still exists you will get the name of the builder and the date built along with other details such as vessel type and function, current use and location, dimensions, a brief history, previous names and more.

You can also search by boat type and location, which is useful if you’re not sure of the boat name. For example, a search for canal boats in Derbyshire revealed three results: Seal (Alfred Hickman, Bilston, 1873, currently on the Erewash Canal); Beech (Fellows, Morton & Clayton, Uxbridge, 1935, currently at Langley Mill); and Ramillies (Harris Brothers, Netherton, 1960, currently at Long Eaton).

Finally, The Eureka Partnership (https ://eurekapartnership.com) has transcribed and published boat inspections and registrations for Berkshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire, as well as the Oxford Canal Miscellany, all of which might yield details of boat builders.

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20 WHAT’S ON

June 2023

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

Festival fun for all the family Lots to do at Leicester THE Chesterfield Canal Trust will hold its festival at Staveley Town Basin S43 3XZ on Saturday and Sunday, June 24 and 25, from 10am-5pm.

There will be free parking nearby with parking for disabled visitors on site. There are also several bus routes that pass withing 200 metres of the site, the whole of which is accessible to wheelchairs.

All four of the trust’s tripboats will be in action; two of them have wheelchair lifts. Pleasley Vale Canoe & Activity Club will be running canoeing sessions and children will be able to have a go on a mini-digger.

Free entertainment will include music, dance and street theatre all day, both in the big marquee and outside by the lock.

The trust’s development manager George Rogers will be holding Q&A sessions in the marquee about the plans for the restoration of the canal.

In addition, there will be birds of prey, children’s rides, water walking balls, bumper boats, spinning Bumper Carz, Newfoundland rescue dogs, wildlife groups, face painting, craft stalls, charity stalls, lots of food stalls and a real ale bar.

There will be separate concerts on the Friday and Saturday nights, starting at 7.30pm. Friday will see the return of

the ever-popular Swing Commanders, while Saturday will feature Chesterfield’s own WonderWhys.

Tickets for both concerts are available from the Chesterfield Canal Trust website at www.chesterfield-canaltrust.org.uk On Monday, June 26, there will be a flotilla of all four tripboats from Staveley Basin right up the canal to Tapton and back, with stops at Hollingwood Hub and Tapton Lock, covering 10 miles and 12 locks.

And on Tuesday, June 27, there will be a What, Where and When Restoration Walk to show how the canal’s route looks at present before the major restoration works start next year.

The trust is very grateful to Markham Vale and Derbyshire County Council for giving permission to use the site.

Admission will be £6, free for under 16s. Email festival@chesterfield-canaltrust.org.uk or ring 01246 477569 for further information or if you would like to have a stall or take a boat.

Riverside Festival

LEICESTER Riverside Festival returns to the city over the first weekend in June.

Spread over Bede Park, Western Boulevard and Castle Gardens, it features fun on and off the water.

Enjoy live bands and music, a fun fair, food stalls, street market, arts and crafts, beer tent and more.

The River Soar and Mile Straight will host colourful narrowboats, boat rides, canoes and demonstrations.

It’s free to take a boat, or £25 to trade. To

register your interest please email festivals@ leicester.gov.uk Make a note in your diary for June 3-4. It's sure to be a fun-packed weekend not to be missed!

For further information go to visitleicester. info and follow the event on social media: t w i t t e r. c o m / l e i c e s t e r f e s t facebook.com/leicesterfestivals instagram.com/leicesterfest/

Paddle sports are always a popular attraction.

Colourful hammocks for festival visitors. PHOTOS SUPPLIED C Spinning Bumper Carz fun for the younger visitors.

Visitors enjoying the sunshine at Staveley Town Basin.

Learn to drive a mini-digger. PHOTOS

SUPPLIED

All star lineup at the Cropredy Convention FAIRPORT’s Cropredy Convention three-day open-air music festival recently announced the complete lineup of acts booked for this summer’s event.

It takes place alongside the South Oxford Canal at Cropredy from Thursday to Saturday, August 10-12.

The festival will feature its usual eclectic mix of acts – everything from acoustic folk to rock and prog and all things in between.

The Cropredy team is delighted to announce that the fabulous Nile Rodgers & CHIC will headline

on Thursday, August 10. The Cropredy audience can expect an unforgettable show from this multi-award winning songwriter, composer, producer and guitarist.

Other highlights include 10cc headlining on the Friday, Toyah and Robert Fripp, Kiki Dee and Carmelo Luggeri, Gilbert O’Sullivan, the UK farewell performance by Strawbs and a three-hour headline set from host band Fairport Convention.

Full ticket and booking information is on the Fairport Convention website: www. fairportconvention.com/faqs