Endeavour May 2012

Endeavour

1 to attempt (eg the fulfilment of an obligation) by exertion of effort; 2 archaic to strive to achieve or reach ~ vi to make an effort to do something n a serious determined effort

Northampton Branch Newsletter - May 2012

BOAT GAT HERING S WITC HED TO AUGU S T BANK H OLIDAY High water levels wipe out the May event The torrential rain and resulting high water levels during the two weeks prior to our planned annual Branch Boat Gathering on the River Nene at Becket’s Park, Northampton, led inevitably to the event’s postponement to the August Bank Holiday Weekend, Friday to Monday, 24th – 27th August.

It became abundantly clear on the Sunday before the early May event that the rising water levels on the river, already closed to navigation, would not abate sufficiently in time to allow river-based boats to get upstream to Becket’s Park. Further rain fell later during that week to make matters even more impossible.

Although a contingency site for the Gathering had been arranged at Stoke Bruerne, it was also decided not to go ahead there. Branch Chairman Bernard Morton said: “The prime reason for not gathering at Stoke Bruerne was simply because of the lower number of boats expected to attend and of these, nearly 50% were coming from downstream clubs on the Nene. If we had continued, no way could the event have been financially viable. We have to remember that the IWA is a waterways charity and therefore we could not afford to take the risk of running at a potential considerable financial loss.”

Gathering Chairman Michael Butler said: “Let us hope the weather favours us for the re-arranged Gathering at the end of August and, with the canal navigation restrictions maybe ended, we can make it a bumper occasion, especially bearing in mind there is no IWA National Festival being held this year.”

The high water levels on the river also caused the cancellation of the regular Westbridge Arm Clean-Up. This will now take place on the Sunday before the August Bank Holiday (19th). Meet at 10am by Boots in the St James Retail Park, Northampton. (See also Chairman’s Jottings page 7& Gathering previews pages 19, 20, 21).

The IWA was founded in 1946 to campaign for the retention, restoration and development of Britain’s navigable waterways and for their fullest commercial and recreational use.

The IWA is a registered Charity (no. 212342) , whose work is supported by members’ subscriptions.

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EDITORIAL MUSINGS When the proposal for a marina at Northampton’s Becket’s Park first surfaced several years ago, critics and cynics abounded. Remove the picturesque lake, with its tree-lined island – never, it will ruin the park. There’s always Billing Aquadrome with ample mooring facilities not far away. Why can’t people go there? In any case, who would want to leave their boat well within easy range of town centre loutish behaviour, especially on Friday nights and weekends? And what about the parking? Hopeless… It didn’t really seem a very bright idea. And furthermore, who was going to pay for it all? It will never happen, opined the self-appointed sages.

Zoom forward to 2012: there is the completed 80-berth £2.5 million Northampton Marina sitting proudly in the park, gradually filling with boats and quite frankly, beginning to merge easily into the environment. I believe it is not the eye-sore some would have us believe it would be.

Soon after the official opening in late March by Environment Agency Chairman Lord Chris Smith, a colleague of mine was given a tour of the marina and came away highly impressed, especially with the facilities which include toilets, showers and washing machines – in fact all you would expect at a newly-built marina today. The mooring pontoons in particular, he reports, are covered with the latest material which provides the surest of walking surfaces. Once the existing and new “greenery” has become established, it will indeed be a pleasant, safe (it is a gated marina) and quiet place to keep your boat and yet so close to town centre amenities.

There is also a full-time site manager.

Let us remind ourselves that the EA constructed the marina on behalf of the Becket’s Park Partnership on land donated by Northampton Borough Council. The Partnership comprises the EA, Northampton Borough Council, Northamptonshire County Council, the River Nene Regional Park, West Northamptonshire Development Corporation (WNDC) and Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership, with WNDC contributing the bulk of the funding £1,831,000 towards the £2,425,845 total cost. Some 50 unsafe trees were chopped down, 250 fish were removed (since replaced) and 8,000 tonnes of silt removed by barge. The top of the lake was certainly very near the bottom and clearly in desperate need of some TLC! I believe Northamptonians in general have been won over by the new marina, with the local paper even asserting on one occasion that our Boat Gathering was to be held there!

So is it all good news? Sadly not quite: it’s all about the lack of long-term parking. Originally it seems this had been sorted but the arrangement with a nearby commercial undertaking was withdrawn. It’s been something of an impasse since with moorers, after unloading, having to drive their vehicles off-site, albeit usually to the relatively close by St. John’s multi-storey car park where spaces are reserved (at the appropriate fee), but it is a far from satisfactory state of affairs. However, now I understand negotiations are underway to facilitate the use of a dedicated area of land on the south side of the river with marina access possibly via a new footbridge . Also I hear that negotiations are in hand with the Borough Council to allow concessionary parking prices in the St. John’s car park. It’s all a question of watch this space.

One feels that until the car parking problem is solved, the marina will fail to realise its potential which, having come so far, would be a tragedy. I can’t see the high profile organisations involved allowing this to happen.

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DIARY DATES

June

2nd—5th 10am –5pm Crick Boat Show, Crick Marina, West Haddon Road, Crick NN6 7SQ www.crickboatshow.com 7th 7.30pm Mikron Theatre in the marquee on the Museum Green, Stoke Bruerne. Bring your own blanket and chair.

8th - 10th Stoke Bruerne Gala Weekend. (See pages 18 & 26 or visit www.friendsofcanalmuseum.org.uk).

23rd & 24th Braunston Historic Narrowboat Festival. (See pages 16 & 24).

30th Friends of Canal Museum - Blitz Shelter Party with fun & games at Roade Village Hall, including Bangers and Mash supper. More details from Jenny Copeland on 01327 300973.

30th & 1st Foxton Lock Festival (www.foxtonlocksfestival.co.uk).

July

1st 10.30am A guided walk led by John Pomfret—”A Timeline of Braunston Canals” followed by lunch at the Admiral Nelson.

Meet at the Village Green, Braunston.

August 11th & 12th 18th & 19th 19th 10am 24th –27th

Blisworth Canal Festival (see page 31).

Pirate Weekend at the Canal Museum, Stoke Bruerne.

IWA Northampton Branch Westbridge Arm clean-up (see page 19 for details).

IWA Northampton Branch Boat Gathering, Becket’s Park, Northampton. (See details in this edition).

September 8th & 9th & Introduction to Traditional Canal Painting course at the Canal 22nd & 23rd Museum. More details on 01604 862229.

9th 2pm Walk about 5 miles starting at Cosgrove Lock, part of the National Heritage Weekend. More details from Athina Beckett on 01908 661217.

11th 8pm IWA Northampton Branch Meeting at The Walnut Tree, Blisworth. Speaker to be announced.

29th & 30th Village at War, Stoke Bruerne. More details 01604 862229.

Buckingham Canal Society Work Party Dates June 10th, 14th, 28th. July 8th, 12th, 26th.

August 9th, 12th, 23rd September 6th, 9th, 20th.

For further details, please contact Athina Beckett on 01908 661217

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Branch Chairman’s Jottings

by Bernard Morton Inevitable, ironic … Sod’s Law. Call it what you will, but the postponement of May’s Boat Gathering because of TOO MUCH WATER has to raise a smile or two, wry ones I am sure in some instances!

Why we did it is set out on the front page of Endeavour, and here I would like to explain further. Yes, I know the excess water was river water but even so in the week before the planned event there seemed to be water everywhere, including loads of the stuff draining down from Gayton.

I realise some canal-based people were deterred from booking in for the Gathering for the best of reasons ie. they considered it a gross waste of water descending the 17 Arm locks, only to go back up them a few days later, all in the name of what has been described in some circles as “just attending a jolly”. Indeed, that was an initial doubt considered by the organisers, but from the word go BW were quite relaxed about the event going ahead. As long as the drought situation did not reach really serious proportions, they announced the Arm would be opened from time to time during the summer to allow boats to get to and from the river and were quite happy for the Gathering period to count as one of these “opening windows”. So, on that basis, we did not cancel. I know some considered we should have set an example by not using the Arm for the purpose of the Gathering and thus conserve valuable water but, as I say, BW were happy with the situation. In fact, BW extended the Gathering window to six days to allow a greater opportunity for both Nene-based and canalbased boats to travel through the Arm. Clearly a difficult decision but the decision was made to continue. However, the number of entries of canal-based boats was well down on previous years, although we do know that some were “holding fire” until the very last minute. All of which is now history and the Gathering is being re-arranged for the August Bank Holiday weekend, traditionally the date of the IWA National Waterways Festival which is in abeyance this year. So if the weather gods smile on us during the summer we may pick up a few of the regular “national” devotees anxiously searching for an alternative rally to go to.

You can imagine that it was all hands to the pumps when the Gathering organising committee took the decision to postpone on the Sunday morning prior to the event, alerting all entrants, re-scheduling the entertainment, telling the VIPs their visit was off. Much of this was done personally by telephone or by email but our predicament was also well recognised by the media. As our joint Gathering press officer Roger Hasdell noted wryly, bad news is always good news, and so it proved. He and Lynda Payton immediately got out a press release which resulted in what Roger likes to

8 describe as a “media frenzy” (he was used to these in his active journalistic/PR days) with coverage locally in the papers, on radio and “yours truly” doing a piece to camera at Becket’s Park for BBC East. I am indebted to Roger and Lynda for their efforts over this. It certainly did help to publicise the IWA and to get our message across, albeit not in ideal circumstances. Meanwhile, hope to see you at our rearranged Gathering towards the end of August (24th -27th).

LOOK EAST. I can report that Northampton Branch is now affiliated to the Association’s Eastern Region rather than the East Midlands, which we feel is our logical home. I know that to many of you this means very little but it has many hidden advantages, especially when campaigning comes to the fore and we can link easily with Peterborough and Great Ouse (formerly Cambridge) Branches, for instance over Middle Level issues. On a more prosaic level, most of us who live in Northamptonshire look naturally to the east if only because we tune in to BBC East and Anglia Television.

Our first request to the IWA’s Trustees to switch Regions was refused. We then resubmitted, accompanied by evidence of support from the Branch membership and neighbouring Branches and Regions, and it was passed unanimously. For the record I must remind you that Northampton Branch in 2008 elected to join the East Midlands Region (which stretches as far north to the Humber Estuary) rather than Eastern Region to assist in aligning the Association’s regional structure with regional government bodies, particularly the development agencies. But with the abolition of regional government, this argument no longer applies, hence the decision to return to “home ground”.

Therefore, we bid farewell to John Pomfret as our Region Chairman and our sincere thanks go to him for all his hard work on the Branch’s behalf. We shall, of course, continue to see a lot of him as he is Braunston-based. The Eastern Region Chairman is Alastair Chambers, so it’s hello and welcome to him. Perhaps we shall be able to persuade him to contribute to the next Endeavour with some general thoughts on the Canal & River Trust, the Association’s role alongside this new organisation and perhaps the relevance and relationship of the regional structure with the Branches.

Sorry, Alastair, but we do need you to sing for your supper – maybe at our annual dinner!

LOOKING AHEAD. As I write the rains are easing; but is this what we really want? It is the classic two-edged sword. On the one hand, river-based boats want less water from above to result in less water below so we can use the river again. On the canals, of course, it’s the reverse. It looks like a good old British compromise is called for from the river gods.

It’s all been in sharp contrast to the statement I made in the last Endeavour when I wrote that I could not recall such a long period during which navigation on the river had not been interrupted by floods. As I observed, it’s all about the ups and downs (literally) of boating.

But whatever the weather – hot, cold, wet, windy, it is England after all – have a good summer around the waterways, afloat or ashore.

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R EADERS ’ C OMMENTS Barby Moorings I'm writing to you in response to the article in February's edition of Endeavour regarding the proposed marina at Onley, but more specifically Barby Moorings in which the information was at least misleading if not highly inaccurate.

I am a residential boat owner with a berth at Barby and whilst I am not writing in defence of the marina, I do feel that your readership should be in possession of fact rather than fiction.

It is true. I used to have to make the four-hour round trip to Braunston for a pump-out but fortunately this hasn't been necessary since November 2011 when this facility, together with the Elsan point and diesel pumps, were up and commissioned.

Yes, pump-out here is free and by the way the price of diesel for domestic use is perhaps the most reasonable I have come across for a very long time, as is the bottled gas and smokeless coal.

I am on my pontoon and this is serviced with its own water point, twenty-four hour electricity, free wi-fi and soon to be installed cable TV. Braunston Marina is famous for being one of the most expensive on the system and so I wonder if I could be forgiven for detecting just a hint of sour grapes in Tim Coghlan's comments or is he actually running scared in the face of competition?

Whatever the case may be, I find his sniping at the owners of Barby Moorings rather infantile and perhaps his energies could be better channelled into upgrading his facilities to match those which we will eventually have here.

Competition is a fine thing and benefits all of us, not least by keeping marina operators on their toes, encouraging them to provide facilities at a reasonable cost rather than being able to fleece us by charging top dollar and more.

Kindest regards (name supplied) Boatowner moored at Barby Moorings

More about Barby Moorings I too have had experience of Barby Moorings and I’m afraid it wasn’t good.

Early last year my pension income was dramatically reduced. We were happy with our existing moorings but to continue boating we needed to make some serious savings. So last May I studied the marina market and found very similar costings across all the major marinas. The only one to offer any serious reduction was Barby which was still being built. Their website showed a saving of £800 per year. We exchanged e-mails in which we stressed the importance of the costing and received the following assurance: “We don’t expect any major fee increase, although we will keep pace with

10 inflation”. We therefore arranged to visit just two weeks later in early June.

When we did we were impressed with Tony’s vision for the future but still emphasised that our only reason for moving was the costing element. My wife and I again received firm assurances so we placed a deposit for entry at the end of September when our existing contract would end. You can imagine our extreme surprise when I happened to visit the website again soon after our return home and discovered that the price had been increased on the 1st of June by 7.75%! This was not only way above any inflation rate I was aware of but must have been planned in advance and yet nothing had been said either in the May e-mails or on our early June visit and it was only by chance that I’d discovered it. When I contacted Tony I was given some convoluted explanation involving an agreement with British Waterways.

I was extremely unhappy but I was assured that we would be charged at the previous price for the first year and the new rate did still mean a saving of around £400. Although this would only be half what we had expected, we decided to keep the mooring.

As an engineer, one thing I couldn’t understand was the plan to fill the basin with water before erecting the pontoons and as time went on we became concerned every time we passed the marina in our boat and still didn’t see any sign of these being put up but we kept receiving assurances that they would be ready by the time we moved in at the end of September. We were due to go away on the boat in September for 10 days and finish at Barby so we started to make arrangements with our children to move our car there before we left and then found that there were still no pontoons.

This was really disturbing because these were to provide water, electricity and other services apart from the actual mooring. A visit showed that there didn’t appear to have been any real development on the site since June and a group of boats that had moved in were all tied up alongside each other. This would have been totally unacceptable, especially with a dog, and a daughter with a young baby and pram. We had been very badly let down.

I also then realised that if the annual price increases took place in June our 12 month contract from October would see another increase before it was renewed. Anything approaching the previous one would bring the cost up to our current level and mean that we would not only save nothing but lose all the benefits we currently had at our existing marina. As a result we made a very quick decision to stay where we were but we were very concerned about our deposit with Barby and whether our old mooring would still be available. Although he wasn’t keen at least Tony did refund our deposit when we asked.

Your previous correspondent speaks scathingly about Braunston, but our marina is Braunston. We have been there for six years and are very happy. The atmosphere is excellent with a historic location, easy access, local village with shops and pubs, and

11 all the facilities you could need with helpful and qualified staff and we were warmly welcomed back. Finally, whatever your correspondent may think, if he surveys the costs and facilities of all the marinas available, as I have done recently, he will find that Braunston is competitively priced as any in the area and provides every facility.

If it isn’t already, Barby will soon cost the same and yet not provide the same benefits – including even basics like mooring pontoons!

I understand that a TV watchdog programme is actually investigating Barby for a possible TV programme in September. For us, we now have to consider downsizing our lovely boat to save money and continue boating for a few more years, but we’ll happily stay at Braunston.

Kind regards (name supplied)

Floating Patio With regards to Blisworth’s Floating Patio, the following was received: When I first read this article in the latest edition of Endeavour, my first response was to check the date on the front to see if it was the April newsletter. As it says February, then my response is: It looks rather like a mud hopper or dumb barge. The ‘vessel’ should display a BW index number, name and licence. To obtain a licence, insurance cover will be needed but not a Boat Safety Scheme Certificate.

BW will need to give permission for the mooring and are likely to charge a fee for it.

As it is situated in a Conservation Area, local planning permission may also be required.

Marty Seymour, via E-mail Editor’s note: The floating patio has now been removed.

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12 BRANCH COMMITTEE MEETINGS REVIEW March Matters Arising It was reported that the floating patio at Blisworth has been removed.

The site will be monitored to see if it is returned.

Urgent Business

Arrangements for the AGM were discussed, three nominations received for the four vacancies.

At a BW meeting regarding water shortages on the canals and implications for boating, it was noted that there are likely to be closures and / or restrictions on use of locks, volunteer lock-keepers ensuring locks are shared and boaters wait up to 40 minutes before reversing a lock.

Northampton Arm will be closed with specific opening windows. BW are aware of the Boat Gathering and will co-operate with opening the Arm for that weekend.

Branch Meetings

April and May speakers still not finalised, will be notified asap.

The idea of canalside walks was discussed. John Pomfret offered to lead one in Braunston.

Membership

There were two new members and two transferring to the Branch.

Total number of members 484 (308 memberships) and one lapsed member.

Boat Gathering

Arrangements are going well. Nine boats booked in so far.

Nene Task Group

EA propose to have a licence checker on Northampton Town Lock and at Salter’s Lode, but this might cause a problem at the latter lock as boats without a licence couldn’t be turned back on a tidal stretch of water.

Friends of Canal Museum

It was reported that Sculptor re-bottoming had been completed and would soon be back on the water. Engine had been overhauled but not yet refitted. As money was short, the plan was to tow Sculptor back to Stoke Bruerne asap to have the work done by volunteers and specialists.

Normal mooring outside Museum will provide interest for visitors.

13 Any Other Business The open day at the Iron Trunk aqueduct had been very successful. Good weather had ensured big crowds and plenty of boats to provide interest for the public.

April

Urgent Business A draft formal request putting the case to move back to Eastern Region was discussed. John Pomfret to present to IWA Trustees at their next meeting.

Water levels / implications BW are constantly monitoring water usage throughout the system and will operate closures as and when necessary. BW confirmed that the Northampton Arm would be open from 3rd to 8th May.

Branch Meetings

Walks during the summer months were discussed. Sunday mornings were ideal, no more than four miles, starting at 10.30 and ending at a pub for lunch. The first walk will be Sunday 1st July led by John Pomfret and focusing on Braunston’s canals.

Crusader Donation

There was notification of a party at Blisworth Marina to mark the departure of the St John boat Crusader to London to take part in the Diamond Jubilee river pageant. A donation of £100 to spruce up Crusader’s paintwork was agreed unanimously.

Website

A discussion forum will be set up on the Branch website for members to ask any questions and have their say.

Membership

Three new members have joined the Branch. Total members 485 (309 memberships). There are two overdue members and one lapsed .

May Matters Arising The committee were pleased that approval had been given for Northampton Branch to move back to Eastern Region and to have a warm welcome from Peterborough, Milton Keynes, Great Ouse Branches and Alistair Chambers, Region Chairman. It was unanimously agreed that John

14 Pomfret be invited to continue as a committee member of Northampton Branch.

Urgent Business•

Election of Officers: Bernard Morton elected as Chairman (proposed by Lynda Payton, seconded by Eric Young) Alex Madison elected as Treasure (proposed by Lynda Payton, seconded by Tony Clarke) Sandie Morton elected as Branch Secretary (proposed by Eric Young, seconded by Graham Treagus). All other committee members agreed to continue with their posts.

Water levels: It was agreed that Bernard Morton had done well with a six-minute Radio Northampton interview on the effects of raised water levels on the Boat Gathering and the opening of the Northampton Arm. BW confirmed that the Arm would not be opening until the strong stream advice on the river had ended.

Branch Meetings

John Pomfret is leading a walk around Braunston canals starting at 10.30am on Sunday, 1st July. The walk is about four miles and finishes at the Admiral Nelson for lunch.

Athina Beckett is leading a walk along the Buckingham Arm on Sunday, 9th September, starting at 2pm at Cosgrove Lock. The walk is about five miles along the Buckingham Arm through Stony Stratford Nature Reserve and back along the towpath to Cosgrove.

Mick Butler has agreed to host a Christmas Quiz on 11th December.

Names of possible speakers were given to Graham Treagus to contact for the autumn season

Membership

There were two new members who joined this month. Total members 488 (310 memberships)

Boat Gathering

The committee noted that strong stream advice and high water levels had forced the postponement of the Gathering until August Bank Holiday weekend (24th–27th). If all goes well, the committee could look to moving the event permanently to August to ensure better weather and river conditions.

The clean-up of the Westbridge Arm will now take place on Sunday, 19th August.

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NEW NENE WETLAND SITE PART OF MAJOR RESERVE The Northampton Chronicle & Echo reported on April 9: An area or rare wetland habitat in the Nene Valley larger than 100 football pitches is going to be preserved thanks to a grant of £889,300 from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The award to the Wildlife Trust for Beds, Cambs and Northants will enable the creation of a new nature reserve at Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows, forming a chain of connected nature reserves along 7 km of the Nene Valley .

The valley has been transformed in the past two decades due to sand and gravel extraction, leaving a string of flooded gravel pits, and is internationally important for the migratory birds visiting for winter.

Wildlife Trust Chief Executive Brian Eversham said: “The Nene Valley is one of the most important wintering and breeding areas nationally, and a significant site for migrating swans, ducks and wading birds passing through to Europe.”

NEW BRANCH MEMBERS ARE WELCOMED We extend a warm welcome to the following IWA members who have joined Northampton Branch since the last issue of Endeavour Mr K M & Mrs D M Healy, Northampton Mr K Watts, Northampton Mr D Orme, Crick, Northampton Mr C E Parsons, Kettering

We look forward to meeting you all at Branch events

Probably a better bankside environment Plants and shrubs will be placed along the banks of the Nene close to the Carlsberg Brewery extensions now underway in Northampton.

The work, scheduled for completion early in 2013, involves building a new bottling hall on an existing car park. Over the coming months, the site will be dug down to eight metres and more than 300 support piles will be drilled into the ground.

The bottling hall will feature a glass corner facing onto Bridge Street so that people passing by, hopefully including those on boats, can see the work going on inside.

The new planting will enhance the bankside environment by the brewery opposite to where the Arm enters the river upstream of Southbridge.

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“Waterways Throughout The Year” GATHERING POSTPONEMENT GIVES YOU MORE TIME TO TAKE PICTURES FOR OUR PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION You’ve now got all the summer to take those pictures for entry into the Branch’s PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION following the postponement of the early May Boat Gathering.

The competition is being promoted by Skears Photographic, of Wellingborough Road, Northampton, with a £50 prize voucher going to the person securing the top picture.

As already outlined in the last issue of Endeavour, the competition carries the theme “Waterways Throughout The Year”. This provides you with plenty of opportunities to sort out any prints you may like to submit as the theme covers all aspects of the waterways world, afloat as well as ashore — boats, birds, nature, the lot. The only proviso is that the pictures must have been taken in the UK, the more local the better.

POSSIBILITY OF PRODUCING A 2013 CALENDAR The organisers hope a sufficient number of high standard entries will be received so the Branch is able to produce a 2013 calendar featuring the best of these photographs. Pictures used will be accredited, of course, to the photographer. To enter all you have to do is to deliver your prints to the Boat Gathering by 5.30pm on the Sunday evening (26th August) to be judged. You do not have to attend by boat to do this.

Just bring them to the site making sure you have described (ie. location etc) the images pictured together with your name, address and contact details. If you are delivering your prints to the site and have arrived by other means rather than by boat, you are, naturally, welcome to stay on and join in with the evening’s fun and entertainment. Alternatively, you may mail your entries to Roger Hasdell at 8, High Street, Hardingstone, Northampton, NN4 7BT by Monday, 20 th August. Any queries, please ring Roger on 01604 767212.

BRANCH WESTBRIDGE ARM CLEAN-UP RE-SCHEDULED TO SUNDAY, 19th AUGUST Meet at St James Retail Park, Northampton, by Boots Pharmacy at 10am for the annual clean-up of the Westbridge Arm prior to the re-arranged Boat Gathering the following weekend. All necessary equipment will be provided but come appropriately dressed as you can get as dirty as you like! Light refreshments will be provided and the job is normally completed by late morning.

Good fun and achieving something really useful. See what you can find in the watery depths! You may be surprised.

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“AS YOU WERE” FOR THE RE-ARRANGED BOAT GATHERING It’s very much a case of “as you were” for the re-arranged Boat Gathering at Becket’s Park, Northampton, over the August Bank Holiday, Friday to Monday, 24 th27th August.

“As far as possible we shall be keeping to the same programme we had planned for May,” says Gathering Chairman Michael Butler. “Obviously we may subtract or add a little, but essentially it will be similar.”

Much of the following is therefore a repeat of what appeared in the February Endeavour, but we print it as a reminder.

As always, the Environment Agency has waived the requirement for a river licence over the Gathering period. This includes passage through Northampton Town Lock to access the water point and sanitary station downstream near Midsummer Meadow.

Moorings will be on a first come, first served basis and boats will be expected to breast up as required.

Various VIPs, including Northampton’s Mayor and local MPs, are being invited to attend the Gathering and there is likely to be a short trip for them on the St John Ambulance boat Crusader on the Sunday afternoon. At other times, Crusader will be available for public trips.

The Friday afternoon (possibly earlier) sees the erection of the main marquee and other tentage on the Lock Island, and help will be required for this. From early Friday evening, a barbeque will be operating at “full steam ahead” followed by an informal meet-and-greet get-together with a mix of entertainment, including light-hearted games.

Saturday will see a variety of events, including a Town Tour with a Blue Badge

R.NIGHTINGALE

BLACKSMITH in Tug Store at tunnel entrance, Stoke Bruerne Wrought Iron Work for Boat or Garden

For further details, either visit or ring O1604 859726 / 07761 833049

21

HIGH HOUSE MARINA LTD High House Wharf, Heyford Lane, Weedon, Northants NN7 4SF OUR SMALL MARINA (ONLY 24 BOATS) IS A VERY FRIENDLY PLACE TO BE MOORED, HENCE OUR CLIENTS TEND TO STAY PUT Our car park is quite secure and well hidden from the road WE DO NOW AND AGAIN HAVE A VACANCY, SO WHY NOT GIVE US A CALL? Contact Phil Gardner on 01327 349519, E-mail: phil.h.gardner@btconnect.com Guide, culminating in the evening’s musical session featuring the band Uncle Tom Cobley, who are new faces at our Gathering.

Sunday will include the traditional Boaters’ Auction, compered by that popular double act Eric and Bernie, who are guaranteed to tweak the last penny out of you.

Please bring along any unwanted items, old or new, and not necessarily boat-related for the auction. A fish, chicken and chips van (advance orders only) will arrive on site early Sunday evening, after which it will be quiz time with Sam and Lynda.

Boat Handling competitions are on the schedule for both Saturday and Sunday, as is the Westbridge Challenge. Also over the weekend you can indulge yourselves at Cat’s Tearoom (home-made cakes a speciality) as well as making purchases at the Sales Table, which last year did record business. A lot of new stock is promised for each day. More details of the weekend’s activities will be given in the boater’s information packs which will be sent out on receipt of entry forms and also when registering your attendance at Becket’s Park.

As always, a prime objective of the Gathering, in addition to having a good time, is to raise money specially for local waterway causes - this year the Buckingham Canal Society and the Friends of Raymond.

And, yes the REAL ALE BAR will be on tap throughout offering, of course, other beverages as well as beer.

An entry form for the Gathering is enclosed with Endeavour. If you booked for the postponed May Gathering and paid an entrance fee, all we need to hear from you is confirmation that you will there in August. For the rest of you, please make every effort to give your support and attend.

However, the Gathering is not just for boaters (IWA members or otherwise). Says Michael Butler: “It is an open event for IWA members generally who are welcome to come along with their friends at any time to join in the fun and take part in the various events, but we do ask that the friends are signed in as official guests.”

22

CONTINUING BRIDGE PROBLEMS AT MARKET HARBOROUGH

by Pat Creecraft As Chairman of the Old Union Canals Society, I appreciate the opportunity to explain problems with the proposal to build a road bridge across our moorings just to the north of Market Harborough (Harborough Arm, GR 723,883).

BW gave a developer permission to build the bridge across the moorings before telling us. We were assured the design would meet planning standards, “and would not affect the moorings space, simply passing over them”. The bridge would join B6047 to the proposed ‘Airfield Farm’ development (some 1,100 houses!) beyond the canal and a little north (mainly out of sight), with a further required access to B6047, not affecting the canal.

We soon realised the bridge would be a ‘monstrosity’ (agreed by a distinguished BW person …). The road must leave B6047 on a bend, drop through a cutting, onto the sloping 28ft bridge span, continuing down a colossal embankment over steeply dropping land while turning north. This would be hideously devastating to this canal environment – in a designated ‘conservation corridor’ !!

The development itself does not directly affect the ‘canal corridor’, but we strongly object to the bridge. BW staff were asked to walk the area, recognise the problems, and our positive solution – simply re-site further north, at bridge 13 (GR 722,886) re-built if necessary, with safer B6047access, in scale with the canal - all at a much reduced cost, We could accept the bridge, until plans revealed a severe restriction in mooring space, then no road access! - the developer refusing to provide further drawings or information … Above all, we realised the effect on the environment - huge bridge and massive embankment - on the many people who stroll, walk dogs, fish, and generally enjoy this placid haven on the edge of town, and the effect on the ‘conservation corridor’.

We understand BW’s lack of funds, and wrote personally to Tony Hales (Chairman - no reply!), and Robin Evans (CEO), but they will not consider our solution, claiming they would receive less from the Developer (though road and bridge would be much, much cheaper to build). Here, BW are driven only by a ‘one-off’ monetary gain, regardless of a ’forever’ environmental disaster.

Will the River & Canal Trust make any difference? With mainly the same directors? Surely their primary aim is to protect our canal heritage? Here’s the chance to put things right. How can you assist us in bringing this about?

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24

Full steam ahead for the tenth Historic Narrowboat Rally & Canal Festival at Braunston Marina 23rd – 24th June, 2012 Tim Coghlan looks ahead to this year’s event – to be opened by actress Gayle Hunnicutt, star of the 1971 canal-thriller movie ‘Running Scared’ The popularity of the now well established annual Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally & Canal Festival - now into its tenth year - has never ceased to amaze me. It was first organised with our co-sponsors, Canals Rivers + Boats in 2003, with the intention of being a one-off.

The inspiration was to celebrate the re-launch of steam narrowboat President, which had been out of action for some years for seriously major repairs. We billed it as a Fellows Morton & Clayton (FMC) Rally, after the great canal carrying company of that name, whose fleet included President and its butty Kildare. And to make up the numbers, any other historic narrowboat was invited. It attracted what seemed like a lot of boats - all of twenty nine, nineteen of which were FMC - and that after much work and a lot of arm-twisting. But everyone wanted to do it again, and then again, and each year it has gone from strength to strength.

The 2011 Rally attracted a record-breaking 113 historic narrowboats — twenty more than the previous year — making it the largest attendance of such narrowboats at any rally since the end of the working days on the canals. Just how many attend this year remains to be seen — what with water shortages and lock restrictions — but with help from BW, with whom we are working closely, we are hoping that at least 75 will come. And that will be easily enough to make a spectacular sight — either packed into the Old Arm of the marina or moored six deep in places on the Grand Union Canal outside, or awesomely when on parade — something that has never been successfully replicated at any other canal event. Over seven thousand visitors now come to our Rallies, some travelling from as far afield as Australia and New Zealand, Canada, the US and South Africa.

The Rally will be officially opened by guest of honour, the actress Gayle Hunnicutt, star of the 1970s canal-thriller movie Running Scared. In the now well-established tradition, at 11.00 am on the Saturday of the Rally, Gayle — with a little help from a Raymond “friend” — will steer the motor Nutfield into the marina, towing butty Raymond Her entry will be fanfared to the sound of Braunston’s church bells and music on the quayside from a local Salvation Army band — to acknowledge the “Sallies” great works in times past in serving the poor working boatmen. (They are needed equally today in looking after the destitute living rough on the canals, and they will be a beneficiary from the Rally.)

To keep this annual event special, there is now a focus in alternate years between the large surviving FMC fleet - as featured in 2011 - and all the other fleets with Braunston associations - Samuel Barlows, Blue Line, Nursers, Willow Wren and the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company. These will be the feature of the 2012 Rally.

25 The highlight will be commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the Blue Line fleet in February 1962 by the energetic modern canal-pioneer Michael Streat. Samuel Barlows had closed its Braunston canal carrying operation, and Streat who had a small hire base in Barlows Yard, acquired the rump of the fleet. Initially he took on four pairs of boats – soon reduced to three - whose liveries were repainted in the Cambridge blue of his hire boat fleet.

Through his resourcefulness, Streat kept the fleet going until October 1970 when it made the last long-distance working run under regular contract on the canals. This was the so-called “Jam ’Ole Run.” It went from what is today Braunston Marina up to Atherstone, north of Coventry to load, and then down to Southall in west London to unload at the Kealey & Tonges jam factory. Of the Blue Line fleet of five boats that made that last journey, four survive in working order: Raymond & Nutfield – which are wonderfully maintained by the charity Friends of Raymond, who will be the principle beneficiaries of this year’s Rally - and the privately owned Renfrew and Stanton. All plan to attend the Rally. The fifth boat is the Lucy which is currently undergoing restoration on the bankside at the Braunston Turn, on the route of the daily parade.

So momentarily, the whole of that last Blue Line fleet will be reunited.

Each year produces special celebrations, and this year one of them will be the hundredth birthday of the FMC horse-boat Ilkeston, which will be visiting the Rally for the first time, as one of its stops en route to being on display at the London Canal Museum. The boat has recently undergone major restoration in the Heritage Boatyard of the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port – a task which involved the young trainees in the boatyard, supported by the ‘Skills for the Future’ scheme. The Ilkeston will be towed by the National Waterways Museum’s GUCCC Northwich motor Radiant – also visiting our Rally for the first time. Since the Rallies were started in 2003, an astonishing fifty five surviving GUCCC boats from the company’s various classes have attended.

All the other historic narrowboats with Braunston connections will be moored in the old Oxford Arm in the marina.

Other historic narrowboats will be

Historic narrowboats galore in the famous daily parade at the Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally.

26 moored out on the mainline, thanks to the support of British Waterways. All historic narrowboats will participate in the now famous daily parades. The event is open to all historic narrowboats.

There will also be the notable and very popular Braunston beer tent, plus fast food and fun.

Music will be provided by Braunston Pickle and folk and R&B groups.

To help cover the infrastructure costs and to add to the public interest, trade exhibitors are invited to attend. Canal societies with whom the marina is associated are also invited being offered free marquee or outside space. There will be an admission charge to the public of £10 per car. All profits will be donated, as usual, to canal and local causes, the main recipient being the canal charity, the Friends of Raymond.

The FMC Rally is sponsored by Braunston Marina and Canals & Rivers magazine, with support from British Waterways.

The success of the seven Rallies to date has made this into THE Historic Narrowboat Rally & Canal Festival. Here’s hoping we see you here.

Helpers wanted for Stoke Bruerne‘s Gala Weekend in June Plans are well advanced for another bumper Gala Weekend (8th –10th June) at Stoke Bruerne organised by the Friends of the Canal Museum to support the Canal Museum, and while we’re looking forward to seeing you there, we’d also like to appeal to IWA members who might be able to help out for a few hours or more to contact us. In particular,

we’d like to hear from children’s face painters, anyone willing to help run games, tombola or other fundraising stalls, and for help in setting up eg. putting up signs, marquees, etc. If you can spare some time we’d like to hear from you. Please contact Lynda on 01604 861205 or e-mail publicity@friendsofcanalmuseum. org.uk Pictures of previous Gala Weekends

27

St John boat Crusader leaves for Queen’s Jubilee Pageant Crusader, the St. John Ambulance trip boat, was given a farewell party at Blisworth Marina, her home mooring, in early May before she set off for London to take part in the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant on Sunday, 3rd June.

In the procession, Crusader, carrying the number 53, is placed in the recreational narrowboats flotilla, the middle boat in the second row. The flotilla is led by a fire boat. The narrowboat steamer President is two rows behind. The start time for them is 14.29 and they only have 30 seconds leeway or they will be pulled out so as not to delay the procession.

Dan Reid and other members and friends have spent most of their spare time recently getting Crusader ready for the trip. She has had a full repaint and most of the work carried out was in the covered dock at Gayton Marina.

A crew of three — Dan Reid, Mike Dean and Nick Scarcliffe — took her to the Thames with extra help joining them at major lock flights, such as Stoke Bruerne and Marsworth.

The crew, from left, Mike Dean, Nick Scarcliffe and Dan Reid with the newly-painted Crusader behind

28 The Little Mermaid Gift Shop at Stoke Bruerne is open again, but we’re now called

DAY BOAT HIRE FROM BRAUNSTON

Jennifer’s Gifts

Cruise either towards Napton or Hillmorton and return

Opening times Wed-Sun 10.30am - 4pm Canalware, Wooden Toys, Rag Dolls, Novelty Soaps and Bath Accessories, Jewellery, Giftware and more

OUZEL 11

The Ouzel 11 seats up to 12 people.

It has hot and cold water in the galley, crockery, cutlery and glasses on board, a gas ring, kettle and flush toilet.

Buoyancy aids on request.

Prices: Weekends and Bank Holidays: £145.00 Monday - Friday: £110.00 Returnable deposit: £50.00

A warm welcome for all old and new customers

UNION CANAL CARRIERS LTD,

The Wharf, Stoke Bruerne, NN12 7SE

Braunston Pump House, Dark Lane, Braunston, Daventry, Northants. NN11 7HJ

Tel: 01604 463148 E-mail: jenny.brian2@yahoo.co.uk

Tel 01788 890784

Fax 01788 891950

www.unioncanalcarriers.co.uk

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SUPPLIES We are a family run, customer friendly business based adjacent to Bridge 32 at Nether Heyford. Our service point is clear of moored boats making your stop quick and easy. We offer the following services:

        

DIESEL – always competively priced PUMP OUT – no meter clock here BLUE TOILET FLUID ODORLOS – organic waste tank treatment CALOR GAS – all sizes of bottled gas including Camping Gaz. SOLID FUELS – all types of smokeless fuel or coal. Plus firelighters, sticks and logs.

CHARNWOOD STOVES – all sizes of multi-fuel stoves with or without boilers MORRIS OILS – popular grades of engine oil plus water resistant grease FUEL SET FUEL CONDITIONER

Most Major Credit Cards Accepted.

Open: 8.00am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 1.00pm on Saturdays

Fred Tarry Bridge Cottage Furnace Lane Nether Heyford Northampton, NN7 3JY

Telephone/Fax: 01327-341202

Northamptonshire

RESTAURANT º BARS º BOAT TRIP DINE IN STYLE IN WOODWARD’S CANALSIDE RESTAURANT 01604 862428 www.boatinn.co.uk

RECYCLING REMINDER The Branch recycles ink jet cartridges and mobile phones to raise cash to help local projects.

Please bring them along to Branch meetings or ring 01604 767212 to arrange collection.

Please no Epson ink tanks.

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31

Blisworth Canal Festival August 11th & 12th 2012 www.blisworthcanalfestival.co.uk 11am to 5pm both days

FREE PARKING FREE MOORING FREE ENTRY (except Open Gardens) FREE WALKS FREE TALKS FREE LIVE MUSIC Blisworth’s waterfront will be full of trade boats and stalls selling everything from cheese to boat oil with 2 trip boats operating both days. ‘Funion Bargee’ will also be moored and providing free supervised play sessions for children.

6 village venues close to the canal will be full of a variety of exciting attractions including birds of prey, a master blacksmith, a ‘have a go bell-tower!’, a variety of food outlets, wood carving, pony rides, sport coaching, laser arena, a real ale bar, rural craft demonstrations, Art Gallery and Bistro and lots and lots more!! All of this along with far too many traders to mention and 10 Open Gardens (Sunday only) NOT TO BE MISSED!!

There will be free walks and talks to take part in over the weekend as well as free live music to enjoy. This will include well known local band Rapscallion who will be playing on the Wharf on Sunday.

The proceeds from the festival go towards our projects to improve our local canal environment for all users. Keep up to date with our progress on our website:-www.blisworthcanalpartnership.org For more details contact:- Jan Andrews mobile:- 07919 003704

32

OLD STAGER recalls John Gagg

A PIONEERING PHOTO-JOURNALIST WHO WAS AN ENTHUSIASTIC FAN OF THE RIVER NENE Mention the name John Gagg to many of today’s waterway people and they will stare blankly and ask: “Who?” I find this sad because John was among the pioneers of the contemporary canal and river scene as an active campaigner, dedicated member of the IWA (he sat on the Association’s Council for a time) and a skilful photojournalist who never let an opportunity pass without giving the inland waterways of this country a weighty plug.

We’re talking here of the late l960s, 70s and 80s. John was, in fact, the first compiler of the Cuttings feature in IWA’s Waterways journal, his successor being, of course, our own David Blagrove. When I first met him, he and his wife Margaret lived near Princes Risborough and it was always a pleasure to visit them and pick up his immaculately presented copy and accompanying photographs (black and white in those days) for Waterways. Later, the Gaggs retired to Blakeney on the North Norfolk coast where, despite the attractions of the sea and sailing, he remained loyal to his inland waterway roots. A teacher by profession, he subsequently became a trainer of teachers and an educational adviser to schools. He wrote over 100 books, many of them text books which were, and probably still are, used widely in schools all over Africa. He was also a regular contributor to newspapers, national and local, as well as to a wide variety of magazines, always campaigning by extolling the value of Britain’s inland waterways and their potential for recreational and commercial use.

His several inland waterways books, and writings elsewhere, are notable for their “unstuffiness”. Because they impart so much information in a chatty and easily assimilated manner, to my mind they played a major role in converting uncommitted people to the waterways cause during a period when the canals, in particular, were emerging from the dark, uncertain years of the l960s into the 70s. John appeared to have travelled almost everywhere, canals and rivers alike. Name an “end” to him, he’d been there and was able to produce a photograph with his boat Nike in view to prove it. Often he cruised single-handedly.

I’d like to share here some of John’s views of the River Nene as described in his A Canal and Waterways Armchair Book published in l975 by David and Charles well before the days of lock electrification. It is, he confesses, his favourite river – “yet most people give a groan when you mention it. They groan, apparently, be-

33 th

cause of the 37 locks (there is a 38 , out to the tidal section).” He goes on: “It is a debatable point whether the numerous smooth, if wide, turns to open a guillotine gate on the Nene are any more exhausting than the back-breaking struggles sometimes needed even to make a start on opening paddles elsewhere. But it is certainly true that turning a big handle 156 times at Northampton or Rush Mills, and a rather smaller number of times at the other Nene locks, uses a great deal of energy.

All the same, your reward is a lovely, winding, peaceful river, with wide views across water meadows to little villages and churches on the foothills. Hardly anything creeps in – tree, hedge or building – to block your view.

“This is how the Nene, with its wide open panorama, grips you. No doubt the lack of buildings on its banks is due to its nasty flooding habits, which in turn give rise to these massive gates to control the floods. But in spring especially, when the may blossom is out, there is wonderful relaxation in drifting through these meadows towards the next lock guillotine, which seems to shift itself about in the distance.”

After describing the operation of the locks, John continues: “Yet somehow the inchby-inch movement of the guillotine gate has never bothered me as it apparently bothers some. Maybe it’s because I’m watching the cattle. Yes, I must not forget the Nene cattle, which seem to inhabit the riverside fields in huge numbers, interspersed only now and again by flocks of sheep. Wherever you stop, except for the few towns near to the river, herds of inquisitive bullocks come galloping from nowhere to look at you. They snuffle and trample and barge each other about, and even drool down your windows. And really this is the only small warning I might issue to potential Nene visitors: do not worry about the locks, but if you don’t like cattle, keep away, for you will have difficulty in finding a cattle-free mooring – and for that matter, a cattle-free lock. Maybe I am exaggerating, but that is the impression I had.

“As for the towns, even they are reluctant to place buildings on the river’s banks.

Northampton, Wellingborough and Peterborough have trees, mown grass and flowers waiting for you. Oundle stays even further away and rests inside a vast horseshoe bend with a fair walk to the shops from either arm… As for the villages, they prefer to stay near the foothills, and you have a gentle walk to find a pub. But the pubs are there, and some offer some pleasant food as well.”

John sums up his piece on the river, written in the early l970s, by stating firmly that “the Nene has to be cruised to be believed”. His final observations will remind veteran boaters of the method then in operation to allow river navigation to commence from Southbridge at Northampton. “There are 17 narrow locks from the Grand Union to get there, and you have to make arrangements and pay fees in order to have keys waiting for you at the Northampton toll house to enable you to work the locks.

Then unless you are going through the Middle Level to the Great Ouse you have to come all the way back again. But it is a wonderful journey – provided you do not expect to get through every lock in five minutes flat.”

34

Buckingham Canal Society

Part of a long term plan to restore the disused Buckingham Canal has been approved.

The Buckingham Canal Society (BCS) has wanted to reopen the waterway for a number of years, saying it will boost the area with positive environmental and economic outcomes.

Aylesbury Vale District Council (AVDC) has now given planning permission for work on a stretch of the original canal at Bourton Meadow, near Home Farm. The approval means BCS will be able to re- line and re-water this section of the route.

The 211-year-old waterway from Cosgrove Lock to Buckingham originally ran for a total of just under 11 miles (17.7km) and was used to transport bricks and coal before it closed down during the 1960s. Much of the canal is now dry and parts have been built over.

BCS has been carrying out work for several years in a bid to eventually get boaters using its waters once again. They are currently working on sections at the nature reserve near Hyde Lane reservoir, Cosgrove, Little Hill Farm near Thornton College and the section at Bourton Meadow.

As a key part of achieving the restoration, the Society has been developing partnerships with landowners, local authorities and other organisations. In 2011 both AVDC and South Northamptonshire Council pledged their support for the restoration project and approved partnership agreements with the BCS. Additional partnerships also exist with British Waterways, Buckinghamshire County Council and Buckingham Town Council.

As part of the partnerships, the councils provide advice on funding to BCS consider opportunities to provide equipment and materials. As well as the expected positive social and economic impact on the area, the project will also be of environmental benefit. Restoration of the canal would provide new employment, create a range of leisure opportunities, increase the diversity of the natural environment and preserve important structures and artefacts.

Councillor David Thompson, Cabinet Member for Leisure at AVDC, said: “I am delighted the first stage of the restoration project has received planning approval. A huge amount of work has been done to date by the BCS and we look forward to the reopening of this great canal. This is a very important project for Aylesbury Vale and Buckinghamshire as a whole.”

Athina Beckett, Chairman of BCS, said: “This is a very exciting milestone for the Canal Society. It is wonderful to see the support for the project from both the community and local authorities. We will now be progressing with grant applications and preparatory works on site. Volunteers are always welcome to come and help us at all levels of skill from novice to professional, either on site or with administrative work.

Everyone can come and dig in!”

More information about the Buckingham Canal and plans for its restoration are available at www.buckinghamcanal.org.uk

35

36

RICHARD GILL BOAT SAFETY TESTING

BSc, MABSE BW AND EA APPROVED

EXPERIENCED EXAMINER WITH 25 YEARS WORKING ON THE WATERWAYS

Grand Union, Oxford & Leics Canals Rivers Nene and Thames RING: 07889 10 99 39 RGBARCOS@BTINTERNET.COM

Waterways Pictures has now closed down and does not attend boat shows.

There are some framed pictures remaining. “Sunny Valley” (right), shown in the November 2011 edition of Endeavour (page31), is still available at £29.95.

Contact Terry Stroud for more details on 01767 640938

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38

ADVERTISING

All advertisements must comply with the requirements of the Trades Descriptions Act and avoid misrepresentation of goods offered for sale. The Business Advertisements (Disclosure) Order 1977 requires that businesses seeking to sell goods must clearly indicate this in an advertisement.

COMMERCIAL RATES (suggested donations) 1/4 Page (box) £12.00 1/2 Page (box) £25.00 Full Page £40.00 Discount of 10% for 4 issues Other sizes by arrangement

CLASSIFIEDS (suggested donations) £1.50 for 22 words, 15p each additional word £3.50 for box around classified advertisement (nb. telephone numbers count as one word) £3.50 for photographs

BRANCH SOCIAL MEETINGS Regular Branch Social Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month from September to May inclusive at THE WALNUT TREE INN, BLISWORTH at 8pm All members and non-members welcome.

Food and drink available

Next meeting: Tuesday, 11th September Speaker to be announced The IWA may not agree with opinions expressed in this magazine, but encourages publication as a matter of interest. Nothing printed may be construed as policy or an official announcement unless so stated, otherwise the Association accepts no liability for any matter in the magazine.

Neither the editor nor IWA can accept responsibility for any errors or omissions in the magazine, and opinions stated are those of individual contributors. We will, however, gladly publish corrections if notified. The editor reserves the right to shorten or modify articles published in the interests of clarity or space.

The next edition of Endeavour will be published August 2012

39

WHO’S WHO IN NORTHAMPTON BRANCH 2012/2013 Chairman Bernard Morton

Branch Meetings

07785 375787

Graham Treagus

E-mail: bernard.morton @waterways.org.uk

E-mail: graham.treagus @waterways.org.uk

Branch Secretary Sandie Morton E-mail: sandie.morton @waterways.org.uk

Membership Secretary & Planning Officer Geoff Wood E-mail: geoff.wood@waterways.org.uk

Deputy Chairman & Police Liaison Officer Eric Young E-mail: eric.young@waterways.org.uk

Boat Gathering Chairman Michael Butler E-mail: michael.butler@waterways.org.uk

Boat Gathering

Treasurer & Planning Officer

Sub-Committee members

Alex Madisons E-mail: alex.madisons @waterways.org.uk

Newsletter Editor Tony Clarke 07939 977859 E-mail: tony.clarke @waterways.org.uk

Website & Publicity Officer Lynda Payton E-mail:lynda.payton @waterways.org.uk

Michael Butler (Chairman), Catriona Butler, Roger Hasdell, Alex Madisons, Bernard Morton, Sandie Morton, John Pomfret, Sam Samuells and Eric Young (also occasional members Ian Bekusch and Peter Canfield)

Non-Committee posts Sales: Catriona Butler 01604 473756

Archivist, Endeavour Advertising & Distribution Roger Hasdell 01604 767212