Aegre March 2013

AEGRE March 2013 No.135

A Journal from the East Midlands Region of

Aegre 135 - Mar 2013 Page 1

Aegre is published Š 2013 by the East Midlands Region Committee of the Inland Waterways Association for members of Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Branches.

Chairman

John Pomfret, db Drijfhuis, Braunston Boats Ltd, Bottom Lock, Dark Lane, Braunston, Daventry NN11 7HJ Tel 01788 891027

Vice-Chairman

Dave Carnell, Conifer Cottage, North End, Goxhill DN19 7JX Tel: 01469 530138

Leicestershire Branch Chairman

John Evans, Highfields Farm, Woodhouse Road, Quorn, Loughborough LE12 8AL Tel 01509 416647

Lincolnshire Branch Chairman

Dave Carnell (as above)

Notts. & Derbys Branch Chairman

Vacant. Contact Mike Snaith, below.

Region Planning Officer & Notts & Derbys Branch

Mike Snaith, Hawthorne Cottage, 70 Main St, Gunthorpe, Nottingham NG14 7EU

Secretary & WRG

John Baylis, 215 Clipstone Rd West, Forest Town, Mansfield NG19 0HJ Tel: 01623 621208

Member

Ian McDonald, 68 Leicester Road, Thurcaston, Leicester LE7 7JG Mobile: 07950 003383

Editor for Aegre: Peter Hill, 7 Lock Keeper’s Way, Louth, Lincolnshire LN11 0GQ Tel: 01507 602713; e-mail: aegre@waterways.org.uk This is the web version, with colour pictures (where available) at 96dpi for screens. Picture credits: Front cover: At Cotmanhay on the Erewash, from David Murray-Rust. Page 3: Nottingham Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Alastair Parnell, on board Bath and Petrel at the 2008 Erewash celebrations, from Paul King (sorry no sound track). Other picture credits page 9.

Inland Waterways Association: Registered Office; Island House, Moor Road, Chesham HP5 1WA. Registered as a Charity No: 212342.

Tel: 0845 4501146 Website: http://www.waterways.org.uk The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Inland Waterways Association or of the East Midlands Region. They are published as being of interest to our members and other readers.

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AEGRE

Contents Canal Societies and Trusts in the EM Region.............................4 Journals Received........................................................................4 Erewash Restoration - Forty Years On........................................5 A Monumental Canal....................................................................7 The Editor’s Flotsam and Jetsam.................................................8 Picture Credits..............................................................................9 News from Leicestershire...........................................................10 New Bridge Unlocks Waterway's "Front Door"..........................11 Chesterfield Canal News............................................................12 Lincolnshire Happenings............................................................14 River Slea Future Projects.........................................................15 News from Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.............................17 Complete passage of Chesterfield Canal after 104 years?.......20 Obituaries ..................................................................................22 Derby & Sandiacre Canal Meetings...........................................24 Lincolnshire Events....................................................................24 Northampton Branch Events......................................................24 Leicestershire Branch Meetings.................................................25 Cromford Canal Meetings..........................................................26 Canal Reservoirs ......................................................................27

Next issue probably to be published in June 2013. Contributions to the editor by the end of April 2013 please.

The space on the right is for local contact information.

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Canal Societies and Trusts in the EM Region Derby & Sandiacre Canal Society Erewash Canal P & D Association

Chris Madge, c/o 62 Broadway, Duffield, Derby DE56 4BU Tel: 07827 946444 www.derbycanal.org.uk

Howard Smith, 1 Millfield, Kimberley, Nottingham NG16 2LJ Tel: 0115 9384129 www.erewashcanalpreservationanddevelopmentassoc.org.uk

Foxton Inclined Plane Trust

Foxton Canal Museum, Middle Lock, Gumley Road, Market Harborough LE16 7RA Tel: 0116 2792657 www.fipt.org.uk

Friends of the Cromford Canal

Mike Kelley, 50 Beech Avenue, Alfreton, Derbyshire, DE55 7EW www.cromfordcanal.org.uk

Grantham Canal Society

Mike Stone, 7, Crow Park Drive, Burton Joyce, Nottingham NG14 5AS; Tel: 0115 931 3375 www.granthamcanal.com

Louth Navigation Trust

John Stanbridge, Navigation Warehouse, Riverhead, Louth LN11 0DA Tel: 01507 605496 www.louthcanal.org.uk

Melton & Oakham Waterways Society

Richard Booth, Sysonby Knoll, Asfordby Road, Melton Mowbray LE13 0HP Tel: 01664 503330 www.meltonwaterways.co.uk

Sleaford Navigation Trust

Steve Hayes, 10 Chelmer Close, N Hykeham, Lincoln LN6 8TH Tel: 01522 689460 www.sleafordnavigation.co.uk

Trent and Mersey Canal Society

10 Long Lane, Middlewich, Cheshire CW10 0BL. Tel: 01606 834471 www.trentandmerseycanalsociety.co.uk

Journals Received We are very pleased to acknowledge copies of journals from various canal and river societies and trusts. They include “The Portal” from Friends of the Cromford Canal; “The Packet” from the Derby & Sandiacre Canal Society; “The Cuckoo”, from the Chesterfield Canal Trust; “The Bridge”, from Grantham Canal Society; “Sleaford Navigation Trust” journal; the “Melton and Oakham Newsletter”; and “The Wharfinger”, from Louth Navigation Trust, as well as “Navigation” from our neighbours at West Midlands, the “Easterling” from our Eastern neighbours, and “Endeavour” from Northampton Branch. Anyone interested in receiving a copy of one of these journals should contact the relevant address given above.

For “The Cuckoo” contact the editor John Lower at 92a Tapton View Road, Chesterfield S41 7JY.

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Erewash Restoration - Forty Years On In May there will be a special celebration at a site very close to the centre of our Region, and very close to the hearts of many of our members. To recognise this important event, we are giving prime spot in this issue of Aegre to the Erewash canal and that Association with the long name. Maybe you haven’t visited it, whether by boat, bike or foot - or even train. We hope to encourage all to come and support.

In 1968 the Erewash Canal Preservation & Development Association was formed in response to a threat by the British Waterways Board to close the canal. In just five years following the formation of the ECP&DA they had not only saved the canal but also restored Langley Bridge lock and the Great Northern basin and swing bridge. This was celebrated by an opening ceremony and their first boat rally at Langley Mill in 1973. The canal was upgraded to a Cruiseway by the British Waterways (1983) Act. Since then ECP&DA members have been and still are involved in restoration work on many canals all over the country, and not least in work to maintain the canal, locks and other fixed equipment, and clearing out rubbish and the traditional “towpath tidies”. For those who are not familiar with the canal, and think it is still all coal mines and coal trains along the valley, here a few facts and pictures to set things straight.

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Bridge 23 Bridge at Hallam Fields

Stanton or White House Lock

At Gallows Inn

Former GNR bridge over Nottingham Canal

Green’s (Sough Close) Lock

Mill Lane Bridge Aegre 135 - March 2013 Page 6

Early picture of boats leaving Stenson Lock

A Monumental Canal Most canals have a few listed buildings along them, but the Erewash is quite rich in these. Here are a few to watch out for if you are visiting (not all of them are pictured here).

Long Eaton Lock, near Leopold Street Canal Bridge and Lock at Dockholme, Bennett Street / Willoughby Avenue.

At Sandiacre

Bridge and Beech House at Sandiacre Lock, Lock Lane Offices to Springfield Mill Factory with Attached Wall and Lavatory Blocks, Canal Street, Sandiacre 25, Town Street, Sandiacre Canal Bridge at SK 481367, Mill Lane

Shipley Lock

Hallam Fields Bridge and Lock, Hallam Fields Road Potters Lock Bridge, off Heathfield Avenue by Monks Close Bennerley Viaduct (both ends).

Canal Bridge, Lock and Cottage at Shipley Gate SK 463454, Newmanleys Road

Rail bridge near Poplar Farm

Aqueduct over the River Erewash and under Erewash Canal at SK 462455, Newmanleys Road Sandiacre Lock Cottage and Junction and the Great Northern Basin are both conservation areas.

Early picture of Bennerley Viaduct Aegre 135 - Mar 2013 Page 7

The Editor’s Flotsam and Jetsam ning a route for their new railway line - their trains just need it more “straight and level”. So we shouldn’t be surprised if the draft HS2 route seems to choose existing canal and rail alignments.

This is not the place for arguments for or against, but in case you have not seen any details (what has been published in newspapers is best summed up as “approximate”) the proposed route enters Leicestershire near No Man’s Heath on the old A453 (now B5493) close to the M42, then runs closely with the motorway and A42 before tunnelling under the runway at Donington, then on viaduct over the Soar valley and in a short tunnel in Redhill and over the Trent to the yard at Toton. Then pretty straight northwards along the valley close to the M1 and names familiar to all interested in canals such as Staveley, where it veers west from the M1 line to run west of Killamarsh and then turn towards Catcliffe into Sheffield.

Anyone interested in the details could look at https://www.gov.uk and HS2-ARP-000-DR-RT-55001 for an overall picture. Good luck.

News on the East Wind Our neighbours of the East Anglian Waterways Association have worrying news about progress on the North Walsham and Dilham Canal. The Why all this? Well the civil engineers Environment Agency has issued an at Arup face the same problems as the “Anti-Pollution Works Notice” affectRomans, the canal engineers and the ing clearance works done upstream early railway engineers when planfrom Ebridge. This is based on a Straight and level.

These are words I usually associate with aeroplanes,even though I sometimes feel the need to duck when a Ryanair plane passes low overhead on that long straight below Zouch, and I hope it’s level enough. But these words can apply just as well to many forms of civil engineering from the Romans onwards. Their roads were mostly straight and as level as possible with no JCBs to help, and their aqueducts had a crafty gradient. Then a gap while the “rolling English drunkard made the rolling English roads”, until the canal engineers needed level pounds to keep their water in. Initially not straight of course, but soon embankments and tunnels helped.

They also tended to follow easy routes along valleys if possible. Similarly the railway engineers looked for easy routes with limited gradients, which explains why canals and railways often run broadly parallel. I think my least favourite bit of canal is where the Trent and Mersey runs parallel to the A38 road (itself the Roman Ryknild Street) with the rail line from Burton to Tamworth not far away.

Noise from the St Pancras line heard from Trent Lock pales into insignificance by comparison.

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premise that the Agency’s powers to require consent for such works under land drainage legislation override any Canal Acts. Their concern is driven by hydromorphology targets established by the “Water Framework Directive”.

some 84 criminal offences concerning such matters as the registration of vessels. As a non-expert in these areas, I pass it on “to whom it may concern”.

The Trent Aegre Normally in this issue of Aegre we They also draw attention to a question give the forecast times of the actual concerning the validity of the “Enviaegre on the Trent. This year is a quiet ronment Agency (Inland Waterways) one, with only “one star” waves until Order 2010” as being possibly outside the end of July, so we will try to bring the scope allowed by the Transport you up-to-date in the next issue. and Works Act 1992. The Order is Best wishes for the new season, one which creates for the Agency Peter

Kegworth Shallow Lock not quite so shallow

Picture Credits We are most grateful to all of the following, who have contributed photographs or other illustrations to enhance this edition of Aegre: Mick and Carole Golds; Stuart Squires; Ian McDonald; Dave Carnell; Mike Snaith; John Baylis; John Wilkinson; Rod Auton; David Brown, and as noted for specific articles.

Some photographs in this issue on pages 1, 6 and 7 are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic Licence. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/. The authors concerned are: Shipley Lock and Greens Lock - Stephen McKay; Bridge 23 - David Lally; At Cotmanhay - David Murray-Rust; At Gallows Inn - David Hallam-Jones; Mill Lane Bridge - Christine Johnstone; Sandiacre and Stanton Locks - Trevor Rickard; Rail Bridge - Alan Heardman; Hallam Fields - Oxymoron; other Erewash early illustrations from the Golds collection.

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News from Leicestershire (Notes from a retiring chairman) The Leicestershire branch AGM was held on St Valentines Day when several local roads and part of the pub’s car park were under a significant amount of water. But somehow I don’t think I can blame Cupid, Eros or Zeus for the abysmal attendance (4.5% of the membership!).

It was my turn to retire from the Committee ‘by rotation’ and I had previously made it clear that I was unable to stand for re-election.

to the local CRT Partnership.

So that leaves a committee of Ian McDonald, Herbert Eppel and Jim Evans with something of a dilemma as to which direction to take. It also leaves me extremely disappointed, both with Branch members for ignoring my many pleas for support, but more so with myself for not having achieved the vision I had for the Branch when I inherited the chair.

May I, one last time therefore, beg all I was particularly saddened, therefore, Leicestershire Branch members to interrogate themselves and establish that Maggie Young and Beryl what it is that prevents them from McDowall announced their resignaoffering the waterways a couple of tion from the Committee during the week prior to the meeting. Maggie, a hours of their time once in a while.

The Branch may not survive without relatively recent recruit, has changed your support. her employment situation and has to cut down on non-essential activities.

Her input over the last couple of years PLEASE pick up the phone or finger your key-pad now. I will continue to has been appreciated. Thank you act as a contact point during the interMaggie. regnum so call me on 01509 416647 Beryl has been a tower of strength as, or e-mail john.evans@waterways.org.uk and among other things, a very capable Social Secretary for many years and I let me know if you can help or have can’t find the words to thank her ade- any constructive ideas. It would be tragic if all the hard work of eighteen quately for all the support she has years were to be lost. given to both the Branch and to me personally, in difficult times. She has On a brighter note there are some kindly agreed to honour existing arrangements and to continue to help dates for your diary on page 25.

John Evans the branch in other ways. We wish her well with her increasing commitments

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New Bridge Unlocks Waterway's "Front Door" Work is now complete on on the rebuilding of the Wreake End Footbridge off Meadow Lane, Syston in Leicestershire (grid ref 609 121) and, at a stroke, unlocks the hidden potential of the disused Melton Mowbray Navigation.

The old bridge had steps at one end denying access to prams, pushchairs, bicycles, the elderly and, crucially, wheelchairs. Following a television appeal and telephone vote the People's Lottery Fund awarded ÂŁ50 million to Sustrans Connect2 Schemes which has allowed the completion of many unfinished projects up and down the country, including the Watermead Park area in Leicestershire.

The work included: resurfacing paths within the park, improving signage and car parking facilities, plus improvement to all routes into the venue. The canal towpath at Syston provided easy ingress into the park, but the steps at the bridge were prohibitive to some groups of people.

The new bridge addresses these problems with easy access ramps, a wider deck and, in keeping with the Sustrans ethic, green and sustainable characteristics.

The old flat deck concrete structure was removed last autumn and following extensive ground-works, the bridge was lifted into place on Thursday 6 December. A spokesperson for the LCC then said "The bridge is due to be open to the public by Christmas, with an official opening early in the new year".

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The Melton and Oakham Waterways Society (MOWS) has worked alongside Sustrans, British Waterways and Leicestershire County Council to ensure the new bridge also comes with 2.4 metres of navigable headroom, unlocking the potential for future restoration. MOWS has worked since inception in 1997 to clear the navigation and stabilise the lock chambers.

MOWS Chairman, Mick Clowes, said "This new bridge will accelerate plans to open up the river corridor for the use of all and exploit the underused leisure possibilities that the Wreake Valley holds." Linda Hulme Pictures from Sam Ireson and Leicestershire CC. For further information www.meltonwaterways.org.uk

Chesterfield Canal News Stret Lock passes the test The first boat has successfully gone through the re-opened Stret Lock on the Chesterfield Canal in Worksop.

Stret Lock was restored in the 1990s. However for very many years some boats have got stuck. These boats might have been slightly wider or deeper than normal. There were lots of theories about the problem, some even suggesting that the lock was banana-shaped. This was somewhat ironic because Stret Lock is thought to be a corruption of Straight Lock. The general consensus was that, in the 240 years since the lock was built, the ground pressure had forced the walls inwards.

British Waterways undertook a major inspection in 2011. Infra-red photographs were taken. These were used to create a computer simulation of the lock. A virtual boat was then introduced so that any problem areas were highlighted. The lock was indeed found to be narrower than it should have been.

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The Canal & River Trust started a widening scheme in October last year. This involved taking down two of the of the outer brick courses on the towpath side and replacing them with one course, increasing the width by 50mm. There was an Open Day in November at which about 250 people went down inside the lock to inspect the works.

The final welding was done on the paddle gear early on January 3rd. At lunchtime that day, the Chesterfield Canal Trust’s historic boat, Python, approached.

This boat had previously got stuck every time it tried to get through. This time it went like a dream, slipping in and out perfectly.

It might only be two inches, but it will make all the difference for full sized boats which should now be able to get all the way to Kiveton Park past the idyllic hamlet of Turnerwood and up the historic Turnerwood and Thorpe flights of locks that were restored a decade ago.

For our Events Calendar, go to www.chesterfield-canal-trust.org.uk/index.php/events-diary/month.calendar .

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Lincolnshire Happenings Welcome to 2013 and what a welcome. Winter has come with a vengeance and follows much rain that caused flooding problems and moorings to become inundated leaving layers of mud to be cleared away.

Despite the weather Drakes Dredging have removed over one 1,300 cubic metres of material from the site of Lincoln Boat Clubs moorings in Brayford Pool. The old moorings have been replaced with floating pontoons and services. Some re-allocation of moorings will permit a number of much-needed visitor berths.

Recently a number of thefts and damage to boats on the Foss Dyke have taken place. For some time we have been in discussion with the Lincolnshire Police regarding the formation of a “Boat Watch” scheme. Progress has been made with a link to their “Links Alert” web site. Details of this and the anti-terrorism and smuggling “Project Kraken” were the subject of a presentation following our February AGM. Details will be published in the next edition of Aegre and the waterway press.

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After many hours of research and applying to the EA for monies from their Catchment Restoration Fund, to deal with the aquatic weed problem on the River Witham, it was disappointing to learn all the available monies had been spent, and round three in March 2013 would not be taking place unless more funding became available. The lack of approved chemicals to deal with this problem is causing concern with all those responsible for flood control, land drainage and leisure activities. Reports of new acceptable chemicals being tried in the US are being investigated.

Last year Cow Bridge Lock on the Witham Navigable Drains was closed to enable the Internal Drainage Board to carry out major works to the guillotine (below). Although the Board receives no funding toward leisure

activities, they have always encouraged use of their waters; their commitment in spending nearly ÂŁ70,000 in renewing the guillotine gate and supports at the lock is commendable.

The lock is again available from May to September 2013. Although our picture on the left appears to show water in the channel, the brown surface is actually water completely covered with weed!

A Waterways Trust has been established for Yorkshire and the Humber area. Advice received indicates that because the River Ancholme discharges into the Humber at South Ferriby funding applications for improvements there may be considered.

River Slea Future Projects As part of a forward planning exercise a number of projects are being researched to enable us to identify funding options that may become available.

One of these projects relates to the restoration of Haverholme Lock.

Those members familiar with the area will realize how popular the footpaths are, using the bridges to cross the lock and by-wash channels, and may have noticed an unusual metal structure at the lock side.

The IWA Club 500 raises valuable funds for IWA work, Members are entered into draws which take place three times per year. I am pleased to acknowledge that two of our Branch members were successful in the September 2012 Draw. Congratulations on your prize and for supporting the Association. Any one interested in taking part should contact Head Office.

The annual Boat Gathering on the River Slea takes place over May Day Bank Holiday May 4th 5th and 6th.

Details from Chris Hayes on 01522 689460.

Research to establish the boundaries and ownership of the structures and Rights of Way has produced some interesting and unusual information.

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Haverholme Priory, Stables and Home Farm had their water supplied from the river and this metal structure, known as a Hett pump, used the difference in water height between the head and tail of the lock to this end.

An IWA member, Stuart Squires, has found that the pump is a double acting one that pressured the water to the estate. It was built in the late 1800`s by hydraulic engineer, Charles Hett , at his foundry in Brigg, Lincolnshire.

His pumps used a number of designs to pump liquids, others being self regulating wind pumps, pelton wheels, iron water mill wheels, chain pumps, turbines and centrifugal pumps. His works were not confined to England but sold across Europe, South America and the United States.

It also seems that a number of large country houses used waterways to supply coal to their private Gas Works. Was this the case at Haverholme?

More research is needed, anyone having knowledge of this is asked to contact me for a future article.

During this research Stuart also produced a photograph of Haverholme Lock, taken in 1968, showing that a roof had been installed over Aegre 135 - March 2013 Page 16

the chamber by the estate owner, the Earl of Winchelsea, in 1915 to form a boathouse. This would have precluded the use of the lock for navigation beyond this point but indicates the use of the navigation up to this point.

News from Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire The winter snows have made their presence felt and several activities planned for January had to be re-thought. So with the snow and the cold it’s been a relatively quiet period over the winter but the New Year is now upon us with the snow drops already in full bloom heralding springtime along the local waterways. A wonderful time of year to be enjoying the outdoors and the waterways.

After fundraising throughout last year it was a great pleasure to be able to donate funds to the Friends of Cromford Canal towards their new trip boat. The boat will be used for horse-drawn trips along the canal from Cromford wharf to High Peak Junction near the Leawood pump. It will also be powered by electric motor and have a major educational role as well as providing passenger trips. It is hoped that continued fund raising will enable the boat to be completed and in service by the summer, so it was with high hopes that acting chairman Brian White and I presented a ÂŁ500 cheque to the Friends to boost their endeavours at their monthly meeting at Ironville in November. It fell to me to give a brief speech before Brian presented the cheque to Pat Morriss, chairman of the Friends and Mike Kelley, secretary.

With the kind words of appreciation from Pat and the applause from the 85 strong audience it made the whole evening memorable and worthwhile.

As has been mentioned in this column before, coincident with the purchase of a trip boat Derbyshire County Council are also funding the dredging of the Cromford canal from Cromford wharf to Leawood pump and this should be in progress as I write this article in early February. So provided the much needed fund raising succeeds, further restoration progress on the Cromford canal will be evident very soon.

Looking ahead to the Social calendar we have Steve Morley from Waterways Recovery Group (WRG) presenting the canal restoration activities carried out

by WRG volunteers using the recent works on the Chesterfield and Hereford & Gloucester canals as examples on March 15th. Then April 19th will see Nigel Lowey giving an illustrated talk on St. Pancras station. Get there early for this one, the engineering and architectural genius that went into such a Aegre 135 - Mar 2013 Page 17

building is something to behold. In form and function it is a transport masterpiece.

Further ahead in the warmer weather we also have some great visits planned.

On May 19th we will be visiting the Newark Heritage Barge Project on board the barge, Leicester Trader on the River Trent in Newark. The project aims to restore Leicester Trader, the last remaining Trent barge, and create within it a River Heritage Centre. We will be given a tour of the barge followed by an illustrated talk by Les Reid concerning progress to date and plans for the future. All are welcome; meet us on board at 7.30 pm on the day.

Then on June 21st we will be assembling at Staythorpe Power Station, adjacent to the Trent near Newark, for a guided tour. For those interested in waterborne freight you may recall the large indivisible loads transported up the Trent a few years ago whilst the Power Station was under construction. Now is your chance to see all that equipment installed and on line. Meet at Staythorpe Power Station at 7.30 pm on the day. All are welcome. Further details about our enlightening events can be found in the full calendar at the rear of this magazine.

After many a long year tirelessly and successfully organising the Social Calendar of events, Mavis White has retired from the committee to pursue other interests. It is a great honour to be able to thank Mavis here for all her time and effort involved in creating a wide and varied entertainment programme for everyone for nigh on 12 years. She has always been in the background, checking and making sure everything just happens. Well things just don’t happen, they are planned and organised and actioned by a dedicated person who is extremely proficient, so much so that no one has ever seen the join on those odd occasions when it’s all gone wrong and plan B “just happens”. Mavis, thank you, your talents are both recognised and very much appreciated. In your well-earned retirement you will be sadly missed and we all wish you the very best in your new endeavours.

So there is now a further vacancy on the Branch organising committee. If you are interested in following in Mavis’ footsteps as Social Secretary please let me, or another committee member know. You will be given a great deal of support and have lots of fun to boot and I have a feeling that Mavis will only be a phone call away if greater knowledge is required.

Remember, put the evening of the third Friday in the month in your diaries and see the calendar of events on pages 19 and 26 of this magazine. As a taster, Aegre 135 - March 2013 Page 18

when we recommence the programme after the summer break in October, Sean McGinley, Waterways Manager, East Midlands, Canal and River Trust will present an illustrated talk on “12 months on from the start of the Canal and River Trust.” So if you want to ask questions and talk to an influential Canal and River Trust manager, you now have your chance. Do come and join us, everyone is most welcome, I look forward to seeing you there.

Mike Snaith

Branch Programme The Notts and Derby branch of the IWA organises a series of public meetings. We are hoping to attract lots of new faces to the meetings and have arranged a very interesting and varied group of speakers. Non IWA members will be very welcome to attend. You will find us a friendly bunch! We meet on the third Friday of the month throughout most of the year.

Meetings are held at 7.30 pm at Rushcliffe Arena, Rugby Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 7HY. This is not far from the A60 (Loughborough Road) and the Arena entrance road is roughly opposite Greythorn Drive. It would take about 25 minutes from M1 Junction 24 up the A453, Clifton traffic permitting. Don’t be alarmed by a barrier at the entrance - they will let you out again.

For SatNav equipped vehicles try 52° 55.328’ N, 01° 08.673’ W, or SK 57610 36424. Note that Rushcliffe Leisure Centre is a different place. Further information about meetings can be obtained from Mavis White on 01636 671726.

Friday, March 15th 2013 Work with WRG (Waterways Recovery Group). Working on Two Canal Camps (Hereford & Gloucester and the Chesterfield); an illustrated talk by WRG’s Steve Morley.

Friday, April 19th 2013 “St. Pancras” an illustrated talk by Nigel Lowey. A talk for everyone with an interest in history, world class architecture, clever engineering and a great story.

For events later in the year, see page 26.

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Complete passage of Chesterfield Canal after 104 years?

Andy Robinson, James Woods and Chris Capon have just taken their canoe the full 46 miles of the Chesterfield Canal from Chesterfield to West Stockwith on the River Trent.

They carried it, full of kit, round 52 locks and wheeled it on a special trolley on the unrestored section between Staveley and Kiveton Park.

They camped overnight.

We believe that this may be the first end-to-end passage of the Chesterfield Canal by a boat since the Norwood Tunnel collapsed in 1907.

They did this for fun, as a challenge, and to raise money - half will go to Fairplay and half to the Chesterfield Canal Trust. To donate, go to http://www.justgiving.com/sponsored-canal-dawdle or send a cheque to Andy Robinson, Hollingwood Hub, 22 Works Road, Hollingwood, Chesterfield, S43 2PF. They set out from Andy’s home in Chesterfield at about 7.20 a.m. on Friday 10th June last year. Having paddled four miles and carried the canoe round four locks, the first stop was Nona’s Coffee Shop at Hollingwood Hub. Here they had a Full English Breakfast on the house.

After another mile, they came to the unrestored section. This required the canoe to be pushed and pulled on its trolley for nine long miles. Arriving at Kiveton Park meant more paddling, now in the pouring rain, but also carrying it round a further fifteen locks in the three mile stretch to Turnerwood. Here they met Andy’s family and camped overnight, having had a barbecue courtesy of Diane Gleeson who runs the ice cream stall at Turnerwood.

Here is Andy's account of the Saturday and Sunday: Aegre 135 - March 2013 Page 20

"After leaving Turnerwood we trolleyed to the bottom lock and then paddled into Shireoaks. We stopped for lunch at the Lock Keeper and replenished supplies at the local Sainsbury’s before paddling on through Worksop.

We had a nice steady day; we couldn't be anything other than steady with the boat loaded to capacity. We 'wild camped' at bridge 52 and enjoyed a very pleasant evening with our disposable barbecue and a few beers.

We'd left a lot of distance to cover on Sunday (19 miles). We were off by 7.30 a.m. and it was nice to have fewer locks to port around. The day started warm and sunny and we were determined to cover as much distance as possible before the weather changed. As we encountered our first narrow-boat travelling towards us, to my horror the boys took my instruction to pass left-to-left as “go left” which meant they tried to veer across in front of several tons of oncoming steel! We quickly put ourselves right - lesson learned.

It appeared to me that everyone was on the move until midday when it started to rain. If you were steering a narrow-boat on Sunday and you passed three men in a canoe, my thanks to you. Everyone slowed down while we passed!

Oh boy did it rain and it never stopped. At Drakeholes we found ourselves in a pub trying to warm up and drinking tea! Three hours later, after a difficult port around the final lock, we turned onto the home straight. Wet and cold, but elated, we charged down the last half mile like men possessed. Joanne, my wife, was waiting by the final bridge jumping up and down with excitement. Finally we came into West Stockwith Basin at 5.15 p.m. and performed a lap of honour just for ourselves.

So we did it. The first boat in over one hundred years to traverse the whole canal? I would like to think so."

Incidentally, as a warm up, James and Andy walked from West Stockwith to Chesterfield three weeks ago. They did the 46 miles in 15 hours!

Surely this titanic effort deserves your support. Please sponsor them.

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Obituaries

Ron Warhurst I am sorry to report the death of Ron Warhurst, one of the last and longest serving British Waterways permanent lock keepers on the River Trent. Ron was born in Hull in 1930, and after the bombing of the city during World War II he was evacuated to live with his elder sister in Newark. After leaving school Ron served for some years on the Trent barges before taking over Newark Town Lock in 1956. Ron lived in the cottage by Town Lock until his retirement in 1995. Ron’s funeral just before Christmas was attended by his retired and still serving colleagues and a number of boaters who had known Ron for many years.

John Baylis

Keith Broughton 1944 - 2012 We are sorry to report the death of Keith Broughton, Commodore of the Soar Boating Club, at the age of 68. Born in Eastwood, Keith started work at John Player and then moved to the National Coal Board, where he obtained his degree part time and became an assistant manager. He and his first wife Phillipa shared a passion for boats and boating, which was to mould both of their lives. This was actively encouraged by his father-in-law, Jack Lynam, who helped Keith to restore “Gambler” his first boat. Keith was involved with the IWA National Rally of boats in Marple in 1966 and working on Lime Kiln lock in 1967 for the Leicester National.

Phillipa and Keith separated after 10 years and he married Pat Argent in 1980, gaining another exceptional mentor, his new fatherin-law Ike Argent, well respected boatman and later dedicated BW foreman on the Erewash Canal. Keith moved to the NCB research unit at Bretby, where he became an expert on noise and vibration

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control. Following contraction of the coal industry, he found a natural home with the Health and Safety Executive. Keith became an expert in his field and was able to travel the world lecturing and offering consultation. Keith retired at 60 and decided to return to Melbourne to their old house, taking a more active role in the running of the boat club. Keith became treasurer and subsequently Commodore.

Throughout this time Pat and Keith remained keen members of the Soar Boating Club and rarely if ever missed the social and boating events. They boated on hire boats with their family and with John and Phyll Saxon and ourselves. When we started boating in France they were keen to join us and we had further adventures in Burgundy and on the Canal du Midi, culminating in an epic trip down the Rhone in 2009. Following diagnosis of his final illness Keith and Pat fulfilled his ambitions to boat on the Irish waterways and the Canal du Midi to Carcassonne.

Keith died on December 16th and his funeral service took place at St. James Church, Normanton-on-Soar on January 3rd. The celebration of Keith’s life followed at the Clubhouse. Needless to say it was extremely well attended. I can’t remember the room ever being so full. We will all miss Keith in our own ways but most will remember him as a loyal friend who could always be relied upon to “tell it as it is”. I will miss him for his sense of humour and the knowledge that he was always on hand to offer help where and when it was needed.

John Wilkinson

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Lincolnshire Events Sleaford Navigation Trust Regular work parties on the second Sunday of each month.

Contact Mel Sowerby (01522 856810) for latest details.

Slea Boat Gathering. May 4th - 6th. Call 01522 689460 Louth Navigation Trust Sat 1st June 2013. Louth Walking Festival: - Canal Walk Start at 1.30pm at Crown and Anchor Inn, Tetney Lock DN36 5UW Thursday 27th June 2013 AGM. 7.30pm Louth Conoco Rooms above Library, Northgate LN11 0LY

Northampton Branch events.

All meetings are held at 8pm at The Walnut Tree Inn, Blisworth, Northants, NN7 3DS unless otherwise stated.

See www.waterways.org.uk/northampton/diary for more information.

March 12th AGM followed by Speaker to be announced April 9th Speaker: Richard Thompson - the Manchester Ship Canal

Derby & Sandiacre Canal Meetings All meetings except working parties are held at the Wilmot Arms, Derby Road, Borrowash. DE72 3HA. For more details please call Chris Madge on 01332 840502.

March 26th. Birds of Prey, by Ken McLoughlin.

April 23rd. Days of Steam, by Philip Lee. May 28th. Seaside, Skegness and Hand-knitted Bathing Costumes, by Bill Allen.

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Leicestershire Branch Meetings Unless stated otherwise, meetings will be held at The Gate Hangs Well Pub, Lewin Bridge, Fosse Way, Syston, Leicester LE7 1NH (in the Function Room). The pub is not far from the Hobby Horse roundabout on the A46. We start our meetings at 7.30 p.m., unless specified otherwise.

Monday March 4th Friends of Charnwood Forest Canal meet at Storey Arms, Main Street, Osgathorpe LE12 9TA at 7.30 when the speaker will be Geoff Pursglove.

The next meeting will be on 10th April at St Mary's Church, Nanpantan.

LE11 3YF. Speaker Brian Williams.

Thursday, 14th March, 2013 An illustrated talk, updating us on progress on the Ashby Canal in the past few years.

Thursday, 11th April, 2013 The Canal & River Trust - One Year On - with updates from the Central Shires Manager, Darren Green, and Waterway Partnership Chair, Charlotte Atkins.

May 4th-5th Loughborough Canal and Boat Festival.* Thursday, 9th May, 2013 A walk along part of the Wreake Navigation. Meet at 7.00 p.m. (Details nearer the time) May 25th – 27th Crick Boat Show.* June 1st – 2nd Leicester Riverside Festival.* June 29th – 30th Foxton Festival.* *Regrettably, without additional support we will be unable to maintain an IWA presence at these events.

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Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Branch Extra Off site Events: Friday, May 19th 2013 A visit to the Newark Heritage Barge Project. An illustrated talk and tour with Les Reid on board the barge “Leicester Trader” on the riverside in Newark.

The project aims to create a River Heritage Centre which is open to the public and can be used by schools, research students and other interested parties.

Meet on board at 7.30 pm Friday, June 21st 2013 A guided tour around the new Staythorpe Power Station by the R. Trent near Newark. Meet at the Power Station 7.30 pm

Cromford Canal Meetings All social meetings are held at Ironville Church Hall (SK435518) at 7.30 pm unless otherwise noted. For any queries contact Mike Kelley on 01773 833425. A contribution of £2 is asked for, except at The Hayes, where tickets are £3.

March 18th. The Butterley Company, by Gwilym Roberts. This special meeting will be at The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick DE55 1AU. April 15th. AGM May 20th. Future of the Cromford Canal, by Matthew Rogers.

June 17th. The Chesterfield Canal, by Dr Geraint Coles.

September 16th. Fame within five miles of Alfreton, by Ray Sunderland.

October 21st. Black Diamonds, by Wendy Freer.

Leawood Pump steam days are planned for March 31st/April 1st; May 5th and 6th; June 1st and 2nd; August 3rd, 4th, 25th and 26th; October 5th and 6th, and November 2nd and 3rd.

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Canal Reservoirs

Rishton reservoir, showing stone pitching protection on dam

Note: Following the problems of water supply in Spring 2012, David Brown of the Canal & River Trust has allowed me to edit a paper prepared by him some years ago for the Institute of Civil Engineers into a reduced form for Aegre. In this paper he considers the development of canal reservoirs in England from an historical perspective and reflects how they developed in the light of changing requirements and engineering advances. About 70 reservoirs remain the responsibility of the Canal & River Trust, although there are many more which have found other uses or been discontinued. JB Until the late 18th Century, inland navigation was based around estuaries and river systems. Navigation was affected by flood and drought, but was improved by the construction of weirs and locks. The industrial revolution required the movement of coal and raw materials to manufacturing districts and the provision of arteries for trade; this need was met by the construction of canals. The St. Helens Canal, opened in 1757, was 9 miles long and connected St. Helens with the Mersey estuary. The canal was parallel with the Sankey

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Brook and drew its water supplies from that source. The Erewash Canal in 1779 used the River Erewash.

Transport routes did not necessarily follow natural water courses. The Bridgewater Canal was constructed as a direct link from the coalfields at Worsley to the markets at Manchester, independent of natural watercourses and crossing the Irwell on an aqueduct at Barton. The canal, which was seven miles long, opened to traffic in 1761, but with no locks the water supply from mines drainage was sufficient.

Numerous canals were built in the next few decades, with the peak year for construction being 1794 during ‘canal mania’. Canals such as the

2. Barrowford spillway

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Trent & Mersey crossed watersheds, rising to a summit level by means of numerous locks. These required copious quantities of water for their operation. The early canal promoters optimistically thought that they could collect sufficient water by tapping streams and by on-line storage in deepened summit levels. The Trent & Mersey was at first reliant on drainage of ground water from the summit tunnel at Harecastle. It was 13 years after the canal opened in 1777 that its first reservoir, Rudyard, was completed by Sir John Rennie, whereas Pebley Reservoir on the Chesterfield Canal was built at the same time as the Turnerwood flight of locks. Later canals such as the Shropshire Union Main Line, included reservoirs from the start, Bel-

vide and Knighton Reservoirs being completed in 1832/3.

by Thomas Telford, shows not only a puddle clay core but also a shallow cut-off trench.

There was no precedent for the construction of major earthworks in the UK in the late 18th Century; the early engineers followed the contour, avoiding embankments and cuttings wherever possible. Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater (1736-1803), the promoter of the Bridgewater Canal, would have been familiar with artificially constructed ornamental lakes on country estates, but his engineer, James Brindley, was the first to tackle English canal construction on a large scale. Brindley started as a millwright before he became a canal engineer but was familiar with the construction of mill ponds and feeder channels.

Ornamental lakes needed draw-offs for maintenance purposes only. Millponds were of modest size, but canal reservoirs were on a much bigger scale and needed outlets which would enable a controlled outflow to be provided to feed the canal. The system commonly adopted was to lay a jointed cast iron pipe in a trench in natural ground and construct the dam above it with a valve at the downstream end of the pipe to control the flow. This arrangement has many drawbacks, including movement of the pipe due to settlement and spread of the fill above. As the pipe contains water under reservoir head pressure The first canal reservoirs had embank- any faults in the pipe could lead to leakage and erosion of the embankments of whatever material could be won locally. Whilst clays would have ment material. been used where available, the headbank of Cofton Reservoir in Worces- Following the 1864 Dale Dyke failure, the engineers decided that a masonry tershire was built of sand. Certain tunnel under the dam with a central reservoirs suffered from excessive masonry bulkhead pierced by a short leakage as a result; Smethwick Great Pool on the Birmingham Canal never length of pipe with a valve could be satisfactorily held water and was aban- substituted to address the problem. doned after the construction of Rotton However, later reservoirs were proPark Reservoir in 1826. The first dam vided with upstream valves and the with a central core of puddle clay may final dams, such as Upper Foulridge have been Butterley Reservoir (1848) (1866) and Winterburn (1891) had on the Cromford Canal in Derbyshire. waterworks type upstream valve towLittle or no attempt was made to exca- ers from the start. Most old draw-off systems have been upgraded over the vate cut-off trenches down to impermeable strata nor was the topsoil years to improve the safety of the resremoved. However the section of Rot- ervoir. ton Park Reservoir (1828), designed

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Whilst most canal supply was by gravity, some reservoirs such as Wilstone (1803) and Earlswood (1815) had steam pumping stations to lift the water to the necessary height. Rotton Park and Cannock Chase Reservoirs, which supply the Birmingham Canal Navigations, had steam plant on standby to transfer surplus canal water to the reservoir in times of heavy rainfall.

the dams was provided in most cases by hand-laid stone pitching. Headbanks were often raised to provide additional storage, and sometimes a near vertical brick wall was built to protect the upstream face and retain the earthworks which were extended on the downstream side only.

In order to collect additional water, streams in adjacent catchments were often intercepted and carried by feeder The magnitude of floods was not com- channels to the reservoir; Bosley Resprehended in the late 18th century; ervoir on the Macclesfield Canal has overflow spillways were small and 8km of feeders from these indirect freeboard low. Commonly, there was catchments. Constructional difficula small weir at one end of the dam ties and design inadequacies led to a with a masonry channel to conduct number of failures in the early years. surplus water away. Stop planks were Diggle Reservoir on the Huddersfield often used to store additional water Narrow Canal was built with an inadeabove weir level, for example at quate spillway and was overtopped Lower Gailey (1855), further compro- and breached in 1799. It was rebuilt in mising freeboard. Protection against 1803 but was again damaged by wave erosion of the upstream faces of floods in 1806. It was eventually

3. Townhead spillway

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dams. Safety in extreme flood events was a key issue. Spillways were improved and sometimes duplicated, as at Townhead where an auxiliary spillway was built over the dam crest The worst failure in terms of loss of life was at Cwm Carn Reservoir on the in 1934 (Photo 3). Headbanks were also raised and wave walls were built Monmouthshire Canal on 14 July along the upstream edge of the crest to 1875. The dam had settled due to consolidation of the fill after construc- provide additional freeboard. Some reservoirs, such as Lower Bittell and tion and flood water flowed over the Codnor Park, had their levels permacrest after heavy rain. For a few nently lowered as an alternative. hours, local people put up with the inconvenience of having to wade The Canal and River Trust canal reserthrough the water as they walked voirs provide a significant group of along the crest. Around 11pm, the older dams, many of which are still in dam failed. The water ponded up use for their original purpose. CRT is against a road embankment and required to maintain and keep them in drowned three people in a cottage between the two earthworks. The road good order, doing work as required in embankment then breached, drowning accordance with the standards of eight people in a house and an appren- today, but the canal system is now busy with leisure traffic and water tice sleeping in a flannel mill. demands have never been higher.

Following reservoir failures in 1925 at Some of the 200 year old reservoirs Skelmorlie and Dolgarrog, resulting in are being used more than in their com31 deaths, the Reservoirs (Safety Pro- mercial heyday. Most canal reservoirs are accessible to the public; many are visions) Act was passed in 1930. situated in scenic areas and are well Independent inspections by empanworth a visit; some are now used for elled 'qualified civil engineers' were required for all large reservoirs. These sailing or angling, Many original feainspecting engineers had the powers to tures survive but these are often subrequire works to be carried out ‘in the merged. Barrowford Reservoir in interests of safety'. Some of the early Lancashire is little changed since it was raised in 1896 and the original inspectors were eminent consultants intake, pitching, drop-shaft weir such as Sir William Halcrow, W J E (Photo 2) and the operating mechaBinnie, H J F Gourley and Col. J A nism for the draw-off valve can be Saner (the Engineer and Manager of seen. the Weaver Navigation) . As a result of these inspections some reservoirs David Henthorn Brown BSc, CEng, which were no longer needed were FICE discontinued by cutting through the rebuilt in 1830 but the feeder stream was allowed to flow past the reservoir rather than through it.

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EREWASH CANAL PRESERVATION & DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION Invite you to their

Boat Rally 24-27th May 2013 to celebrate 45 years of the Association & the 40th Anniversary of the re-opening of The Great Northern Basin Langley Mill

Historic Working Boats & The Allen Register Boat Gathering have been invited to join with E.C.P & D.A. to celebrate this event If you attended the re-opening 40 years ago and have memories or photographs of this occasion we would be very pleased to hear from or see you at this special event Boat entry forms are available on our web site

erewashcanalpreservationanddevelopmentassoc.org.uk

General enquiries: 0115 938 4129 Aegre 135 - March 2013 Page 32