News From the Mill - Summer 2011

NEWS FROM THE MILL Chelmsford Branch Newsletter July 2011

Content From the Editor From the Chairman Betty Adams Chelmsford Town Centre Committee Vacancies Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation Paddle Steamer Cruises 2011/12 Programme Committee Essex WRG Droitwich Junction Canal Raft Race AGM – Food for Thought

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Campaigning for the conservation, use, maintenance, restoration and development of the Inland Waterways.

Disclaimer: The IWA may not agree with opinions expressed in this Newsletter but encourages publication as a matter of interest.

Nothing printed herein may be construed as policy or official announcement unless stated otherwise. The IWA accepts no liability for any matter in the Newsletter

From the EDITOR It is with regret that your committee has had to change the format of the branch newsletter.

The cost of producing the A5 format had spiralled to such an extent that it was threatening the future solvency of the branch. I know that many of you had preferred the smaller format but, by changing to the larger paper and arranging for Head Office to do the printing and distribution, we can continue to produce a paper newsletter.

I have to inform you that your previous newsletter editor, Wendy, felt that she could not continue to produce the newsletter in the larger format and has resigned.

Whilst I have been happy to produce this edition I have been elected Region Chairman and so cannot do the job in the long term. We do need a new editor. It is not an onerous job but you do need access to a computer attached to the internet and access to word processing and photo manipulation software. If you are interested but don‟t have the software there is suitable free software available and I would be happy to assist you set up your computer if you need help.

"Please give our kind regards to all in IWA and thank them for their concern and good wishes......

All our love, Stu and Jan." We have sent flowers on behalf of the Branch and will be keeping in touch with Jan and Stu. I know you will all join with us in sending them our best hopes and good wishes for their return to better health as soon as possible.

Molly Beard

Betty Adams

Paul Strudwick

From your CHAIRMAN If you were at the May social meeting, you will know that Jan and Stuart have had to resign from the Committee because of serious health problems. They write to say that Stu has had his heart tablets changed and seems better, although very tired.

Following post-op complications, another operation to remove a "2cm mass" by her left eye and a biopsy, Jan has to have 6 months of chemotherapy, every two weeks, starting on the 20th July. She will not be well enough to go back to work during treatment, so she certainly won't be able to attend IWA meetings. They added:

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Those of you who were Branch members in the mid 1980‟s will remember Betty Adams, who was our Chairman at that time. I am sorry to tell you that she died on the 15th February, aged 91. Unfortunately we found out just too late to report it in the last “Newsletter”. A number of us attended her funeral at Chelmsford Crematorium.

She left instructions with her family that there were to be no flowers, instead donations were to be made to the Chelmsford Branch of IWA. This came as an unexpected surprise to us.

Subsequently we received a good number of cheques totalling a magnificent £730!

John Gale

Chelmsford Town Centre Chelmsford Branch IWA has since its formation been active in promoting the better use of the waterways and rivers in Chelmsford Town Centre. This involvement has included the publication of our ideas for Springfield Basin with “Springfield Basin …and Beyond” in 1985 which lead to the Branch spearheading the restoration and reopening of Springfield Basin in 1993. This was followed by subsequent development at the head of the Basin with Coates Quay and Waterfront Place and no doubt more will follow as developer confidence returns.

High Street redevelopment. This also provides a new riverside walk with a pedestrian link to the High Street and further new shops and restaurants, including a John Lewis store.

Early proposals involved encroaching into the River Chelmer, but following several objections, the scheme has been revised to incorporate new riverside walkways similar to those in phase one. The scheme is seen as being beneficial to both the town and the river, although there have been some objections to the loss of a small area of riverside scrubland.

The Branch has generally supported the revised scheme whilst making several constructive comments relating to improving the river environs and connections as part of the package.

Roy Chandler

THE HUB CHELMSFORD The town centre itself has seen many recent developments which respect the rivers instead of turning their back to them or lining their banks with car parking as was the previous form. These developments have included the Meadows Shopping Centre, new riverside shops, restaurants, bars and cafes. The Branch has regularly monitored and commented to the Council upon these proposals so as to ensure the potential of the waterways is maximised. One of the most recent riverside developments is known as The Hub. This formed the first phase of redevelopment of the East of High Street, formerly vacant land, now used as a temporary car park. The Hub provided a new riverside walk and public space together with a mixture of uses including flats, apartments, offices, shops and riverside restaurants occupied by Prezzo and Loch Fyne. This has been a very successful development.

A planning application has now been submitted for the second phase of the East of

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Committee Vacancies As you might have noticed, your Branch committee consists of five members, all “getting on a bit”. We seriously need volunteers to take on the following jobs: Editor

(Some IT skills needed)

Social Secretary Webmaster Working Party Organiser Fundraising Refreshment Organiser (for Social Meetings) Chairman If you can spare a few hours each month we would love to hear from you. Some of these jobs do not require you to be on the committee but you would be most welcome to join us.

PLEASE VOLUNTEER TO ANY COMMITTEE MEMBER.

Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation Lock Landings Project The major lock refurbishments carried out during Essex Waterways five years of operation of the Navigation included the reforming and improvement of the associated lock landing stages. However several locks remained where there was inadequate landing provision or the corrugated bank protection used in the past had eroded and there were holes appearing in the stages.

Therefore late in 2009 an application was made to the Essex County Council Community Initiatives Fund for grant funding to improving these lock landings. The Navigation lies mainly within both the Chelmsford Borough and the Maldon District, and the Lock Landings Project as it was to be known, was split into two phases, one in each of the two main Authorities areas.

Both grant applications were successful, although the total funding of £6200 offered was considerably less than requested, as it was felt that the project should be able to attract additional funding from other sources.

Additional grant funding was not forthcoming, but nevertheless, it was decided to proceed with both phases of the project and to expand these to include additional bank work whilst on site.

both Barnes Lock and Little Baddow Lock.

Phase Two involved bank repairs below Rushes Lock and Ricketts Lock and a new timber landing stage above Ricketts Lock.

All the stages, with the exception of Rushes Lock, have now been completed. The work here is currently underway and has been expanded to also involve new bank piling both sides below the lock and on the towpath side above the lock.

These works will provide additional and safer landing areas for boats and canoes using the Navigation and are part of the on-going improvements undertaken by Essex Waterways.

Roy Chandler

Paddle Steamer Cruises

THE WAVERLEY A reminder that the Paddle Steamer rd “Waverley” is in our area from Sept. 23 to th Oct. 9 .

THE NEW LANDING AT SANDFORD Phase One comprised repairs to the banks above Sandford Lock and below Barnes Lock, together with new timber landing stages above

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She will be cruising theThames, Medway, Orwell and Blackwater, including going across to Whitstable & Margate and up to Tower Bridge. These are lovely, old-fashioned “excursions” in the last sea-going paddle steamer in the world. “Waverley” has been thoroughly restored and maintained by her owners, a registered charity, and the cruises are well worth sampling. Book on line at: www.waverleyexcersions.co.uk or phone 0845 130 4647 Molly

Cut along line

Social Scene Dates for 2011-12 Season 2012

Social Scene Dates for 2011-12 Season 2011 24th July

Chelmsford Annual Raft Race (sponsored by "Chandler Material Supplies”)

12th Jan

London’s Water Supply

John Cunningham

9th Feb

Travels with my Canoe

Roger Wilkinson

8th March

AGM, followed by light refreshments and members’ slides

12th April

My Early Days in Barging

Jimmy Laurence

10th May

The Lowland Canals

Richard Thomas

10th June

Walk from Heybridge Basin to Paper Mill Lock

Town Centre 8th Sept

Canals of Eastern Europe

John Pomfret

13th Oct

The Story of London’s Docks

Jeremy Batch

10th Nov 8th Dec

The Bow Back Rivers & the Olympic Construction Site

Colin Edwards

Christmas Social and film “Life Jackets - the Prequal”

Meet Daisy Meadow car park at 9:30am

CUT ROUND THE DOTTED LINE TO MAKE A HANDY CARD TO KEEP IN YOUR PURSE OR WALLET

About Our Speakers John Pomfret, an IWA Trustee on the Board of Essex Waterways Ltd., knows our territory well.

He also has a Dutch barge at Braunston and last talked to us six years ago, about The North-eastern Waterways.

Jeremy Batch is a Lock Keeper at Limehouse, has a 24’ sailing cruiser and goes narrow boating and motor boating on the inland waterways. This is his first visit to us and he comes highly recommended.

Colin Edwards talked to us two years ago, about going by boat to Switzerland. He was Chairman of London Region’s Planning & Navigation Committee but is now planning to move to France, so we are crossing everything in the hope that he will still be here in November.

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John Cunningham last spoke to us about the New River and was very entertaining. His January talk will be more about the technical aspects of supplying London’s water - just as interesting, I anticipate.

Roger Wilkinson is a member of N.E. London Branch and this is his first visit to us. His canoe travels might come as a change from narrow boating!

Jimmy Laurence comes from Brightlingsea. His talk in April is the first in a series that he does and, I’m told, is highly entertaining. He particularly likes a large audience, so bring your friends too.

Richard Thomas is an old friend of Chelmsford and has a very wide selection of illustrated talks from which I we have often benefited. This time I have asked him to take us to Scotland - but not to the Caledonian!

All meetings take place on the second Thursday of each month, 7.45 for 8.00 p.m., at Moulsham Mill,

CHELMSFORD BRANCH

Parkway,

PROGRAMME FOR 2011 / 12

Chelmsford, CM2 7PX unless stated

Chelmsford Branch Who’s Who Acting Editor: Paul Strudwick

paul.strudwick@waterways.org.uk

01245 358342

Acting Chairman: Molly Beard

mollyanddouglas@tiscali.co.uk

01702 554492

Secretary Chris Chandler

chrismchandler@hotmail.co.uk

01245 223732

Planning & Conservation Roy Chandler

roy.chandler@waterways.org.uk

01245 223732

Treasurer John Gale

01376 334896

Publicity: Paul Strudwick

paul.strudwick@waterways.org.uk

01245 358342

Essex Waterways Limited: Roy Chandler

roy.chandler@waterways.org.uk

01245 223732

Acting Social Secretary: Molly Beard

mollyanddouglas@tiscali.co.uk

01702 554492

London Region Chairman: Paul Strudwick

paul.strudwick@waterways.org.uk

01245 358342

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Essex WRG

The beginning of June saw us visiting the North Walsham & Dilham Canal – a navigation we hadn‟t visited for well over ten years.

I travelled up with Wendy, making use of her „sat-nav‟. This turned out to be a mistake as it didn‟t seem to like Norfolk. It kept losing its satellites, and it was then difficult to change to our written instructions as we weren‟t sure where we were, and most of the roads in the area were minor country roads that didn‟t have name boards. However, we eventually found our accommodation – Backton Wood Mill, left the trailer and got to the pub (just) before the kitchen closed.

The Accommodation was on the first and second floors of the mill. We had our own outside staircase and beds – so we didn‟t have to assemble our camp beds or pump up our Lilos. The Mill was in the heart of the country, so in the morning we were treated to the sight of two deer grazing on the lawn, several jays, woodpeckers, and a number of rabbits and squirrels running around. Also in the morning we discovered that the oven was a little temperamental – the sausages were definitely „well done‟.

The work site was a couple of minutes‟ walk away from the Mill. As we walked up there we found Laurie (the local Working Party Organiser) busy altering the scaffolding in Backton Wood Lock. The lock had been repaired at some stage in the distant past, and

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the „new‟ brickwork hadn‟t been tied into the old. This had been made far worse by bushes (now removed) growing out of the brickwork.

So our job for the weekend was to remove the outer couple of leaves of brickwork, ready for replacement.

Our tools were a rather heavy electric breaker and a selection of Club Hammers and bolsters. It was a matter of carefully removing bricks, trying not to let them fall into the lock, from where they would subsequently have to be recovered. Instead we had to put them into the bucket of an excavator, which then transferred them to a dumper. By early afternoon on the Sunday we had cleared down to water level. A few more courses will have to be taken off, but the lock will have to be pumped for this to happen. All in all, we felt it had been a successful weekend, and I think the locals were very happy with our efforts.

If you are interested in joining Essex WRG for a day or a weekend, please contact me by phone on .01376 334896 John Gale

Droitwich Junction Canal This picture was taken by the National Chairman, Clive Henderson, on Sunday th 26 June as he followed ex GU motor boat Atlas up the Droitwich Junction Canal as she tested the locks prior to the official opening on st 1 July.

Chelmsford Branch A.G.M – Food for Thought I know-it‟s too early to think about AGMs at the moment. However, we will need plenty of input from you in March.

At the end of the AGM itself, I think a serious discussion is needed about what we think the branch should be doing and in which direction it should be moving. Yes we have Essex Waterways to support, and plenty of support is needed, but very few Chelmsford Branch members are really engaged with it and we need to keep ourselves from stagnating. Of course, we can‟t all do the hard physical work that is undertaken by the Waterway Recovery Group but ideas can come from everybody who cares.

To encourage your participation in the debate, we will lay on light refreshments to follow, so get your thinking caps on and bring your ideas so that we can start to breathe new life into Chelmsford IWA. Page 8

I hope there will be time on the evening‟s agenda, following the AGM, for your pictures of your activities this year. If you go somewhere special or different or if something unusual or particularly interesting happens and you have pictures – bring them along. Time will be limited, so don‟t bring a memory stick full of pictures, four or five should be enough.

Molly

STOP PRESS Essex Waterways Ltd. becomes an RYA Training School for Helmsman Courses. For full course details and to book places please contact Hugh Turner, Chief Instructor, Essex Waterways Helmsman‟s School, Paper Mill Lock, Little Baddow, Essex CM3 4BS, or telephone 07910 558465.