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Issue 177, July 2020

JOURNEY’S END AFTER EPIC CRUISE

P5 SHARE YOUR WATERWAYS MEMORIES

P14 NEW SERIES: THE DUCKLING DIARY

P18

BOAT SURVEYOR PLANS BIKE TREK

P62

BOATS FOR SALE Starts on

P19

Narrowboats between Locks 77 and 76 on the Wigan flight. The Canal & River Trust created a ‘window of opportunity’ from June 12-14 during a closure of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal between Wigan and the Bingley Five Rise to conserve water. It is expected to reopen during July.

Window of opportunity

PHOTO: COLIN WAREING / COLIN AND CAROLE’S CREATIONS

Stay safe on the bank when the heat is on WITH swimming pools closed due to coronavirus and summer weather ahead, the Canal & River Trust is urging young people not to take a risk by swimming in canals, rivers, reservoirs and other open waters.

The warm summer months are the most popular times for people to visit Britain’s canals and rivers but CRT is urging anyone thinking of going into the water not to, as they can get into difficulties after

jumping into the water to cool down.

Canal and river water will be very cold, even in the summer, which can take your breath away and paralyse your muscles, making it difficult to swim, and it will often hide dangerous obstacles or currents.

Chief operating officer Julie Sharman explained: “Spending time by the water is a lovely way to spend a summer’s day but it’s really important that people, especially children and teenagers, are

aware of the dangers of going into the water. Taking a dip may be tempting but the consequences can be devastating.

“Inland waterways can look really inviting but you can’t tell what is below the surface. The water is often murky, and you won’t be able to see the depth or any obstacles in the water. We’re asking people to find another way to cool off this summer – have an ice cream, cool drink or stay in the shade, but please don’t get

in the water, it’s just not worth it.”

Other ways to cool down include lounging in the shade of waterside trees and chilling out on the bank to enjoy the peacefulness of being beside the water.

The Canal & River Trust Explorers water safety programme, which focuses on children in Key Stage 2 of the National Curriculum, aims to help young people learn about and enjoy their local canal or river safely. See also page 2.

Stafford video

Mars mission

Skipton towpath

A VIDEO about The Lost Stafford Riverway Link has been produced by Phil Carr as one of his Run the Cut series. It can be seen on the YouTube channel – visit youtube.com and search Stafford Riverway Link. Phil started his series with the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal and came across the Stafford Riverway Link by chance. But because people can see there is activity at the Baswich site, it encourages them to stop, look, ask and find out more. In Phil’s case he has done just that and applied to join the SRL.

A SPACE rocket will carry the name of the Shrewsbury & Newport Canals Trust when it blasts off on a 35.8-million-mile mission to Mars next month. The trust’s name is one of more than 10 million etched on chips attached to a plate on spacecraft Perseverance.

Trust chairman Bernie Jones said: “While our name is heading to Mars we are on a mission of our own.”

This is to complete the journey of two working boats, Bainton and Berkhamsted – which were given to the trust earlier this year – to Norbury Junction for restoration.

WORK to improve the canal towpath in Skipton from Gawflat Swing Bridge, near Aireville Park, to Niffany Swing Bridge has been completed. This stretch, which runs parallel to Broughton Road, has now reopened to the public, providing a wider, traffic-free route to local schools, the railway station and the town centre through the Skipton Canal Waterfront scheme recently delivered

by Craven District Council. The work is part of a £2 million project to improve the canal towpath surface from Gargrave to Kildwick and improve accessibility along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in the district.

2 NEWS

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WELCOME IT’S hard to believe that by the time you read this, we will have been in lockdown for more than three months.

I finished off the April edition before starting to work from home in mid-March, since when I have worked on three more issues from the ‘isolation’ of our spare bedroom.

As I write, everyone is pinning their hopes on Saturday, July 4 being an ‘independence day’ with a difference – opening the gates to waterway holidays and canalside pubs and restaurants.

We are still seeing the postponement of events planned up to the end of August but there may still be an opportunity for some to take place during the autumn, meaning that a whole season would not be lost.

One of the plus sides of the lockdown for many has been the glorious spring weather enabling people to make the most of being outdoors but this has also caused its own problems. Who would have thought after storms Ciara and Dennis and the flooding they brought in some parts of the country that we would now be facing water shortages?

It’s heartening to see that support is coming from the National Lottery and the Canal & River Trust for the charitable trusts and societies which play such an important part in canal restoration and the communities which they serve.

For everyone trying to keep businesses going it has been very difficult and I would like to thank our readers for their support and especially to those who contacted us to say how much they had enjoyed reading these issues.

The Towpath Talk sales team would also like to join me in saying a very big thank you to our advertisers for their continued support in these troubled times.

Keep smiling

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TALK

Janet

Editor Janet Richardson jrichardson@mortons.co.uk Publisher Tim Hartley Group advertising manager Sue Keily Advertising sales team leader Tania Shaw – tshaw@mortons.co.uk Advertising sales representative Chris Heaton – cheaton@mortons.co.uk Editorial design Chris Abrams Production editor Pauline Hawkins Publishing director Dan Savage Commercial director Nigel Hole Contact us Customer services 01507 529529 Telephone lines are open: Monday-Friday 8.30am-5pm. help@classicmagazines.co.uk www.classicmagazines.co.uk News & editorial Tel: 01507 529466. Fax: 01507 529495 editorial@towpathtalk.co.uk Advertising Tel: 01507 524004. Fax: 01507 529499 Published by Mortons Media Group Ltd, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs, LN9 6JR Tel: 01507 523456. Fax: 01507 529301 Printed by Mortons Print Ltd. Tel. 01507 523456 Next Issue – July 23, 2020

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Post-lockdown maintenance tips from RCR

As lockdown restrictions ease and people start to cruise the waterways again, River Canal Rescue’s managing director, Stephanie Horton, has some post-lockdown maintenance tips for owners with boats left sitting idle.

Batteries

If they’re not in a good condition, your engine won’t start. Look out for corrosion of the terminals and check the voltage. If below 12.5v, and the engine will start, the battery may need a recharge, so run your engine for a few hours. If the voltage doesn’t increase, change the battery. Batteries lower than 10v can potentially be recharged at home (although they may not recover).

Starter systems must have the right batteries. A cranking battery delivers a high output quickly while a leisure battery delivers a lower continuous output. Systems’ charging times vary, however a 70amp alternator charging four x 110amp batteries from flat will take around three to five hours.

Each battery cell can affect the whole battery bank, so to prevent deterioration, regularly check and top up the cells’ water levels with de-ionised water. To check levels, remove the caps (where applicable) and use a mirror to look into the hole. If one cell’s water level drops below 50% it will bring the bank’s capacity down to the same level, irrespective of the other batteries’ condition. Never mix batteries and always replace a whole bank of old with new.

For a good connection, ensure the battery terminals are tight and greased (Vaseline does the trick). It only needs one loose terminal to cause a problem (usually the main earthing cable connected to the engine bed). Look out for any green or white deposits and clear using emery paper.

Overcharged batteries can bulge, gas or explode. If they smell like rotten eggs, they’re likely to be gassing, so before accessing, turn off any chargers and your engine, and wait a couple of hours (a spark can cause an explosion).

If the batteries have exploded, sprinkle bicarbonate of soda over the affected area to neutralise the acid, remove all batteries and replace with new.

Electrical

Electrical issues are usually due to poor connections and broken wires. Check for corrosion, wires coming away,

loose connections or disconnected wires before starting a journey and use a water-resistant spray, such as DW40 or petroleum jelly to stop damp getting into isolators and block connectors.

If it’s an intermittent issue, check the isolator switch, turning from one position to another. If the problem continues, ask an engineer to investigate as tracing faults can be very difficult. With a wiring ‘meltdown’ – due to overcharging or faults developing – call an expert to investigate the cause.

Fuel issues

Fuel problems typically occur when a vessel is left idle and are mainly caused by diesel bug (a black soot/jellylooking enzyme that lives off water) and contaminated water. Once in the system, diesel bug clogs the engine’s fuel lines, filters, injectors and pumps and stops the engine working. Mild cases respond to a fluid ‘Marine 16’; it prevents bacterial growth and kills anything forming in the tank. More severe cases require a diesel bug shock treatment.

If you have a pre-filter, drain off any water to prevent it being drawn into the fuel system. If you don’t have a filter, drop a clear pipe into the fuel tank, place your thumb over the end (to capture the fluid) and withdraw the hose. This will tell you how much water is in the bottom of the fuel tank (and if you have diesel bug).

If there’s one to two inches of water, drain off via the tank drain (if applicable). Remove the bolt and drain down until fuel comes out.

Alternatively, use an oil extraction pump and, with the pipe pushed to the bottom of the tank, draw out fluid until diesel comes through. Diesel sits on top of water and will only appear once the water’s been removed.

Stephanie Horton, MD of River Canal Rescue. PHOTO SUPPLIED accumulate, water can get into the bell housing and corrode the drive plates and other engine parts.

Bilges containing only water can be pumped out with a clear conscience, but if they’re contaminated, pump out using a bilge filter, like Bilgeaway (www.bilgeaway.co.uk) or leave it to a marina. Bilgeaway is a cartridge filter that removes contaminants (petrol, diesel, engine oil etc.) from the bilge area, using a non-toxic solution to render its contents non-reactive.

An automatic bilge pump is a must; it safeguards against water build-up and gives peace of mind when away from the vessel. Similarly, cleaning the

deck gunnels is top priority; this allows rainwater to run off easily, reducing the risk of water ingress.

Fan belts

Always carry a spare, and before setting off, check its condition. Twist the belt and look for cracks or fraying; this will tell you if a new belt is needed.

Squealing from an old belt suggests a replacement is needed or it may need tightening. If it’s a new belt, some adjustment may be required.

Guidance on how to change a fan belt can be found online, on RCR’s website or in the book Narrow Boat Engine Maintenance and Repair.

Water in the bilges

If the bilges are full of oil and water when the engine’s running, it will be thrown over the engine, hitting electrical components. If left for a while, rust and corrosion can develop and affect their operation, so check and clean the bilges frequently. If left to

Stay safe on the bank when the heat is on • continued from page 1.

Dozens of volunteers nationwide normally help the trust each year by visiting schools and speaking to youth groups about water safety and their local canal or river but this summer, those sessions have been impacted by the coronavirus lockdown.

To help with water safety education at home, the Explorers

team has compiled a range of free activities, resources and games which can be found at www. canalrivertrust.org.uk/explorers/ learning-from-home/water-safety To find out more about staying safe near canals and rivers, go to: https://canalrivertrust. org.uk/enjoy-the-water ways/ s a f e t y - o n - o u r- w at e r w ay s / summer-water-safety

Essential maintenance tool

Focusing on diesel engines and their arrangements, Narrow Boat Engine Maintenance and Repair explains the theory behind the boat’s main systems, including propulsion, cooling and electrics, and gives instructions on how to identify key components, locate faults and, where possible, how to fix them. Retailing at £18 (discounted for RCR members), the book’s available from www.rivercanalrescue.co.uk and bookshops.

NEWS 3

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Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust receives Heritage Fund support

A restored section of the Stroudwater Navigation. PHOTO: SDC

£8.9m lottery bid for key canal restoration

A BID for £8.9million to complete the restoration of the Stroudwater canal has been submitted to the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF).

The funding will allow the remaining four miles of unrestored canal to be completed and will link the canal to the national canal network at Saul, bringing enormous health and well-being, environmental and financial benefits to the district.

A decision is expected to be made in the autumn.

In April 2018 the NLHF awarded £842,000 development funding to make sure everything was in place before the remaining funds were applied for to see the project through to completion.

And in May 2019 the project was given a further boost thanks to a £4 million Highways England grant to Cotswold Canals Trust to restore the ‘missing mile’ of canal which was lost to road builders 50 years ago.

Dave Marshall, Stroud District Council’s canal manager, said: “The canal project has been embraced by the thousands of people in the district who use it on a regular basis. People from all walks of life, ages and abilities enjoy the benefits of a restored canal corridor, and winning the bid will ensure it can be enjoyed by many more. Much of the restoration work relies on volunteers, to whom we owe a huge debt of thanks as well as everyone who buys a National Lottery ticket, which funds these grants.”

Stroud District Council leader Doina Cornell said: “The regeneration of the canal is one of the largest such projects in the country and has already brought major benefits to the district.

“We really want to see the final phase succeed and Stroud and Stonehouse become canal towns once again, with a living waterway running through the heart of the district all the way to Sharpness and the Severn.

“The canal project fits in well with our priorities as a council to promote health and well-being and invest in the

environment and local economy – all of which are especially important in the wake of Covid-19.”

Cotswold Canals Connected is co-led

by Stroud District Council and the Cotswold Canals Trust with key partners Gloucestershire County Council, the Canal & River Trust and the Stroud Valleys Canal Company. Other partners include Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, Inland Waterways Association and the Stroudwater Navigation Archive charity.

Stroud District Council has committed £3 million to the project so far, with further contributions from Gloucestershire County Council, Cotswold Canals Trust and the Canal & River Trust. The total cash cost of the project, allowing for inflation and other contingencies, but excluding the value of volunteering, is £16.3 million.

The canal’s history dates back to 1730 when an Act of Parliament granted proprietors of the Stroudwater Navigation the power to build it. It opened in 1779 and joined with the Thames and Severn Canal 10 years later, which established a largely inland waterway link between Bristol and London.

It was abandoned in 1954 but the founding of the Stroudwater Canal Society in 1972 led to the formation of the Cotswold Canals Trust. The Stroudwater Navigation links with the Thames and Severn Canal at Wallbridge and so far the stretch of that canal between Wallbridge and Thrupp has been restored.

Under the leadership of Stroud District Council since 2009, the project has seen restoration of five miles of canal, nine locks and six miles of towpath so far.

A fully restored canal will attract huge tourism benefits, create 21 hectares of biodiverse habitat and canal towpath, conserve and digitise archive material charting the canal’s history and attract more than £75 million worth of new private investment within five years of the end of the project.

So far, the district council-led restoration between Stonehouse and Thrupp has transformed the canal corridor, attracting £139 million of private investment – with studies suggesting that boaters and visitors to a restored canal would spend more than £5 million a year in the Stroud district.

DUDLEY Canal and Tunnel Trust has received £34,000 of funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to help maintain its charitable objectives during this challenging period.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown began, the trust has been unable to offer its popular guided canal boat trips into the unique underground caverns and tunnels beneath the heart of Dudley.

Traci Dix-Williams, chief executive at Dudley Canal Trust, said: “Thanks to the National Lottery and its players we can now plan and get into a position where we can get back to offering our trips and activities. We’re grateful that the National Lottery Heritage Fund is supporting us at this crucial time – it’s a lifeline to us and others who are passionate about sustaining heritage for the benefit of all.”

The funding, made possible

by National Lottery players, was awarded through the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Heritage Emergency Fund – £50million has been made available to provide emergency funding for those most in need across the heritage sector.

The UK-wide fund will address both immediate emergency actions and help organisations to start thinking about recovery.

Ros Kerslake, chief executive of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Heritage has an essential role to play in making communities better places to live, supporting economic regeneration and benefiting our personal well-being.

All of these things are going to be even more important as we emerge from this current crisis.

“Thanks to money raised by

PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON

The National Lottery Heritage Fund is currently open to applications for its Heritage Emergency Fund. To find out more visit: https:// www.heritagefund.org.uk/ responding-coronaviruscovid-19 To find out more about the National Lottery Good Causes, visit: www.lotterygoodcauses. org.uk/coronavirus-pandemicresponse

The Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust has been unable to offer its popular guided trips during the lockdown. PHOTO: DCTT

In brief

Boat burglar remanded

A MAN admitted burglary following a raid in May on trip boat Elleswake belonging to Kittywake Canal Cruises of Wigan Pier. Electrical goods, alcohol and other items were stolen. Sean Chaplin, 38, of Scholes, was remanded in custody by magistrates and was due to appear before a Bolton judge on June 15 for sentencing.

Boston bridge work

The funding will allow the remaining four miles of unrestored canal to be completed and will link the canal to the national canal network at Saul.

National Lottery players we are pleased to be able to lend our support to organisations such as Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust during this uncertain time.”

Like the trust, other charities and organisations across the UK that have been affected by the unprecedented impact of the coronavirus outbreak are being given access to a comprehensive package of support of up to £600 million of repurposed money from the National Lottery.

This money is supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our communities and projects span the arts, community, charity, heritage, education, environment and sports sectors.

Thanks to National Lottery players, £30 million is raised every week for good causes, including heritage of local and national importance. By playing the National Lottery, people up and down the country are making an amazing contribution to the nationwideresponse to combating the impact of Covid-19 on local communities across the UK.

REPAINTING work has started on the metal structure of the Boston Town Bridge over the River Haven and is expected to be complete on September 1. This will restrict navigation to craft passing below the bridge and boaters needing to pass should check the suitability of their vessels before starting their voyage.

Plans can be viewed at Local Notice 038/20 at victoriagroup.co.uk

Artwork attack

A GROUP of vandals were seen kicking a popular piece of canalside artwork at Ellesmere in Shropshire in broad daylight, leaving a heavy piece of metal in a dangerous condition.

The zinc etching, called Bridge 58, was created by local artist Jason Hicklin to depict a view along the Llangollen Canal from The Wharf outside the town’s Tesco store.

It was installed eight years ago as part of the Ellesmere Sculpture Trail which runs around the town and the Mere.

The damaged artwork has been removed to see if it can be repaired.

Police are appealing for information about the incident, which happened at around 5pm on Saturday, June 6.

4 NEWS

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Waterways Parliamentary group urges support for businesses hit by lockdown

By Helen Gazeley

AN URGENT meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group for the Waterways was recently convened via Zoom to discuss the problems facing businesses under the coronavirus lockdown.

IWA national chairman Paul Rodgers gave an impassioned opening address outlining the key issues and providing a timeline of activity since March 23 when a joint letter was sent by the IWA, British Marine, Broads Authority and the Canal & River Trust to Defra Secretary of State George Eustice MP asking for support for the sector, which faces a potential loss of 20,000 jobs.

He stressed the disappointing response to that letter from Rebecca Pow, Under-Secretary of State for Defra, which seemed to indicate a lack of understanding of the particular circumstances of the waterways, where 90% of businesses rely on the summer months of April to September for income and to build up reserves.

Since then, the three organisations have repeated their call for a support package of £20 million to cover all

commercial boat licences and mooring fees for a year from April 1. They have also provided in-depth analysis of the huge challenges faced by waterway businesses and cautiously greeted the Bounce Back Loans Scheme and Small Business Grants Fund and Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund, while stressing the burden on businesses of taking on additional debt when they face three off-seasons in a row.

“My assessment of the government response so far can best be summarised by my view that waterway businesses should be seen as a patient with critical, life-changing injuries that should be in ICU but is still in triage six weeks after the case was presented to those that could help,” said Paul Rodgers.

He went on soberly: “My view is that this patient is effectively being left to die.

This is not unacceptable after the sector lobbied for help at an early stage and provided detailed data and information to Defra.”

CRT chief executive Richard Parry and John Packman, CEO of Broads Authority, also spoke, with Richard pointing out that the evident government intent to aid

The Tiverton Canal Company has reluctantly decided to stay closed for the remainder of the 2020 season following consultations with Devon County Council, owner of the Grand Western Canal, accountants and the coach industry on whose custom the business relies. TCC owners Philip and Jacquie Brind said the attraction has been hit particularly hard by the pandemic but they have been touched by the positive comments of support, offers of help and concerns about the company and its heavy horses. PHOTOS: JANET RICHARDSON the waterways is lacking a mechanism to deliver. “There needs to be dedicated, sector-specific support. Most businesses do not currently qualify for government schemes and support and their futures

The three boats have come through the first lock on the link at Mann Island and through the tunnel under the Museum of Liverpool to reach the section of canal across the Pier Head.

Leaving under lockdown on the Liverpool Link

By Colin Wareing

THREE boats were recently given permission by the Canal & River Trust to come out of Liverpool Salthouse Dock via the Liverpool Link.

The boats and their crews had been moored in Albert Dock complex over the winter. The link normally reopens in the spring but this had been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

As lockdown is gradually relaxed,

boat movement has restarted – however, some parts of the system that require CRT staff to be in attendance are only usable by prior arrangement.

This was the case as the first boats left Salthouse Dock. Unfortunately one of the two narrowboats developed a fuel problem which delayed the passage along the link and up the Stanley locks, but it proved not to be too serious and all three boats made it on to the main line of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.

The widebeam arrives in Prince’s Dock lock as she heads towards the Stanley locks. PHOTOS: COLIN WAREING/ COLIN AND CAROLE’S CREATIONS

are in doubt.”

John Packman added his voice to the call for £20 million support for the sector, with a specific fund of £3.6 million for the Broads businesses. Without it, he said, there would be terrible consequences for a sector providing 7000 jobs and worth £600 million to the economies of Suffolk and Norfolk.

Brian Clark, head of public affairs, policy and research at British Marine, stressed that additional fiscal packages were vital as social distancing rules will have an impact on the sector.

A number of MPs attended and immediately after the meeting Michael Fabricant, MP for Lichfield and APPG chairman, with the support of MPs Heather Wheeler, Jerome Mayhew, Simon Baynes and Lord German who were all at the meeting, wrote to the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak.

In the letter it was stressed that the meeting had heard directly from waterways businesses affected by the lockdown and that the information supplied by the IWA, Broads Authority, British Marine and CRT to Defra should leave no doubt of the desperate need for assistance.

The letter concluded: “The meeting acknowledged that the Government has responded at pace and with considerable financial resources to support business due to the Covid-19

pandemic. We appreciate that it is not possible for the Government to have considered every eventuality in such a short period of time.

“It is however clear to APPG for the Waterways that this sector is not getting the attention and support it most desperately needs and from its commendable actions to date, we believe the UK and Wales government will no doubt want to support waterways businesses. Therefore we support the dedicated fund of £20 million to waterways businesses and ask for this matter to be given the utmost urgency.”

No reply has yet been received but is not expected for between four to six weeks from sending the letter, in accordance with the usual working response time.

In the address that opened the meeting, Paul Rodgers had made the grim assessment that the window of opportunity to offer support was closing.

“My assessment of the current situation suggests that what we now face is at least as significant as what we were tackling in the late 1940s in terms of the change of use and the decline of the waterways.

“I urge the Government to intervene at the earliest possible opportunity to save this vital sector of the British economy and what could be a core element of the British stay-at-home leisure and holiday sectors in the coming years.”

The inland waterways could be a core element of the British stay-athome leisure and holidays sectors.

NEWS 5

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In brief

Virtual flagships

NATIONAL Historic Ships UK has awarded one national winner and four regional ‘virtual flagships’ for 2020 as many historic vessels have had to cancel or postpone events and programmes due to Covid19. Overall winner is HMS Belfast and the four regional flagships are Medway Queen (South East); Zebu (North West); SS Explorer (Scotland East) and Spartan (Scotland West).

They have been selected for their tenacity in continuing to raise their profile throughout the outbreak by online activities, social media, developing learning resources, offering virtual tours and other creative means.

Wordsearch winners

The Last Crusade under way on the Trent & Mersey river section at Alrewas.

New home at last after epic cruise

By Les Heath

A 57ft narrowboat with both bow and stern thrusters has completed an epic journey from the Kennet & Avon Canal to the River Soar, which has taken eight months.

The Last Crusade was bought from Devizes Marina in September by Mick and Val Gray, who simply had to take it to their new mooring at Sileby on the Soar Navigation.

However, it was not that simple. The Kennet & Avon Canal did not pose a problem but by the time they reached Osney Lock on the Thames, near Oxford, the river rose rapidly and remained in

flood for nearly five months.

As soon as the river level fell earlier this year the Covid-19 lockdown prevented further movement and it was May before the couple managed to make any progress.

Mick, who has travelled extensively on share boats, decided the time was right to have his own boat and The Last Crusade fitted the bill.

“I have never before known a narrowboat with both bow thrusters and stern thrusters,” said Mick, who is delighted with the simple thruster controls.

“Using the thrusters was really convenient when sharing a lock,” said

Mick. “They kept the boat up against the side of the lock chamber when another boat was coming in.”

He said the thrusters were also useful for mooring, especially in a space around the same length as the boat.

A 43hp Vetus engine powers the boat, which Mick says handles perfectly. A square stern also facilitated reversing.

“She’s finally back on her new mooring after a journey that started in September last year,” said Mick, who received special permission from the Canal & River Trust to move the boat during the lockdown restrictions. Once this was received it took two weeks to travel from the Thames to Sileby.

Trapped in tunnel

The thruster controls on top of the pedestal. PHOTOS: LES HEATH

New Wigan waterfront homes take shape

By Colin Wareing

Regeneration work on the warehouses. In the foreground is the modern representation of the coal staithe that was there when the barges loaded with coal were brought from local mines by railway trucks. PHOTOS: COLIN WAREING/COLIN AND CAROLE’S CREATIONS

WORK is well under way on the latest scheme to regenerate the area alongside the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in the Wigan ‘Pier Quarter’.

New modular town houses are being built at the Seven Stars end of the site and there will be eight of them when they are all in place.

This area used to be occupied by a canalside garden and a sanitary station for boaters. There was also a display area telling some of the history of the canal and included a retired ‘Bantam’ tug boat, launched in April 1953.

It has now been moved to a storage yard with its future uncertain.

The old warehouse building is

being refurbished; the canopy that protected boats being loaded and unloaded has been removed and holes made in the wash walls to build a new section of over-thewater decking.

These former warehouses had previously been part of the Way We Were museum about Victorian life that closed in 2007.

The canalside buildings are on the opposite bank to the coal loading point, immortalised by George Orwell’s graphic 1937 description of the plight of the working class in his book The Road to Wigan Pier.

Work was due to be completed by March 2020 but was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.

THREE lucky readers scooped prizes in our recent wordsearch competition. Phil from West Sussex won the first prize of a GPS Tracker courtesy of Back2you; Karma from Oxfordshire won a Laser Suction Syringe courtesy of Laser Tools and a Narrowboat Engine Manual courtesy of River Canal Rescue; in third place was Graham from Buckinghamshire, who won a 45-minute boat trip for two adults and up to three children courtesy of Dudley Canal & Tunnel Trust and A Canal Boys Story courtesy of Sidaway Publications.

THREE kayakers had to be rescued when they got stuck in the Harecastle Tunnel on the Trent & Mersey Canal near Kidsgrove. West Midlands Ambulance Service were called just after midnight on June 4 to the men. Firefighters were already in the water on a boat to rescue the men, who were all safely recovered. None were believed to have been submerged in the water and were discharged at the scene.

Anniversary plan

NEXT year’s anniversary of the Droitwich Barge Canal could be combined with St Richard’s Festival as one big event during the early May bank holiday weekend according to WorcesterBirmingham & Droitwich Canal Society discussions. There could also be a joint event with the Lapal Canal Trust sometime in 2021.

New modular homes being built opposite Wigan Pier.

6 NEWS

Charities offered share of CRT grants THE Canal & River Trust’s grant fund for small waterway-based charities is now open for applications.

Awards of up to £1000 will be made to small charities that are using canals and rivers across England and Wales to make people’s lives better.

Charities with an annual income of up to £250,000 are eligible to apply for a grant and funding can be used to cover core costs or to contribute to a specific project.

Hundreds of donations were made to the appeal, which aims to support small community-based charities affected by Covid-19.

Thanking those who have contributed, Sue Wilkinson, Canal & River Trust trustee and chairman of the panel distributing the funds, said: “These are tough times for a lot of people and it’s heartening to see the support shown for the many small waterways charities across England and Wales. The threat to their survival at this time is very real and we’re delighted that, with your help, we are able to make a difference.

“To those who give their time to waterways charities, thank you. You make our canals and rivers much richer. If you are struggling, help is at hand – do take the time to apply for funding, it is there to support you.”

To donate, visit https:// justgiving.com/campaign/ waterwaycharitiesappeal The trust is match-funding public donations up to £50,000. Details of how charities can apply for funding from the Waterway Charities Appeal are available here: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/ donate/waterway-charities-appeal/ waterway-charities-appeal-grantapplications

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CBOA welcomes minister’s interest in using canals for transport Below: GPS Anglia delivering 700ft of aggregate to Pier Wharf, Wandsworth.

PHOTO: GPS MARINE

THE Commercial Boat Operators Association (CBOA) has welcomed remarks by Rebecca Pow MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary at the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, about ‘starting to get freight back on to the waterways’.

“With the move to net zero and to cleaner air, this is actually a huge asset, and we are starting to realise that canals can have a rebirth as transport links,” she said during a recent Adjournment Debate about canals and their restoration.

The CBOAhas long pointed out the environmental benefits of using water freight – and in reducing

road congestion. The Tyndall Centre for Climate Change (Manchester University) reported that CO2 from barges can be 25% of that produced by lorries. Other emissions – such as nitrous oxide – are less.

Even if lorry engines improve and were to be wholly electric based, there would still be dangerous particulates from brake pads and tyre wear and road surface wear. None of these arise from using barges.

Congestion on roads would not be reduced by electric lorries – using barges would.

David Lowe, CBOA’s chairman, said: “I am very pleased that a Defra minister is now realising that water

freight can enable cleaner air and that the inland waterways are a huge asset in making this happen. We call on the minister to work with navigation authorities in improving relevant waterways to enable waterborne tonnages to increase.

“It is noteworthy that last month global figures from the Carbon Disclosure Project showed a 24% increase in

business demanding that their suppliers publish environmental data about how their goods were transported.”

Barges have been/are being used on the Thames in London to remove spoil from the Elizabeth Line; the Northern Line extension and the Thames Tideway Tunnel. They were also used to bring in concrete tunnel segments.

A summary of those works shows a reduction of 7200 tonnes of carbon production compared to normal lorry movements; 158,000 lorry movements replaced by 3900 barge movements (all accident free); improved kerbside air quality; reduced congestion; barges arriving on time (whereas lorries get stuck in traffic), resulting in more efficient working on site.

An authority on inland water transport THE death occurred recently of Dr David Hilling, vicepresident of the Commercial Boat Operators Association (CBOA), at the age of 85.

An authority on inland water transport, he was appointed an MBE in the 2004 New Year’s Honours list for services to the inland waterways.

David had been chairman of IWA’s Inland Shipping Group for some years, promoting the benefits of transport by water.

He was also widely respected

in the academic world and was considered a world authority on ports and inland shipping, publishing many books and papers.

David died peacefully at home and is survived by his wife, Wendy and his two sons, Hugh and Christopher.

Dr David Hilling was a regular at the Braunston Historic Boat Rally where he manned the CBOA stand.

PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON

A vital cog in canal restoration TRIBUTE has been paid to canal stalwart John Sully, who died in May at the age of 81.

David Sumner, Keith Gibson and Keith Noble of Huddersfield Canal Society described him as a vital cog in the machinery to restore the Huddersfield Narrow and Rochdale Canals.

They wrote: “In the 1970s John was an elected member of West Yorkshire Metropolitan County Council (WYMCC). By 1981 he had become chairman of the Recreation and Arts Committee, and in this role managed to persuade opposition members of the value of canals.

“It wasn’t long before he championed the cause for full restoration after reading Huddersfield Canal Society’s report on restoring the Marsden to Slaithwaite section using the Job Creation Programme.”

Not long after, John cycled along both derelict canals and it was on one of his trips that then chairman of Huddersfield Canal Society, David Sumner, met him at Marsden with the society’s publicity officer.

John’s enthusiasm was infectious. He had a lot of contacts in the media and he was frequently interviewed on Yorkshire TV.

In the spring of 1986 he was present at the reopening of the Marsden flight with Coun George Speight from Kirklees Council.

John also became a regular contributor to Waterways World.

In the same year WYMCC was abolished, along with Greater Manchester Council, but a dowry promoted by John enabled the reopening of the canal under Wakefield Road, Huddersfield.

As a county councillor John attended Huddersfield Canal Society’s Council meetings by invitation as an observer. He

John Sully and his wife Cynthia on board Leicester, a Shire Cruisers boat which they hired for a cruise along the Huddersfield Narrow Canal in 2001.

PHOTO: SULLY FAMILY ARCHIVE

wasn’t known for his reticence so after a short while, following contributions as an enthusiastic observer, he was voted on to the Council of Management as society treasurer. He helped to husband resources through the significant early stages of restoration so that by completion to through navigation the society still had a healthy bank balance. This was a factor in establishing the charity’s place in the Joint Committee of all five (later three) councils plus British Waterways Board and the healthy balance also underpinned many bids for funding.

John also attended meetings of the Northern Canals Association and the Calder Navigation Society.

He continued campaigning, losing no opportunity to inform and be supportive of the Huddersfield Canal Society.

With his late wife Cynthia he cruised the canal network extensively but not before he appropriately hired a boat to be the first to navigate the eastern side of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal upon its opening in 2001, a cruise which included passing under the Wakefield Road bridge which he had promoted. Cynthia died in 2016 and John is survived by his two daughters.

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Volunteers prepare to uncover Melksham’s ‘lost’ canal

HARD-WORKING volunteers have taken the first steps towards uncovering a former waterway on the edge of Melksham, Wiltshire.

The Wilts & Berks Canal Trust has started to clear a stretch of the line in countryside off Lower Woodrow, on the northern edge of the town.

Once the lockdown ends, local volunteers will then start removing dead trees and clearing their way along the towpath while ensuring there’s no disturbance to local wildlife.

Melksham, Chippenham and Calne branch chairman Dave Maloney said: “Once that work has been completed, we can start clearing the undergrowth to reveal the towpath – you can still see much of the original line and it’s even possible to walk along several sections.”

In 2018 the charity purchased six acres of land which, combined with landowner permission to access adjoining fields, allows volunteers to work on more than a kilometre of the former waterway.

Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, work parties removed several abandoned outbuildings which were once used by local farmers.

“The former outbuildings were unused and in a very poor state of repair when we acquired the site, so the safest option was to take them down and recycle the materials,” Dave explained.

“Longer-term, with further funding, we want to dredge this stretch of the canal and refill it with water – despite the length of time which has passed, several of the culverts are in a surprisingly good condition.

The nearby Forest Lock in Melksham, circa 1900. No trace remains today. PHOTO COURTESY WBCT

Dave Maloney alongside the remains of the Wilts & Berks Canal on the edge of Melksham.

PHOTO: JUSTIN GUY

“The trust has already restored a similar section between Reybridge and Pewsham, providing a new wildlife corridor and a popular attraction for walkers, runners and cyclists, so it would be fantastic if we could create something similar on the edge of Melksham.”

He added: “Ultimately, if we can attract support from other local landowners, the various stretches would then be joined together to create a fully navigable waterway for the benefit of the whole community.”

The aim of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust is to restore the waterway from the Kennet & Avon Canal near Melksham to the Thames & Severn Canal near Cricklade and the River Thames near Abingdon, connecting Chippenham, Calne, Royal Wootton Bassett and Swindon.

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Inspecting the underside of the railway bridge from a pontoon in the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. PHOTO: COLIN WAREING, COLIN AND CAROLE’S CREATIONS

More than just water under the bridge

CONTRACTORS for Network Rail recently carried out an inspection of the bridge that carries the railway over the Leeds & Liverpool Canal at Burscough in West Lancashire, writes Colin Wareing.

The bridge was made by Joseph Butler and Co at the Stanningley Iron Works near Leeds in 1848 ready for the railway opening in 1849. The company closed in the 1930s.

This part of the canal was opened in 1774. The railway it carries today is a

single track rural branch line, running from Preston to Ormskirk, though at one time it was part of a mainline route from Liverpool to Scotland.

The bridge is inspected every year and can’t be a pleasant job with the amount of pigeons that nest on the girders under the deck.

The Canal & River Trust advised boaters that there may be delays to their journey while the pontoon the inspection team used was moved out of the way.

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Volunteers honoured for canal efforts

THE Swansea Canal Society, a group of volunteers based around the Swansea Canal in the Lower Swansea Valley, has been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Formed in 1981, it became a registered charity in 2004 and modified the charitable status in 2016 to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation.

Volunteers care for a linear water park that everyone can be proud of and the society is dedicated to improving that amenity for everyone’s benefit.

It is run by volunteers that come from all walks of life and encourages those with special needs, including the clients of Whitethorns Intensive Day Service, Morriston.

In recent years the society has welcomed working parties from

the Waterway Recovery Group that have been particularly active in supporting efforts to restore Trebanos and Ynysmeudwy Locks. It also hosts volunteer work parties from commercial organisations.

Although on-site work is suspended currently due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the society is very ‘hands on’. Members pride themselves on physical hard work every Tuesday when they undertake various restoration tasks. These include restoring the canal bank in several sites between Clydach and Trebanos by laying down concrete-filled bags and topping these with either flat stone or earth.

Another, never-ending activity is litter picking. The society operates a vibrant programme of canoe and kayak hire for the

benefit of the entire community that, sadly, is also not able to open at the moment. In addition to the physical activity, much work goes on in the background including seeking grant funding to support its work.

Volunteers remove overhanging branches as part of their care for the canal. PHOTOS: SCS

Trail volunteers among groups honoured THAMES Path and Ridgeway National Trails volunteers, hosted by Oxfordshire County Council, are among groups to receive the Queen’s Award.

They help to maintain, enhance and promote the two trails. The Thames Path starts at the source of the Thames, near Kemble, Gloucestershire and follows the river 184 miles to the Thames Barrier Greenwich. The Ridgeway runs for 87 miles from Overton Hill near Avebury to Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire.

In normal times weekly volunteer work parties install signs, repair gates,

cut grass and clear scrub, to name but a few tasks.

Everyone has a passion to help keep the trails open for the local communities as well as for national and international tourists.

Chairman of the Thames Path National Trail’s Partnership and volunteer, West Oxfordshire district councillor Stephen Good, said: “I’m delighted that our group’s work has been recognised.

“It pays tribute to all the hard work and commitment from our volunteers.”

Dr Richard Mayon-White, a National Trails Volunteer, added: “We’re out in all weathers looking after the Thames Path and Ridgeway because we love the countryside and enjoy making these National Trails easier for everyone to enjoy them.

“Many of us are in our retirement years, but that doesn’t stop us from taking on tasks such as online mapping and social media, making and putting in fingerposts and installing gates.”

Representatives of the National Trails will receive the award from Tim Stevenson OBE, Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire later this summer.

Two volunteers will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May next year, along with other Queen’s Award recipients.

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Swansea Canal Society volunteers come from all walks of life.

None of the activities of the society would be possible without close collaboration with Glandwr Cymru – the Canal & River Trust in Wales – that owns the canal. The trust gives permission to work on the canal,

helps to design and supervise projects, provides much of the materials used in restoration and offers continuing expert advice and support.

Gordon Walker, chairman of the Swansea Canal Society, said: “I am delighted that our group’s work to bring the Swansea Canal back to life for the community through its heritage, wildlife and navigation has been recognised.

I’d like to pay tribute to the hard work and commitment of the society’s volunteers, our friends from Whitethorns and everyone else who contributes so much time and effort to the canal.”

He added that none of this would be possible without the support of Glandwr Cymru. Its chief executive Richard Parry commented: “The Swansea Canal Society is a fantastic group

of volunteers whose love for, and commitment to the canal and its role in the local community shines through in everything they do.

“They also make it tremendous fun – and by giving their time and energy they are making a vital difference to the health and wellbeing of everyone who uses the canal today. Their enthusiastic work to restore it for greater use is inspiring.”

Representatives of Swansea Canal Society will receive the award from Mrs Louise Fleet, HM Lord-Lieutenant of West Glamorgan, later this summer, as soon as the pandemic permits.

Two volunteers will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May 2021, along with other recipients of this year’s award.

Tunnel trust’s volunteers earn Queen’s Award One of the Dudley Canal Trust’s trip boats enters the tunnels.

DUDLEY Canal and Tunnel Trust volunteers are another group to have been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

They support an internationally important heritage site, ensuring the Dudley Canal Tunnel and limestone mines remain at the heart of the community.

In normal times activities are wide ranging, with learning volunteers supporting school visits by teaching children about rocks and fossils or Black Country industrial heritage; befriending volunteers who run the Chit Chat conversation club in the Gongoozler cafe every Tuesday morning, engaging with those in the community who may be feeling isolated; to garden and towpath volunteers ensuring visitors have a great time on the boat trips and the site and surrounding waterways are kept clean and tidy.

Volunteer co-ordinator, Rebecca Cooper-Sayer, said: “I am so proud of our team of volunteers. They all work so hard in their different roles and I am thrilled that this hard work and dedication has been recognised in such a prestigious way.”

The trust is one of 230 organisations

this year to be honoured with the highest award for voluntary groups.

Nominations for the 2021 awards close on September 25, 2020.

Representatives will receive the award from John Crabtree OBE, Lord Lieutenant of West Midlands later this

summer. Furthermore two volunteers from Dudley Canal & Tunnel Trust will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May 2021, along with other recipients of this year’s award.

Trust CEO Traci Dix-Williams said: “Volunteers have been the backbone of the organisation for almost 60 years.

Their hard work and dedication has helped ensure that the Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust, a heritage site of international importance, is preserved and remains at the heart of the local community.” www.dudleycanaltrust.org.uk

Volunteers on board a boat outside the trust’s headquarters at The Portal building. PHOTOS: DCTT

NEWS 9

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Wheelyboat Services wins Queen’s Award

Overwater wheelyboat Maughan Lass on the Shropshire Union Canal.

OVERWATER Marina’s Wheelyboat Services team has been awarded The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

It was the brainchild of Audlem residents Rodney Cottrell and Michael Harthern who, along with a team of volunteers, set about raising £30,000 for a custom-built wheelyboat designed to carry disabled passengers.

By securing the support of the Wheelyboat Trust, as well as many other sponsors such as Comic Relief, Cheshire Community Action, Ableworld and individual contributors within the local village, the Maughan Lass was launched in 2015.

Based at Overwater Marina, owned by the Maughan family, the 17ft boat is specially designed for people with mobility issues, allowing roll on/roll off access for wheelchairs.

This has meant that local disabled children and adults have been able to enjoy trips around the marina and along the Shropshire Union Canal, enjoying the wildlife and countryside of Cheshire.

Since its launch, the wheelyboat has carried some 1500 people.

In early 2017, the team identified a need for a means to transport people from their homes and care

homes to the boat and the Overwater Wheelybus Project was born. Rodney and the team set about the task of raising more than £35,000 to purchase a minibus suitable for carrying wheelchairs and less able passengers.

The bus also now works with local community groups transporting disabled passengers to hospital and other appointments.

A not-for-profit voluntary service, both the boat and bus depend completely on volunteers.

Wheelyboat Services president and Overwater Marina owner Dr Janet Maughan said: “I am delighted and immensely proud to announce that the group is to receive the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

“The people who have made this happen are beyond special – as volunteers they have no measured value, not because it is difficult to measure their worth but because they are priceless.”

The Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire, David Briggs, said: “I hope to be able to present this well-deserved award to all the volunteers in the near future and I thank each of them for all that they do.”

Characters of the Cut

Alice Griffin finds out why vinyl is still number one on board narrowboat Tansy, home of The Record Deck.

FOR 20 years Luke Guilford has been living on the water, and since 2014 he has been melding his two passions – boating and music.

Aboard 2007 60ft cruiser stern narrowboat Tansy with tug deck, he conducts his own musical tour – continuously cruising the canals, sharing vinyl with customers along the way.

“I first saw other trading boats at the Cropredy Festival on the Oxford Canal and that’s when I started thinking about what I could trade myself,” Luke told me.

“Records were the obvious answer as I was an avid collector and knew I would never get bored discovering new music.”

The Record Deck began life on Luke’s previous 40ft narrowboat, which initially traded along the River Lea in London, with the intention of travelling to markets and festivals in the summer.

These yearly ‘tours’ listed on Luke’s website give a glimpse into the true life of a roving trader and 2020 was going to be even bigger. “I did have plans for a huge tour of markets and festivals, but with most of these cancelled or postponed this year, I’ll probably concentrate on trying the tour again in 2021,” he said.

I think it’s a way of life engrained in all boaters; that sense of setting your own schedule. “I never got on with the 9-to-5-type lifestyle so I love the freedom and a big thing is also getting to spend so much of the year outdoors and travelling. I love the life, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of heading off on a long cruise, never knowing exactly what it’ll be like: the wildlife, towns and countryside to be discovered, the people you’ll meet... and of course, the records I might come across, too!”

Luke discovered music when at 13 he started collecting records. “I’ve been

Customers browsing Luke’s vinyl collection in the days before social distancing. PHOTOS SUPPLIED

Unlike me though, Luke is not quite so sentimental. “I’ve sold much of my old collection in the shop because obviously space is limited on a narrowboat and anyway, I like the idea of discovering new music and then sharing it about the waterways.”

Despite online selling being a great help, particularly during these times, Luke prefers the physical shop experience and in particular, attending roving trader events. “I enjoy the markets and festivals as it’s way more fun to be part of a group of boats and activities, rather than solo trading.”

The seasonal aspect of canal trading can be a challenge, but between events, online selling and his wealth of fans up and down the towpath, Luke seems to do just fine. “I do have regulars who visit in each town, even if that’s only once a year. I’ve also spent many winters in London, so the boat is very well known there.”

Luke also has a passion for promoting live music, particularly from bands with a new record to promote: “‘On-stores’ I call them and I’ve had various folks playing on the front deck; it works really well.”

With a wide variety of music genres to browse – from 50p singles to collectable rare albums – and even a 12v record-player listening booth on the roof, I think Luke is certainly succeeding in sharing his passion for music along the length and breadth of the inland waterways. Let’s just all cross fingers there will still be a chance to catch some festivals and more live performances this year!

Instagram: @therecorddeckuk Facebook: therecorddeckuk

The Record Deck owner Luke Guilford.

One of Luke’s ‘on stores’.

Overwater wheelybus with volunteers Carol Keeley and Wendy Humphrey. PHOTOS SUPPLIED

a huge music fan and collector since then and I’ve always loved the treasure hunt aspect.”

It appears that lots of others do too because far from vinyl dying out, it’s still very much alive, as Luke highlights while explaining his varied customer base: “They range from young folk who are new to the format and enjoy discovering, to people who never stopped collecting, or those who had a collection years ago – which has been lost or sold along the way – and are enjoying rebuying some old favourites.”

Luke for one certainly thinks vinyl is here to stay. “For me it feels the best format for sound and the visual and tactile aspects are the same reason lots of people prefer real books to Kindle.”

As someone myself who has struggled in recent months due to not having my ‘real’ books with me because of the unexpected lockdown in an unplanned location, I can completely relate to this and, as I too am the owner of a 25-yearold record collection that I have moved from storage unit to storage unit as I wander – never parting with it because it just feels too precious – I completely understand this viewpoint!

Alice Griffin is a freelance writer, intermittent boat dweller and long-time wanderer… currently planning her next adventure. www.alicegriffin.co.uk Instagram: alice_is_in_wanderland

10 NEWS

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Repairs completed to Lancaster Canal WORK on a £1.5 million project to repair the Lune Embankment on the Lancaster Canal has taken six months to complete.

Canal & River Trust project manager Graham Ramsden said: “This has been quite a big job as we faced a number of issues including storms Dennis and Ciara earlier in the year, which flooded the working area, and more recently Covid-19 restrictions.

“The towpath along the aqueduct and canal are popular walks and we’re pleased that we can reopen the towpath and canal to the local community, but we are asking people to please still obey government guidance on social distancing, keeping away from other people and moored boats.”

A 240m section of the canal, close to Lansil Industrial Estate, had a history of minor leakage over a number of years. Having been drained of water, the stretch has been relined with a man-made liner which is a modern take on the

clay that would have been used to help keep the canal watertight 200 years ago when the canal and adjacent Lune Aqueduct were first built.

Other works included 50 metres of new piling to replace a corroded section and fenders to protect the new canal lining from accidental damage by boats.

Built by canal engineer John Rennie between 1794 and 1797, the Lune Aqueduct is architecturally one the finest aqueducts in England, carrying the Lancaster Canal over the River Lune on five semi-circular stone arches each of 70ft span.

Known as the ‘black and white’ canal, the Lancaster Canal originally connected Kendal to Preston and was built to transport coal barges north from Lancashire’s coalfields and limestone south from Cumbria. It is one of the country’s few coastal canals. Built along the natural lie of the land, it offers 41 miles of lock-free cruising – the longest lock-free stretch in the country.

The repaired section of the Lune Embankment. PHOTO: CRT

The approximate site of the slipway between the Carpenter’s Lock bywash and the Woolsthorpe depot. PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON

Society launches slipway appeal

GRANTHAM Canal Society has launched an appeal for funding to reinstate a former slipway at its Woolsthorpe-by-Belvoir depot.

It was lost in the 1990s when British Waterways restored the buildings but with an increasing number of essential craft comes the responsibility for maintenance, including below the waterline.

Society chairman Mike Stone said: “Reinstating the slipway at Woolsthorpe Depot will make an immediate impact on the wellbeing of our watercraft. It will cost £20,000 in materials and our

own voluntary labour will carry out the work.

“This project will save the society significantly over the coming years as craning boats in and out is not a sustainable solution. But we do need your generosity to support us, especially as our funding resource is very low at present.”

Plans have been drawn up and approved by the Canal & River Trust for the work to be carried out. The original cast iron winch has been discovered and is being restored by GCS volunteers. This project, once completed, will

enable numerous individuals to gain the benefit of boat maintenance skills and provide a future training resource to the wider community.

The current constraints caused by the pandemic have lost the society thousands of pounds in revenue this year, owing to the cancellation of events, cruises and talks. GCS is appealing for support at this time to enable a start to be made on this very necessary project.

Full details can be found on http://www.granthamcanal.org/ woolsthorpe-slipway/