The Packet Boat - Autumn 2020

Chester & Merseyside Branch

Autumn 2020

Frodsham Lock ~ August Campaign

1 Chester & Merseyside Branch Chairman’s Packetboat Report.

(Summer was cancelled and it Zoomed by)!By Jim Forkin, Branch Chairman Due to the coronavirus pandemic group gatherings and social distancing have turned our lives upside down and thrown up challenges in keeping in contact with family and friends and general socialising.

As last reported, we were still hopeful of staging the Waterways Restoration Showcase 2020 at Anderton Boat Lift aboard the Daniel Adamson over the weekend of 22nd/23rd August but this again had to be cancelled.

However, we did still manage the Campaign Cruise for the restoration of Frodsham and Runcorn Locks with 10 boats, socially distanced and in their household bubble, taking part. Please see separate report in this edition of Packetboat for further details.

Zoom conferencing has been used extensively throughout the summer as discussions go on with other IWA branches, Head Office and other various organisations.

The new IWA website is soon to be launched and we have been working with Head Office to ensure that it will entice more people to support the waterways and that information on all our waterways remains current.

During the summer we have been approached by the National Historic Ships and the Maritime Heritage Trust who wish to help us to promote Chester as an Inland Port, given its rich history dating back to roman times. A subcommittee was set up and we have submitted an extensive appraisal document to them with this aim in mind. We are now awaiting a visit from their representatives to show them the extent of waterways in Chester.

2 The Sankey Canal is now in a dire situation with the imminent closure of Fiddlers Ferry power station and hence the shutting down of the pumps that provide the water supply for the canal. We have publicised this problem in the local press and further information is also within Packetboat.

Looking ahead, our Social Secretary, Jim Mole has been busy and we had a full line up of speakers for our social evenings which were due to commence on Tuesday 13th October 2020. There are also a number of Zoom talks being organised by head office and others.

If you have an email address which we are not aware of and you wish to be involved via this medium, please let me know at jim.forkin@team.waterways.org.uk So as previously stated, I encourage you to stay safe and keep healthy in the coming months and hopefully we can resume life as normal in 2021.

Best Regards Jim Forkin Stop Press The committee has made a decision to cancel all socials at least until the end of the year, due to the current restrictions in place for public gatherings We will review the situation towards the end of this year, but this will depend entirely on the COVID regulations. It may be that we will have no Socials at all at the Boat Museum, but there may be more happening on line as Regions are starting to think about holding Zoom meetings.

It should be noted that the views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the IWA. They are published as being of interest to our members and readers. The IWA is a registered charity No 212342

3 P Rail.

Boaters battled Storm Francis to support Runcorn Locks Project

The campaign cruise organised by the IWA (Chester and Merseyside Branch) and the River Weaver Navigation Society had to face the full force of Storm Francis on the exposed waters of the Weaver Navigation and later helped cut a narrow path through the branches of a fallen tree on the Trent and Mersey Canal as they battled to keep on schedule to reach the Unlock Runcorn open day on Wednesday August 26th.

Arriving in early afternoon the 10 boats and their passengers helped boost the numbers on the event and helped make all concerned delighted with the public turn out and the day a success.

Visitors were treated to guided tours with a full explanation of the plans to rejuvenate this area of Runcorn and create a significant national waterway attraction. The restorers have ambitions to reconnect the Bridgewater Canal with the Manchester Ship Canal by developing a major engineering scheme involving a boat lift, inclined plane and restored locks on one of the old flights of locks between the two canals. Originally there were two flights of locks such was the volume of trade but in the 1960`s an access road for a modern bridge over the Mersey Estuary truncated both flights and they were subsequently filled in.

Restoration is now possible as a new road layout for a second Mersey crossing nearby has meant the removal of the blockage and the team at Unlock Runcorn has secured powerful support from Halton B.C. and the Mersey regional mayor. Currently some physical work has been done but a great deal is going on behind the scenes as engineering and financial planning goes ahead. Although not part of the canal restoration scheme, the area will benefit greatly from the up grading of nearby Runcorn Railway Station and ambitious plans for the development of the area by Network Rail.

Runcorn - An Important River Port For many decades and until now Runcorn was considered a backwater of the canal network but it was not always like this as throughout the industrial revolution Runcorn had a major transhipment role connecting towns and cities of the North West to world markets via the inland waterway network.

Raw materials such as china clay for the Potteries, coal for the brine pans of the Cheshire salt extraction industries, mineral ores, timber and raw cotton were some of the commodities handled.

4 Refined salt, crockery and manufactured goods were to be exported worldwide from Runcorn Docks. The canal and river network focussed within the port of Runcorn was extensive and included the Bridgewater Canal, Mersey and Irwell Navigation and the Weaver Navigation. Very many barges (flats) and sailing vessels up to 400 tons were to be built in the shipyards on the banks of the Mersey. Hopefully this project will return Runcorn to its rightful place. The event was also planned to support waterside business hit by pandemic closures and social evenings were arranged with both the Stanley Arms at Anderton and the Bombay Quays restaurant (Northwich) Jim Forkin IWA Chairman (Chester and Merseyside) said “The organisation worked well, C&RT staff was most efficient and visitors to the project were given an interesting talk. We were pleased that councillors from a neighbouring council came along to see for themselves what a great project it is and the team from the “Danny” (Daniel Adamson Preservation Society) sent along a representative through the IWA to begin discussions with the Runcorn team on how the two charities can work together” Jim Mole, Chairman River Weaver Navigation Society “Despite the challenging weather everyone thoroughly enjoyed the visit and the welcome we received. The prospect of a new cruising ring is something to look forward to and hopefully Runcorn will soon be sharing in the economic boost that we know restored inland waterways and boaters can bring”

Runcorn Lock Chambers

5

IWA and RWNS Campaign Cruise August 22-26 Problems followed the cancellation of the Restoration Show Case event at Anderton Boat Lift, due to major new development works at the Boat Lift site and the Daniel Adamson being out of commission and of course the problems of social distancing. It was decided to continue with the campaign cruise part of the event, 12 boats took part with numerous walk up attendees at the specific campaign points of interest. Social distancing was easier because we were in the open air or our narrow boat bubbles. The purpose of the campaign was to highlight: the wonderful Weaver waterway, the restoration of the old Frodham Lock, the ongoing closure at the Weston Dock and support the Unlock Runcorn Restoration Project. All the campaign points are potentially linked to create a series of major waterways links in Cheshire.

Day 1: The boats assembled at Anderton to get their packs and information of the cruise. A short cruise was organised to Northwich with a social gathering at the riverside Bombay Quays restaurant. It was good to see the river busy with boats and the new CRT pontoons fully used.

Day 2: We set off for the lower reaches of the Weaver passing through the large ship locks at Saltersford and Dutton which could accommodate us all.

On the way we passed under the Winnington swing bridge, currently closed to road traffic it is a single lane, despite 3,000 local houses being built and more to come it is a major road bottleneck. We are campaigning for second swing bridge but this must not interfere with navigation. We moored at Sutton Weaver, now with water point, waste and Elsan disposal. This is also the new Daniel Adamson base on the Weaver.

Day 3: Dawned with fine sunny weather and our walk across the bridges and down the towpath to old Frodsham Lock commenced. It was a little muddy underfoot in places but we arrived at the idyllic site. This used to be called Boden’s Lock with two lock cottages, (now demolished). The lock was abandoned in1947 it is about 18ft by 70ft; the stonework looked in good condition. A study in 2005 indicated that the lock could be restored for about £1.2m giving access for narrow boats from the Weaver navigation to Frodsham waterfront. Initially it is our aim to maintain right of navigation on the old river via Marsh Lock. We met a local councillor and displayed our banner. We had our picnic only disturbed by the occasional jet ski from Frodsham Watersport’s Centre. The boaters returned to Sutton and then cruised to West Dock swing bridge passed the giant Ineos Chemical works. The Dock was leased to Stobbart’s transport some years ago who were required to maintain navigation, but this was not apparent in 2018 when Marsh lock was closed due to maintenance. The spire of the bargees church still stands. (see picture).

We returned up the Weaver to a mooring at Devil’s Garden so called because of bubbling springs an idyllic remote spot.

6 Day4 : Dawned with a major weather change as storm Francis was upon us and in driving rain and high winds the boaters cruised to Dutton Locks where Martin the lockkeeper managed the boats. He then needs to get on his scooter and ride 4 miles up to the next lock. We arrived at the Boat Lift at about 11am and CRT had arranged for a special opening to take the boats up the Lift to a much more peaceful T&M. We met for a meal at the Stanley Arms well managed and a bonus of £10 off per diner.

Day5: An early start took us through the tunnels up the T&M but storm Francis had a sting in the tail, a fallen tree blocked our path. Fortunately, some boaters carried bow saws, and after much cutting and heaving the tree was cleared to leave a 7ft gap to squeeze passed. Major thanks to the skipper of ‘Double O’ who spent time in the water cutting submerged branches. We caught the 12 o’clock Preston Book tunnel and proceeded up the Runcorn branch of the Bridgewater in improving weather. Here we met the ‘Unlock Runcorn‘ team headed by Graham Wallace with a good attendance from local supporters.

The removal of the bridge ramp has now facilitated the opening of the old line.

Halton Council has leased major land to assist with the project. We walked the line to the Ship Canal and the exciting plans to create a new water throughway and boating centre were discussed. Will all readers please complete the online survey: (unlock runcorn.org/survey). The tour completed with celebratory cake the boaters then dispersed on their homeward journeys. Many thanks to all who took part and to CRT for facilitating the Boat lift.

JIM MOLE Chairman of the River Weaver Navigation Society

Campaigners beside Frodsham Lock

NB: In the background are the lock sluices

7 Back boating at last – ‘Ena May’s Summer Cruise I guess all boat owners felt frustrated earlier this year when we weren’t even allowed to visit our boats let alone spend a night on them. So it was with a great sigh of relief that Donal and I set out eventually on a trip round the Four Counties Ring hoping that we would also manage to fit in a few days on the Caldon Canal.

We have sailed these waters many times before, but the joy of boating is that there are always new experiences. Probably the most exciting occurred when we were moored up in a peaceful, rural spot on the Staffs and Worcs Canal. It wasn’t quiet for long as we witnessed the most remarkable thunderstorm that I have ever seen and heard. The whole sky was lit up for about two hours around midnight by almost continuous sheet and branch lightning, and some of the thunder claps were unbelievably loud. The storm was the main topic of conversation the following morning as we locked down to Penkridge, and also in the ‘Cross Keys’ by Filance Bridge.

The passage through the potteries can be a bit daunting. We set off early from near Barlaston and were delighted, on approaching the first Stoke lock to see it emptying. No boat coming down but ‘Rob the Lock’ in action. Rob seems to spend his waking hours helping boats up and down these locks, riding his bike between them as he does. And not just us, he helped the boat behind us at the same time. So we sped through to Etruria in no time and then reached Endon on the Caldon Canal by late afternoon.

The following day’s treat was to sit in the garden of the ‘Black Lion’ at Consall Forge overlooking the canal, sipping our beers in the sunshine and watching the steam train as it passed by on its way from Froghall to Ipstones and back. Its timetable has been rather curtailed by Covid 19, currently it does 2 round trips only on Wed, Sat and Sun. The next day we were fortunate to find Cheddleton Flint Mill open. We were welcomed by volunteers working on site who let us wander around at will and were also happy to chat and answer questions. Waterwheels were operating and driving the flint grinding wheels in two separate mills. A very interesting and enjoyable experience. Another ‘Black Lion’ in Cheddleton village served us up an excellent lunch too.

8 The following day we cruised the Leek branch of the Caldon Canal. I had forgotten how beautiful this is with its views out to the hills. Just like the rest of the canal it was very quiet and we were all alone when we moored next to the Hazelhurst Aqueduct for the night.

Back in the Potteries and heading towards Harecastle Tunnel we stopped at the Middleport Pottery which welcomes boats. Another place to wander around, but also with an extensive shop selling Burleigh pottery and a café.

Then on to moor overnight at Westport Lake, a pleasant lake surrounded by trees and full of birds, imaginatively created from a previously unloved stretch of toxic water. It is almost certainly the best place to stop overnight in the area, especially with its ‘oatcake’ boat and Beer Barge. From there we were on very familiar waters, the Harecastle tunnel, Heartbreak Hill’s 26 locks, and Middlewich.

‘Ena May’ spent her last night of this voyage moored on the Middlewich Branch overlooking the Winsford flashes. We spent our first night on her, 28 years ago, in exactly the same spot. Ann Farrell

Middleport Pottery

Steam train at Consall Forge

Hazlehurst Aqueduct

Cheddleton Mill r

9

First Canal of Industrial Revolution at risk of Drying Out Water supply ends as coal fired power station closes down The Sankey Canal, opened in 1757, a full three years before the Bridgewater Canal, has its last part navigable stretch between Bewsey Lock in Warrington and Spike Island in Widnes now at risk of drying out as its main water supplier, Fiddlers Ferry Power station stops generating electricity and awaits demolition.

Originally the canal took feed water from Carr Mill Dam in St Helens and the Sankey Brook but with in- filled sections on the line these sources have not been available and the canals lower sections relied on the power station.

This section of the canal with its tow path both a central feature of the Sankey Valley Park and an integral part of the Trans-Pennine Trail has seen increasing public use since restoration work began in the 1980`s. Now very popular with families, walkers and cyclists, it benefits from views across the Mersey Estuary whilst small sea going craft berth in marinas at Spike Island and Fiddlers Ferry. The locks are functional along this stretch and give access to the tidal Mersey.

The canal has never really been recognised fully for its role in the Industrial Revolution and the economic development of the region. The main reason for building the canal was to develop the Lancashire Coal Field around St Helens to supply the expanding population of Liverpool with cheaper fuel but the coal it carried was also to fuel the salt extraction industries of North Cheshire and the industrial growth of the Mersey valley. Commercial traffic lasted into the late 1950’s when imported raw sugar was shipped to Newton le Willows for refining.

Recognised as an important wild life corridor by local authorities and a tourist attraction, Warrington and Halton Boroughs are rushing to reconnect the canal to the Sankey Brook, but as civil engineering is involved this will take time to develop and implement. The current fear is that whilst some temporary water feeds may be possible a dry summer could result in the bed drying out. Should this to happen there would be enormous loss in wildlife habitat including fish kills in the heavily stocked waters.

The Sankey Canal Partnership which is made up of the three local authorities, Canal & Rivers Trust and Sankey Canal Restoration Society, have committed to the long-term goal of full restoration whilst focusing on short term issues facing this section of canal from Spike Island to Bewsey Lock.

10 Over the past ten years a vast amount of money, effort and time has been spent on installing a new swing bridge at Tan Hose Lane, an electrically operated lift bridge at Fiddlers Ferry and a further swing bridge is planned for later this year at Spike Island. Other Improvement have been the upgrading of the towpaths and the installation of the canal milestones donate by the canal society and various sponsors Jim Forkin Inland Waterways Association Chairman (Chester and Merseyside Branch) said “This canal has associations with the beginning of the civil engineering profession in Britain, it was to help start the canal building manias which facilitated the industrial revolution and it needs to be saved and restored.

Global warming resulting in the closing of coal fired power stations is something we have to accept and we can only encourage the engineers working on the project to resolve the issues promptly”.

The principal engineer on the canal was Henry Berry who assisted Thomas Steers in the building of docks in Liverpool and it was believed that he was brought up in Parr near St Helens. There were 16 locks built to barge sized and the type of vessels using the canal were called Mersey flats. Mersey Flats were sailing vessels hence all the bridges were installed as swing bridges. The canal facilitated the development of towns around its banks and eventually carried many different cargos including iron ore and corn. Closure came in 1963 when road transport took over the transhipment of raw sugar to Newton le Willows from Liverpool. The canal valley is designated an enviro-economic corridor and close to urban fringes has many excellent wildlife habitats including otter and water vole.

Fiddler’sFerry Ferry Fiddler’s powerstation station power alongsidethe Sankey alongside Canal. Canal Sankey

Spike Island marina, Widnes

11 CHESTER HERITAGE PORT APPRAISAL

This appraisal of the waterways at Chester is submitted to the Maritime Heritage Trust and National Historic Ships to support their designation as a Heritage Harbour (or Port). It outlines the unique historical development of the port, its substantial surviving features and evaluates it in relation to the MHT criteria for Heritage Harbour designation. It then reviews the Port’s current opportunities and challenges and concludes that designation as a Heritage Port will bring benefits both to Chester and the national maritime and inland waterway heritage. A list of likely stakeholders in the process of designation is identified.

There may have been a harbour at the site of Chester even in pre-Roman times, and its initial use by the Romans probably occurred around AD 60. The port’s location lay at the effective navigable limit of craft on the tidal Dee where a narrow defile also provided a convenient bridging point. The Romans developed their harbour immediately to the west of the military encampment but even they had to cope with the progressive silting of the tidal river which began to form the area today known as the Roodee. This silting and the shifting channels of the tidal estuary were to bedevil the port for the rest of its history.

During Roman times Chester was the busiest harbour on the west coast, but by the Thirteenth Century the ‘Portpool’ downstream of the Old Dee Bridge was the main city harbour. Chester became the regional capital of north-west England and the base for the subjugation of Wales, and despite many setbacks the port’s trading importance continued to grow down to around 1700. Silting and the shifting channels in the Dee Estuary stimulated the development of outport anchorages all along the south-western shore of the Wirral Peninsula. By the seventeenth Century even vessels of 20 tons could not reach Chester itself.

12 Measures were needed to rectify this situation and in 1733 Nathaniel Kinderley was instrumental in obtaining Parliamentary powers to make a new channel of 16 feet depth largely following the Welsh side of the estuary. The work was completed in 1737, the River Dee Co. was established and during the 1740s a new wharf was established on the west side of the Roodee. A cheese warehouse and quay near the site of the old Portpool were built in the 1760s and New Crane Wharf and warehouses erected in the 1770s.

The Eighteenth Century improvements failed to revive the Port of Chester’s fortunes, however, and Liverpool grew to be the dominant port of the region.

The Dee remained in a poor state and trade continued to decline, reaching insignificant levels by the 1900s. Final abandonment of the Port by sea-going vessels probably occurred around 1950.

Chester Heritage Port: Challengers and Opportunities The majority of the heritage port area lies within designated Conservation Areas. The canal at Tower Wharf, and indeed the whole canal from Ellesmere Port to Nantwich, was designated a Conservation Area in 2018 whilst contiguous areas of the Old Port lie within the Chester City Conservation Area which was first designated in 1968. In 2010 the Urban Land Institute report on Chester identified the Heritage Port as one of the top ten assets of the city and argued that it had the potential to generate activity between the city centre and the port that will eventually result in the development of additional tourist and commercial facilities, thus bringing into use valuable assets currently neglected.’

The major strategic issue facing the Heritage Port concerns proposals for a marina or moorings, Chester still has no facilities for sea-going craft which, as a consequence, are scarcely ever seen on the river. There are equally challenges for canal craft, downstream the treacherous tidal estuary is not open to them and the upper non-tidal Dee is effectively inaccessible. That combination of factors means there is almost no incentive for canal craft to navigate the Dee Branch, which is in danger of becoming silted up and derelict. The Sealand Road Bridge which crosses the middle of the River Lock was unfortunately rebuilt as a low-level structure. This prevents any boats with significant air draught, particularly sea-going craft, from accessing the Dee Branch lower basin. The River Lock itself, and its access into the river, are in poor state.

A possible and exciting remedy to most of these problems would be to convert the old mill race on the south side of the Causeway above the Old Dee Bridge into a lock. This would be accessible at certain regular states of the tide and afford safe and practicable access to over twelve miles of cruising on the upper river. It would, similarly, allow river craft currently ‘locked up’ on the upper Dee access to both the tidal river and the canal network. A feasibility study to explore this improved navigation between the lower and upper Dee has been drafted and work is now needed to bring this objective to fruition

13 Rejuvenating a Medieval Port Motorists passing on the nearby M56 viaduct over the River Weaver who glance upstream towards Frodsham`s bridge and railway viaduct may now only get a view of jet skis and small boats but hopefully not for much longer. The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) are launching a campaign to raise public awareness of the Cheshire town`s maritime history and to restore the old Frodsham Lock linking once again the town to the inland waterway system for boaters to access the ancient port.

Current access is only via the Old River via Marsh Lock. The lock was made surplus to use when in 1810 the Weston Canal, half a mile to the north, was finally completed with Thomas Telford`s support to enable bigger vessels to both navigate to the rapidly expanding salt producers wharfs around Northwich, and also to avoid the difficult passage from the tidal Mersey. Currently in a derelict state, the IWA believe that its well-built stone chamber is still in good condition and the project with the right local support is feasible.

On the Monday, the boaters moored at Sutton Weaver, then walked the towpath and as part of the campaign met with a local parish councillor to discuss our ideas.

Campaigners enjoyed a picnic lunch in the orchards adjacent to the lock which were part of the old Boden’s Lock complex.

Jim Forkin said “In the history of the salt trade on the Weaver, Frodsham played a vital role from the very early days when pack horse trails ran from the town carrying Lancashire coal up the river and both rock and refined salt down. This role as an inland port further developed and eventually the Weaver was described in the C19th as “the most perfect river navigation.” To reconnect the town to the main boating network will give boaters a destination to cruise to and bring great benefit to the local economy.” A photo of the old lock is below.

Jim Mole, Chairman River Weaver Navigation Society said “The cruise was a great success and we were welcomed by many local people who are keen to see improved connectivity on the Weaver and associated canals. Since the restoration of the Anderton Boat Lift and the growth in boat ownership, the Weaver has become a popular waterway and it needs other destinations for boaters to plan their journeys and extend their stay on this lovely river.

14 Editors Musing’s Personally, we have reached the end of summer cruising season, without our boat moving from its winter storage in the front yard. We did have a full programme set out, which included a trailboat festival on the Wey & Aran canal and an extensive visit to the south eastern corner of the river and canal system.

Unfortunately, Corona virus had other plans for us and by the time lockdown was lifted and boats were able to move around, we had family commitments scheduled.

These included a trip to Ayrshire and various other parts of the UK including the lake district, and whilst these were very pleasant breaks from the monotony of lockdown living, time did not permit launching the boat.

We did manage to visit plenty of places on foot, including the River Thames, so I have put a couple of photos below to remind us that there still is a waterway system. Thanks for all the contributions, new ones for the next edition will be most welcome so please put your thinking caps on.

Jeanne Smith PS. The article on page 11; John Herson’s ‘Chester Heritage Port Appraisal’, is very long and only part of it is published here. For the full document and Gazetteer please email me – address on the back cover.

Lachlade & Inglesham Church footpath

Hikers on the Thames Path

OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE President.

Ron Evans

Branch Chairman

Jim Forkin

Minute Secretary

Ann Farrell

Treasurer & Social Secretary

Jim Mole

jim.mole@waterways.org.uk H. 01606 40955 M. 07580 162355

Publicity Officer

Les Green

lesliegreen@waterways.co.uk M 07828 545924

jim.forkin@team.waterways.org.uk H. 01270 650054 M. 07803 928929 ann.farrell@waterways.org.uk

Packet Boat Editor Jeanne Smith

jeanne.smith@waterways.org.uk M. 07746 955931

Planning & Navigation Officer

Geoff Gittus

geoff.gittus@waterways.org.uk H 0151 605 1094 M 07808 859751

Membership Secretary

John Herson

john.herson@waterways.org.uk

Merseyside Liaison

Geoff Gittus

geoff.gittus@waterways.org.uk H 0151 605 1094 M 07808 859751

Colin Greenall

colin.greenall@waterways.org.uk H. 01744 731746 M. 07944 101162

Scars Liaison Chester Liaison

John Herson

Bridgewater Canal Ian & Vera Liaison Short Members

Vacancy

Lesley Taylor Margaret Pitney

john.herson@waterways.org.uk ian.short@waterways.org.uk vera.short@waterways.org.uk