182 The Butty Spring 2008

The K&A Canal’s own magazine

the

No.182 Spring 2008

£2.50

Butty Purton’s incredible hulks Workboat for K&A Trust

K&A handbell ringers — 30 years on

K&A Canal pre-restoration colour picture feature

Working to protect, to enhance and to promote The Kennet & Avon Canal

Newbury Boat Company Please note our new Business Address Ham Manor Marina, London Road, Newbury, RG14 2BP Moorings

Permanent non-residential and temporary cruising moorings with good security at two locations in Newbury both within walking distance of Newbury town centre.

Resident staff at both locations Tel: 01635 42884 email: enquiries@newburyboatco.co.uk www.newburyboatco.co.uk Ham Manor Marina from the river

Greenham Canal Services At Greenham Island Between Greenham Lock and Newbury Lock

Boat Services/Chandlery Diesel, Pumpout, Calor Gas, Coal etc Souvenirs and ice cream Tel: 01635 31672

Greenham Island

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Butty The magazine for the Kennet & Avon Canal

Cover photograph: Caen Hill Flight public lock hanging

contents 5

11 pages of K&A news

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K&A Bell Ringers

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Run-up to K&A 200th anniversary

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The incredible hulks of Purton

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Taking stock — colour pictures from before restoration

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Work-boat for the K&A Canal Trust

No.182 Spring 2008

Picture by Bob Naylor The Trust and its aims The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust has three separate but complementary objectives: • To protect the newly restored Canal from neglect, abuse and inappropriate developments.

• To enhance the Canal, either by the direct application of Trust funds or, more likely, to unlock larger amounts through matched funding.

• To promote the Canal as a magnificent national amenity that is freely available for the enjoyment of all.

It was The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust (through its predecessor organisations) that fought successfully to save the Canal from formal abandonment in the mid-1950s. Through physical effort, innovative fund-raising and persistent political pressure, the Trust led the campaign that resulted in the Canal’s re-opening for through navigation in 1990 and the subsequent £30 million restoration project from 1996 to 2003. The Canal’s infrastructure is now in a condition that will support sustained operations for many decades ahead.

The Trust’s membership reflects the wide range of leisure activities – boating, walking, cycling, fishing, pursuit of wildlife and heritage interests – that the public can enjoy along the length of the 87 miles of Canal. Together, we are “The Friends of the Kennet and Avon”.

The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust Devizes Wharf Couch Lane Devizes Wiltshire SN10 1EB. 01380 721279 01380 727870 (fax) www.katrust.org.uk President Sir Anthony Durant Vice Presidents Sir William Benyon Peter Collins Donald Collinson Michael Corfield Michael Goodenough David Lamb Admiral Sir William O'Brien Philip Ogden Brian Oram Sir Frank Price Prunella Scales Timothy West Company Secretary John Forbes Administrator Mo Crossley administrator@katrust.org.uk

Finance finance@katrust.org.uk Retail Manager retail.manager@katrust-ent.org.uk

Devizes Shop devizes.shop@katrust.org.uk

Hon Treasurer Neil Lethby Hon Civil Engineer Michael Lee

Museum Curator Warren Berry Trust Council John Arthurs David Copley Graeme Dewhirst Peter Dunn Bill Fisher John Forbes Terry Kemp John Kirby Neil Lethby John Maciver Brian Poulton Adrian Softley Butty Editor Di Harris Pear Tree Studio High Street, Urchfont Devizes SN10 4QH 01380 840584 07711 367124 di@thebutty.co.uk Butty Editorial Design & Layout Bob Naylor 07788 134901 bob@thebutty.co.uk For Advertising Contact Di Harris or Bob Naylor Printers BAS Printers Caxton Road Frome Somerset BA11 1NF 01373 458331 Contributions Articles and photographs are

welcome. Please contact the Editor to discuss your ideas before submitting them.

Whilst every care is taken with all material submitted, neither the Editor nor the publisher can take responsibility for loss or damage.

Disclaimer Views expressed in The Butty are not necessarily those of the Editor nor of the Trust.

Registered Charity The Trust is a registered charity (No CC209206) and a company limited by guarantee registered in England (No 726331) at the above address.

The Butty is published

by The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust of the same address.

Data Protection Act The Trust is registered under the Data Protection Act 1984, reference SO46307X. Subject access requests should be directed to the Trust office in Devizes.

Plus regular features 15 Wilts & Berks news, 16 Cotswold Canals, 17 BW Briefing, 19 Running up to 2010, 24 French connections, 26 Page for younger readers, 27 Reviews, 28 Marketing and membership, 29 Branch reports, 35 Safety, 36 Letters to the Editor, 37 Obituaries, 38 What’s on and Unclassified ads, 39 Crossword

Copy deadline for The Butty No 183, Summer 2008 21st April 2008

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Butty

TRUST matters

No.182 Spring 2008

The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust Notice of Annual General Meeting

Trust Council

The forty-sixth Annual General Meeting of The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust will be held at Crofton Pumping Station, Nr Great Bedwyn, Marlborough, Wilts SN8 3DW on Saturday, 10th May 2008 commencing at 11.15 am for the purpose of considering and if thought fit passing the following resolutions: Ordinary Resolutions: 1. To receive and adopt the Council’s Report and Accounts for the year ended 31st December 2007.

2. To elect Members of Council: Messrs David Copley, John Kirby and John Maciver retire in accordance with Articles 50 and 51 of the Trust’s Articles of Association and being eligible offer themselves for re-election.

3. Messrs Neil Lethby and John Arthurs, having been co-opted during the year, offer themselves for election to Council under Article 37.

4. Nominations for election to Trust Council: The maximum number of Trustees is currently set at twenty one. There are some vacancies. Trust Council has identified some specialist requirements for two of these vacancies. However for the other vacancies, of which there are currently four clear vacancies remaining, properly authorised and seconded nominations are invited from among Trust membership to sit on Trust Council as a Trustee and Director of the Trust.

5. To Increase the membership subscription rate for single adult members of the Trust to £20 p.a. and pro-rata for other classes of membership with effect from 1st January 2009.

6. To re-appoint the Auditors, Messrs David Owen & Co., and to authorise Council to fix their remuneration.

By Order of Trust Council

John Forbes, MSc, PG Dip MS (Dist), MBA, AMBA Secretary 27th February 2007

Members of Trust Council and advisors at the December meeting in Devizes, clockwise from front, Terry Kemp, John Forbes, Peter Dunn, Harry Willis, Warren Berry, Adrian Softley, Neil Lethby, Di Harris, John Arthurs, John Maciver, John Kirby, David Copley, Brian Poulton, Mo Crossley, Sir Anthony Durant and Graeme Dewhirst.

Facing up to Trustee responsibilities The legal responsibilities of charity trustees are not to be taken lightly.

Whether the charity is a small, local project or a national household name, its trustees have the final responsibility for the governance and administration of their charity.

They must act prudently at all times, in the best interests of the charity and its users, and they are personally accountable for the proper management of the charity and its assets.

In 2007, Trust Council decided to implement a series of training sessions for trustees and advisors.

The first session was facilitated by experienced trainer Benedict Eccles, whose time was kindly donated to the Trust. With Benedict’s help, Trust Council examined how the Trust was currently being governed and how things could be improved.

A second training session, planned for shortly after the Trust AGM, will remind existing and new trustees of the full breadth of their responsibilities.

As part of the planning process, a 5-year business plan is being developed. This is being driven largely by the heritage conservation plans for our three major attractions — Claverton, Crofton and the Museum. From these conservation plans and the business plan, Trust Council will identify the future funding needs to be incorporated within a fundraising plan.

A strategy for the future Within the planning process, Trust Council has produced a future strategy document to ensure that all future activities support the objectives of the Trust.

President hosts Vice Presidents’ lunch

Notes: A member entitled to attend and vote may appoint a proxy to attend and vote in his/her stead. Under Clause 39 of the Articles of Association of the Trust, a member is only eligible to stand for election to Trust Council if aged less than 70 at the time of election

Registered in England and Wales: No 726331.

Registered Charity: No CC209206 Notes for guidance together with nomination forms are available from the Secretary by e-mailing secretary@katrust.org.uk or in writing to the Secretary, The K&A Canal Trust, Canal Centre, Couch Lane, Devizes, SN10 1EB. Closing date for receipt of valid Nominations is Noon on 20th April 2008.

Lunch will be served — at £10 per person. Booking is essential. Please contact the office by 30th April to book.

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Sir Anthony Durant hosted a lunch at the Canal Centre, Devizes in January to brief the Trust Vice Presidents on current Trust progress and successes.

Standing, from left, Neil Lethby, John Forbes, Brian Oram, Michael Goodenough, Bill Fisher, Terry Kemp, John Kirby, Mike Corfield and seated from left, David Lamb, Sir Anthony Durant and Sir William O’Brien

To value and make the most of what we already have — heritage, attractions, membership, volunteers, staff and financial resources Provide a secure operational Headquarters Increase our local and national influence to the benefit of the canal by owning or leasing historic sites and opening them to the public, and by building alliances with like-minded bodies Develop our land-based presence and heritage collections so that we are recognised as the primary resource for canal-based protection, preservation, enhancement, information and heritage archive Develop the means by which we can deliver our strategy through our membership, trading operations, volunteer activities and fundraising To value staff and volunteers, and develop a range of activities that will appeal to a wide range of volunteers to encourage participation.

To value our membership, encouraging members to become involved, increasing members’ awareness in the Trust and delivering ‘best practice’ to the membership.

Resources and support for the Trust A variety of finance streams support the Trust, including membership subscriptions; trading activities, such as the boats and shops; grants; legacies; and general fundraising.

At this year’s AGM it will be proposed that membership subscriptions are raised to help meet the increasing costs of running the Trust. This will be the first increase since 1998.

After several years of fundraising inactivity that saw the Trust dipping into reserves, 2007 heralded a new era of fundraising to support projects and activities.

Crofton 200 Appeal Last year saw the launch of the Crofton 200 appeal, which —

with terrific generosity from Trust members — provided the funding for essential works at the pumping station.

Picture the Past Project The Canal Museum archive in Devizes houses a magnificent collection of photos — 3000 prints and many thousands of slides. The ‘Picture the Past Project’ was conceived as a start to get many of those special photographs digitised and accessible through the Trust computer systems. Two successful funding applications — Big Lottery Awards for All Grant (£8500) and Kennet District Council Small Grant Fund (£1500) — will finance the purchase of scanning equipment and storage media, specialist photographic consultancy time, software to access the digitised archived material and computer equipment.

2008 Fundraising The Crofton Rivet Appeal The operational boiler at Crofton is 109 years old and beginning to show its age. Fifty

rivets will need replacing next winter. This will cost £10,000.

The Rivet Appeal has had a good start with an anonymous donation of £1000 as well as a generous legacy donation of £3000.

Prize draw The K&A Grand Draw Once again, after a gap of many years, Trust members and their friends have the chance to win terrific prizes whilst helping to raise funds.

First prize is a week’s hotel boat holiday for two, courtesy of Thames and Chilterns Holiday Cruises, and second prize is a boating holiday on the K&A to the value of £750, courtesy of www.ukboathire.com There are many other exciting prizes too.

(Conditions apply. Contact The K&A Canal Trust for details.)

The draw will take place at 10.00am on 5th May 2008 at the Canal Centre, Devizes. All tickets should be returned to the office by 28th April.

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Butty NEWS

No.182 Spring 2008

Kelston weir drama

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Picture by Bob Naylor

Flood chaos on the River Avon After heavy rainfall in the second week in January the River Avon rose rapidly — cutting boat owners off from their boats.

A Dutch barge broke free from its moorings at Saltford and careered downstream

widebeam narrowboat teetered on the edge of Kelston Weir near Saltford Marina for three days after the owner got into trouble while he was taking the boat back to its mooring after a ‘pump-out’ early in January.

Efforts were made over the weekend to pull the boat off but it wasn’t until a specialist firm was brought in on Monday the 7th of January that it was pulled free.

Pictures by Chris Curtis

unmanned going over the weirs at Kelston, Saltford and Swineford Locks before becoming tangled in trees near Keynsham.

Miraculously no damage was done to other boats during the incident.

Kelston Lock and weir under water

Boats cut off at Saltford Marina.

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Butty NEWS

No.182 Spring 2008

Carols along the cut Pictures by Bob Naylor

Devizes Wharf

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here was a good turnout for the first carol service organised by the K&A Canal Trust Devizes Branch at Devizes wharf.

The service was led by Jennifer Haynes of St James Church, Devizes, with the Kennet Vale Band providing the music.

Pupils from St Joseph’s school entertained the crowd with a performance of one of their favourite songs.

Pewsey Wharf

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he Pewsey Wharf carol service running for its third year was led by John Slee and was well attended with music from the Phoenix Brass Band.

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Butty NEWS

No.182 Spring 2008

John Gould Award for Devizes stalwarts

Bats and slow worms delay marina

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he unsightly derelict bungalow on the site of new marina beside the A4 near Hungerford was colonised by bats which brought work on the site to a halt.

The developer, St Modwen, has re-housed the bats and work is continuing.

Previously work was held up while all of the slow worms on the site were rounded up and moved to a new home.

No pollution on marina site say developers

Picture by Bob Naylor

The project has come in for fierce opposition locally from the outset and a question was raised at the recent Canal Users Forum in Devizes about the presence of copper sulphate on the land and the possible risk of it getting into the canal.

BW Southwest General Manager, Ian Jarvis said, “BW will only allow connection to the

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he tireless work for the K&A Canal of Barbara and Eddie Hopkins was recognised when they received the The John Gould Award from the Chairman of the Kennet & Avon Canal Partnership Terry Kemp at the Barge Inn at Seend in December.

Eddie and Barbara were both involved with restoring the Trust building at Devizes Wharf

and have been familiar faces to all since then.

Eddie did maintenance work at the Canal Centre on Devizes Wharf until he retired last year and Barbara led the Devizes Catering team, until her retirement in 2006.

The award was presented at a lunch-time gathering of friends and fellow Trust volunteers.

The Wharf Bradford on Avon The Bradford Wharf Co Ltd — now open Dry Dock • Blacking • Steam-cleaning Stern-gear and Anode Inspection Mechanical and Welding Work Hardstanding for DIY/Storage Steel, Wood or GRP repairs undertaken Slip for small boats

Call Ben on 07794 601735

Dry Dock available for DIY Solid fuel for sale

Hope to see you soon, pop in for a cuppa!

8

canal if water quality standards are met”.

Peter Davis of St Modwen said, “We have gone through a period of ground investigations and we are submitting a revised remediation strategy to the Environment Agency.

“Previously there had been traces of selenium and arsenic which had probably been coming off the fields of local farms.

“Previous problems had been with the quality of bore water but we will now be submitting a report that says there is no issue on site”.

St Modwen say that they have an existing operator with other marinas elsewhere who are ready to get on site to build the marina as soon as the ecology and other issues have been settled.

Work on the hotel and the rest of the complex will not start until after the marina is completed.

The marina is now hoped to to take boats in the first quarter of 2009.

DAY BOATING

The pre-fabricated bungalow on the marina site

Picture by Bob Naylor

Kennet & Avon Canal on the beautiful

self-drive and skippered boats canadian canoes & cycle hire The Bath & Dundas Canal Co. Brass Knocker Basin Monkton Combe, Bath, BA2 7JD Telephone: 01225 722292 Web: www.bathcanal.com

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Butty NEWS

No.182 Spring 2008

Monkey Bridge removed

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delays — it was started in October 2006 and it was expected to take six months, but a wet winter prevented the foundations being dug until April — then the July floods stopped work for most of last summer.

Cllr Tony Vickers, who has been campaigning since 2001 with a local Action Group said, “We wanted the new bridge to be an attractive 'western gateway' to the town for arriving boaters, walkers and cyclists.”

He now plans to work with residents to build a Memorial Garden on the Marsh next to the new path and he said, “One idea is to have a scaled-down model of the old bridge for small children to climb over like monkeys.”

The origin of the name Monkey Bridge is disputed but one theory is that a National Serviceman living in West Fields brought a monkey back from abroad. It escaped and went climbing over the bridge.

Out with the old

...and in with the new

Picture by Bob Naylor

nglish Heritage rejected a call to list the old iron Monkey Bridge at Northcroft, Newbury, and it was finally dismantled and hoisted away on February 21st, 2008.

Stan Green who made the listing application said, “I call the brutal monster of a replacement bridge the ‘Gorilla Bridge’.

“I have taken hundreds of photographs of the Monkey Bridge as I moored beneath the shadow of its majestic arch over many years and I have become quite attached to it — I admit I shed a tear or two when it was scrapped”.

The replacement bridge is a ‘fully accessible shared-use cycle/footpath’ linking Northcroft Leisure Centre and Park with West Fields Estate.

It will allow people from the north west of Newbury to reach the station and employment areas without going through the town centre.

The project has suffered

CATLEYS CALOR GAS CENTRE Appliance sales & installations

Bring your boat up to Boat Safety Scheme standards Repairs, servicing and installation Picture by Bob Naylor

Corgi Reg: 50508

Beechfield Road Hopton Trading Estate, Devizes Telephone 01380 727266

Foxhangers Marine

Modern Narrowboat fleet all built

by Foxhangers.

12 boats, 4 luxury semi-trads introduced.

Full engineering/maintenance base BETA and ISUZU engine sales/fitting WEBASTO central heating dealers Covered narrowboat painting dock Based at the bottom of Caen Hill Locks

email: marineservices@foxhangers.co.uk

Tel: 01380 827801 www.foxhangers.co.uk 9

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Butty NEWS

No.182 Spring 2008

2008 Canal Directory

Bone Mill Sluice

In the last issue of The Butty Ian Jarvis asked for suggestions for Broadband Hotspots along the canal. He has had some suggestions — but is open to others. So if you think there is somewhere that boaters and pedestrian users of the canal could benefit from free internet access get in touch with him at: ian.jarvis@britishwaterways.co.uk.

The essential guide to services on the K&A Canal produced by the Kennet & Avon Trade Association is available free from Trust shops and businesses along the canal.

Bridge Inn, Horton changes

Defra funding

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he new Landlord and Landlady of popular canalside pub, the Bridge Inn at Horton near Devizes, are Adrian and Nikki Softley.

They are both long time active members of the K&A Canal Trust and Adrian is Chairman of Devizes Branch and a Trust Council member.

They replace Sue Jacobs and Kevin Maul who had the pub for seven years, turning it into a boater-friendly pub and winning awards along the way.

he long running saga of Bone Mill Sluice could be drawing to a close now that a £19,000 feasibility study has been completed and the work has gone out to tender.

The work is expected to start this Summer.

The new single steel gate structure is expected to cost £125,000 with the money coming from the Environment Agency, British Waterways and The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust and two significant local contributions. The EA are also asking for contributions from businesses who will benefit from the reduction of flood risk.

West Berks Council have

Picture by Bob Naylor

refused to contribute even though the sluice and its bridge are on a public footpath.

“Jed Ramsay of the Environment Agency said, “The present structure is a real liability. Both in the July floods and again in January we were at the point that if the Kennet had come any higher we could have had real problems.”

The new sluice will allow proper control of water levels and will be able to release up to 28% more than the original three-gate structure.

The sluice will be taken into public ownership by EA and operated on a day-to-day basis

by BW.

Badge of recognition for Land Army

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efra are honouring the wartime efforts of the Women’s Land Army in WW2 with a special badge.

Woman worked on the K&A during the war and we would like to hear from any recipients of the badge.

If you are eligible, get an application form from the Defra website at: defra.gov.uk/farm/working/wla /

Workboat for Trust

Caen Hill lock gate hanging

B A lease agreement has been signed with BW by the K&A Canal Trust for the workboat ‘Avon Valley’ which will be refurbished by the Trust and used for work with volunteers along the canal. See story on page 25.

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Broadband hotspots for K&A

W invited the public to watch the hanging of one of the new lock gates fitted on the Caen Hill Flight in Devizes during the winter works in February.

On Thursday and Friday children from five local schools came along and on Saturday and Sunday the event was open to the general public.

The grant to BW next year will be £56.6m, about £200,000 more than last year.

BW Chief Executive Robin Evans welcomed the support of Waterways Minister Jonathan Shaw and his staff in protecting the waterways from further cuts.

He said, “No-one can be in any doubt that public spending is under severe pressure and we can be proud that our achievements over the past year in dealing with the floods and other issues has been recognised by a ‘flat cash’ settlement”.

Breakdown of funding Resource: £34.1m, Capital: £22.524m. Plus £1.024m which is a National Loans Fund repayment.

The National Waterways Museum closed The National Waterways Museum at Gloucester is closed for major refurbishment.

New displays are planned that will have more appeal to families.

The musem is expected to re-open in May.

Car park income The income from the British Waterways Pay and Display parking system at the canalside car parks on the K&A was £67,077 from April 2007 to January 2008 and BW’s share is half of that.

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Butty NEWS

No.182 Spring 2008

Trust Devizes Branch 2008 lengthsman’s report The K&A Canal Trust Devizes Branch annual lengthsman’s report organised by Roger Hollands has been published and its findings shared with BW. Many of the same problems continue to exist on the canal such as reed growth, mooring difficulties and damaged masonry on bridges.

The towpath on the long pound is generally in poor condition, there are several places where towpath collapses remain unrepaired — in some places orange protective fencing is in place.

The report praises the tremendous improvement at the Pewsey Wharf Sanitary Station but again draws attention to the overhang on the coping stones on the Wharf there.

BW SW Customer Operations Manager, Nick Worthington said, “I welcome the Lengthsman’s Report and be assured we are aware of the situation at Pewsey Wharf and we have reviewed and risk assessed the severity of the

wall’s condition.

“The site was inspected by a BW senior engineer last year following the issues reported in the last Lengthsmen's Report.

“The engineer concluded that the wharf wall was in adequate condition for the pedestrian loadings above and the mooring loads from canal craft. Any significant loads, such as commercial access gangways or crane pads would need to be more carefully considered.

“The cope stones remain in position along with the iron cramps between them.

Brickwork below the third course down is being lost and this area is monitored for any signs of deterioration as part of our monthly Length Inspections.

“Brickwork loss is attributed to first mortar loss (boat wash etc.) and then draw from passing craft and mooring craft dislodging bricks.”

Nick said that BW will continue to review the situation. .

Pewsey Wharf 2007 report

Pewsey Wharf 2008 report

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Butty NEWS

No.182 Spring 2008

Leaving the Island

Picture by Bob Naylor

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The first sinking in August 2007 in Bath top lock

he sinking of thirteen boats in locks on waterways across the country in 2007 has prompted BW to seek BSI approval for warning signs they propose to fit on all locks to warn boaters of the dangers.

The boats sank after getting caught on the cill while going downhill in a lock.

On the K&A Canal two boats sank on different locks on the Bath Flight in August and October.

Speaking at the K&A Canal Users Forum in

Picture by Bob Naylor

Picture by Bob Naylor

Goodbye Lucy

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Mooring tender trial

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he experimental mooring tender process being used to let BW’s 4,500 long term moorings in England and Wales is part way through its trial. Early indications are that the average winning tender is slightly more than BW’s guide price. Some tenders are reaching less, some are not reaching the reserve price and a few are far exceeding the guide price.

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Devizes in February, Ian Jarvis the BW South West General Manager said, “We have to alert people that there is a cill — there are plenty of people who come on to the canal who don’t know what a cill is — or the reason to keep away from it.

“The first accident in Bath could have resulted in two children being killed — they were very lucky.

“The family were very surprised when the boat got hung up because they had no idea of the construction of the lock.

Cill marker (wall or face)

Keep boat forward of cill marker The second sinking on the Bath flight in October 2007

ucy Poulton the BW Press Officer based at Gloucester has been made redundant.

Lucy attended many of the events on the K&A in the 3½ years she was in the job and she will be well known to many canal users.

She is taking on a similar role at the National Star College (a college for severely disabled people in Cheltenham).

BW are currently advertising for a Marketing Manager and Press and PR work will be part of that person’s job.

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Cilling spate prompts safety signs

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eter and Val Taylor are leaving Greenham Island in March after running the services there for the last four years.

They will be heading towards Bristol to start with and from there — they haven’t yet decided.

Val said, “We have enjoyed our time at Greenham Island and we are looking forward to meeting old friends and customers out on the cut.”

Warning for wide cills (over 1 metre wide)

Bath plans get approval Western Development The £1 Billion plan for the Western Riverside Scheme in Bath on a site beside the River Avon that has been largely derilict for over 20 years finally got the go ahead when local government minister Baroness Andrews decided not to call in the scheme for further scrutiny at a public inquiry.

There has been opposition to the scheme from the outset with some protesters claiming that it could put Bath’s World

Heritage Status at risk.

Debbie Aplin, MD of Crest Nicholson Regeneration said, “Regeneration is an extremely complex process and creating a scheme which is right for this particular site as well as the city of Bath has involved extensive consultation with the council, heritage groups and campaigners, local residents and advisory bodies.”

New residents could now be moving in by autumn 2009.

Holburne Museum expansion

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evised plans to extend the Holburne Museum were approved by Bath & North East Somerset Development Control Committee Committee in November.

The new plans reduces the height of the extension while still retaining its internal function.

It changes the colour of the ceramic facing to a colour within the palette of Bath Stone and introduces a new window on the top floor to provide views over

Sydney Gardens.

The K&A Canal Trust Museum Committee had been talking to the museum about a new exhibition to introduce visitors to the canal that runs through Sydney Gardens.

Now that the museum has got the go-ahead for their plans meetings will resume.

The Heritage Lottery Fund has pledged £4.875 million to the scheme.

Warning for narrow cills (under 1 metre)

New volunteer partnership with BW Although the days of restoration have passed, there are still Trust members who are enthusiastic to be involved with towpath and waterway works.

BW is keen to rekindle this and a programme of work on locks has been agreed.

Trust volunteers and members of Burfield Island Boat Club were given training at Crofton by British Waterways staff in February and have been installing special metal handles to lock gates to help boaters open the gates Mike Bennett from Burfield Island Boat Club and two gangs from the Reading area have fitted all the missing handles from County Lock to Burnt Mill.

Harry Willis and Nigel Hawkins worked on the Crofton flight and Wootten Rivers.

This is the start of a renewed volunteering partnership which the Trust hopes will provide more bankside volunteering opportunities in the future.

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Butty NEWS

No.182 Spring 2008

Bicentenery clebrations plans

by Susie Mercer, BW SW Project Manager

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s most K&A enthusiasts will be aware, we are now less than 3 short years away from the bicentenary of the canal in December 2010.

British Waterways has formed a steering group comprising members of the Trust, the Trade Association, local authority tourism and events officers and other willing volunteers to develop a programme of events and projects to celebrate this great milestone in the canal’s history.

Bonfire party at Caen Hill The main event will be a huge free bonfire party at Caen Hill on 28 December 2010.

But this won’t just be any old bonfire; our bonfire will be a work of an art, a Fire Sculpture.

Created by artists Diane Gorvin and Phil Bews, the sculpture will be designed to reflect the past

and future glory of the K&A. Set against the backdrop of Caen Hill, it will take at least a week to build on site and will use reclaimed wood donated by people all along the canal.

The lighting of the sculpture will be accompanied by roast chestnuts, music and mulled wine.

Photographic competition for 2010 calendar We’re also working with newspapers across the region to create a commemorative photographic calendar, full details of how to enter your photos for consideration will be in the next Butty, but keep an eye on local papers along the length of the canal for more information — or check on katrust.org.uk.

Public art for the east and west Other plans include the commissioning of two iconic pieces of public art for the two gateways to the canal at Bath and Reading, a series of new Village Destination panels to create better links between the canal corridor and the communities along its path.

Special Wadworth’s beer Revellers at the bonfire party and other events throughout the year will be able to enjoy beer created especially for the bicentenary celebrations by Wadworth Brewary in Devizes.

The brewery have said they will produce both a summer beer and a winter beer, and talks are taking place to find suitable names.

Other plans And there’s an ambitious plan to bring solar powered lighting to the towpath between Caen Hill and Devizes. As well as this it’s hoped to develop a whole raft of complementary events all along the canal during 2010 and make sure that every community has a chance to be involved.

There’s also a brand new ‘K&A 200’ logo that we can all use on publicity material, badges, T-shirts, websites — wherever we want to promote the bicentenary. Look out for it in the next edition of The Butty where we’ll use it to head up a regular update on how plans for the celebrations are developing.

If you’d like to get involved in promotion and fundraising activities please contact susie.mercer@ britishwaterways.co.uk or diharris@ thebutty.co.uk.

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Butty

Cotswold Canals News

No.182 Spring 2008

BW withdraw from Cotswold Canals

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espite the unexpected and sudden withdrawal of BW from the partnership, the Cotswold Canals Trust, along with other key partners, is determined that work carries on.

Trust chairman, Liz Payne said, "This is far from being a show-stopper — only a major hiccup. And our work will go on unabated."

The announcement by BW was made without prior notice to the Cotswold Canals Partnership, and prompted an immediate examination of the

funding issues involved.

BW’s' decision is likely to mean a shortfall of £4.5M from the overall identified funding of £35M (for Phase 1a), after all of the figures have been worked through. "That's less than 13 per cent, and we shall be looking for new partners, as well as discussing with our present partners, the way forward," said Liz Payne.

Progress on the Cotswold canals has been much slower than originally expected and the Trust hopes that the inevitable changes resulting from BW's

withdrawal will mean the restoration making more rapid progress.

Meanwhile David Drew, Stroud's MP, wants an urgent meeting with the Minister responsible for waterways, and is seeking to reconvene the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs committee that investigated British Waterways' funding.

The remaining members of the Cotswold Canals Partnership will be meeting urgently to plan their next steps.

Saul Festival plans

W

ork on organising this year’s Saul Canal Festival and Folk on the Water Weekend is gathering pace, following the “wash-out floods” of 2007. Already most of the bands from last year, especially top-of-the-bill Oysterband, have agreed to be there.

Oysterband’s recently recorded CD track ‘Here comes the flood’ will be heard for the first time at Saul, as it would have been last year. “The irony of that is not lost on the Festival’s steering group,” said Clive Field, the festival’s director. “Let’s hope we have a really sunny weekend.”

With one eye on last year’s problems, the festival’s campsite is being moved from its old position in the field next to the bridgeman’s cottage to a

larger field on the other side of the canal.

It is on higher ground, with the drive-in from the Epney direction, rather than the Whitminster Lane entrance.

As well as all the traditional attractions, the 2008 event (on July 4,5 and 6) will be hosting for the first time a rally of The Barge Association, formerly the Dutch Barge Association, so there will be some intriguing examples of unusual craft alongside the other vessels.

Also this year, by courtesy of Land & Water, the owners of the new Saul Marina — opening around Easter — trail-boats will be able to come to the festival

for the first time, and be launched from the marina’s slipway. So, both steam and electric boats are expected to be on parade too.

On line purchase of Season Tickets wristbands can be made by visiting the festival website: junctionevents.org.uk New for 2008 — the wristbands will be retained to be collected and fitted when festival-goers arrive.

Day visitors can pay on the gate and stay ‘till late and accompanied children enter free.

“Trade show space is selling fast already,” said Mr Field, “and everything is set for a bumper weekend. It’s going to be great in 2008!”

Canamble along Phase 1A

T

he Cotswold Canals Trust is once again organising a sponsored walk to include the whole of Phase 1A of the restoration.

The walk on Sunday 27th April will begin at Ebley Mill, Stroud and will be in two parts.

The first, short, part will take walkers westwards to the Ocean and explore the back roads of Stonehouse.

The longer section will go east beyond Brimscombe Port, returning via Thrupp and the former Nailsworth and Stroud railway track, now the cycle trail.

As last year, there will be a “Last Man” team who walk the route, following the other walkers, to remove signs and pick up litter.

As well as being an enjoyable and educational outing, the walk is to raise money to further the restoration, so minimum sponsorship is £5.

To make a donation to the “Last Man” team (if you are not able to take part in the Canamble), please send a cheque to Cotswold Canals Trust, 44 Black Jack Street, Cirencester, Glos, GL7 2AA, with the words Last Canambler and your name and address on the reverse.

Get sponsor forms from: cotswoldcanals.com by email: canamble@raash31.co.uk, or by phoning 07811 529230 and leaving your name and address.

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Wilts & Berks Canal News

No.182 Spring 2008

by Rachael Banyard

Pictures by Bob Naylor

Work progresses at 7 locks

B

ricklaying continues on the offside Lock chamber wall of Lock 4 — weather permitting.

The wet conditions have prevented concreting the backfill behind the wall — when the towpath dries out that work will be done.

In the meantime hedgelaying at the bottom of the towpath bank from the bottom of Lock 4 to the top of Lock 5 is underway and the vegetation around Lock 5 is being cleared before the birds start nesting and the bluebells come out.

At Lock 2, the WRG Forestry

Cricklade Country Way Following the WRG Bonfire Bash in November the canal at Mouldon Hill has been rewatered.

Swindon & Cricklade Railway are currently re-laying large sections of track which will extend the line further north towards Cricklade.

Work is due to start in the spring to make Mouldon Hill

Country Park accessible by car from Thamesdown Drive.

Further work is being carried out on environmental studies prior to an application for outline planning consent to North Wiltshire DC. Details of the scheme are shown on the website crickladecountryway.org.uk

Swindon Central Route Swindon Borough Council have approved the feasibility report on the scheme and the project will now be further progressed by a Project Board. The key issues to be resolved are traffic management, community consultation and examining

likely sources of funding.

You can see more about the canal in Swindon at: swindoncanals.co.uk or visit the new Information Centre (1Theatre Square — opposite the Town Hall — open Fridays and Saturdays)

David Owen & Co Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditors 17 Market Place Devizes Wiltshire 01380 722211

126 High Street Marlborough Wiltshire 01672 512163

Auditors to The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust

team have helped with pollarding one very large overgrown willow tree — with another to be done on their next visit in March.

We are setting up a meeting with Wiltshire Highways to find a solution to the unclassified road crossing.

Originally the road crossed the lock chamber with a lift bridge.

If there are any K&A members with bridge building or road construction experience who might be able to help us with this project, please get in touch.

Restoration projects

Wichelstowe (Swindon South Development Area)

Work continues at Lock 4 (Seven Locks, Chaddington spill weir (Wootton Bassett), Steppingstones Lane Bridge at Shrivenham, and Childrey Wharf

Fancy a canal walk?

Come and join a Sponsored Walk and/or Walk-a-Boat from Chippenham to Lacock and back, with an excellent pub meal at the Bell Inn, Lacock, on the old canal wharf. The event is planned for Sunday 27th April 2008. For more details contact Peter Williams on 01249 652248 or email: peter.williams@wbct.org.uk

Construction is continuing for the first phase of the project, which includes the canal, as well as design for various structures of the remainder of canal.

On the button — newsletter The latest news about the Wilts & Berks canal is on our website with discussion boards, and an opportunity to sign up for the monthly electronic newsletter ‘On the Button’. www.wbct.org.uk

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www.aamarine.co.uk

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No.182 Spring 2008

British Waterways briefing

by Ian Jarvis, BW South West Region Manager

Cotswold Canals funding shock

T

he announcement on 4th February of BW’s withdrawal from the Cotswold Canals Partnership will have come as a surprise and a disappointment to many of you.

Whilst there was less of an element of surprise there is certainly a great sense of disappointment for myself, within BW locally and nationally.

We passionately believe that the restoration of canals is a “good thing” and that the effects of this, economically, environmentally and socially are enduring.

The K&A is always, quite rightly, held up as the defining example of this.

The decision to withdraw from the Cotswolds Partnership was most definitely not because we don’t believe in this restoration — we absolutely do.

The issue, as it so often is, is simply money — when the bank account is dry, you have to make tough decisions.

We all have to do this from time to time with our family

budgets and BW is no different.

We have huge demands upon our limited resources at any time but the impact of the breach on the Mon & Brec is so dramatic that a decision such as this was required.

Our Board have taken the view that we should protect what we have now before moving ahead and expanding the network (though we are still very much involved in more than £60M of restoration projects elsewhere).

Expansion of the network remains our vision and aspiration.

There will of course be different views on this but the Board is charged with the responsibility of making decisions consistent with protecting the assets and longterm business of British Waterways — this is what they have done here.

The impact on the Cotswolds project is not though the end of the story. The diversion of funds to the Mon & Brec will have an impact on

every Business Unit as major works budgets in the coming year have been reduced in order to accommodate the transfer of funding into Wales.

The impact on the K&A will be less than in other areas because the condition of the assets is rather better and the K&A major works budget was not an extensive one before these latest changes.

The major works budgets do not fund lock gate replacements and hence these have not been reduced by these changes and we plan to replace 5 sets of gates in the coming year.

I would expect BW nationally to support the K&A in the event of a major breach such as the one in Wales.

We cannot do otherwise than to support other waterways in their time of need and whilst there will be a short term pain for the K&A this is the right thing to do for the benefit of the network as a whole.

Extra staff for enforcement work

W

e will be recruiting an additional Enforcement Officer to bring the number on the K&A to three, and two new support staff to enhance the operating capacity of all three Enforcement Officers.

It is of course disappointing to be having to commit such resources to enforcement activity rather than front line service and/or asset

improvement.

However, the issue is a real one and we are determined to tackle it.

It is not acceptable for law abiding licence fee payers to see others simply “getting away with it”.

We have of course been tackling this for some time and have been making a difference.

But this is an issue that requires significantly more

resources than we have had hitherto.

The addition of three new staff on the K&A which more than doubles the team will really help us to make a difference.

We are also to propose the introduction of manned locks at either end of the K&A and will commence consultation about this shortly.

Y

16

Avon.

This will be completed in the coming weeks when the lock is more accessible.

We are continuing to seek ways of reducing the break out force required on other locks and are grateful for the work and contribution of the K&A Trust members that have been

T

he Lock stoppage works at Caen Hill are nearing completion.

It was especially pleasing to see so many people attending the open days at Lock 42.

Three groups of local school children also had the opportunity to see the works at close quarters with expert guidance from several of my professional staff.

I am advised that there were many searching questions!

Boat licence consultation

T

he conclusions of the consultation process regarding boat licence fees have now been published.

This document can be downloaded from the BW website — you will find it within the Accountability Section under Completed Consultations.

You can also find a summary in the Boater’s Update on www.waterscape.com.

The headline conclusion is that boat licence fees will rise in April 2008 by 8.3% rather than the proposed 12.4%.

There is also a commitment to tackling licence evasion and the commitment of additional resources for this purpose along with a proposal for a £130 cost-related fee for late renewal.

BW Gloucester office move

Lock gear reduction box removal ou will recall my previous reporting of our plans with regard to K&A Lock Gearing — that is the removal of the reduction boxes on the 30 locks that passed the break out force tests.

We have now completed this work with the exception of Swineford Lock on the River

Caen Hill works stoppage

assisting us in these deliberations.

We have a number of alternatives for the remaining locks as previously reported.

We are also looking at changing the solid paddle rods for lighter tubes to reduce the weight and hence force required.

B

W Gloucester Office will be moving to a new address on 17th March.

We are moving across Gloucester Docks to a smaller building that we own and in fact occupied until the late 1980s.

The address is: The Dock Office, Commercial Road, Gloucester GL1 2EB. Telephone and email contact details will remain the same as now.

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No.182 Spring 2008

Countdown to 2010 Di Harris delves into the archives again to discover what was happening during the run-up to the opening of the K&A Canal

I

n the same year that Beethoven wrote his Symphony "Pastoral", Napoléon III was born and Haydn performed his last public concert, the Kennet and Avon Canal was nearing completion.

Two major hurdles still needed to be overcome. At Bath a flight of locks was needed to carry the canal down to the Avon and at Devizes a massive lock flight was needed to climb up Caen Hill.

Industrial development was already taking advantage of the waterways access to the Somerset coal fields and many factories were being built to be powered by steam, including Bridge Mill in Trowbridge and Greenland Lower Mill in Bradford on Avon.

Packet boats were running

from Bradford on Avon to Bath and the first horse-drawn coach service from Bradford to London was introduced in 1808.

At this time the canal was also being used for adult baptisms and eight adults were baptised in Hilperton in 1808.

A short-lived wind-pump was built near Jones’s Mill, Pewsey to feed water to the newly built canal.

And the ornate Lady’s Bridge near Wilcot Wide Water, dated 1808, was built as part of an appeasement to Lady

Susannah.

A household name was created during this year when Bowyers began production in Trowbridge in 1808 and the name has been synonymous with Trowbridge ever since.

The Canal Company minutes show that on 2nd February 1808 “the proprietors of the Canal Company resolved unanimously that the source and reservoir of water near Crofton arising in their Lordships’ Estate and which has been given up unconditionally to the Company and will furnish its chief supply of water, shall be called the

Ailesbury Reservoir and that the tunnel through their Lordship’s property shall be called the Bruce Tunnel and that the bridge in the road from Tottenham Park to Wolfhall, the ancient seat of the Seymour family, shall be called the Seymour Bridge.”

A court in Devizes heard that a horse dealer had been killed by a violent blow into his eye with a stick. The postmortem discovered part of the top of the stick in his brain.

In 1808 the Newbury Volunteers, then commanded

by Lieut Col Page, were the first Corps in the country to offer to become a regiment of Local Militia “being desirous of placing themselves in a position where they may be of service to their country”.

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www.mp-steelcraft.co.uk 17

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No.182 Spring 2008

30 years and still ringing true

By Mike Lee

B

ack in the 1970s Paul and Vivienne Rigby were very active members of the K&A Canal Trust Bath Branch working parties — Paul’s speciality being scrub clearance and bonfires.

They were also very keen tower bell ringers and had bought a set of 16 handbells, intending to practice change ringing, without the need to climb a bell tower to play a full sized ring of bells.

Someone, nobody is quite sure who first thought of the idea, suggested playing Christmas Carols around a few pubs in Bath, and donating the proceeds to the Trust.

Thus in 1977, six rather nervous Trust members did the rounds of pubs, over a period of 3 nights, in the week before Christmas.

The amount raised exceeded all expectations!

The team continued to grow until we had 11 Ringers and 89 bells (5 octaves plus duplicates).

The Christmas Pub visits became a regular event for the next 7 years or so and we visited pubs in Bath and Wiltshire with our “canal rose” decorated collection boxes, raising several thousands of pounds for the Trust.

With our full set of bells we played a regular spot on Radio Bristol on Christmas Eve for many years.

In 1983 the Trust financed our first recording; we sold our tapes and records at all our concerts, the receipts going to the Trust.

Among our more “high tension” appearances was playing in The Bristol Evening

Picture by Bob Naylor Members of the theam, from left to right, George Colbourne, Maggie Lee, Alison Colbourne, Rosemary Wickham, Gail Pattison, Sue Emmett, Mike Lee.

News Christmas Concerts at the Colston Hall where we played, in 1987 & 1988, to an audience of more than 2000 and where we did very well with record sales.

also been fortunate that some of our members have been composers and have written music especially for us.

We have played in cathedrals, abbeys, churches,

Someone, nobody is quite sure who first thought of the idea, suggested playing Christmas Carols around a few pubs in Bath, and donating the proceeds to the Trust.

Over the years we have played a great variety of music — traditional folk and country dance music, popular, religious and classical music.

We have

four television appearances, several National Trust properties and at Crofton Pumping Station.

We celebrate 30 years of existence this year and are still in business, albeit

albeit down to 8 ringers at present, (5 of whom are Trust members and have been with the team since the 1970s) and limited to playing only 3 of our 5 octaves.

We now play mainly at residential homes, local charity fund raising events, Christmas parties and weddings.

We always put in a plug for the Trust and several boat trips have resulted from our visits.

To celebrate our 30 years we are planning to do a concert later in the year and at Christmas we went back to the beginning and visited just 2 pubs, where we raised £25 for Crofton Pumping Station.

How much money have we raised for the Trust over the years? We don’t know exactly, book keeping was different in years gone by.

We think the average collection at Christmas pub visits was about £400/pa.

The original record sold out long ago. We certainly covered the loan and made a good contribution to funds, but what the total was we do not know.

We made a second recording some years ago to help pay for our own running costs, which it did, and that is now also sold out.

Our future is looking bright.

We recently recruited a finalyear student from Bath Spa University’s Music Department, who hopes to be with us for the next twelve months.

We still need two more, so are there any musicians out

The team made a record that raised money for the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust

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No.182 Spring 2008

Thugs are taking over our waterways

By Susan Litherland of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust he Salisbury River Avon is at a tipping point. Either it’s banks will be submerged under a jungle of aggressive alien plants or action is successfully taken to control them so the river can continue to be a priceless home for wildlife.

In an attempt to secure its future, the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust’s Wessex Chalk Streams Project is launching a campaign to clear Japanese knotweed, giant hogweed and Himalayan balsam from the Avon and its tributaries in Wiltshire, Hampshire and Dorset.

The impact of these aliens is not limited to our rivers — any waterway is at threat. They can form 2-metre high curtains of dense vegetation, squeezing out native plants and setting off a chain of disasters for our wildlife.

When Himalayan balsam dies back in winter, it leaves exposed banks at risk of erosion from floods and high water levels.

Erosion of river and canal banks can make it difficult to moor, and any accidental bumping by boats into banks causes greater damage if they are not cushioned with native vegetation.

Fighting your way off your boat and through a thicket in full growth is not fun, and you may even find that the tarmac at an access point is cracking as the ground beneath it is washed away.

As sediment is washed from the banks into the water, it can smother aquatic plants, alter the physical habitat for fish and have a devastating impact on aquatic invertebrates, and water quality.

The headwaters of the Salisbury Avon, a Special Area of Conservation, lie close to the canal so any weeds that are on the canal can easily transfer to the river and vice versa.

In June and July, Martin will be encouraging volunteers from the public, fisheries, community

T

organisations, public bodies, corporations and anybody else to turn out and pull Himalayan balsam out of the riverbanks by the handfuls.

“We are working with the Heritage Lottery-funded Living River Project in the first coordinated programme of eradication to clear Himalayan balsam from a 15-mile stretch of the Nadder.

If we do it in early summer we are removing the flowers before the seeds are viable, but still leaving enough time for native plants to recover,” says Martin de Retuerto, the Wessex Chalk Stream’s project officer.

Oda Dijksterhuis, from British Waterways, agrees that Himalayan balsam can be a problem on rivers, but isn’t a serious problem on the canal.

“There are occasional plants, but we’re not bank-to-bank with them,” she says.

Japanese knotweed and giant hogweed are more of a problem and BW regularly applies herbicide to individual plants to control them.

“We can’t just strim the grass verges where knotweed is found, because we’d just be spreading them further as they can regrow from tiny fragments of rhizome,” says Oda. All three plants are escapees from gardens, originally introduced by the Victorians, and incredibly balsam and hogweed can still be found for sale in some garden centres.

At last Defra is taking action to stop the sale of these plants through the GB Framework

Strategy on Invasive Species, currently in its final draft form.

“As it’s a plant that has been popular with gardeners in the past, we can trace the source of infestation downstream from villages quite often.

We can actually trace the spread of these weeds from their source,” says Martin. It’s not the fault of gardeners — seed packets come with wording about how wonderful this plant is for wildlife as bees like its pollen.

“We have simply got to get over the message that as well as destroying wildlife habitats, these plants can cause flooding by choking drainage ditches and waterways, disrupt fisheries, and downgrade valuable farmland and byways.

Japanese knotweed can even grow through tarmac and concrete, causing damage to highways and other built structures.

The cost of controlling them mounts for every year of inaction.“ The onset of climate change will only make matters worse, according to Martin.

More of these highly aggressive aliens will move northwards through Europe as the weather warms up.

It’s only a matter of time before plants such as the water primrose, which is blanketing water courses in France and already has a toehold in the UK, experiences an explosion of growth with the milder winters.

So that’s thta then!!!!!

The Wiltshire and Swindon Biological Records Centre (WSBRC), based at the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust in Devizes, is trying to map the spread of all aggressive aliens, but data is very patchy and out of date.

It is incredibly important that you submit any sightings to help in the battle for our river. Follow this link to do it on line www.wiltshirewildlife.org/invasiveplants If you want more information on controlling these invasive plants, or would like some advice on setting up work parties to pull up Himalayan balsam on the canal, please contact Martin on 01380 737008, email: martin.deretuerto@naturalengland.org.uk

Giant Hogweed Heracleum mantegazzianum

Biennial, grows up to 5m tall and has large head of white flowers from which it produces 30 – 50,000 viable seeds every year.

Colonises wasteland and river banks. Forms dense colonies, which suppress growth of native plants, and leaves riverbanks bare of vegetation in winter.

Himalayan Balsam Impatiens glandulifera

Annual, grows to 2m with purplishpink flower from June – August.

When seedpods mature they explode when touched, scattering seed, which are spread by water movement.

Colonises and forms dense stands which suppress native plants, leaving river banks bare in winter and liable to erosion.

Japanese Knotweed Fallopia japonica

Perennial, grows up to 3m tall with stiff bamboo-like stems, produces large masses of white flowers in summer, colonises riverbanks and wasteland.

Can spread through tiny pieces of stem or rhizome as small as 1 gram in weight dispersed in soil, or by water movement.

Forms dense stands, which restrict access to rivers and shade out native species leaving banks bare and liable to erode in winter.

Can penetrate and damage stone and concrete.

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No.182 Spring 2008

The incredible hulks The Gloucester and Sharpness Canal runs close to the River Severn and it was always under threat from the ravages of the Bristol Channel’s fierce currents and huge tidal range of up to 30 metres.

A particularly high tide combined with adverse wind conditions in 1909 caused a breach of the canal that washed away 60 metres of bank and led to old wooden boats being sunk on the banks of the River Severn at Purton to prevent further erosion and possible further breaches of the canal.

This has given us access to an extraordinary collection of historic vessels that would have been lost forever — they are still there for us to enjoy. And among the boats still visible and largely intact is Harriett, below. Built in 1894 she was the last working Kennet Barge built by Robins, Lane & Pinnegar at Honeystreet and she was beached at Purton in 1964.

Pictures by Bob Naylor 20

The Purton legacy

A

fter the breach of 23rd December 1909 the engineer, AJ Cullis, immediately requested that boats be made available for beaching to protect the bank.

Nine unseaworthy vessels were promptly made available.

They had been laid up with nowhere to go other than to be broken up at the owners expense.

The dock company towed them onto the banks — the company paid nothing for the vessels but, more importantly for the owners, they charged nothing to take them away.

Beaching the boats was a hazardous but lucrative business which involved the hulks being towed from Sharpness Dock into the river to take position 20 minutes before high tide and then heading full tilt towards the white stake the skipper had left in the bank the day before.

The tug was crewed by three men, the captain, a member of crew who handled the ropes and most importantly the axe man.

Some of these vessels were in no fit state to go to sea and there is a recorded case of a vessel sinking whilst in the river and never making it to the bank.

The danger was that if a hulk sank while still roped to the tug it could take the tug down with it — so the axeman’s job was to cut the rope if there was any danger.

The hulks had two men on board — one on the helm and one on the ropes.

At the last possible moment the tug skewed out of the way and the hulk continued into the bank.

When the hulk was beached, ropes were passed ashore where a gang was waiting to pull her up on her own winches.

The men on board would be effectively marooned aboard until the tide dropped.

As the tide dropped away

they would leave the vessel having first made a hole in the hull to allow silt to build up inside the hulk — they would then collect their share of £37.

Identifying some of the hulks has needed much detective work because they were early examples of fly tipping and all discernable features that could identify them had been removed.

And on others much that was of interest has been taken by souvenir hunters.

But the hulks have suffered even more serious damage.

Large timber vessels were often held together with semiprecious metals such as bronze and copper.

The easiest way to extract the metal from the vessel was to set fire to it, allow the flames to die back, rake it up and cash it in.

Wood from the boats has been used for firewood and to make the bar in a riverside pub — and wood from the gunnel of one boat was used to fuel the BBQ of a family of three generations picnicking in the middle of one large vessel.

Despite this vandalism the hulks are still doing their job and what was once a very narrow strip of land is now 3 ⁄4 mile wide as a direct result of these 81 vessels.

The site is the 2007 winner of the National Archeological Society’s Adopt a Wreck Award largely thanks to the tireless efforts of the site’s unofficial curator, Paul Barnett.

Paul Barnett gives lectures on the hulks and organises walks around the site. He can be contacted on: 07833 143 231 Email: barnadillo@aol.com More picturers of the hulks can be found at: www.bobnaylor.co.uk and www.digitalderek-photography.co.uk

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No.182 Spring 2008

Taking stock Devizes Pictures by Geoffrey Snelgrove

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he determination of a new Trust treasurer to be able to understand what was being talked about at Trust Council meetings led him to take stock of the state of canal and photograph what he saw — these are just a few of the important collection of colour pictures he took of the canal in the 1970s — before it was restored and re-opened.

Geoffrey Snelgrove responded to a plea for a treasurer for the Trust in 1978 — and his offer was quickly taken up.

He then realised that he needed to know much more about the whole length of the canal.

So for the next two years, armed with his trusty Praktika 35mm SLR camera and a good supply of colour slide film, he and his wife Janet used their spare time to walk the canal bit by bit — mostly at weekends — although they did take a week’s holiday at one point to cover more of the ground.

Because they only used one car they would walk 5 miles or so and then walk back to the car.

Geoffrey said, “This turned out to be a virtue because the canal can look so different when approached from a different direction.

Geoffrey had joined the K&A Canal Trust several years earlier after meeting John Gould.

“Janet and I had been walking the canal from the late sixties and on one occasion we were walking the towpath through Newbury.

“At Newbury top lock John Gould had a stone hut with an exhibition of canal art outside — I was busy photographing it when John came out and claimed copyright.

“After some banter, we went into his shop and exchanged our interest in the canal. I wasn’t aware then of John’s long association with the canal but the outcome was that he gave me a Trust membership application form and I duly became a member.”

These pictures clearly show just what a poor state the canal was in and the massive undertaking restoration was to be — and they remind us of the debt we owe to the volunteers who refused to accept that the canal could not be restored.

22

Broken lockgates remain near St Peter’s Church

The Wharf building — former home of council dustcarts

Devizes Wharf — looking East, and below looking West and bottom, the rubbish strewn canal below Devizes Town Bridge

Join The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust now to help Protect, Enhance and Promote the waterway and you will get:

ree FThe K&A Canal Trust magazine

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Membership Fees – please tick one box Annual fees are for one year from the month of joining

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Your details – please complete all sections I/we wish to join the Trust and enclose: A completed Standing Order form A completed Gift Aid Declaration form A cheque (payable to The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust)

q q q

Name(s) of applicant(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................. .............................................

Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

FREE entry to: Claverton Pumping Station Devizes Canal Museum Crofton Beam Engines

A GEOprojects canal map of the Kennet & Avon Canal (and including the River Avon and Bristol Docks)

............................................. ............................................. .............................................

Email . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Standing Order Name of Member’s Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Address of Member’s Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .............................................

Please pay to Lloyds Bank plc, Devizes Wilts SN10 1JD (sort code 30-92-63) credit A/C No. 0441822 The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust the sum of £. . . . . . . On (date). . . . . . . . . .and the same sum on the same date each YEAR until further notice.

Signed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Account No. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .............................................

To Bank: When making payments please quote: . . . . . . . . . . .

Gift Aid Declaration Name of Charity: The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust Details of Donor Title: . . . . . . . . .Full Name: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Address: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Postcode: . . . . . . . . . . .

I want the charity to treat all subscriptions/donations I make from the date of this declaration until I notify you otherwise as Gift Aid Donations.

Signature: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Date: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

You must pay an amount of Tax at least equal to the tax that the charity reclaims on your donations in the tax year (currently 25p for each £1.00 you give).

Please post or fax this form to: The Membership Secretary, The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust, FREEPOST, Canal Centre, Couch Lane, Devizes, Wiltshire, SN10 1BR. Fax: 01380 727870

the

Butty

No.182 Spring 2008

French connections news of our twinned canals Les Amis — new President

2000 protestors thwart threat to French canal

Jo Parfitt, owner of a boatyard at Migennes on the River Yonne, just off the Canal du Nivernais has been elected as the new president of canal society, Les Amis du Canal du Nivernais. He succeeds Philippe Bénard who is retiring after 5 years.

Philippe will continue to be active with Les Amis, particularly in helping to arrange twinning events.

by Bob Naylor and Di Harris

Twinning trip to the Nivernais

E

ight Trust members have so far expressed an interest in visiting the Nivernais this year, but with no clear preferences.

One thing that is clear however is that the visit will have to be in September when hire prices drop dramatically.

Mike Lee has been talking to Jo Parfitt about various options and the most interesting is to visit the Southern end off the canal.

There are a large number of interesting places to visit around the Decize area and the Trust has not had a twinning visit there before.

Jo will be discussing the arrangements at Les Amis’s AGM in Clamecy during March.

The most likely plan will be for a weekend tour of the area, arranged by Les Amis followed by a one-week oneway trip aboard a hire boat (for those who wish).

This will start from Decize or Gannay-sur–Loire.

Mike is looking at prices from two hire companies and awaiting comments from Jo Parfitt. He hopes to know the likely cost by April.

If there are any more members interested, please contact me on 01225 873915 or by email:

mike.margaretlee@btinternet.com

24

S

upporters of a French canal with close ties to the Wilts and Berks Canal have defeated an attempt to close part of it.

The Nante á Brest Canal in Brittany was threatened with closure because it failed to meet EU water quality standards and environmentalists were using this to try to get the navigation returned to an unregulated river.

They claim that the locks and weirs impede salmon trying to get up river to spawn.

Ironically last year saw much work being done to repair and improve many locks in the area and local people were dismayed when it was announced that this work could be to no avail and the river returned to an un-navigable state.

This prompted a rally at the end of November at Comité de Bassin Loire-Bretagne when more than 2000 people turned out to demonstrate against the closure.

Confronted with such a large demonstration of opposition and behind the scenes lobbying the regional

government have announced proposals that should save the canal.

They plan to raise more money for restoration and cleaning up pollutants with a 3% increase in water charges.

There will also be a campaign to ‘make the polluters pay’ - farmers will

“This is a small step forward for the sensible majority, but we must maintain vigilance — the bureaucrat thwarted is not necessarily beaten.” have to cut back on Nitrate use and prevent farm slurry from entering the watercourse’ Villages along the navigation will be required to ensure that their sewage systems do not pollute the canal.

The aim is to spend €300,000 a year in improving

the canal and its water quality.

Tourism linked to the canal has been steadily increasing and contributing to the local economy and local people are hailing the change of heart as a major victory.

Local resident, Julian Weaver of La Gacilly offered a word of caution saying, “This is a small step forward for the sensible majority, but we must maintain vigilance — the bureaucrat thwarted is not necessarily beaten.”

The canal, has had a chequered history from its birth as Napoleaon’s hoped-for means of avoiding the English Navy’s blockade of sea routes that would connect Nantes on the river Loire and the seaports of Lorient and Brest by an inland route.

The construction of the Guerlédan hydro-electric dam split the canal in two and a large lock or boatlift was promised by the dam builders but nothing has happened in the 73 years since it was built.

So there is still a gap of 80km in the middle of the navigation but campaigners have not given up hope of the navigation being re-connected.

the

Butty

No.182 Spring 2008

Workboat for canal trust

John Kirby with Avon Vale — a BW

class 131 maintenance boat. The narrowboat was built in 1978 and has a Lister TS2 air cooled engine.

Devizes Branch of the K&A Canal Trust has taken delivery of their own workboat that will used for maintenance work on the canal.

T

Claverton and Bath and Bristol Branch Chair Pete Dunn and Devizes Branch member Eric Archent prepare to remove the engine for an overhaul

he boat was surplus to BW’s needs and John Kirby negotiated a lease deal that will allow it to be used by Trust members for maintenance work on the canal.

Once the boat’s engine has been stripped down and refurbished and the boat sprucedup volunteers who have had appropriate training will use for jobs such as tree clearing.

The boat had not been used

by BW for some time and the engine has been under water but the aim is to bring the boat

back into use at no cost to the Trust.

Work on the boat will be done by Devizes Branch members and local canal businesses have offered the use of facilities at no cost.

The boat is still on the Bath Flight where it will stay until the engine has been renovated.

Pete Dunn of Claverton Branch said, “It would be great if we could use the boat to take the Burbage Crane back home after we have finished rebuilding it at Claverton”.

Moonraker Narrowboat Company Once in a while we all deserve the 5 star treatment. Whether a romantic escape, family holiday or just some time out from the stresses and demands of life, your relaxation and enjoyment is paramount. Our aim at Moonraker Narrowboat Company is to help you unwind by providing high quality, luxurious boats and a personal service second to none.

Please visit our website at

www.moonboats.co.uk for up to date information, prices & availability

Alternatively please telephone

07973 876891 or email enquiries@moonboats.co.uk with your requirements

25

the

Butty

182 Spring 2008

Canals for kids with Terry Kemp

Kenny

Annie

Water you doing on my boat?

Knock Knock Water Whos there?

Water who?

The Mousehole Boat Company

Canal cans

Waterways Wildlife

Water Can n the top of a working boat you would see perhaps two water cans. Often they were called Buckby Cans. One can was to carry drinking water and the other water for work around the boat.

The cans would be painted in colourful canal designs of roses and sometimes fairytale like castles .

O

One of the biggest fish living in our waterways is the Pike.

ike the watercans the handbowl was decorated . It would be stored close to the water cans on the roof of the boatmans cabin.

The handbowl was shaped like a huge saucepan and was used for many jobs around the boat ranging from washing up to washing the captains vest.

L

They can grow to almost six feet.

They have extremely sharp teeth and feed mainly on other fish.

Sometimes you can see a pike in the shallows quietly waiting for a passing fish to catch.

PRIZE WORDSEARCH There are the names of eight fish hidden in the square. Send your entry to Prize Wordsearch, Kennet & Avon Canal Trust, Canal Centre, Couch Lane, Devizes SN10 1EB before 1st June 2008. Photocopies will be accepted.

The Butty Wordsearch No 182 Name (age) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................ ............................................ ............................................

Signature of parent or guardian: ............................................

26

O H C H N P P T N T L T

E C N E A C I D M H T K

E A C T P A K R U C R C

P O T C A T E E C N H A

H R R C K K C E M E I B

E C P P E A T C A T N E

A O A H D K O R B C C L

H C R E P R C A T M U K

Handbowl

R T N H C D C R M E B C

H H I R A T R O U T C I

T C R O P R E L W P W T

M I N N O W H C E E R S

the

Butty

No.182 Spring 2008

Reviews

Leonard Pearcey Non-technical book reviews

The Bath Stone

By Sarah Halswell First published in 2005 by Ethereal Enterprises Limited ISBN 0 9550264 0 7 314 pages. £8.99 soft cover

The Storm Prophet

By Hector Macdonald Published in 2007 by Viking, an imprint of Penguin Books ISBN 9 780670 07101 2 380 pages. £10.99 soft cover

F

H

or once, the blurb on a book’s cover gets it absolutely right: ‘Based in decadent Bath in 1762, at a time when the British and French were fighting for control of Bengal, the tale unfolds of Major Irving, a Foreign Office official tasked with a mission of national importance during the state visit of the Prince of Bengal.

Rose Stanhope, lodging with her promiscuous aristocrat cousin, becomes inextricably involved in his world while trying to establish a controversial agency. With a vicious prostitute murderer at large and French spies attempting to thwart the British at every turn, this historical thriller throws Irving and lover Rose into a frantic world of espionage, sex, betrayal and violence as they fight to secure the future of the British Empire in India.’

Even though the sex and violence are occasionally pretty graphic and the romanticism at times a touch too treacly, this is a thoroughly good read.

Tim Wheeldon Technical book reviews Britain’s Restored Canals

By Roger Squires Published by Landmark Publishing Ltd. ISBN 192 pages. £16.99 soft cover

T

his is an up-to-date re-write of Dr. Roger Squires original 1978 book, “Canals Revived”, which was published on the cusp of the great “revival”. A lot has happened since then and most of it is covered here.

It is not a quick read – the print is small and the detail is large — but for those interested in the politics of canal restoration it is a fascinating one.

Yet again we are reminded of the incredible obstacles the early restoration pioneers had to surmount. And the strange (to us) antagonism constantly presented by officialdom to the waterway movement.

The K&A, as is only right, features strongly in Dr Squires’ account and the tight-rope walked by the Trust in those far-off days is related in a steady, albeit rather dry, style which belies the tension of the time.

All the photos of restoration work (HSE eat your heart out!) are, appropriately enough, in black & white and, judging by the almost unrelieved dullness, the weather seems to have been unfairly rotten on most reopening days. It’s therefore a little sad that, although many reopening ceremonies are pictured, our own reopening by HM The Queen at Devizes in that glorious sunshine, is omitted.

ere too a thoroughly good read, plus that wonderful word ‘unputdownable’, except that unavoidably I had to read it in two sessions, although I wanted to keep going right the way through at one sitting.

The background is the Sydney Hobart yacht race, two of the main protagonists banker Kirsten McKenzie who desperately needs to win and Petra Woods, Director of the Sydney New Coastguard. The third is a boy called Moses who can see into the future. Or can he?

Finally, a plea for help: my brief here is to review non-technical books fact or fiction with a canal connection. These two great reads are Bath yes, sailing yes, but canals? No! It seems that such books are now rare. So while the Editor and I search, if you have a book not reviewed over the years in The Butty that you would like to share and that fits the brief, please let Di know. Or you could always write one…

Waterways of France 79 pages, spiral bound Cruising the Canals & Rivers of Europe (CD-ROM)

By Tom Sommers Produced by EuroCanals Guides, USA.

A

s someone who has boated in England and Ireland for 53 years (63 if you include a rowing boat on the Bude Canal) but who, I’m ashamed to say, had not ventured into Europe until September 2007, I can only regret that I didn’t have these guides to hand on last year’s trip. All we had, on a wonderful week cruising from Paris down into Burgundy, were some extremely out-of-date books and no maps. We just kept the sun in front of us!

Tom Sommers is an American who is obviously deeply in love with the waterways of France and has produced these first class products.

The book, a ring-bound, user-friendly publication, provides a snapshot of all French navigations in very easy-to-read prose (American spelling forgiven) with a potted history of each waterway and some pretty good photographs too.

As it is a broad-brush coverage, detail is limited but all dimensions and other navigation advice is included which is vital for someone planning a first time trip in their own liner — sorry, boat.

The DVD is packed full of information covering most of Europe in PDF format — it is not a movie. With a lap-top on board you would scarcely need any books — everything can be viewed in Adobe Reader and printed out (that’s what it says on the case).

I know which I prefer!

The book and CD can be purchased directly from EuroCanals at www.eurocanals.com There are links on the home page leading to web pages for more information and ordering. The UK prices are: CD £14.00 Book £17.75 (For all other countries worldwide the prices are in US$: CD $28.50 Book $34.95)

27

the

Butty

No.182 Spring 2008

Can you Make a Difference?

by John Kirby — Director of Marketing and Membership

T

rust Council and the staff have spent the past 6 months looking at the way we run the Trust so that we can make best use of our resources.

We are beginning to Make a Difference, but it is only the start.

You too can help the Trust — in far more ways than you think. The great thing about our Trust is that you can spend as little or as much time as you wish. In fact — you don’t even have to give time or money.

You can save us money If you have an e-mail address please send it to us.

Just one click from you could save the Trust hundreds of pounds every year and we could keep you up to date on branch and Trust activities — and help you get more out of your membership.

Just send an email to administrator@katrust.org.uk and put’ name_membership number-branch’ in the subject line. That’s all you need to do. It couldn’t be simpler.

Last year it cost the Trust £500 in bank charges to deposit all our membership renewal cheques.

At 65p a cheque it quickly mounts up. So if you use internet or telephone banking you can save us money.

Later in the year we hope to bring in direct debit, which will save even more.

You can give some time It’s always good to see new faces at our pumping stations, boats, and retail outlets.

Volunteering really is fun — meeting new people, learning new skills and giving something back to society. If you’re not volunteering now, give it a go.

Your local branch might be looking for a particular skill you already have — or imagine the fun helping with a water fest or other event, or just moving tables at a branch meeting — It could all Make a Difference.

Our Shops, cafes and boats all need volunteers. Just 2 hours of your time would make a huge difference. Our café at Devizes wharf recently closed —not because customers didn’t like the service they received — but because we did not have the volunteers to keep it open and in profit. With enough volunteers we could open again. Just let us know, it’s never to late.

All our retail outlets need help from a Point of Sales expert. If you have IT skills, an understanding of design and could help us produce promotional signs, then get in touch.

We currently sell The Butty in pubs. marinas and shops — mostly in the Pewsey Vale. Do you know the pubs in your area well enough to encourage them to sell copies on sale or return?

It’s only 4 times a year.

THE FIT OUT FACTORY

We fit-out spaces and specialise in broad beam canal boats for use from floating homes to floating board rooms

Chilton Cantelo, Nr Yeovil, Somerset BA22 8BQ Telephone: 01935 850860 Mobile: 07815 916959 Email: info@thefitoutfactory.co.uk www.thefitoutfactory.co.uk

28

You can help us recruit members

Ltd

I’m sure you remember last year’s campaign — Just one more!

As a member of the K&A Canal Trust you know just how important your membership is to the long-term future of the Trust.

I know many of you have been loyal members for many years and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support.

Less time-consuming than volunteering in a shop — less expensive than making a donation — you can Make a Difference by recruiting just one more member to the Trust.

Remember, we still have membership gift vouchers if you’re trying to choose a present for that person who has everything!

You can help us to reclaim tax Last year we claimed £13000 back from the government in Gift Aid. If you pay income tax and want your donation to go further, just let us know and we can make it happen. It doesn’t cost you a penny and it will certainly help to Make a Difference.

I hope I have given you some food for thought on the many different ways you can help the trust now and in the future.

All volunteers together

I

t is over 50 years since the first volunteers started to work on the K&A. And postrestoration the Trust still relies on volunteers to help fulfill our vision.

Last year alone, very many thousands of essential volunteer hours were given to the Trust so that we could achieve our aims of protecting, enhancing and promoting the K&A. In recognising the work carried out by volunteers, we realise that we need to support our volunteers appropriately, and so the Trust is producing a Volunteer Handbook that includes a Volunteer Charter.

Within the Charter, the K&A Canal Trust promises to:

•

Recognise and celebrate the contribution of volunteers

•

Keep members informed of changes and developments affecting members and volunteers

•

Provide a clear support network

•

Identify a key local contact for information, advice and task support

•

Strive to ensure equality of opportunity

•

Ensure safe working conditions

The Volunteer Handbook has been produced by a volunteer for Trust Council (all of whom are volunteers too).

Your views are welcome.

Please send comments to Terry Kemp at the Canal centre, Devizes.

Gibson's Boat Surveys Ltd. Independent Marine Surveyors based on the K&A Canal For all your surveying needs please contact Richard Burchell on 07810 671770 or E-mail rich.burchell@hotmail.co.uk Hull or full craft Surveys with comprehensive written reports undertaken for Insurance, purchase, condition or damage assessment purposes Specialist consultancy also available for new build, RCD regulations and vintage or historic craft.

The Old Builders Wharf, Honey Street, Nr Pewsey, Wilts SN9 5PS

the

Butty BRANCH REPORTS

No.182 Spring 2008

Reading

Newbury

Mike Wyatt 0118 9427708

Julie Dean 01962 883939

S

adly I must report the death of two members, Graeme Naish on 12th December 2007, and Terry Farrell, a branch committee member on 19th January 2007.

Water Fest 2008 I see much of my last report was all about Water Fest 2007.

Well planning for the 2008 event to be held on Saturday 21st June on the Kennet Backwater by the Abbey Ruins has already started.

Once again reserved moorings will be available from Thursday 19th until Sunday 22nd, and don’t forget Mikron Theatre will again be performing in the Abbey ruins at 7pm on Friday 20th June.

If you are a boater, give me a ring and I will send you an application form, otherwise just come along on the Friday evening and the Saturday on foot and have a FREE fun-day.

Social events On the social front, in September Graham Horn gave his talk ‘A walk for Julie’ about his sponsored walk to raise money for the Duchess of Kent Hospice where Julie spent her last days.

The following month David Copley spoke on ‘K&A — old photographs and memories of the past’ and in December Dr Roger Squires from the IWA

W

e are coming to the end of another successful winter season of talks in the Stone Building, held at 7.45pm on the last Wednesday of each month from September to April.

The narrowboat, Arcadia, trapped in County Lock, Reading for two weeks in January

took us on a fascinating ‘Trip up the River Rhine to Lake Constance’ before we enjoyed the Christmas cake and other delicacies at our Christmas Party.

can of course be found on the Trust Website under the Reading Page, and don’t forget the Branch AGM on 28th March when I shall be retiring from the post of Branch Chairman.

Rain dramas

John Rolls seat

January of course brought rain, so much of it that two boats at Southcote moorings were sunk — one has now been recovered the other still lies under.

Another boater came down the Kennet into County lock, but couldn’t get out because so much water was coming over the top gate that he could not open the bottom one. He has remained there for 14 days or more, and as I write, Fobney Lock lower landing stage is still under a foot of water. We may call it the Kennet & Avon Canal, but it must be remembered that the section from Newbury to Reading is really ‘The River Kennet Navigation’. You forget this at your peril.

One last thought — the seat bought by donations in memory of John Rolls is now in place at Sheffield Lock. Come and remember John as you watch the lock.

Future events

Branch AGM and canal review Our April meeting, on the 30th, includes our branch AGM followed by a review and discussion of Newbury branch’s length of the canal.

All are welcome to come and discuss what we should do to protect, enhance and promote our stretch.

We are also looking for new committee members — we are a friendly bunch and would welcome anyone who would like

Mike Price MABSE Approved Independent Boat Safety Examiner Tel: 01225 703747 Mobile: 07736 837968 Email: mpboatsafety@aol.com

Details of the 2008 programme

Stop at the one-stop service

Boat Trips

From the Cunning Man, Burghfield Bridge Public trips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .May to September Private party hire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A range of cruises Day boat hire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Self-drive for up to 12 people Holiday hire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 & 6 Berth Narrowboats Flexible weekly or short break periods Moorings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Permanent or temporary Enquiries: 14 Beech Lane, Earley, Reading, RG6 5PT Tel: 0118 987 1115 Fax: 0118 921 0604

www.kennetcruises.co.uk

HONEYSTREET Visit our Wharf on the Long Pound by Honeystreet Bridge for diesel, Calor Gas & coal water & 240 volt electrics overnight moorings pump-out & ‘Porta Potti’ disposal

Gibson’s Boat Services Telephone 01672 851232

29

the

Butty BRANCH REPORTS

No.182 Spring 2008

to join us.

Social event on ‘The Rose’ We are having a social evening on the Rose of Hungerford on Friday 6th June — all branch members are very welcome to join us. Call Tracy at the Stone Building to find out more.

Farewell to Val & Peter Boaters from Newbury and beyond bid farewell this month to Val and Peter from Greenham Canal Services.

We wish them the best of luck as they move on to a life afloat. Always helpful, friendly and cheerful, they will be hard to replace.

We hope they will come back and visit!

Waterways Festival As thoughts slowly turn to

30

“there’s nothing half so worth doing as simply messing around in boats” summer, so Newbury Branch turns to the massive task of organising the 2008 Newbury Waterways Festival.

2008 is the centenary of one of Britain’s best loved childrens’ books and, undoubtedly, the most famous waterways book to emerge from Berkshire.

I speak, of course, of The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame’s tale of Ratty, Mole, Toad and Badger that has delighted young and old for a hundred years.

We know that there’s “nothing half so worth doing as simply messing around in boats”, and we need to show this to our visitors!

It is the ideal platform to introduce a whole new generation to the delights of the waterways.

We will be running some special children’s activities and looking to put on an exhibition covering the centenary.

Please do call me if you have any ideas, or if you would like to help with the Festival.

Wind in the Willows theme

Support from other branches

To celebrate “The Wind in the Willows” will be our theme for this year’s Festival. And we are looking for ideas and suggestions for making the theme come alive.

We’d be especially pleased to have the support of other branches alongside Devizes who always do such a first rate job especially on catering.

Of course, the usual Festival

activities will be on offer so all in all it will be another great day — don’t forget the date, Sunday 27th July.

Stone Building café re-opened The café and shop at the Stone Building is now open after its winter break.

It is a lovely place to stop by, especially on sunny days when you can sit out by the canal with your refreshments and watch the waterways scene.

Valuable volunteers But it would not be possible to run the shop without our wonderful volunteers — they do a great job.

I saw this little rhyme recently and thought it said it all!

“We sometimes take for granted in the rush of all we do, and forget to say a special thanks to volunteers like you!”

the

Butty BRANCH REPORTS

No.182 Spring 2008

February, just in time for a birthday party charter on St Valentine’s day.

Hungerford Richard Snook 01635 253446

E

aster is almost upon us and we have plenty of water in the canal; having experienced one of the wettest Januarys on record, it is almost impossible to imagine the canal being short of water for the foreseeable future.

Santa cruises Santa cruises are all done and dusted now and we are looking forward to a great summer season.

Yes, the Santa trips were a success and enjoyed by all as usual, but our takings were down on last year’s all time record, partly because of a late cancellation of three corporate Santa charters which sadly left us with insufficient time to arrange replacements.

New floor for ‘Rose’ The floor of the ‘Rose’ had being showing signs of distress, having been down for over 10 years and been sanded down several times so, with the MCA requiring it to be raised to move the ballast around, it was decided that the best way forward was to replace it completely.

It was duly taken out in a couple of hours at the end of January and the new floor was fitted in a couple of days soon after the MCA inspection in

Froxfield Marina The work on the new marina at Froxfield is progressing steadily.

I would dearly like to say when it is likely to be even partially open, but I have no news from the developer as yet.

AGM on ‘Rose’ The Hungerford Branch AGM will be held aboard the ‘Rose of Hungerford’ at 7.30 pm on Friday 9th May to which all branch members are cordially invited.

Crofton Ray Knowles 01672 851639

W

ork at Crofton continues at its usual brisk pace with not only the Tuesday group but some Wednesday working and on every other Saturday.

Boiler inspection As usual following the clean, the boiler had its annual inspection, which revealed a small surface split in the back end of the right hand furnace tube.

We have had these before due to imperfections in the iron from which they were made (manufacturing processes in the 18th and 19th century were not as good as those of the 20th

The Tutti Pole

by the South side of Hungerford Bridge

Enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of our Tea Room/Restaurant and Patio Area seating up to 50

Morning Coffee • Luncheon • Afternoon Tea Roast Sunday Lunch • Home made fare a speciality Monday – Friday 9am – 5.30pm • Saturday & Sunday 9am – 6pm The Tutti Pole, 3 High Street, Hungerford RG17 0DN Telephone: 01488 682515

century).

With time, the slight surface erosion that occurs in use causes one of these imperfections to come to the surface.

The fix is to grind back to clean metal and fill in with weld.

To satisfy the insurers the welding has to be done by a properly certified (ie expensive) welder and then this has to be checked by ultrasonic testing and a certificate issued — without this the boiler cannot be used.

Rivets For the past couple of years we have been aware of another developing problem with the boiler in that many of the rivets which secure the furnace tubes to the back end plate have been wasting away on the inside and need to be replaced — and again this is a job for a specialist firm.

We have been in contact with the few such that remain in the UK to obtain quotes for the job and thanks to the cooperation of Alan McEwen Boiler Works we were able to take financial advantage of combining a visit to estimate for this job with the welding up of the aforementioned split.

For the rivet job we approached six possible tenderers but only two came to examine the job and only Alan McEwen Boiler Works provided a quotation.

Alan McEwen is famous and highly respected throughout the steam preservation movement and is highly regarded by the Trust’s Insurance Inspectors so, as his quotation is in our opinion, very reasonable, we have sent a Letter of Intent for the job to be done in November 2008.

The cost will be £10,000 and the job will take 3 weeks.

The Trust will fund this from its somewhat depleted funds but the Branch is committed to paying this back from a special ‘Crofton Rivet Appeal’.

So please remember our rivets if you have spare cash!

Concrete slopes and steps Another job of immediate

interest to Crofton visitors is the condition of the concrete slopes at the entrances to the boiler house and cafe.

The surfaces were crumbling and uneven and presented a trip hazard to volunteers and visitors alike. On a recent working day the Saturday group broke up all the old concrete and excavated the underlying soil to a suitable depth for the new surface to be laid.

On Saturday 2nd February, under the expert guidance of Andy Abrahams, they mixed and laid the first section of concrete outside the main boiler house doors.

We have almost finished constructing some steps down the bank on the canal side of the site, which gets very slippery when damp and is thus a potential safety hazard to our visitors.

The steps will provide a safe way down and will be dedicated to the memory of Clare and Robert Lake who were longstanding stalwarts of the Trust and Crofton in particular.

New staff Finally, some staffing matters.

We have been very pleased to welcome Frank Cheevers, John Coulson and Richard Poole to the Tuesday group which is now some 10 to 15 strong.

Don’t be put off by this as there is always more than enough to do and new faces, muscles and brains are always welcome.

You will also read elsewhere that Roger Jackson has retired from the post of Chief Engineer (but not from Crofton) and our former Insurance Boiler Inspector, Ian Coupe, has joined us on his retirement from Sun Alliance and has taken over as Chief Engineer.

Easter opening Finally, finally, we re-open at Easter on Good Friday with the boiler warming through plus the Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race and then our first steamings of the season on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday of the Easter Holiday weekend — with, of course, the Engineman’s Rest cafe open daily from Good Friday to the 28th September.

31

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Butty BRANCH REPORTS Devizes Adrian Softley 07899 844929

S

West Wilts John Maciver 01225 812225

T

he Dundas Carol Service trip, as always, was excellent and amazingly, the rain stopped during the service and, just as the last mince pie was eaten and the pot(s) of mulled wine drained, the heavens opened again!

The crew got v v wet! We were pleased to hear that Peter Atwill will be conducting the service again next year.

Successfull Santa Our highly successful Santa Trips rounded off a very good and profitable year for ‘Barbara McLellan’.

Thank you to Wendy Olver for selecting the individual presents.

Thanks also go to the ‘Santas’ for their cameo performances; the children (and adults) were most impressed!

Overall, operating the ‘Barbara McLellan’ last season was an excellent team effort.

Busy shop The shop also had a busy year, but although the turnover was very good, the high overheads reduced the profit margin drastically.

32

We had an excellent supper followed by a selection of quizzes and games including snail racing and even a quick panto ‘Cinderella’, which had us laughing in the aisles.

Thanks to Helen and Rob Wright for organising the troops.

As you will see elsewhere in these pages the workboat is with us and already work has started on her.

Our annual lengthsman’s report has now been compiled with much hard work from Roger Hollands, a copy has been passed to Ian Jarvis (British Waterways SW Regional Manager).

It is quite obvious that our canal is in serious decline and the comparison photos in the report from last year to this bear out the sorry state.

Long-serving volunteer, Margaret ‘Hoppy’ Hopkinson retired in December after more than 19 years helping in the Trust Building on Devizes Wharf. In 2005 Hoppy was named as WCC’s Museum Volunteer of the Year.

The shop manager, Paul Skelton, decided to resign at the end of the season, so a replacement is required for the start of the season; we are also seeking more volunteers to help out.

We thank both Paul and Lynn for their hard work, as well as a sincere thank you to everyone who volunteered in the shop throughout the year.

Help will be required to clean the boat during the week Monday 17th March; further, volunteers are also required to help in the shop during Easter.

We will be running a crewrecruitment, promotional and crew-training trip to Devizes during 18th to 21st April.

The trips are FREE but a donation would be much appreciated.

Barbara Mac

Annual dinner

We were pleased that the boat passed the rigorous MCA annual out-of-water inspection, and scrutiny of our operating procedures, without any shortfalls.

Well done to Colin Daws and his maintenance team for an outstanding job, as well as to Geoff Olver for keeping all the paperwork in good order.

Colin still has a number of routine jobs on his ‘to-do list’, but one major piece of work is replacement of the propeller shaft and bearings which he and Roger ‘Steamboat’ plan to fit in February.

Please offer your assistance to Colin (01225 837432); you don’t have to be skilled at anything!

The first Public trip will be on Good Friday (21st March) but there will be a training/shakedown day on Saturday 15th March; details will be forwarded to crew in a newsletter, and posted in the crew room.

The Annual Dinner at The Mill, Rode, was a super evening; the food and the overall ambience were very good.

Thanks to Dave Jupp for organising it and also to Chris Poulter for running the raffle, which raised £73 for The Trust.

Devizes Branch is going to need some help this year, the posts of Treasurer and Secretary will need to be filled as Ann, Helen & Rob are retiring. Thanks to them for all

they have done on the Branch Committee. Any offers from members please, will be much appreciated.

Please see the K&ACT website for forthcoming events.

Goodbye Hoppy

Picture by Elaine Kirby

o — 2007 came to a close with a rush, the Santa Cruises being once again well supported and Santa being a big hit.

Thanks to Santa (he knows who he is) and to Ian and Sue Sharp for the use of ‘Kenavon Venture’.

Thanks also to all those volunteer crews who helped to make the trips such a success.

Our 35 members certainly survived Christmas and attended a very good evening on the wharf for our annual ‘I survived Christmas Party’.

No.182 Spring 2008

Volunteer for the Year The Volunteer of the Year trophy was awarded jointly to Roger ‘Steamboat’ Davies and Roger Brown for their unstinting efforts in assisting with the all the boat’s maintenance and engineering work; very well deserved — where would we be without them?

Harry Fox retires Harry Fox has reluctantly decided to ‘throw in his trowel’ and retire as our volunteer gardener; I guess 82 years of

age is a valid reason!

Harry spent his childhood (mid-1920s) in the K&A Cottage, where his grandparents were the lockkeepers.

Interestingly, his grandmother sold homemade ices, refreshments and garden products at the Cottage.

Harry approached us in 2003 and asked if he could ‘tidy up’ the terraced garden which at that time was a complete wilderness.

Since then, through his labour of love, he has won many Bradford in Bloom 1st and 2nd prizes for our wonderfully transformed garden.

Thank you very much Harry and enjoy your well deserved retirement.

Branch AGM The WWB AGM is on Saturday 9th February 2008 at 7.30 pm at Holy Trinity Church, Bradford on Avon. A number of the present Committee members are stepping down, so we desperately need new members to come forward. Without a Committee we cannot function.

Come and volunteer for a worthwhile, interesting and enjoyable pursuit.

Simply call in at the Tea Room or the boat and have a go to see if you like it. I look forward to welcoming you.

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Butty BRANCH REPORTS Claverton, Bath& Bristol Pete Dunn 01761 432811

W

hen I took over the vacant role of Bath & Bristol Branch chairman as a temporary measure until a permanent replacement could be found, I assumed that all was well within the branch and the task would not be too onerous.

How wrong I was. After the changes within the Trust and

No.182 Spring 2008

Enterprise it soon became clear that the Trip Boat ‘Jubilee’, whist showing a small profit, was not being operated efficiently and these issues finally led to the certificate allowing passenger carrying operations from the Marine Coastguard Agency (MCA) being withdrawn.

Let me say now that I am not criticizing the present crew.

They worked very hard last year and deserve that recognition.

The first thing we had to do was rebuild the group and bring them properly under the wing of the B&B Branch with a formal

structure of chairman and committee.

There were some resignations along the way, which was unfortunate but I suppose understandable considering the situation.

Here I would like to state that my aim throughout was to keep the boat trading at the western end and keep the crew intact.

It was never a take-over by me. My actions had to done on behalf of the remaining crew and the Trust as a whole.

Now that I have got that off my chest, let’s look forward.

‘Jubilee’ will still be trading

this season and the crew are very positive and keen to get back out onto the cut.

We have a new Chairman and committee running things and getting things back in order.

Crew vacancies Obviously the crew is a little depleted so we are looking for new members to come forward.

There are roles of skippering, general crewing and galley work to be filled — training will be given.

A Galley Slave’s view Volunteering aboard the Trust trip-boat ‘The Jubilee’

By Sue Thomson

A

bout eight years ago my partner decided he’d like to become a skipper aboard the narrow boat ‘Jubilee’ — I didn’t discourage him — little knowing what he was letting ME in for.

He went through his training, undertook his Skippers Level 1 Licence exam and was duly launched on the most westerly stretch of the K&A for the summer season of 2000.

Needless to say I was ‘pressed ganged’ as ‘galley slave’.

Berthed near the Canal Visitor Centre at Brassnocker Basin, ‘Jubilee’ runs a variety of trips.

Every Sunday at noon we cruise to Claverton and Conkwell Woods and at 2.30pm to Avoncliff with a half- hour stop; both are return journeys although passengers can get off and walk back if they’d prefer.

Passengers just turn up and pay on board.

At other times, people book private charters to celebrate reunions, anniversaries and birthdays or simply to get a group of friends together for an enjoyable time.

There is a choice of destinations — Bath, Bradford on Avon through the lock,

Avoncliff and Claverton; special bookings can be made to visit the pumping station.

There are also various ways to enjoy food on board, either catered or ‘bring-your-own’.

Almost without exception, people love the quiet of the canal and the leisurely (walking) pace at which we travel, even if it’s raining.

The ‘Jubilee’ sits low in the water and with the plastic canopy rolled up it feels as though you’re right there in the countryside.

She plies the stretch of the canal from Bath to Bradford on Avon, through the beautiful Limpley Stoke Valley. Wildlife abounds with anemones along the wooded margins in spring, ramsons (wild garlic) scenting the air and ducklings scooting along, legs going like whirligigs, desperate to find mum when the boat splits the family.

We see kingfishers, herons, moor hens, ducks and swans; the occasional water vole nibbles away oblivious of the human activity.

My first trip was a baptism of fire — but fortunately I had help.

The group was a very ‘lively’ crowd and we served refreshments all evening long — no mean feat in the

‘Jubilee’ crew

minuscule galley aboard ‘Jubilee’.

For those of you who’ve never been aboard, narrow boats are a bit like caravans, an exercise in inventive use of space.

As galley crew we are the public face of the boat, helping our passengers to enjoy their ‘cruise’.

The other volunteer crew, such as the skipper and the helmsman, are key to passenger enjoyment and

Picture by Robert Coles

safety — they’re the ones that make sure we get where we’re going and back without mishap. A team of them also keep the boat serviced, fuelled, pumped out and generally ship shape in between trips. Having said that, everyone mucks in at the end of a trip to make sure the boat i’s clean and tidy for the next crew to take out. I think I probably speak for all the crew when I say we enjoy it as much as our passengers.

To find out more about trips on the ‘Jubilee’ or to book, please call Gordon Lane on: 0800 121 4682 or email: jubilee@katrust-ent.org.uk or visit: www.katrust.org or: www.bath-narrowboat-trips.co.uk/

33

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Butty BRANCH REPORTS

No.182 Spring 2008

Dundas ticket office restoration

Claverton Winter works

Elsewhere in the branch the Dundas ticket office restoration project is quietly progressing.

Claverton Pumping Station, is nearing the end of a big winter maintenance project to replace two large oak beams which support the sluice gearing floor.

Two 8ins x11ins x 28ft oak beams were delivered to the pump with the assistance of local farmer Tony Sageat.

Holburne Museum There are some interesting developments with a joint project to promote the canal along with The Holburne Museum in Bath — I hope to bring you more details through the year.

Waiting at the railway crossing for permission from the signalman to cross

Parking permission The exiting news at Claverton is that we have been given planning permission to build a car park for our volunteers and the Bathampton Anglers, which will also be used for special occasions and will free up much needed parking spaces for our visitors elsewhere.

Members of the Claverton team

Tel: Tel: 01380 01380 725300 Quality narrowboat maintenance Repair & refurbishment Engine servicing — Hull blacking Shot blasting — Painting — Sign writing Hull extensions & welding DIY covered wet dock Pump-out — Diesel —Gas — Coal Day & weekend boat hire Chandlery — Boat Sales

www.devizesmarina.co.uk 34

One of the beams almost in position in the wheel house

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Butty

No.182 Spring 2008

Safety matters

by Ben Woodman

H

ave you heard the one about the two men who were hammering a post into the ground? Fred, who was holding the post, said to his mate with the hammer, ‘When I nod my head, hit it!’ The old jokes are the best — well some of them anyway.

Joking apart, would it surprise you to know that according to RoSPA there are 5,800 reported accidents involving hammers every year.

Maybe some of the injured were even called Fred.

The sad fact is that accidents with hand tools annually account for a staggering number of injuries.

The DIY season is approaching; typically it starts with the Easter holiday when enthusiasts decide to get their kit out and do a bit of making and mending.

The hospitals get their bandages and splints ready

too, because the statistics tell them that the casualties are going to start rolling in.

In all, more than 87,000 (yes, 87,000) injuries requiring hospital treatment are caused

that might go wrong with everything else! (Together with the accompanying code of practice they occupy 83 pages.)

The message from the

“If a hand tool has any fault that could cause injury, it should be taken out of use” by hand tools, both at home and at work, in the UK every year.

Small wonder then that in 1998 the Health and Safety Executive decided to produce a set of regulations covering the use and maintenance of tools and equipment.

They are grandly entitled ‘The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations’, and rejoice in the acronym ‘PUWER’.

In typical HSE style they attempt to cover everything

regulations though is deceptively simple; if a hand tool has any fault that could cause injury, it should be taken out of use. Common sense I would have thought. It does mean that we should check our kit before using it, that’s common sense too. For example a loose head on a hammer could badly hurt someone if it flew off in use. A cracked wheel on a grinder could shatter in use with potentially lethal consequences.

The regulations also highlight a couple of other sensible precautions; firstly, the tool should be suitable for the job, secondly the person using it should actually know how to use it.

There we are, common sense again.

So, check your kit before starting your next project.

If anything looks a bit dodgy or worn, treat yourself to some new tools.

Pay for it out of the housekeeping if you must — that would be cheaper than paying a tradesman to do the work while you languish in hospital or wait for your wounds to heal.

Oh, if you do decide to scrap a piece of kit, don’t pass it on to someone else — just dump it.

Think common sense. Let’s buck the statistics and give hospitals an Easter break!

Boat builders and repairers Bespoke built narrow and wide beam boats

Holiday hire 2-12 berth Full weeks and short breaks 2 fully equipped and built for disabled use

Full mechanical and electrical services Break down service Agents for Shire and Beta engines Mastervolt energy shop 3M thinsulate insulation Webasto heaters

Quality work by quality craftsman Reading Marine Company Ltd Aldermaston Wharf, Padworth, Reading RG7 4JS 0118 9713666

35

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Butty Letters to the Editor

No.182 Spring 2008

Letters on any subject related to the canal are welcome. We want to encourage debate about canal issues.

This is your forum to voice your views.

Requests for anonymity will be honoured, but no letter will be Editor, Di Harris

published unless it arrives with contact details. Letters should be not more

than 300 words and may be edited for reasons of space or clarity. Send letters to the Editor: contact details on page 3.

PICTURES IDENTIFIED

R

egarding your enquiry in Winter 2007 issue of The Butty, magazine of the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust: Your excellent photos of two horse-drawn narrow boats in 1944/5 were taken at Chester, on the Shropshire Union Canal.

The distinctive water tower gives it away (built 1853, heightened 1889, 70 feet across). Looking eastwards, not far from the railway station, on

the East side of the town.

‘Google Earth’ shows that the houses are still there as well.

NB: not ‘barges’ — narrow boats are only 7 feet wide.

Thos. Clayton (Oldbury) Ltd specialised in transporting gasworks liquor and similar products, and it looks as if both boats were of their fleet.

Malcolm Tucker, London Canal Museum

CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS Despite the best endeavours of The Butty editorial team and the members of the Trust who spell and fact check the proof pages, mistakes still sneak into the magazine.

The only thing in the last issue that we were taken to task over was placing the Devizes Branch -v- Calne &

Chippenham Branch of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust skittles match at the Cross Keys at Rowde.

It was of course at the Black Horse on the Devizes flight where Landlord and Landlady Terry and Glynis Hillier and their staff provided their usual warm hospitality.

ROWAN

WATER QUALITY ON THE K&A CANAL

E

veryone is in favour of the canal being fully navigable and well used by boaters.

But is there (as in most human affairs) a risk of ‘overdevelopment’?

Until recently, along our stretch of the Long Pound there was ample evidence of fish life (eg herons and occasional kingfishers). But in the last year or so it has appeared completely inert. I imagine anglers must be equally concerned.

I know there are rules about

sanitation, to preserve water quality — but with so many boats now moored and static along the bank, I wonder if the rules are properly observed.

Can anything more be done to ensure that the rules are enforced and water quality restored? The Long Pound will be much less attractive if it becomes merely a strip of dead smelly water, as I fear may be the outcome.

Alan Bailey, Horton

Ian Jarvis, General Manager, British Waterways South West replies

W

e do monitor water quality along with our colleagues at the EA. We also have a Conservation Plan that was agreed at the time of the restoration.

It is this plan that has been the basis of our refusal to allow new permanent moorings in certain locations.

This issue has been through our complaints procedure and on to the Waterways Ombudsman but we have been resolute in maintaining our position for we also recognise the danger of over development.

The Ombudsman has endorsed our position and we have not allowed this mooring growth.

The situation with visitor mooring is quite different as the law allows anyone to moor on

the towpath side for up to 14 days.

This is a big issue in the area in question and on the K&A in general.

We are tackling this by a variety of means including an expansion of our enforcement team.

We have received several reports of inappropriate disposal of waste but we have so far been unable to obtain the necessary evidence to deal with such cases.

If we do obtain appropriate evidence we will respond appropriately.

I would though like to have my professional staff look into the situation for the specific area in more detail so that a fuller and specific response can be given to Mr Bailey.

Primers Corrosion Resistant, High Build Quality

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HMG Paints Ltd, Faraday Park, West Portway Industrial Estate Andover, Hants, SP10 3SA

Tel: 01264 356296 Fax: 01264 338123 Email: mail@hmgcoatings.co.uk

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Butty

Obituaries

No.182 Spring 2008

Picture by Bob Naylor

Gerry Townsend erry was an active volunteer on the K&A and one of the founder members of the Pewsey Wharf Boat Club. He and his wife Madge were active in the Devizes and Pewsey branches of the Trust and ran the branch book stall for many years.

They were part of the K&A Canal Trust Youth Division workforce that cleared the Devizes Lock Flight, organising a ‘family and friends’ work party to clear lock 40.

He was also involved in the restoration and re-opening of the Wootton Rivers Locks as well as having a major impact at Pewsey.

In 1972 he got together with other boating friends to form the Pewsey Wharf Boat Club.

It was their work that ensured that the wharf remained accessible to boats and the public in general.

Following their determined efforts to

G

restore the wharf building and to keep the wharf open to all, the K&A Canal Trust took over the lease of the property and the club was able to use the upstairs room for club events.

The slipway was also a project he took on and they set to work with ex-RAF runway track sections of lock-in corrugated steel.

With the addition of sand bags full of concrete, which were put into position by wading into the water, the slipway became usable once more.

In October 2005 Gerry was presented with the John Gould Award in recognition of the work he had carried out on the K&A. He will be remembered for the many tales he had to tell, revealing the part he played in the waterways development over the years.

Gerry Townsend died at Wroughton in January 2008.

the sides, landscaped the area and repaired the towpath.

Maurice and son Robert had 2 holidays camped in the field close to the lock when BW and a gang of trusty prisoners from Oxford Jail were rebuilding the lock. He was interested to watch the rebuild.

Maurice also worked with others on the old hand-operated dredger that the Trust had acquired. It was hard work trying to dredge mud, rubbish and other junk that the locals thought would make a good splash when thrown in the water. They would dredge one weekend and the following fortnight would have to dig the spoil out of the boat and barrow it along planks to the bank, not a nice job to do on a cold wet

winters day on slippery muddy wet planks.

Maurice also helped with fundraising and several bank holiday shows and treasure hunts, but it was the working parties that he liked best, as he would travel anywhere to help work parties, from Dundas and Avoncliff to Devizes, Limpley Stoke and Newbury.

Maurice also liked to explore the canal and he and Robert paddled many miles in their canoe enjoying the scenery and wondering if it would ever be open from Reading to Bath. He was delighted when it finally opened. Maurice lived till he was 95 so all that hard work couldn’t have done him much harm — and he had fond memories of the K&A till the end.

T

and became an active member of the committee.

Branch members were devastated when they heard the news of his sudden and totally unexpected death on Saturday 19th January.

Southcote Mill is in an isolated area, and Terry had gone outside to investigate a disturbance. There was an incident, and he died later in the Royal Berkshire Hospital.

His death has been attributed to natural causes.

A devoted family man, Terry leaves his widow June and two daughters. Everyone in the area and in the branch will miss him greatly.

Maurice Cusden

M

aurice Cusden, who died last autumn, first became involved with the K&A at a working party on the original Burghfield Lock when it was very shaky and people were advised not to stay in the boat when using the lock as the bottom gates might give way and send the boat backwards a bit sharpish. Luckily it never happened. He also used to crew the ‘Enterprise’ on occasions.

He spent many years working on the K&A in Reading in the 1960s, on the committee and organising weekend working parties — particularly the ground work at Sulhamstead Lock.

After BW had rebuilt the lock, the Trust working parties, at weekends, finished off

Terry Farrell erry, a retired business man bought Southcote Mill adjoining Southcote Lock on the K&A about 4 miles from Reading some 13 years ago. Since then he and his wife and have restored much of the interior, a job he was still continuing. Since buying the Mill he campaigned ceaselessly to preserve the area of Kennet Meadows as an amenity to be enjoyed, rather than the dumping ground it had become in parts.

He was chairman of the Southcote Globe which works for the Southcote community and its residents in many ways. He was well known to many boaters going through the lock and a few years ago acquired a boat and joined the Reading branch of the Trust,

37

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Butty

No.182 Spring 2008

What’s On March Saturday 15th – Sun 16th West Wilts Branch. ‘Barbara McLellan’ crew training Friday 21st – Monday 24th 60th Anniversary Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race starting from Devizes Wharf.

Wednesday 26th Newbury Branch. ‘The Manchester Ship Canal’, illustrated talk by Richard Thomas. 7.45pm, The Stone Building, Newbury Wharf.

Friday 28th Reading Branch. ‘Imperial Airways’, Ken Hussey.

Turnham’s Farm Scout Hall, Little Heath Road (close to the junction with City Road), Tilehurst. Starts – 8.00 pm.

Saturday 29th Devizes Branch. Branch AGM followed by a show of archive canal films. 7.30pm, Canal Centre, Devizes Wharf. BYOB.

April

Hungerford’, Hungerford Wharf.

Sunday 25th Devizes Branch. Awareness Day. Held at lock 47 by the Black Horse pub to help boaters through the lock whilst “persuading” them to become Trust members. Volunteers needed.

Friday 30th Reading Branch. ‘Bats” a talk

by Tony Vetta ,Turnham's Farm Scout Hall, Little Heath Road (close to the junction with City Road), Tilehurst. at 7.30 pm for a start at 8.00 pm.

June Wednesday 11th K&A Canal Users Forum.

7.30pm, Bath Friday 20th Mikron Theatre will again be performing in the Abbey ruins at 7 pm Saturday 21st Reading Branch. Reading Water Fest at the Kennet Backwater by the Abbey Ruins

July

Friday 25th Reading Branch. ‘The story of Bailey Bridging’, Pablo Haworth.

Turnham’s Farm Scout Hall, Little Heath Road (close to the junction with City Road), Tilehurst. at 7.30 pm for a start at 8.00 pm Wednesday 30th Newbury Branch. Branch AGM followed by K&A Review.

7.45pm, The Stone Building, Newbury Wharf.

May Friday 9th Hungerford Branch. Branch AGM. 7.30pm, ‘Rose of

Saturday 5th Devizes Beer festival. Details to follow.

Sunday 27th Newbury Waterways Festival, 10am – 5pm, Victoria Park.

August Saturday 2nd – Sunday 3rd Bristol Harbour Festival. For more information contact The Harbour Office, Underfall Yard, Cumberland Road, Bristol BS1 6XG. Tel: 01179 031484 Monday 25th Devizes Branch. Membership Stall at Lacock Street Fayre.

Volunteers needed.

The Barge Inn Honeystreet Historic Canalside Inn

serving home cooked food from noon — 2.30pm and 7 — 9pm

Real Ales Campsite Marquee for parties

Tel: 01672 851705 www.the-barge-inn.com

Crop circle venue with notice boards 38

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60' Narrowboat Professional Build & Fit Out by MCC, Ten years old. Full details: uk.geocities.com/peterj.waite@ btinternet.com/Home_Page.html

Tel: Peter Waite 0780 3233351 Windlass K&A style. Marked JHSG 3705.

12’’ throw for good leverage. £15.00. 01225 872706 Unclassified ads are free for members of The K&A Canal Trust for up to 30 words — subject to available space

the

Butty

No.182 Spring 2008

Prize Crossword DOWN 1. Vulgar sound of disapproval at soft fruit. (9) 2. Fancy monster. (7) 3. Thoroughly defeated by crushing to dust. (10) 5. William was victor in 1066. (9) 6. Pulls through open water slowly at first. (4) 7. Cry of warning from watchman. (4,3) 8. Measure jump. (5) 9. Man who will move round and round. (4) 14. Colourful plant for placatory gift when I sit on a pet in confusion. (10) 16. Empty chatter followed by card games could help to generate heat. (3-6) 18. Release chart to reveal ups and downs. (6,3) 20. Please don’t sing the chorus. (7) 22. With 13ac. provides a turning point on K&A. (7,4) 23. Prison warder’s pay. (5) 25. Meandering line of the river. (4) 26. Add a breeze to this grinding plant, and it might be seen at Wilton. (4) ACROSS 1. Cooking instructions from EC embraced by mature. (6) 4. Dashed away and sank by holing. (8) 10. Expert hit high over Lord-Lieutenant. (7) 11. Confused women need directions when freshly cut. (7) 12. Paunch from excess beer acquired in urban section of the K&A? (7,3) 13. See 22d.

1 5. Studying at university town on the K&A. (7) 17. Farmyard secret, so orchard may conceal a domestic bird in retreat. (7) 19. Long balls bowled by Yorkshire cricketers at start and finish. (7) 21. Renovation leads to a real new transformation. (7) 23. Bulgarian capital lacks one upholstered seat. (4) 24. K&A engineer. (4,6) 27. Comprehend how to convert into capital. (7) 28. Lightest metallic element symbolised by half life. (7) 29. Deflect girl to assist with opening lock.(8) 30. Delay the break off of communication. (4,2)

PRIZE CROSSWORD The prize for the winner of this crossword will be a video from the Trust’s Shop. Two runners-up will get £10 voucher to be used in the shop. Send your entries with your name and address to: Prize Crossword, Kennet & Avon Canal Trust, Canal Centre, Couch Lane, Devizes SN10 1EB before 1st June 2008. Photocopies will be accepted.

The Butty Prize Crossword No 182 Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..................................... ..................................... .....................................

Word search 181 solution

Christmas caption competition

Get going Granny! It’s your turn for lock-wheeling (John Slee)

This year’s competition brought an amazing collection of captions — whittling down the winners was no easy task — every entry was worthy of a prize but sadly we have to select winners — and in the end we have chosen three.

John Slee, Peter Badger and Mike Hanscomb win an A4 print of their choice from the K&A Canal Trust Collection.

A Continuous Parker (John Slee)

We’ve renamed our boat mobility. (Mike Hanscomb) Gran’s ordered some larger castors for her zimmer.

She’s determined to do her share of lock-wheeling.

(Peter Badger)

This canal we’re twinned with — just how wide did you say the locks are?

(Peter Badger) Oh dear, the EU have cut fishing quotas again. (John Slee)

This issues winner is Danielle Saunders of Coterel, Medreac, France (aged 11). The fluffy toy of her choice is on its way to her.

39

Trip Boats

‘Rose of Hungerford’ A wide-beam boat seating 50 operating from just off Hungerford High Street.

Public trips: • Every Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday from Easter until October – 2.30pm: 2.5 hours • Every Wednesday from June until September – 2.30pm: 2.5 hours • Every Wednesday during July and August – 11.30am: 1.5 hours • Every Sunday during August – 11.30am: 1.5 hours • Special Santa Trips at Christmas Charter trips available for all your special occasions Wheelchair/disabled access Booking Manager: 0800 121 4674

Visit the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust’s attractions Claverton

Cafes & shops

Bradford on Avon Wharf shop & café Tel: 01225 868683

Pumping Station Claverton Pumping Station is a waterwheel powered beam engine built in 1813 to raise water from the river Avon to the Kennet and Avon Canal. It has been restored by volunteers and is now open to the public.

Claverton is five miles south of Bath off the A36 Warminster Road, 400 yards down Ferry Lane across the uncontrolled level crossing. The pump is approximately 25 minutes walk from Dundas Aqueduct. Free admission for children under 16 (must be accompanied by an adult)

Devizes Wharf museum & shop Tel: 01380 729489

Open days 2008 Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday from March 23rd to October 25th Opening times: Wednesdays 10am – 4pm, other days 10am – 5pm

Running days

‘Barbara McLellan’

March 23rd & 24th, April 27th

August 10th, 24th & 25th

May 5th, 25th & 26th, June 8th & 22nd

September 14th & 28th

July 13th and 27th

October 19th

Phone: 01225 483001 Email: enquiries@claverton.org

65ft wide-beam boat seating 51 operating from Bradford on Avon Wharf Cottage Public trips: • Every Wed, Sat, Sun and Public Holidays from Apr to Oct - 2.30 pm, 1¾ hr to Avoncliff and return.

• Easter and every Sat and Sun from May to Sep - 11.30 am, 1¼ hr to Meadows Bridge and return.

• Every Sun from end-May to mid-Sep 4.30 pm, 1 hr to Widbrook and return.

• Special Trips including Cream Teas, Bath, Autumn Tints.

Christmas Santa Trips Wheelchair/disabled access Charter trips: for 1 to 5 hours or a whole day.

Booking Manager: 0800 121 4679

Crofton

Crofton Pumping Station shop & café Tel: 01672 870300

Beam Engines 1812 Boulton & Watt and 1846 Harvey beam engines regularly steamed from hand stoked, coal fired Lancashire Boiler. Amazing industrial archaeology in a rural setting From Marlborough, either take the A346 to Burbage and then follow the brown 'Beam Engines' sign, or take the A4 towards Hungerford, turn right, 'Beam Engines' sign before Froxfield, and continue to follow the brown signs, through Great Bedwyn, to the pumping station.

From Hungerford, take the A338 towards Salisbury, turn right at Shalbourne following the signs to Great Bedwyn, then follow the brown signs.

From Salisbury, follow the signs to Hungerford on the A338, then turn left at East Grafton and follow the brown signs.

Newbury Wharf shop & café Tel: 01635 522609

Open days Open daily 10.30am to 5pm from March 22nd — September 28th 2008

Steaming days March 22, 23, 24 (Easter), May 3, 4, 5, 24, 25, 26 June 28, 29 July 26, 27 August 23, 24, 25

‘Jubilee’ A 30 seat converted traditional narrowboat operating from Brassknocker Basin, opposite Viaduct Inn, Limpley Stoke on the A36 East of Bath Public trips: • From March 23 to October 26 Sundays and Bank Holidays 12.00 – 2.00pm Cruise to Claverton and return 2.30pm – 5.45pm Cruise to Avoncliff stopping for 30 minutes and return Charter trips Booking Manager: 0800 121 4682

All boats have a licensed bar and refreshments are available.

There is a public address system or you can use your own sound system.

September 27, 28 (steam gala weekend)

Phone: 01672 870300

Museum

Devizes Wharf The museum is housed in the historic bonded wharehouse on Devizes Wharf.

Its exhibits chronicle the rise and fall of the canal as a commercial waterway and its subsequent restoration by volunteers.

Opening times: 10am — 5pm, 7days a week

General enquiries: 01380 721279

Website: katrust.org.uk

Aldermaston visitor centre, shop & café Tel: 01189 712868

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