Towing Path Topics - May 2022

Towing Path Topics Newsletter of the Inland Waterways Association Lancashire & Cumbria Branch

May 2022

DISCLAIMER The views expressed in Towing Path Topics are not necessarily those of The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) or of its North West Region or of the Lancs and Cumbria Branch. They are, however published as being of interest to our members and readers. Nothing printed may be construed as policy or an official announcement unless so stated. The Association accepts no liability for any matter in this newsletter.

No reproduction is permitted without acknowledgment.

Cover: Spring comes to Bank Newton on L&L Canal

Photograph acknowledgements (All others the editor) Pages 20, 30,31 Canal & River Trust Pages 10, 11 Lancaster Canal Trust Pages 23, 38,39 Janet Dunning Pages 20,21 Nigel Hardacre Pages 8, 17-19, 35 Wendy Humphreys Page 31 Russell Moorhouse Page 35 Charles Turner

Abbreviations LCT.-.The Lancaster Canal Trust CRT.-.The Canal and River Trust LCRP.-.Lancaster Canal Regeneration Partnership L&L.-.The Leeds & Liverpool Canal

Copy date for next edition 15th August 2022 The editor retains the right to edit any article or letter submitted for publication.

Editor: David Faulkner 22 Moorland Road, Langho, Blackburn BB6 8EX Tel. 01254 249265 Email david.faulkner@waterways.org.uk

Inland Waterways Association

Registered office: Island House, Moor Road, Chesham HP5 1WA Registered as a charity (No. 212342) 2

Editor’s comment Welcome to the Spring edition of your newsletter. Thank you to everyone who has submitted articles. You’ve probably heard of the theatre production ‘The Play that went Wrong”, well on page 22 you can read the Moon’s version—‘The Cruise that went Wrong’.

Thanks to CRT for the photographs of work to repair the breach on the L&L Canal at Rishton (page 30). It was a big undertaking and, as usual, they found other things needing attention. Talking of big jobs, does anyone know what they are up to at Barrowford reservoir (p33)?

A lot of more mundane maintenance work for CRT is building up, see page 32 for a very brief account of defects at Johnsons Hillock flight.

Janet Dunning presented us with a couple of mysteries at the last social meeting, when she stepped in at the last minute to replace Bill Froggatt, who was isolating with Covid. See pages 38/39 and let me know if you have any suggestions.

As usual Nigel Hardacre has been busy, not only leading walks which are always so well researched, but he’s campaigning for the Tramway Bridge in Preston and also a neglected bridge on the line of the southern end of the Lancaster Canal (p20), makes a change from the Northern Reaches (where LCT are still busy of course).

Along with others, we are slowly starting to organise events again.

Details throughout the newsletter with a summary on the back page.

News of the National chairman’s resignation came just as we were going to press so we have interesting times ahead.

Please keep articles, photographs or comments coming.

Please notify membership@waterways.org.uk or the editor if you would prefer to receive your copy of ‘Towing Path Topics’ by email rather than a printed copy.

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Branch Chair’s Report As I write this the sun is shining which always makes me feel good and I am hopeful that there will be a return to something like normal for this year after the last 2 difficult years. I hope to see more branch members this year at social meetings and events.

We have already had a couple of walks thanks to Nigel Hardacre and we have thoughts and some firm plans for other events. We have had a live AGM and live social meetings.

Following the AGM the committee elected me as chair again. I am also trying to fulfil the role of social secretary and have started to make plans for the 2022/23 social programme, details for that will be in the next edition of Towing Path Topics. We have firm plans for a Balsam Bash on the 25th June and a branch outing on the 14th July, details are elsewhere in this magazine.

Last year we worked with Lancaster Canal Trust (LCT) and the Canal and River Trust (CRT) on a Youth Engagement event. This year we have 2 further events in mind; no details yet other than the dates, 6th August on the Lancaster Canal and 14th August on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. We will be working with LCT and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal Society for those events.

Nigel Hardacre has been busy leading several walks, not just for IWA but for Lancaster Canal Trust and the Friends of the Tramway bridge and hopefully there will be more throughout the year. Keep an eye on the IWA website and emails from me (if you want me to keep you on my email list for walk notifications just let me know). Sadly we weren’t able to get a team together for Country Fest this year but we hope to go next year. LCT will be there with their gazebo and the trip boat, the dates are 28th and 29th May.

I have continued to attend the following meetings, all online, saving lots of time on travel but still not quite as good as live meetings.— LCT, IWA Region, Lancaster Canal Regeneration Partnership (LCRP) and CRT liaison meetings.

The new chair of LCRP has been appointed and has started to chair meetings, he has some interesting ideas for LCRP and lots of contacts in the business and academic world in the Lancaster Canal area.

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Our branch has continued to hold regular committee meetings, mostly on zoom and we discuss IWA business and what is happening in our branch area.

Some of you will remember Northern Canals and maybe even attended meetings, well after a lapse of a few years the group has started again and although I couldn’t attend the April meeting I do intend to attend the next one in October, this will be a useful opportunity to meet other canal enthusiasts and share ideas. I will keep you informed.

Over the last few months myself and other branch members have walked the Johnson’s Hillock flight a few times, we have also had a joint walk with CRT. We identified some problems which we have shared with CRT and it is pleasing to note that some of them have been resolved but there is still more to do so we will keep up the pressure.

Before Covid the branch was given a donation by a group called Canal Arts and Crafts, they were winding up. They also offered us their gazebo and although Covid caused a long delay I have at last managed to work with them to pick up the gazebo so we now have a lovely red gazebo in addition to our other branch gazebos, many thanks to Canal Arts and Crafts for that.

Thanks go to Jim and Maralyn Nott who have agreed to be “boating buddies” for CRT, this involves giving CRT staff who don’t get the opportunity to boat on the canals the opportunity to have a boat journey and experience the canals from the point of view of boaters.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the committee members who do so much to make the branch work and to everyone who agreed to continue on the branch committee for another year.

Also thanks to those branch members who don’t want to be on the committee but nevertheless help the branch in other ways.

Please consider joining the committee, the more members we have the more we can do; just contact me or any committee members.

Take care everyone.

Wendy Humphreys 5

REPORT FROM THE NW REGIONAL CHAIRMAN

“Spring is here! Spring is here!” So sang Tom Lehrer all those years

ago. And after COVID and Lockdown, perhaps the opportunity to be back on the Cut in the, heretofore, usual way. I do hope so.

I was present at a Regional Advisory Board of CRT recently, at which one of the topics was the need to attract young people, both to work for CRT but also to appreciate the joys of leisure on the waterways. A very impressive scheme is underway, attracting about 100+ potential joinees, all of whom are enjoying both work and play in our watery environment. The future beckons and, perhaps, the IWA should do something similar.

We discussed also two major regional issues - the Anderton Lift and the Chester Graving Dock. The first is having a great deal of money spent on it and some members are questioning why the substantial expenditure made on it only 20 years ago does not seem to have lasted. Fair comment? Or just the process of wear and tear on a piece of our boating history?

The Chester issue is a running sore and I and others are doing what we can to resolve the difficulties between CRT and a local boatyard.

I am sorry to have to report to you that Phil Hornsey, our relatively new IWA/CEO, has tendered his resignation and will leave very shortly. I do not know the full reasons but it is fair to record that the position has not appealed to him. Steps are in hand to replace him but, clearly, the parameters of the job will have to be thoroughly reviewed.

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The IWA National Treasurer has been warning Trustees recently that our finances - largely derived from the membership - are in a parlous state and need urgent remedial attention. This is a big and worrying problem and will be one of the first items on the next Trustees agenda.

I must record my thanks - and that of many others - to Alan Platt, who has finally decided to retire from the Regional Committee. He has been a stalwart for years, knowledgeable, well-informed, committed and hard-working - as well as being a thoroughly good bloke. He is due our gratitude and good wishes.

As are all of you for your continuing involvement and support.

Enjoy Spring on the Cut.

We're already back in the rehearsal room for the second show of the 50th year of Mikron. Brand new play 'Red Sky at Night' (The wild and wonderful world of the weather) opens at Mikron HQ and then tours alongside 'Raising Agents' until October!

See their website www.mikron.org.uk which has a really useful interactive map where you can find details of all their performances— some in Lancashire and even one in Silverdale on 8th October! Ed 7

Balsam Bash Haslam Park 25th June 2022

The IWA, LCT and Friends of Haslam Park are having a joint Balsam Bash at Haslam Park Preston. We have held these successful events in previous years and it has been good to work together. We will be working near the feeder to the canal where we have worked previously and greatly reduced the amount of Himalayan Balsam, an invasive plant which damages the banks of water courses.

Meet at the car park at 10am, bring a packed lunch and suitable clothing, remember Balsam likes to grow near nettles so long sleeves are advised. We intend to finish at 3pm but if you want to leave early that’s fine. It will be good to get out in the fresh air again and meet with old and new friends.

It is not necessary to book a place but it would be good to know how many are coming, so please email me to say you are coming Wendy Humphreys at delwendwhm@btinternet.com (or if you have any questions,). If it is last minute, phone on 07763 561572.

The Postcode for the entrance to Haslam Park at Bristow Avenue is PR2 1JE, the car park is further down Bristow Avenue, on the right.

People arriving by car cannot turn right into Bristow Avenue going out from Preston, but they can turn left coming in from the Blackpool direction.

Coming from Preston you will have to go past, turn further up and then come back.

A picture from 2021, look at the smiles, it must be fun!

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Intact adopt a length of the Lancaster Canal

(This is from ‘Blog Preston’ at www.blogpreston.co.uk ) Intact (Ingol & Tanterton Community Trust)) has recently adopted a stretch of the Lancaster Canal towpath from Bridge 15 at Haslam Park to Bridge 17 at Preston Sports Arena.

They will be working with CRT to put on events including guided walks, tidy-ups and sessions removing invasive plants.

Ashton residents had complained previously about the “disgusting state” of the canal.

The Canal and River Trust issued a statement saying: “The Lancaster Canal is a much-loved, beautiful outdoor space, offering local residents a great place to enjoy nature and fresh air.”

“However it is a victim of its own success. The amount of litter and graffiti in this area is a constant challenge for the Canal & River Trust charity, which cares for the canal.”

“We have a contractor scheduled to empty bins twice a week and we are lucky to have several groups of brilliant volunteers, who have adopted various canal sections near Preston to help us look after the waterway and towpath.”

“We are very grateful to Intact Dobcroft, Friends of Haslam Park, Ashton and Riversway PACT (Plastic Free Preston) and Ribble Canoe Club, who all do their best to keep the canal looking its best.

But we urgently need help.”

“We appeal to all members of the public who use the canal – please take your rubbish home! If bins are full, please find an alternative place to deposit your rubbish, and take cans and bottles for recycling.”

“We want to keep the canal looking great for everyone to enjoy – but we can only do that if people act responsibly and value this great natural amenity on their doorstep.”

The Intact Centre is at 49 Whitby Avenue, Ingol, Preston PR2 3YP Tel: 01772 760 760 9

Lancaster Canal Trust news

(Taken from Robin Yate’s monthly e-bulletin)* In April a site visit to the First Furlong by CRT engineers was planned to discuss the best way to identify the source of the leakage. It appears that the leakage rate may be slowing as the water levels drop which would suggest the area of concern is higher up the bank, but this is mere speculation.

N B Waterwitch resumes cruising for 2022

Following a shortened season in 2021 due to the pandemic we are really excited about the new season, and we look forward to welcoming friends old and new to a scenic trip on the Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal on our traditional narrowboat Waterwitch. The crew have been busy getting the boat out of her winter covers and sprucing up the paintwork, plus we have finally managed to source a replacement stern button (fender) to replace the one removed in 2017.

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Engineer Neil McGarry has serviced the trusty Lister engine to his usual high standard to ensure smooth sailing during the summer, thank you Neil The boat will be available for trips on all the Sundays and Bank Holidays May – September as usual and we will be welcoming new crew members following a successful training and recruitment program started last year. Despite the Covid-19 issues experienced in the early part of the year which led to some frantic rescheduling of training days. We will of course be running additional trips to coincide with Country Fest on the weekend of 28th and 29th May and the Westmorland Show on the 7th and 8th September, all from the Westmorland Showground landing stage CRT at Millness

CRT staff clearing and tidying the area in readiness for the area’s use as a Kayaking and Canoeing centre over the Spring and Summer. This is an experimental joint venture between CRT and the Lake District National Park with LCT & IWA. If judged to be successful, will see the whole site developed as a permanent water based activity centre.

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REVISED EDITION OF LANCASTER CANAL GUIDE BOOK (From LCT press release) An expanded and updated 7th edition of ‘The Complete Guide to the Lancaster Canal’ has been issued.

The 96-page guide opens with informative articles on the geography and ecology of the canal with guidance for users afloat, on foot or on bikes. It includes details of the Ribble link and the Glasson Branch.

The book takes you on a journey commencing from its southern end at its junction with the Leeds and Liverpool Canal to Preston, then onto the start of the 42-mile navigable section, through peaceful scenery to the historic City of Lancaster, past magnificent vistas of Morecambe Bay and the Lakeland hills as far as the end of the navigable section at Tewitfield.

The book continues along the route of the Northern Reaches all the way to Kendal. The clear and concise maps show amenities found enroute, including nearby places of interest, shops, services and of course, pubs! The Guide concludes with the history, engineering plus other associated information.

Editor John Laws explained: ‘’This seventh edition has been much expanded and updated. Much has happened since the last edition five years ago. The Lancaster Canal has celebrated its 200 th anniversary, the Towpath Trail project has commenced, the canal and the Ribble Link are being crossed by the new Preston Distributor Road currently under construction, a Bicentenary project to replace missing mile stones has been undertaken and Stainton Aqueduct severely damaged during Storm Desmond in 2015, has been repaired.’’

The Complete Guide to the Lancaster Canal is priced at £8.00 and is published by the Lancaster Canal Trust. The guide is available from local bookshops and Tourist Information Centres or through the Lancaster Canal Trust website: www.lctrust.co.uk

*To receive the monthly bulletin by e-mail contact Robin Yates at robin@phonecoop.coop 12

Lancaster

Canal & River Trust, Cumbria County Council, IWA, Kendal Town Council, Lancs County Council, Lancaster Canal Trust South Lakeland District Council

Canal Regeneration Partnership

Lancaster Canal Regeneration Partnership has a new Chairman, he is Professor Christopher May, Emeritus Professor of Political Economy, Lancaster University, he has lots of enthusiasm and local contacts in business and the university and has ideas for taking the Partnership forward.

On the 3rd of March LCRP had a Strategy Development Workshop day at the Crooklands Hotel. This was an opportunity for the new chairman to introduce himself and to learn more about members.

There was a lot of talking about positives and negatives of the canal and the tow path route and some good ideas about how to make the partnership work in the future with a focus on governance, identity and vision.

The partnership has commissioned artwork/interpretation signs for part of the Northern Reaches and although there have been some delays it is hoped that the work will be completed by June.

The Lancaster Canal Towpath Multi-User Feasibility Study has not yet been agreed by the partners but the consultants are working on the final draft and it will be shared with partners soon.

Work on tow path improvements is continuing.

Professor May has approached business leaders in Lancaster and surrounding areas and hopes to get them involved in promoting the canal. An event is planned for later in the year involving businesses and others, more details will be available by the next edition of TPT.

Wendy Humphreys

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Anderton Boat Lift Trip Thursday 14th July 2022 On the 14th July Lancashire & Cumbria IWA will be having our first branch outing since 2019! We will be having a trip on the Anderton Boat lift followed by a short cruise. The trip will start at 11.30 and we are asked to be there at least 15 minutes before.

The visitor centre and grounds are now open 7 days a week from 9:30 to 5pm and it is free to enter the exhibition and grounds. There will be plenty of time to look around, there is also a café or you can bring a picnic.

Further information regarding what is available in the centre and the grounds, as well as on the boat trip can be found on CRT’s website canalrivertrust.org.uk and search for ‘Anderton Lift’.

We will be arriving by car as booking a coach is prohibitively expensive but some car sharing might be possible. If you are able to car share or offer a spare seat or seats in your car please let me know and I will do my best to match people.

CRT don’t have their own car park and guests must use the pay and display car park adjacent to the lift (prices currently are £2 up to 3 hours or £3 all day). Generally, CRT recommend a visit takes half a day (2.5/3 hours) this would give us plenty of time for the boat trip, visit to the exhibition and also to have some refreshments.

Please be aware – if you are planning to visit and will be approaching from Northwich, via Soot Hill, there is a road closure in place, which is likely to last for about 18 months. The alternative route is junction 10 on the M56.

The cost of the trip will be £13 per person and places must be booked via me, Wendy Humphreys wendy.humphreys@waterways.org.uk Payment must be made at least 72 hours before the trip and information about how to pay will be given when you book.

There are 2 wheelchair places on the boat and they must be booked in advance.

We last did this trip in 2017 and we had a great day out, let’s hope we can have another.

If you have any questions please get in touch. Wendy Humphreys 14

The North West Region of IWA invites members to a Social gathering aboard the City Centre Cruises trip boat Emmeline Pankhurst.

Saturday 11th June 11.00am to 3.00pm

Organised by Manchester Branch The event includes: • Buffet lunch • A boat trip along the Bridgewater Canal and River Irwell to Salford Quays with commentary.

• Presentation of IWA awards • A chance to join in a light-hearted waterways quiz • And of course an opportunity to share our common interests • Tea, coffee and bar drinks are available on board.

Cost £30 Booking is essential Book directly with City Centre Cruises 0161 902 0222

Meet at the Bridgewater Canal beside the Castlefield Open Air Events Arena. This can be accessed from the steps or ramp outside the main entrance to the Castlefield Hotel M3 4JR directly opposite the Museum of Science and Industry on Liverpool Road

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The Tram Bridge

Our branch member Nigel Hardacre has been keeping us up to date on what is happening with the Tram Bridge which carried the tramway over the river Ribble towards Preston.

Nigel is a member of the Friends of the Old Tramroad Bridge Group, they have a Facebook page if anyone wants to have more information about what is happening. The bridge has been closed for 3 years but despite it being classed as unsafe it has withstood several storms and is still standing.

Nigel has organised several walks along the route of the tramway and several of those walks have been reported in Towing Path Topics.

The Friends have been keeping up the pressure on Preston Council who have responsibility for the bridge and they have had a lot of support from locals who want to see the bridge reopened.

There has been a lot of news about the bridge on the BBC news channel and all of the publicity helps the campaign to get the bridge repaired or replaced.

Recently there has been good news — Preston Council have included the bridge in their Levelling Up Bid. Nothing is certain but let’s hope this means the bridge will be reopened or repaired.

The Friends have held a competition on the design and photography of the bridge and several organisations donated prizes. There were lots of entries and lots of winners all helping to prove how important the bridge is to the people of Preston.

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Guided Walk on the route of the Tram Way through Preston

On the 2nd of April I went on a guided walk starting at Winckley Square in Preston, following the route of the Tram Way as much as possible, to Ashton Basin and return.

The walk was planned and led by Nigel Hardacre and it was a joint LCT and IWA walk. Nigel has led many walks on the route of the Lancaster Canal along the now unnavigable route from Johnsons Hillock to Preston, although these walks haven’t covered the whole of the route as some parts are inaccessible but he has covered the majority of the route of the Tram Way. I have been on most of his walks and his enthusiasm, preparation and knowledge amazes me.

We met at 9.30am and there were 14 of us; some were members of IWA and some members of LCT, some were members of both and some non members.

Nigel took us from Winckley Square to the site of the Boatman’s Arms public house, now sadly gone but remembered in the name of the student accommodation there, “The Boatmans” From there he showed us where the Tram Way crossed the road, this was apparent from the change in the brickwork.

We then walked to near the Fishergate car park and under the tunnel built by the railway company. Some of the stones used in the construction were reused from the Tram Way and we could clearly see the holes in the stones where the tram rails had been attached.

Moving away from the tunnel which was quite busy with Saturday shoppers, we carried on to an area which would have been full of coal wharves and warehouses. There was a Hall there now gone but the name is remembered in the warehouse, now student accommodation, Ladywell Halls.

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We then followed the route and stood on what used to be a canal bridge, you can still see the iron railings of the bridge, easily walked by and missed if they were not pointed out to us.

Peering over a wall, we were able to see an old canal bridge still there, now part of the university site.

We continued our walk along what would have been a steep embankment, this now smoothed out in part but evidence of the canal can be seen and according to local knowledge still sometimes holding water on very wet days.

We saw Mileys Bridge, the subject of some notoriety in Preston apparently.

Then in the distance, at a car park another canal bridge—the furthest arch is the canal bridge, the rest are railway arches We walked along the road where the aqueduct used to cross the road and learned about the lime kilns which were nearby. The aqueduct is still remembered by the name of the Aqueduct Street, and the pub formerly the ‘Lime Kiln Inn’ now in a bad way and for sale. Finally got to the canal at Ashton Basin.

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On our way back we saw some signs indicating that UCLAN are doing some archaeological work in the area, let’s hope they find out more about the canal.

Nigel paused outside the Corn Exchange with its statues commemorating the 4 protesters against poor pay and conditions who were shot in 1842, 23 years after the Peterloo Massacre in Manchester. He told us that the mayor of Preston deployed troops on the Tram Way Bridge to stop protesters crossing the Ribble there.

We then walked back to Winckley Suare were we attracted the attention of a member of the Friends of Winckley Square who happened to be walking past. I think she would have joined us if it had been at the start of our walk. Winckley Square has its own interesting history apart from its links with the canal but that’s a story for someone else to tell or you can look online.

There is lots of information about the Lancaster Canal and Preston on the internet and in old maps and the Preston archives if you want to know more.

Many thanks to Nigel for his research and for leading the walk. I am sure there will be more walks so keep an eye on the IWA website and the LCT website, magazine and bulletins for more details.

Wendy Humphreys 19

Summit Bridge

Just a brief update to mention to people that a grade II listed bridge that I have started to campaign on, has finally had the overgrowth cleared from its deck a few weeks ago, so that the public footpath that goes over it, can be accessed again.

The last half mile of what was the southern section of the Lancaster Canal, still has a surviving bridge on an infilled section of the canal to the east of the M61 motorway , very close to Junction 9 of the M61, where the M65 crosses over it.

Lancashire County Council have done the clearing work on the bridge deck, but there are self-set hawthorns that are still there and would need to be got out at a later time to prevent more damage to the bridge. All the stone blocks that are missing are in the dry bed of the canal, so it can be rebuilt and similar work will have been carried out on other bridges. We would need the help of IWA/WRG in addition to willing volunteers and all of this relies on permissions and co-operation of the landowner and access from his neighbour at Chesham farm close by, off Pippin Street.

Its all work in progress, but now a step closer.

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Nigel Hardacre

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When things go wrong (Sandra & Mike Moon) Sandra and I have covered well over a thousand miles of the canal and river system in this country, plus many more miles if you include the return trips and visits. Mostly on hire boats. It is rare for us to have any problems, but one week, well perhaps two, in particular have to stand out. I think we packed all our problems into this one period, most of it was not of our own making.

We used to have a half-share in a working boat in London. Spent most of our weekends taking wood planks up to Iver saw mills, because the access bridge to the mills was closed to heavy vehicles.

That would be in the early 70’s. Then we moved North to Radcliffe, with the Bolton and Bury Canal at the bottom of the garden.

In 1975 we hired form Anglo Welsh and cruised the whole length of the Staffs and Worcester, Great Heywood to Stourport. Also in 1975, cruised from Market Harborough to Stoke Bruerne. Then in 1976, we delivered a new Anglo Welsh boat from Market Harborough to Wootten Wawen, via Gas Street Basin. The following week, took ourselves round the Stratford Avon ring, on the same boat.

Then in September 1976, we cruised the Cheshire ring in a week!

129 miles and 92 locks including the Runcorn Arm and Whaley Bridge! I look back upon my younger self in awe. However, the Rochdale canal company, as was, would only let us have just enough water to make the trip down through Manchester. We looked over Deansgate lock to see about a two foot wide trickle. You needed to buy a licence in advance and the next day we were centre spread across the Manchester Daily Telegraph. Cheshire Plain Cruisers, from Worsley, were highly delighted with the publicity!

By now I was heavily involved with WRG and the IWA, Manchester branch, helping to dig out Whaley Bridge and Bugsworth and also doing the same at Ellesmere Port. Then in 1977 we explored the Llangollen, well before restoration of the locks at Frankton.

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So we come to Tuesday May 1st 1979, again with Cheshire Plain Cruisers, ”Narrow boat hire for the discerning” but this time from Bank Newton aboard ‘Dentdale’. It was an 11 days booking with our friends Pete and Linda, their 6 months old baby boy Geoffrey, our two girls aged two and a bit and nearly one, and a Labrador dog.

Bank Newton

The first few days, heading West towards Wigan top lock, passed by without a hitch. We were underway by 7.30 on the Wednesday, with a hard frost. Notable entries in the log were how busy the BWB yard at Burnley appeared to be, now restored as a restaurant, and on Thursday, we passed Whitebirk Power Station, now demolished. We also bought milk, cream and other goodies from a farm shop at Bridge 108A near Rishton. That night we moored above Johnsons Hillock Locks and Sandra cooked a hot pot with lamb chops, from the farm shop. One of my comments was that the scenery near Riley Green was pleasant but uninspiring. Not sure I would agree with that these days.

Friday was another cold start, we winded at Wigan Top and returned to the bottom of Johnsons Hillock Locks. Margaret Thatcher became prime minister.

Saturday, 7.30, we walked up the Walton Summit arm and it started to snow. By the time we set off up the locks, it was blizzard conditions. Pete and I alternated between steering and lock wheeling.

However, we made it to the top and then moored up for an hour or so, for a very welcome second breakfast, and to give time for the storm to blow over.

Bottom of Johnsons Hillock and Walton Summit Arm in less wintry weather 23

We eventually moored up that night for a Chinese take away just beyond Clayton le Moors.

We did not go so far on the Sunday, partly because of the intense hail showers early on and also because vandals had thrown stop planks into Gannow Tunnel and we stemmed up on one of them. Despite emptying the water from the bow tank, and rocking the boat from side to side we were unable to move.

Eventually a boat came the other way, and we persuaded them to ram us (‘Tarragon’ from Snaygill Boats) We then retrieved some of the planks and informed BWB when we reached Burnley, where we filled up with water.

Gannow Tunnel—West Portal

Locking up through Barrowford with another boat made for a pleasant and easy passage. We moored up at the top. It rained all night. Monday was an uneventful day. We called in at Bank Newton and various members of the family joined us for a while. My comments says it all. “many boats about, going both ways, all locks leaking, not helped by paddles sometimes Barrowford Locks up and sometimes down”.

We moored with great difficulty near Thorlby Swing Bridge (174).

Water levels were low because of work in Skipton.

Tuesday, we stopped a while in Skipton, for shopping and the laundrette. It was a damp grey day. We passed a sunken boat at Kildwick. Having watered up and emptied our rubbish at the top of Bingley 5-rise, we proceeded down the locks without hitch. There were no instructions in those days but there was a multitude of onlookers, who kept getting in the way of ropes and balance beams. We moored up for the night at the bottom, feeling very pleased with ourselves.

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Wednesday was disaster day, but started cold, fine and sunny. We were soon down to T shirts. Some of the swing bridges required herculean efforts to move them, and sometimes one person alone was not sufficient.

We arrived at the Field locks, another 3-rise. There was a boat coming up so we arranged to pass in the middle lock. As they proceeded on up, and we went down, a gate plank gave way behind us, sending a plume of water onto the boat, knocking me flat in the process. With a full length boat, there was little room for manoeuvre. Pete was lock wheeling with the dog, and everybody else, two mums and three babies, were on board.

Field Locks 3 rise

It would have been fine, except the rear door opened inwards. The water rushed into the boat and she began to sink. Everything else is a blur. The other boat eventually realised the problem, because their lock suddenly stopped filling.

Somehow Pete managed to open a gate and purely fortuitously I dropped the boat onto the bottom cill. Order was eventually restored, but it was important nobody moved inside the boat, and particularly not to the back, as sinking in the lock was obviously the worst of two options. All the while my fingers had been on the bilge pump and it eventually dawned on us that we were actually very slowly rising. And the engine was still running, though it did not sound quite right.

We needed to find somewhere convenient to stop, so the engineer could come out and look at the boat. We were now grateful for the shallow water levels, despite the problems it caused.

However, next minute, bang and the engine stopped. We drifted to the far side. Fortunately, against all the rules, I had brought my trusty tool kit. It took Pete and I over two hours to remove the 3-ply radial tyre from around the prop, using a mini hacksaw. The engine started with some reluctance, but eventually burst into life. We took a look at the next set of locks, Kirkstall Lock and took what we now call a risk assessment, based on the state of the locks, the rain and time lost and decided we had come far enough. There was also a convenient winding hole. By the time the engineer arrived, all that was left for him 25

to do, apart from a few checks, was to take away the sodden spare bedding that had been stored under the dinette seats. I had a large head bruise and cut and a painful foot.

Thursday on the way back we found that BWB had quickly over planked the hole in the lock gate. It was a temporary affair but saw us through. We stopped at swing bridge 201, which had been extremely difficult to open and debated whether it was too late to tackle the 5 rise. The boat was in the middle of the bridge hole. Pete said, you go, I will swing the bridge. He only leant against it and it started to swing, and there was no stopping it once started. I have never seen a narrowboat appear to bend! We were very lucky. Pete managed to stop the gate and it just took the glass out of a middle window without damaging the frame. Once again half an inch made the difference.

That was our fault, tiredness, and the rain, plus a two-faced swing bridge! We moored up at the bottom of the 5-rise.

Friday, our last day, was a beautiful day although rather windy. We started breakfast having reached the top of the 5-rise well before 8.00am. There was not a soul around save the occasional walker and people going to work. I noted a dangerous swan at bridge 175 and we went aground near bridge 172. Next minute we noticed various items of clothing, and a wallet floating by. The debris increased steadily.

Apparently, some lads had been out drinking the night before and on their return to the boat, decided to check the weed hatch. Unlike us, there was no cill to save them, so their boat sunk.

We arrived back at the base a day early. They replaced the window glass in no time at all. We went for fish and chips in Gargrave, my notes say it was a very poor meal. The final line is “car would not start”, it was a flat battery. It was a Lancia, so not surprising, but at least the problem was easy to solve.

Hope you enjoyed the read. Apart from the occasional misjudgement little else has happened since, and we now have our own boat and there is no need to rush, though we learned that lesson many trips ago. Canals are much pleasanter at a slower pace.

Swing bridges don’t ya just love ‘em!

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‘KENNET’

Programme 2022

DATE 2-3 June 3 June

PLACE Stockbridge Wharf, Keighley

WHERE/WHAT

COMMENT

‘In Motion’ Keighley Transport Festival

Open to public

Rum Doodle Concert

Ticketed

5-20 June

Bingley

Top of 5 Rise Locks

Open to public on some days

25-26 June

Granary Wharf, Leeds

CRT Waterway Festival

Open to public

Gallows Bridge, Shipley

100th anniversary of the closing of the Bradford Canal

Reception

Bingley

Visit by PLACE—People, Landscape & Cultural

15 July 16-17 July 28 July

Open to public Visit and Open to public

For latest information see www.leedsandliverpoolcanalsociety.co.uk/events

Kennet's operation is totally reliant on volunteers to move her, open for the Public and host visits. Kennet is an important part of achieving the Society's aims to promote the Leeds & Liverpool Canal and its Heritage.

So please help by becoming a volunteer. Don't worry if you feel you do not have the experience, all that is required is a willingness to help. Training will be given if required.

For further information about Kennet please email Harold at: friendsofkennet@gmail.com or Tel: 0773 0070723 (For a really interesting article by Mike Clarke on historic breaches on the L&L Canal see the Spring 2022 edition of their newsletter ‘Glogs & Gansy’. Ed) 27

Progress with the breach on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Rishton Extracts from CRT’s navigation notices

Update on 04/02/2022: Works to repair the breach are progressing well on site. Despite the recent storms, the weather has been kind, with the extremes limited to short durations.

The damaged areas of the canal have all been removed and cleared to the starting level of reconstruction works at the main site. Access to a further repair found to be required closer to Bridge 110 has also been agreed and started.

The first concrete of the new outfall structure has been placed and the pipework for the new culvert should be in place by the end of this week. Works on the weir, to improve the capacity of this length of canal to deal with any future flooding, will also have been started.

Materials to re-build the canal embankment and relining clay are starting to be imported to site to stockpile ready for use in March.

Update on 04/03/2022: An outbreak of Covid-19 amongst the site team, in addition to a succession of storms throughout the last 4-week period has had a detrimental effect on the planned programme to repair the breach The damaged culvert has been replaced, new access chambers constructed, and areas of the canal bed have been repaired up to new clay liner level. New clay is already stockpiled on site, ready to be placed in the coming week.

The new outlet structure is almost complete, and we will be reconstructing the embankment around this to lift levels at the same time as placing the new canal bed material.

An extension to the weir at this location has also been built to improve capacity and to able to deal with any future flooding.

Update on 01/04/2022: We are pleased to advise the wash wall repairs and embankment reconstruction works to repair the breach are now complete, and we have started to refill the drained section of the canal.

Update on 08/04/2022: We are pleased to advise, following a successful repair and observation period, navigation has resumed between the Blackburn Lock Flight and Bridge 110, Aspen Bridge, Rishton.

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Update on 22/04/2022: The towpath from Bridge 109 to Bridge 110 on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal remains closed whilst our contractors continue works to repair the towpath and further damage which occurred during the breach in Rishton. We are hopeful to resume towpath access in 2 weeks’ time, with further works in the area continuing till the end of May.

30 Apr 2022

13 Nov 2021 29

Rishton breach

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Work continues on Bridge 109.

One wonders how big a hole this hole in the canal has put into CRT’s finances.

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Johnsons Hillock Locks

These locks are a popular destination for the general public.

Unhappy with the state of the locks we carried out a survey in April 2021 and gave a report to CRT of the many things found wrong— maintenance issues and lack of consideration for the heritage of the canal.

A further visit in March 2022 found that there had been improvement but much still remained to be done.

Rather depressingly, some of the work had been done to a poor standard and one wonders how long some of the improvements will last.

We’ve let CRT know.

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OK who pulled out the plug?

Barrowford Reservoir

Not sure what’s going on but it’s obviously a big job. No response from CRT as we go to press. Ed

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Guided walk on part of the Ribble Link Sunday 6th March This walk was a joint Lancaster Canal Trust/IWA event and was planned and led by Nigel Hardacre.

The walk started and finished at Haslam Park in Preston. We had a nice, sunny spring day. Nigel almost always seems to get the weather right and it made a welcome change from the storms we had seen the previous month.

Nine people attended and we went on a short path through Haslam Park to get onto the canal opposite Cadley Wharf, with its stone built ‘Savick House ‘1838’ on the gable end. There was very little duck weed here at this time of year but it can be a problem in summer.

We headed out towards the Ribble Link junction and walked down the staircase locks; Nigel gave a summary of how they work. Then we followed the Link’s path taking us ‘down’ the canalised Savick Brook (Ribble Link ), first opened in 2002. We stopped at a couple of the locks for short talks and then moved on to our brief lunch stop at lock 7.

Part of this route is the Preston Guild Wheel and we saw some interesting art work there. We then crossed over a footbridge and went on a public footpath through Lea golf course. This connected us with Darkinson Lane and then over the railway until we got to Quakers Bridge. We had some interesting discussions about how it got it’s name, does anyone know? And back on to the Lancaster Canal towpath. Some improvements have been made to the towpath surface since our last walk here in May 2021 and that was good to see, there were also quite a few walkers.

We had a short stop at the UCLAN sports ground to use the facilities and some of us got refreshments at the Final Whistle café which is now back open but short staffed when we were there.

We retraced our towpath route back to Haslam Park and a good walk was had by all. Thanks to Nigel for organising the walk and Wendy Humphreys for acting as assistant.

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Aqueduct

Savick House

Top of staircase locks Quaker bridge

Guild wheel artwork

Guild Wheel interpretation sign

35

Social Meetings Our programme for monthly social meetings at Primrose Gardens in Chorley received a set-back in January when an increase in Covid cases made it prudent to switch to Zoom. Our speaker, Chris Hudson, could not give his talk via Zoom so Paul Rodgers, National Chairman stepped in and gave his views on IWA present and future.

The AGM in February was non controversial and was followed

by Audrey Smith’s photographs getting us guessing and talking.

The minutes etc will be in next January’s edition but are available if you want to see them.

In March Alison Smedley gave us a run down on IWA campaigns and some of the issues involved.

In April Janet Dunning showed some interesting photographs from all over the country substituting at short notice for isolating Bill Froggat. Bill will now be with us in September.

The planned Zoom webinars went well. In January it enabled us to hear news from Scotland on the plans for community moorings. We are always conscious that we can do little for our branch members in Scotland so it was good to make that link.

Peter Brown’s ‘Canal Lifts’ took us all around Europe to see a wide variety of structures and some of their problems.

Our old friend Mike Clarke gave us 50 years of involvement with canals. The photographs were fascinating, not least the ones with Mike as a younger man—great beard!

Thanks Wendy for organising a really top notch programme. Ed 36

BRANCH COMMITTEE Chairman

Vice-chairman Secretary Treasurer & Newsletter editor Membership secretary & webmaster

Wendy Humphreys Darwen Tony Dunning Egremont

07763 561572 01254 703553 07730 113894 01946 820875

Maralyn Nott Kirkham David Faulkner Langho

07912 249265 01254 249265

Janet Dunning Egremont Vacant

01946 820875

01257 274440

Sales

Audrey Smith Wheelton Vacant

Social secretary

See chairman

Lancaster Canal Regeneration P’ship

Wendy Humphreys

Leeds and Liverpool Canal Lancaster Canal Trust

Audrey Smith

Environment & Planning Publicity

Committee members

Region Chairman (ex officio)

Ian Treanor Darwen Jim Nott Malcolm Sterratt

Sir Robert Atkins

Email addresses are firstname.surname@waterways.org.uk You can write to us c/o the editor see page 2 Committee positions are confirmed at the first committee meeting after the AGM 37

What were the half-arch and arch for?

2 bridges on the L&L Canal near Chorley

38

L&L Canal at Blackburn. What is the purpose of the arch?

39

Diary dates Date

Event

28/29 May LCT at Country Fest, Westmorland Showground

Page 11

11 June

11.00 am NW Region Social, Manchester

15

25 June

10.00am Balsam Bash at Haslam Park, Preston

8

12 July

7.30pm LCT AGM at Crooklands Hotel, speaker Prof Christopher May

14 July

Branch trip to Anderton Lift (2017 photo below)

14

6 Aug

Youth Engagement event, Lancaster Canal

4

14 Aug

Youth Engagement event, L&L Canal

4

7/8 Sept

LCT at Westmorland Show

11

28 Sept

Branch social evening at Primrose Gardens, Chorley, speaker Bill Froggatt

Any changes and new events will be in the branch news on the IWA website ( waterways.org.uk ) and we will send you an email if we have your email address

40