Cargoes Spring 2013

Spring 2013

Spring 2013

Newsletter of Guildford & Reading Newsletter of Kent &Guildford East Sussex & Reading and Oxfordshire Branches Kent & East Sussex

and Oxfordshire Branches

Memorial to Peter Redway A small snowstorm greeted guests attending the unveiling of the Redway Lock Plaque at St. Johns Woking. Following the death of Canal Society Chairman Peter Redway in 2011, it was agreed to re-name lock 11 on the Basingstoke Canal ‘Redway Lock’ in recognition of his tireless work to improve the canal and also to recognise the part played by his wife Marguerite, who won a national magazine competition which provided funds to kick-start renovation of the locks as the canal was being restored.

[Photo: Roger Cansdale, Basingstoke Canal Society] Robin Higgs, who was Chairman at the time of the restoration, spoke of Peter’s achievements before the plaque, which was carved by Janet Buckley, was unveiled

by Marguerite Redway. The party then adjourned to The Rowbarge pub for light refreshments in front of the welcome log fire.

Verna Smith

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Editorial It seems appropriate to start this editorial where we left off last time and that’s on the thorny question of funding for branch/regional newsletters such as Cargoes. Last time we explained that support by way of Per Capita for regional newsletters was to be cut by 6p per edition (down from 66p to 60p) as from Jan 2013 with further reductions in future, as set out in a consultation document from HO in August 2012. We understand that representations were received from a number of branches/regions (including two of our Branches and, regionally, from the Cargoes Editorial Team). Despite these and the fact that the financial outturn for 2012 was somewhat better than had been anticipated, the report of the Finance Committee, in December 2012, stated ‘The Committee again recognised the importance of local communications but felt that budgetary constraints required the implementation of 10% cuts in Per Capita for 2013 and 2014 - but that the position would be reviewed afresh after this. This was endorsed by trustees at their following meeting’.

This leaves us with no alternative to making cuts in future editions and decisions will be difficult as we already receive more material than we have space – in this edition there are 40 pages (the same as Spring 2012) though even at this size we have had to discard some material. In considering possible measures for saving space, we think that our readers should have a chance to comment. These are some of what we have in mind: (1) Reduce font size* (2) Remove space between paragraphs and instead indent the start of each one* (3) Prune some items down to the bare minimum and cross refer to Websites (4) Restrict number of pictures/photos and include fewer venue Maps for Meetings (possibly include only new venues – otherwise refer to Websites) (5) Omit Diary of meetings & events (introduced in 2011 at member’s request) (6) Omit Centre Page listing of Region/Branch Officers and Committee Members (currently needs 4 pages in Summer edition) – details instead to be on the Website (7) Print Covers in Monochrome except where additional cost of Colour can be covered by advertising income (Colour Covers were introduced in 2005 as a modernising feature) * this editorial has been laid out accordingly as an example of how implementation of the first two changes would look.

We realize these measures will not be popular but some will be more acceptable than others. Something has to be done! We would also point out that the situation would be alleviated to an extent if more members agreed to access Cargoes electronically, as we have urged on previous occasions (see Cargoes Spring 2012 Editorial). We hope members will again give this option serious consideration and we would welcome views re the various possibilities.

Finally we would remind all members that the AGM season will soon be here. Do please go along, meet existing Committee members and make your views known. The continued viability of a branch depends on a functioning Committee so volunteers to serve as Committee members are always welcome – and there is no need to be nominated in advance of the meeting.

Cargoes Editorial Team

Cover picture: Boats at Sheets Heath Bridge on the Basingstoke Canal taking part in the ‘Christmas Cruise’ - Left to right Leo No2 (Kathryn Dodington), Hazell Nut (Rodney and Valerie Wardlaw), Aqua Vitae (Mick and Suzanne Wilson and Holly the spaniel), Winter Lilly (Phil and Carol Hardyman). See report on page 17.

[Photo: Kathryn Dodington]

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From the Region Chairman A Look Back At 2012 I think it might be worth a look back at 2012. The formation of the Canal and River Trust was a momentous step and we continue to both watch and comment on the development of the new body. As I write this in early 2013 it has just been announced that its Chief Executive, Robin Evans, is to step down in May. Many have been critical of both Robin and his remuneration package but I am much more benevolent towards him and his time as BW Chief Executive. He had to contend with dramatic cutbacks in government funding and eventually into a time of recession which impacted the business. He provided leadership on dealing with the challenges as well as personally championing the move of BW into CRT. He will be a hard act to follow.

IWA has a new National Chairman - Les Etheridge, a member of our region. Les recently sent an open letter to all waterway supporters to set out the IWA stall and to defuse some criticism that IWA doesn’t do enough for boaters. I think this is a good move and I commend it to you. This letter is reproduced in this edition of Cargoes (opposite).

The final aspect of 2012 that I wish to highlight is the weather. We Brits love to talk and complain about the weather and 2012 gave us plenty of ammunition! Early in 2012 I attended meetings with BW about how to manage the drought with a number of navigation restrictions put in place amongst serious concerns for keeping the network open through the summer. Well that all changed and big time! As some of you will know I am an Environment Agency appointee to the Regional Flood and Coastal Committee for the Thames area. The papers for the mid-January meeting indicate that 2012 was the wettest year on record for England and the second wettest for the UK as a whole with records going back to 1910. Few of us will forget the jubilee weekend; I was traversing the Middlewich Arm in deplorable conditions. Throughout November and December we have seen unnavigable river conditions and some flooding although thankfully my boat was secure in its marina berth. More significantly, preliminary research from the Met Office suggests we may have seen a change in the nature of the rain we get, with extreme daily rainfall becoming more frequent perhaps separated from times of drought. Whilst waterways need a source of water such extremes, if borne out, will not be good news with the risk of flash flooding and canal breaches growing.

And On To 2013 You will all be aware that before Christmas the chancellor announced more austerity measures for the public purse with cuts to a number of departments expected in 2013/14. The good news is this will not affect the financial settlement for CRT which is now contractually obligated for the next 15 years. The bad news is that EA navigations do not currently enjoy the same level of protection. Defra is likely to face in year cuts and as the Environment Agency represents such a big

5 proportion of the Defra budget we can expect cuts although there are no details as yet.

Hopefully the bleak predictions from the Met Office will not put you off your plans for 2013. Those of you who are boaters can hopefully look forward to enjoyable cruising. There will be plenty to explore - I am contemplating an early cruise starting at Easter being prepared to put up with whatever the weather throws at me.

I hope all of you can continue to support the work of IWA in whatever capacity you feel able whether this is an active involvement or just passive membership support.

I have just renewed my membership taking advantage of the new “electronic membership” category in which I have agreed not to receive hard copy communication. For me this was an easy decision because I dislike paper cluttering the house but I realise for others the decision is not so straightforward.

However the dramatic increases in postal charges means that IWA will struggle to sustain hard copy communication without substantial and unwelcome increases in subscriptions. Cargoes will eventually struggle to remain viable as central funding for branch/region publications is cut.

I wish you all a happy and enjoyable new year.

Paul Roper

An open letter from Les Etheridge, IWA national chairman, to all waterway enthusiasts Dear waterway enthusiast.

I have been national chairman of The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) for a few months and wanted to take this opportunity to share with you my thoughts as to what I see the IWA’s key priorities for waterway enthusiasts in the immediate future.

Some people say that IWA doesn’t represent boaters, this is simply not true. Much of the work we do benefits current and future boaters. We fully recognise the importance of navigation to the health, well-being and future viability of the network. Our work for boaters is reflected by IWA having the largest membership of boaters of any inland waterways organisation by far. In fact well over 80% of our members are boaters and put their trust in IWA to look after their waterways and campaign for them.

What is of utmost importance to me however, is the good of our wonderful inland waterways, and I want IWA to ensure that it acts unselfishly in the best interests of those waterways at all times and provides a consistent pro navigation, pro waterways user message in keeping with our aims and charitable objects.

The biggest change to the waterways scene in 2012 was of course the formation of Canal & River Trust.

Some ask how this affects IWA.

6 As a fellow charity, Canal & River Trust has some similar, but many clearly different, interests to IWA. We have described our view of the Trust as that of the landlord and our own role at IWA as being the tenants’ association. I think that this analogy has a lot of validity in describing our respective and different roles and perspectives on issues. It is certainly one I will base my tenure as chairman of IWA on.

I want IWA to always strive to be constructive and professional in our dealings with the Trust as there is no point in action which damages the reputation or image of the waterways. However I have made it clear to the Trust that we will say when we think they are getting it wrong.

Of course we realise that Canal & River Trust only controls some of our waterways and IWA maintains a close interest in all the others. The Environment Agency remains a public body that has substantial navigation authority responsibilities and IWA continues to campaign for the inclusion of these within Canal & River Trust which has been intimated by Ministers.

In recent months IWA has campaigned on many other issues including the failure by some boaters to respect the mooring rules on the Trusts waterways, the need for greater expenditure and coverage on dredging, and the further attack on red diesel and licensing by a Dutch MEP in the European Parliament. It has been pleasing to see support from so many areas of the waterways public and progress on all of these issues as a result of that support.

Unfortunately sorting out the problems with mooring rules has been portrayed by some as an attack on continuous cruisers. I want to assure all waterway users that this is simply not the case. IWA supports both live-aboard boaters and genuine continuous cruising throughout the system. We believe that continuous cruising brings life to the waterways network and ensures that it remains viable, connected and open throughout the year, but we maintain that the rules must be followed by everyone and we support even handed enforcement by the relevant authorities.

If you would like to know more about what IWA believes in and stands for I would like to direct you to our web site https://www.waterways.org.uk/news_campaigns/campaigns/use You may be surprised at how much we have in common!

If you want to let me know your views on IWA policy or what you think we should be doing to support the waterways, please let me know. I can’t promise to respond to every message, but I do promise to read every one. You can contact me at les.etheridge@waterways.org.uk With best wishes for the new boating season, Les Etheridge, IWA National Chairman

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Diary of Meetings & Events Sun 17th Feb, 2.30pm, London Towpath Walks Group: Walk, Regents Canal, King’s Cross – Camden, start Kings Cross Tube Station (taxi rank) (see page 37) Tue 19th Feb, 7:45pm, K&A (Reading): Old Industries of the River Kennet by David Cliffe (see page 21) Thu 21st Feb, 7:30pm, Salisbury Group: Restoration of Traditional Narrow Boats

by Peter Boyce (see page 11) Wed 27th Feb: 8.00pm for 8.15pm, IWAKES: AGM with Alan & Christine Smith (see page 33) Wed 27th Feb, 7:45pm, K&A (Newbury): National Coastwatch – Eyes along the coast by David Russell (see page 21) Wed 27th Feb, 8:00pm, BCS: Down the Rhine and Up the Neckar by Ron and Myra Glover (see page 19) Thu 7th Mar, 7:45pm, Joint Guildford & Reading Branch & Southampton Canal Society: Update on Canal & River Trust by John Dodwell (see pages 14 & 25) Wed 13th Mar, 7:30pm for 8:00pm, Oxfordshire Branch: AGM

(see page 35)

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Wed 13 Mar, 7:30pm for 8:00pm, South London Branch: Branch AGM with Les Etheridge (see page 36) Sun 17th Mar, 2.30pm, London Towpath Walks Group: Walk, The Olympics, Three Mills & Bow Back Rivers, start Bromley-By-Bow Tube Station (taxi rank) (see page 37) Mon 18th Mar, 7:30pm, Guildford & Reading Branch: AGM with Linda Kemeny (see page 14) Tue 19th Mar, 7:45pm, K&A (Reading): AGM with Graham Horn

(see page 21)

Wed 20th Mar, 8:00pm, BCS: The Ribble Link and the Lancaster Canal by David Saady (see page 19) Thu 21st Mar: 7.00pm for 8.00pm, IWAKES: The Basingstoke Canal by Gareth Jones (see page 33) Thu 21st Mar, 7:30pm, Salisbury Group: Sharpness’ Scuppered Fleet by Paul Barnett (see page 11) Sat 23rd to Sun 24th Mar, 10.00am, K&A (Reading): RESCUE

(see page 21)

Wed 27th Mar, 7:45pm, K&A (Newbury): The History of Canals and Traditional Narrow Boat Painting by John Ross (see page 21) Fri 29th Mar, Guildford & Reading Branch: Start of Easter Cruise on the Basingstoke Canal, Woodham to Odiham (see page 15)

8 Sun 7th Apr, 2.30pm, London Towpath Walks Group: Walk, Regents Canal, King’s Cross – Camden, start Kings Cross Tube Station (taxi rank) (see page 37) Wed 10th Apr, 7:30pm for 8:00pm, South London Branch: Passage to Astrakhan

by Roger Squires (see page 36) Thu 11th Apr, 7:45pm, Southampton Canal Society: The Itchen Navigation by Chris Humby (see page 25) Tue 16th Apr, 7:45pm, Joint K&A (Reading) & Guildford & Reading Branches: Life and Times of the Miller at Mapledurham by Mildred Cookson (see pages 15 & 21) Wed 17th Apr: 7.30 for 8.00pm, IWAKES: TMCA AGM with Angela Acott (see page 33) Wed 17th Apr, 8:00pm, BCS: The Wendover Arm of the Grand Union Canal by Ray Orth (see page 19) Thu 18th Apr, 7:30pm, Salisbury Group: The Hereford and Gloucester Canal, Past, Present & Future by Dick Skeet (see page 11) Sun 21st Apr, 2.30pm, London Towpath Walks Group: Walk, Regents Canal, King’s Cross – Hitchcock’s Hackney, start Kings Cross Tube Station (taxi rank) (see page 37) Wed 24th Apr, 7:45pm, K&A (Newbury): Branch AGM with Rob Dean (see page 21) Sat 4th to Mon 6th May, IWA: Canalway Cavalcade

(see page 36)

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Mon 13 May: 7.00pm, IWAKES: Discover Gravesham accompanied walk by TMCA (see page 33) Wed 15th May, 7:30pm for 8:00pm, South London Branch: Natural Thames by Wendy Yorke and Dick Mayon-White (see page 36) Thu 16th May, 7:30pm, Salisbury Group: Narrow Boats to Norway by Clive & Jill Field (see page 11) Sat 25th to Mon 27th May, IWA: National Trailboat Festival, Bodiam (see pages 32 & 34) Mon 27th May: 7.00pm, IWAKES: Discover Gravesham accompanied walk by TMCA (see page 33) Fri 7th to Sun 9th Jun: Beale Park Boat Show

(see page 14)

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Wed 12 Jun, 7:30pm for 8:00pm, South London Branch: Regent’s Canal ’Regency Roulette’ by Lester Hillman (see page 36) Sat 15th Jun, K&A (Reading): Reading Water Fest rd

(see pages 14 & 21)

Sun 23 Jun, K&A (Newbury): Newbury Waterways Festival (see pages 14 & 21)

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Sat 6 Jul, National Trust: Guildford Festival Boat Gathering th

Thu 18 Jul, 7:00pm, Salisbury Group: Boules & BBQ th

(see page 14) (see page 12)

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Fri 19 to Sun 21 Jul, IWA: National Festival at Cassiobury Park on the south Grand Union near Watford (see page 13) Sun 28th Jul, 1:00pm, BCS: Mikron Theatre Company, 'Don't Shoot The Messenger' (see page 19) Sat 14th to Sun 15th Sep, Oxfordshire Branch: Oxford Open Doors (see page 36) Sun 6th Oct, Oxfordshire Branch: Banbury Canal Day

(see page 35)

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Thu 17 Oct, 7:30pm, Salisbury Group: The Bedford and Milton Keynes Canal by Paul Leech (see page 12) Thu 21st Nov, 7:30pm, Salisbury Group: Changes on the Kennet and Avon by Elaine Kirby (see page 12) Thu 5th Dec, 7:30pm, Southampton Canal Society: Waterways Quiz (see page 12) Thu 12th Dec, 7:30pm, Salisbury Group: Christmas dinner

(see page 12)

Salisbury Group Our Salisbury correspondent, Myra Glover, writes: At the November meeting Nick Grundy gave us a fascinating talk entitled “Narrow Boating on Tidal Waters.” To begin, we were given the history of his narrow boat Beatty. Beatty was named after Admiral Sir David Beatty who led the battle cruiser fleet at the battle of Jutland in 1916. Beatty, a 70-foot narrow boat was built in 1937 for the Samuel Barlow Coal Company. When her commercial life ended, Sea Scouts used her in the 1950s. Beatty was converted for leisure use and was purchased by Nick Grundy’s Father in 1968.

One of the first expeditions of the Grundy family was to navigate the tidal Trent and Yorkshire Ouse in order to attend the IWA National Rally at Leeds. Another excursion was navigating the River Dee, this involved crossing the Chester weir, which can only be done at the top of a spring tide. The timing for crossing the weir is critical, passing through a narrow gate in the weir in order to reach the head of navigation. On another occasion Beatty navigated the River Severn travelling downstream via the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal before joining the Severn Estuary to reach Avonmouth, where they turned up the tidal Avon to reach Bristol.

Fortunately they used a pilot, which proved necessary as they passed under the Severn Bridge at 12 knots.

In 1992 Nick joined a cruise of historic boats to navigate the Mersey Estuary to Liverpool. Then in 2011 Beatty travelled via the Shropshire Union Canal to Ellesmere Port before joining the Mersey at Eastham locks. Here they travelled down the estuary and entered the South Dock at Liverpool and were able to view

10 the historic buildings of Liverpool including Pier Head and the Liver Building. It was interesting to compare the two excursions as in 1992 the Liverpool link had not yet been opened and the commercial craft were very different to those seen in his later trip.

Beatty’s adventure in 2012 was the privilege of being chosen to represent Merseyside in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Pageant on the River Thames. Many of us saw (and were disappointed with) the spectacle shown on television. It was much more interesting to hear the story and see the pictures from someone who was involved in the pageant itself. Nick told us about the rigidity of the organization and the difficulties of keeping station with other boats in the parade. Beatty’s position in the cruise was following the steam narrow boat President. Even though the weather was dreadful everyone on board Beatty had an amazing experience.

December, of course, saw us take part in the annual waterways quiz organised by Southampton Canal Society. Our team, comprising of Colin Davis, Tony Fry, Ron Glover and Nick Grundy did really well. They were points ahead all the way through the competition until the final round when their map knowledge was not quite as good as the team from IWA Guildford and Reading. We ended up in a close second position. Thank you and well done to our team.

The year ended with our annual Christmas dinner held at The Green Dragon.

Meetings for 2013 started in mid-January with Ron and Myra Glover describing their journeys on the seven waterways that make up the Burgundy ring. During their talk they compared how the waterways have changed and developed since their first visit in their trail boat, Prinsesse Estrith, in 1992. Included in their talk were histories and details of the waterways together with information about specific points of interest. One of the aims of their first visit was to attend a rally organised by Les Amis du Canal du Nivernais at Clamecy, the Nivernais being twinned with the Kennet and Avon Canal. The Nivernais is one of the few canals that have not been enlarged to allow the use of larger modern cargo boats.

The most historical structure shown was the staircase of seven locks at Rogny on the Briare Canal. Construction was started in 1610 and eventually they opened in 1642 and were in use for 245 years when the size of craft became too large to fit the staircase locks and a bypass canal had to be built. These lock chambers, now a historical monument, are in pristine condition due to the quality of their stone construction.

Another interesting structure is the Briare aqueduct crossing the river Loire, built by M. Eiffel and opened in 1896. It was constructed to avoid having to lock down and travel along the River Loire, which is often in drought or flood, before locking back up onto the canal.

It is interesting to see what changes have taken place over the years along these seven waterways. Originally almost all locks had their own individual lock keeper (eclusier). As time progressed one eclusier became responsible for a section of locks and they were issued with vans or mopeds to travel between locks. (The traditional job of lock keeping is now frequently carried out by students in the

11 holiday season). Communication between locks has now changed dramatically.

Originally each lock keeper’s base would have a very tall aerial and a fixed radio, which had a distinctive musical chime, enabling the lock keeper to hear whilst outside working the lock. In more recent times mobile phones have totally taken over this task of communication.

At the present time the use of canals by commercial traffic is diminishing and they are now geared up to suit the leisure industry. Some locks are now automatic and controlled by the leisure boaters themselves. It should be remembered however, that a waterways official is always on call if any problems ever occur!

Programme of Events Thu 21st Feb:

“Restoration of Traditional Narrow Boats”. Peter Boyce is a member of the historic narrow boat club who rescued Lucy from the Braunston puddle banks. She is a wooden narrow boat built

by Nursers and was first registered in 1953 and was retired from the trade in 1971. Peter will be telling us about restoring her. He continues to do restoration work on other historic wooden narrow boats.

Thu 21st Mar:

“Sharpness’ Scuppered Fleet” Paul Barnett will be visiting us on this third occasion with the last instalment of the hulks trilogy.

In this talk Paul attempts to give us an informative look at the maritime past of the River Severn through anecdotal memories, and light hearted nautical banter. This talk will highlight a forgotten chapter of this hugely successful country dock and its resilient maritime community.

Thu 18th Apr:

“The Hereford and Gloucester Canal, Past, Present & Future” Work started on this canal in 1792 & reached Ledbury from Gloucester in 1798, eventually reaching Hereford in 1845 making this one of the last major canal routes to be completed in Britain. The object of the Hereford & Gloucester Canal Trust is to fully restore the canal from its connection with the 2,500 mile inland waterway network at Gloucester to the centre of Hereford.

Dick Skeet will tell us about the history of this canal, the progress that is being made and their hopes for the future.

Thu 16th May:

“Narrow Boats to Norway”. Clive & Jill Field will give us an illustrated talk about the exploits of four narrow boats and their crews who ventured to Tilbury docks under their own power before being taken to Sweden on a cross North Sea ferry, where they explored the Gota Canal and the connecting lakes.

They will tell us of their experiences whilst taking in the Scandinavian scenic delights and getting to know a country very different from England.

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Boules & BBQ at the Green Dragon. 7.00pm

Thu 17th Oct:

“The Bedford and Milton Keynes Canal” by Paul Leech

Thu 21st Nov:

“Changes on the Kennet and Avon” by Elaine Kirby an archivist for the K&A Trust.

Thu 5th Dec:

Waterways quiz at Chilworth Village Hall organised by Southampton Canal Society.

Thu 12th Dec:

Christmas dinner at The Green Dragon Alderbury.

Unless otherwise stated, meetings are at The Green Dragon, Old Road, Alderbury, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP5 3AR starting at 7.30pm when visitors will be warmly welcomed. Further information can be obtained from Ron & Myra Glover on 01722 710322 email glover.3@btinternet.com or Jon Van de Geer on 01722 412841.

Guildford & Reading Branch News Chairman’s Report I will try not to overload on the Basingstoke but prospects for this summer are looking good. The Councils are now forecasting with considerable confidence that the canal will reopen at Easter. It behoves us to use it and to show our appreciation of this happening. Boaters and hirer boaters take note. Some will say we have been here before but at least this time there is £4million in the capital kitty to keep the navigation going and hopefully to fix other problems before they occur. Let us not be churlish, give the councils credit and use the canal not lose it. I am hoping to hire a narrow boat for the Easter trip; details in the Basingstoke update. I understand that at present 50 boats plan to make the trip but more would be welcome. Further updates on the website, Kathryn Dodington’s blog and at the Branch AGM on March 18th at our new venue in New Haw, where our guest speaker is Councillor Linda Kemeny the Chairman of the Basingstoke Joint Management Committee (see details on page 14).

My congratulations to our Quiz team who have regained the trophy for the Southampton Canal Society’s annual Inter-Societies Quiz. We have a very active programme this spring with a joint meeting at Southampton on March 7th where we expect a number of our new members ex Solent and Arun to be present and where we can welcome them personally. We have another joint meeting with the Reading Branch of the K & A on April 16th. Details of both these meetings are elsewhere. In the summer we will have a number of excursions. Sadly the Kingswear Castle will no longer operate on the Medway. It returns to the Dart. It is expected that the Waverley will pay a visit to the Thames details to follow. I will be doing a further Thames Barge cruise this time to be a passage including the Thames to Tower Bridge. This will be around the August 23rd weekend, further details at the AGM or by emailing your scribe. We are also looking at a trip on the John Pinkerton 2.

There is also a new trip boat at Bedford run by and on behalf of the Bedford –

13 Milton Keynes link. A repeat of the successful trip on the Wey and Arun. Maybe a trip on the non-tidal Thames, that would perhaps give the chance to look at the new Maidenhead proposals. We also have the National Festival at Cassiobury Park.

We will have to judge the appetite by your responses and the mood at the AGM. Our local waterway societies have many events planned and I am sure they will welcome our support. Also you may notice the details of a new membership drive at boatyards and marinas in our patch. Do encourage your friends who are not members. CRT is not the answer to everything and the work of IWA continues.

My own plans for the summer are well advanced with a week’s cruise on Holland’s waterways, a sailing trip on a wooden boat to the Scillies, my usual activities with the Thames Barges and a trip on London’s waterways. This includes Limehouse to Brentford on the tidal Thames. It appears that Black Prince are happy with this provided you have a VHF licence to communicate with the PLA. I attend my course in early March.

Gareth Jones

Branch Success at the Southampton Canal Society’s Inter-Society Waterways Quiz The welcoming atmosphere of the Southampton Canal Society's venue at Chilworth Parish Hall again provided the setting for the annual Canal Society's Quiz. As there could be no Solent & Arun team this year, the Southampton Society had contacted several other groups in search of possible replacement but to no avail, so the evening of Thursday 6th December saw the host society lock horns with just IWA Salisbury group and Guildford & Reading Branch. The lead fluctuated from round to round in an exciting competition, masterminded by quizmaster Peter Oates, but a 100% knowledge of canal junctions and adjacent locks in the final map round gave Guildford & Reading their second win in three years.

Ben Scott

The victorious G&R team (left to right) Tony Davis, Ben Scott (Team Captain), David Daines and Ray Carnell [Photo: Paul Herbert, Southampton CS]

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Sales and Publicity Stand Preparations are now underway for our Sales and Publicity Stand to take part in a variety of events around the Branch area this summer. Although formal bookings have yet to be completed, we expect to be at the Beale Park Boat Show (Friday 7th to Sunday 9th June), Reading Water Fest on Saturday 15th June, Newbury Waterways Festival on Sunday 23rd June and the Guildford Festival Boat Gathering on Saturday 6th July. At these events we have the Sales Stand with a selection of donated books and maps together with some remaining items of the late Dick Harper-White’s painted-ware. We also try to feature local waterways in our displays and supplies of informative leaflets and we usually run the ever popular Lucky Locks Game. It will be appreciated that this all takes some organising both in advance and on the day, so offers of help are always welcome. Further details will be in the next Cargoes or come along to our G&R Branch AGM on 18th March and sign up to help by completing a form on the night.

Ray Carnell

G & R Branch Meetings Members will be very welcome to attend the following Branch meetings: Thu 7th Mar: John Dodwell, Transition Trustee of the Canal & River Trust.

At this meeting we welcome John who will update us on the Trust and give us an opportunity for a “Questions and Answers” session. Advance notice of questions would be appreciated – by email to alanjrose@btinternet.com (see page 25).

John has been an IWA member since 1961 and readers may recall that in the Spring 2012 edition of Waterways (Pages 22 & 23) he talked about his early days, the new Trust and his hopes for the future.

This is a joint meeting with the Southampton Canal Society and takes place at Chilworth Parish Hall, Chilworth, Southampton, SO16 7JZ at 7.45 pm.

Mon 18th Mar:

Branch AGM with guest speaker Linda Kemeny, Chair of Basingstoke Canal JMC.

This meeting, starting at 7.30pm, will be at a new venue, Heathervale Baptist Church, Heathervale Road, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey KT15 3NW.

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Tue 16 Apr:

Mapledurham Mill - Life and Times of the Miller at Mapledurham.

We are pleased to be welcoming Mildred Cookson, for many years the Miller at Mapledurham Mill. Mildred will be telling us about the history of the Mill, its important position on the River Thames and developments over the years. We will also be brought right up-to-date with a description of the work entailed in replacing the original Turbine by the Archimedes Screw in 2010/2011. It promises to be an interesting, informative evening and not to be missed.

This is our annual joint meeting with the Reading Branch of the K&A Canal Trust and takes place at the Grange Church Hall, Circuit Lane, Southcote, Reading RG30 3HD at 7.45pm.

There will be an Entry Donation of £2.50 (towards expenses).

Bits on the Basingstoke There is a great deal of very good news on the Basingstoke. First it is hoped by both County Councils that they will reopen the canal throughout at the Easter weekend. Yes Easter 2013, 22 years after the first reopening and 5 years after it has been closed to through navigation. Reported elsewhere is the very successful cruise by Kathryn Dodington on Leo No 2 with three other boats over the Christmas - New Year period. They successfully navigated through the Brookwood Locks, a first for some years. They were well supported from the towpath despite the cold and wet. It was pleasing to see HCC/SCC officers supported by rangers joining in at the locks. Your scribe was at St John’s and Bridge Barn on the return trip. It was good to see that this event received positive coverage in the local press.

Work has been continuing on the Deepcut Flight and two pairs of gates remain to be installed. Further work will be required including repairs to some serious leaks at Locks 20 and 23 but this is not expected to impede navigation. The navigation is now being re-watered at Deepcut ready for the Easter reopening which will be marked by a pioneering cruise from the River Wey to Odiham. It is expected that some 50 boats led again by Kathryn will make the trip. Boaters please contact Kathryn on 07768 770070 or at basingstoke.easter@gmail.com for what we hope will not prove a unique opportunity. I am expecting to hire a boat. Some are already joining me, if others would like to do the same, for some or all the journey, email or ring me and I will see what can be done. Once again it is hoped that local IWA and BCS Members will come along and lend a hand at the Locks to help the boats on their way.

In December, Hampshire County Council announced that a further £2M was to be made available for the canal. This will be spent, inter alia, on the repair of culverts and work on the lift bridge at North Warnborough. Towpath repairs at Swan Cutting are delayed pending an engineer’s report on ground conditions. In Surrey the County Council had earlier committed £2M for capital works over the next 4 years starting in April 2013. The funding will be made available in 4 instalments of £500,000. In the first year, the bulk of the money will be spent on the strengthening

16 and repair of Mytchett Lake embankment. These new funds are, of course, in addition to the £1.6million committed 3 years ago being spent for the Easter reopening. At County Council level there is evidence of a real will to move forward.

Fiona Shipp joined the BCA in October replacing Ian Brown but in a more operational role. Within 6 months she has an operational navigation to manage.

She is an enthusiastic lady and we all hope that that enthusiasm spreads to her team and promotion of the navigation. The Basingstoke needs and deserves a lift in the navigation promotion department. It is also pleasing to note that council officers have visited John Gibson on the Wey who as we all know is a very “can do“ individual. We hope it rubs off.

Councillor Linda Kemeny, Chair of the Basingstoke Canal Joint Management Committee, is our guest speaker at our AGM on March 18th. She has hugely contributed to the improvements in management and attitude on the Basingstoke.

We, the supporters of the canal, will have the opportunity to show our appreciation in what should be an evening of celebration. I would urge you to come along both to contribute to the formal proceedings of the AGM and to hear the latest news on the Basingstoke. Much remains to be done as the £4million capital commitment from the Councils shows but we certainly seem to be heading in the right direction.

We now need to do three things. One, to ensure forward progress. Two, to publicise the Basingstoke, that it is open, it is a gem and it works. We want usage, not the trickle of boats seen on some reopened canals, and Three, to ensure that the Councils are aware that we appreciate this use of taxpayer’s money and that the locality will receive a real economic benefit therefrom and convince Natural England that navigation is good for the SSSIs. Gareth Jones

Update on Water for the Basingstoke Canal A ‘Water Strategy Group’ WSG, was established in November 2011, with an objective to help the Basingstoke Canal return to, year round, through navigation by finding and/or ensuring adequate water is available.

Despite the WSG only comprising a couple of people, there is a large number of different investigations in progress all at different stages. Three major positive steps are:1.

Woodham Abstraction Licence An application has been made to the Environment Agency (EA) to double the abstraction license at Woodham to 3.4Ml/d from the existing 1.7Ml/d. This has taken the WGS nearly a year to progress and we had hoped for a favourable response by early January. However the EA are now asking for significant additional information to justify the increase to the abstraction licence. [Ed. As we go to press, the good news is that the increase to the Woodham abstraction license has now been agreed by the EA.]

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2.

Investigations into Boreholes An order was placed with British Geological Surveys (BGS), for a ‘Water Prognosis Report’ at key locations along the canal upstream of the Canal centre. (Hampshire & Surrey County Councils are funding this order). This report is now available and being studied. There appear to be few options available to obtain additional water from boreholes.

3.

University Support The validity of the WSG ‘Water Balance’ and associated assumptions is now a project for four final year Degree students, under the close supervision of Dr Derek Clarke, all from Southampton University. These students are to operate as a ‘Consultancy Team’, to achieve their Project Report by next May, which accounts for 40% of their final year marks on this prestigious four year degree course. The project was started in mid-October and an interim progress report has been most encouraging.

John How

The Basingstoke at Christmas Kathryn Dodington reports on the Byfleet Boat Club’s cruise to Brookwood: When we learned that the Brookwood flight would be open at Christmas and bearing in mind the awful weather we had endured that year and the number of times the Wey had been in flood we thought, at Byfleet Boat Club, that a trip to Brookwood proper (rather than Brookwood Country Park) would be a rather nice Christmas cruise.

We did need to convince the BCA that cruising at Christmas was normal at Byfleet Boat Club but once that was done and licences purchased we were figuratively on our way.

So it was we met at Byfleet Boat Club at 09:00 on Thursday 27th December sadly down two boats on our plan due to family commitments and a broken heater and headed towards Woodham junction and the Basingstoke.

We all know a lot has been said about the Basingstoke but there's no need to repeat it here other than to say it is open, you will need to book so do plan on using the canal and enjoying what is arguably one of the UK's most beautiful waterways.

We really had no problems on our first day going up to Woking; the only thing that the canal needs on this section of the canal is more boats to keep the locks exercised and the silt at bay. We spent an enjoyable evening in the Bridge Barn.

A log behind the offside lower gate on Lock 8 was the only issue we encountered on the St Johns flight and that took no time to resolve. Once up to the A322 Brookwood crossroads we were on new ground - well it's not been used for about four years save the BCA workboat going up and down and a boat from Brookwood going down. No issues at all here apart from some adjustment to the offside lower paddle gear at 13.

18 The Brookwood pound could do with a dredge but that's nothing out of the ordinary for any canal. We spent a pleasant time at Sheets Heath Bridge [see Cover photo] and a very enjoyable evening in the Fox at Fox Corner.

The return to the Wey was trouble free in reality; a bit of an issue with the duck weed, which was 18 inches thick at Lock 14 and jammed the first two boats in the lock. We took the second pair down singly.

We had a thoroughly enjoyable time, we enjoyed the lovely comments from the fishermen and the other towpath users who were delighted to see boats back on the Basingstoke. Despite what you may hear, the Basingstoke is open albeit only as far as Deepcut at the moment but we are confident the BCA will have Deepcut open in time for an early Easter so Byfleet Boat Club will be up the Basingstoke, as far as King John's Castle starting Easter weekend.

Basingstoke Canal Society Chobham Social Meetings The monthly programme of social meetings continued through the Autumn. For November we had two meetings for the price of one! During the first part of the evening we learned from Murray Jones about Dragon Boat Racing from its ancient Chinese origins to its present day popularity and even the possibility of it becoming an Olympic Event. After the midway break, Kathryn Dodington showed a variety of scenes from the Jubilee Thames River Pageant in June 2012 which brought home to the audience the amount of organisation and attention to detail that was involved in what proved to be long day for all concerned. In December Roger Squires returned to take us on a trip from St Petersburg and the Baltic south to the Caspian Sea and Black Sea through parts of Russia which would have been ‘off limits’ to visitors not that long ago. This was another of Roger’s adventurous trips that few could emulate.

The first meeting of 2013 took place in the middle of January and those members who braved the wintery weather were well rewarded by Peter Halman’s inspired presentation about the river Thames. His talk was packed with interesting facts and included some fine aerial views showing the layout of historic towns along the river such as Wallingford and Abingdon. We learned for instance that the building of Marlow Bridge led to its architect, William Tierney Clark, being engaged to design the famous Chain Bridge across the Danube connecting Buda and Pest to form the capital of Hungary. It was also good to know that proceeds of Peter’s talks are to benefit the Helen & Douglas House (the World’s First Children’s Hospice).

Ray Carnell The season of monthly meetings continues on the third Wednesday (fourth Wednesday in February) of the month at the Parish Pavilion, Recreation Ground, Station Road, Chobham, near Woking, GU24 8AZ, commencing at 8pm.

19 Coffee/tea and biscuits will be available during the interval. Non-members and friends are very welcome to come along. The future programme is as follows: Wed 27th Feb:

Ron and Myra Glover - 'Down the Rhine and Up the Neckar' Having explored the waterways of Western Europe, Ron and Myra decided to venture further east. One barrier they had to cross was the mighty River Rhine and for their boat Elsa this meant "going with the flow". For this reason they joined the Rhine near the top in France and travelled downstream venturing into the rivers joining on the German side. The first is the Neckar.

Wed 20th Mar:

David Saady - 'The Ribble Link and the Lancaster Canal' David will be visiting us to describe the history of the Ribble Link and the Lancaster Canal and recount his cruise along the waterways, including the seven mile crossing, one of the riskiest water crossings for narrow boats in the country,

Wed 17th Apr:

Ray Orth - ' The Wendover Arm of the Grand Union Canal' Ray is the Assistant Restoration Director of the Wendover Arm Trust and will present an illustrated talk on the history of the Trust and the Wendover Arm, why the Arm was built and the story of the restoration to date and the Trust's longer term aims.

Further details from David Millett on 01252 617364, email d.millett7@ntlworld.com

Mikron on the Basingstoke The annual visit of the Mikron Theatre Company will be on Sunday 28th July at the Fleet Football Club, Calthorpe Park, Crookham Road, Fleet GU51 5FA at 1.00pm.

This year's show will be 'Don't Shoot The Messenger' - When a gun toting hoodlum holds up a village post office, the Postmasters want justice...of the restorative kind...by any means necessary. But can a comical journey through five centuries of postal history rehabilitate the rascally rogue? And what of the Postmasters' own motives - a noble act of public service or the desperation of the doomed? Will they get closure or just get closed? A story of delivery and deliverance.

Chichester Canal News Linda Wilkinson, Chair of The Chichester Ship Canal Trust reports:On January 14th the Chichester Canal Trust were handed a new shop, as part of a Section 106 agreement with Linden Homes, who have built 86 dwellings adjacent to the canal basin in Chichester. The shop was not exactly ready for opening, but prior to the 14th we were able to finish the interior of the building and fit out as a gift shop and tea room. It had been a day that we have been waiting about seven years for, since the plans were first mooted by the previous owners. In the meantime the site

20 had changed hands a couple of times, but it has been worth the wait.

Instead of a portakabin, that was given to us as a temporary measure, 20 years ago, until we could build our own shop, we now have a two story, large, light, modern building with a balcony overlooking the basin. This we hope will bring us many more visitors for cups of tea and cakes and for our gift shop. It will also provide a pleasant warm and dry place for those waiting for a trip on our boats, something we have not had the pleasure of previously. All of which should help produce extra money towards our next project of a visitor/education centre next door to the new shop in the old stables building.

When the weather permits the area outside the shop will be paved and landscaped ready for some new benches for visitors right outside the shop door and not as previously, the other side of the access road. We shall not know ourselves!!

Also as part of the S106 we have had 16 new trees planted between the basin and Potnyz bridge, and are awaiting the results of a public art consultation which will give us a piece of sculpture to be placed somewhere around the basin.

We are still hoping that the project of the lift bridge on the Donnington road will get under way in the next year. More news of this later in the year. In the meantime why not come and visit us, or join in one of our walks this summer.

Kennet & Avon Canal News Canal Trust Meetings Both the Newbury and Reading Sections of the Trust hold a series of autumn/winter/spring monthly meetings to which non-members are always welcome. For the latest details see their Website at www.katrust.org The Newbury meetings are held on the last Wednesday of the month at The Stone Building, The Wharf, Newbury RG14 5AS at 7.45pm prompt (doors open 30mins before). Admission is free. Light Refreshments are available. There is adequate public parking alongside the venue.

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Wed 27 Feb: National Coastwatch – Eyes Along the Canal by David Russell, Station PR Officer, NCI Gosport.

The National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) is a registered Charity formed in 1994 to restore visual surveillance along the UK Coast after this facility was withdrawn by HM Coastguard as a result of Government funding cuts. It now has almost 50 Operational Stations around the coasts of England & Wales, manned by over 2,000 Volunteer Watchkeepers.

Wed 27th Mar: The History of Canals and Traditional Narrow Boat Painting, including a demonstration of his work, by John Ross. John has spent many years decorating his ‘mini narrow boat’ Elizabeth Rose, a converted sailing dinghy, incorporating all the features and traditional painting of a Narrow Boat. Elizabeth Rose won the best dressed boat award at the 2012 Newbury Waterways Festival.

Wed 24th Apr: Branch AGM - to be followed by a discussion about the Trust’s future strategy led by the new chairman, Rob Dean.

Further information from the Trust Administrator 01380 721279 or Branch Secretary 01635 580356, Email: kact.newbury@btinternet.com The Reading meetings are held on the third Tuesday of the month until April at The Grange Church Hall, Circuit Lane, Southcote, Reading RG30 3HD (just off the A4 Bath Road).

Tue 19th Feb:

‘Old Industries of the River Kennet’ - David Cliffe

Tue 19th Mar:

K&A Reading Branch AGM - speaker Graham Horn

Tue 16th Apr:

Mapledurham Mill - Life and Times of the Miller at Mapledurham - Mildred Cookson (joint meeting with IWA Guildford & Reading Branch – see page 15 for more details)

Entry donation, including K&A members, £2.50 (to help with expenses).

More details can be found on K&A Trust website: www.katrust.org

Reading RESCUE The K&A Trust will once again be supporting the Rivers & Environmental Spaces Clean Up Event in Reading over the weekend of 23rd/24th March - 10am at County Lock. Volunteers needed – contact David Copley – 0118 959 8247.

K&A Canal Summer Events This summer sees the usual major Festival events organised by the K&A Canal Trust. Reading Water Fest takes place on Saturday 15th June and Newbury Waterways Festival at Victoria Park on Sunday 23rd June, this latter date being a month earlier than normal because IWA’s National Festival at Cassiobury Park is taking place in the second half of July.

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Maidenhead Waterways Restoration Group Maidenhead waterways restoration gets formal planning permission and Public vote also nets £8,000 for this important town centre project. The following is an extract from the Press Announcement in January: The ambitious scheme to transform 2.1km of Maidenhead’s neglected town centre channels into a navigable waterway and attractive town centre amenity now has formal planning permission – a significant milestone for the project and for the regeneration of the town centre. After being given the go-ahead in principle by the Royal Borough last June and then approved in September, when the final conditions were agreed, the permission was officially granted over the Christmas period.

With the project now formally approved, the dedicated Maidenhead Waterways Restoration Group (MWRG) is moving on to start work on the next stage – the detailed design of every structure, footpath and metre of the enlarged channels – and is calling on the public to come forward with ideas.

The public showed strong support for the scheme – a key element of the Maidenhead Area Action Plan – during the planning consultation stages and more recently by voting for it in the council’s 2012 Local Budget (participatory budget) consultation. This support – 13% of the 838 votes cast for Maidenhead projects – resulted in a cash boost of £8,000, handed over to Richard Davenport, MWRG’s chairman, by Cllr M J Saunders, cabinet member for planning, property and Maidenhead.

Richard Davenport said: “This money, voted for by local people who appreciate the importance of the waterways to Maidenhead’s rejuvenation, is a welcome boost to our coffers at a time when we need to focus on raising major funds to implement the approved plans. Having the sustained backing and active involvement of the town’s businesses and residents is essential to make the project a reality. As we kick off the detailed design stage we are very keen to hear from the Maidenhead community about what further features they would like to see included in the final design, so that the waterways can benefit the widest possible range of active and passive users. Potential opportunities already mentioned include canoe landing stages, viewing areas, further footbridge(s), disabled boating access and an urban fishery in the Moor Cut channel, but we are sure there are other ideas out there and we want to hear them.” Mr Davenport thanked everyone who has backed the waterways project to help it reach this stage, including the Royal Borough, the Environment Agency, Summerleaze Ltd, the Shanly Group and the Louis Baylis Trust.

Cllr Saunders paid tribute to the waterways group members for their dedication and tenacity throughout what has been a long and complex planning process. He added: “Their vision has been an inspiration to everyone committed to Maidenhead’s regeneration and we now have a scheme approved that offers real and exciting potential for the town centre. This is reflected in its significance in the AAP, which shows three of the six development opportunity areas adjoining the

23 waterway route. There is still a lot to be achieved, not least in securing the funding needed to implement the scheme. However, voting in the Local Budget consultation again demonstrated a strong vein of support and, in light of their achievements so far, no-one can doubt the group’s determination to succeed. They move forward with full council backing.”

Bob Dulson, chairman of PRoM (Partnership for the Rejuvenation of Maidenhead, said: “The waterways scheme is a vital element of Maidenhead's regeneration programme. It will not only improve the look and feel of the town centre but, potentially, it could do more than any other single development to encourage visitors and investment.”

Anyone with suggestions or ideas about elements that should be considered for inclusion in the final detailed design of the waterways is asked to contact MWRG at contactus@maidenheadwaterways.org

River Thames News Our Branch Thames Representative, John How, reports: The discussion group for the River Thames with the Environment Agency, is now called the Thames Navigation Forum TNUF, (this was the River Thames Waterways Working Group WWG).

The main discussion at the next meeting is likely to concern the ‘Top Story’ in the recent IWA Bulletin, namely ‘Defra Review of the Environment Agency and Natural England’,. Bulletin reminded readers of ‘IWA’s past and on-going support to transfer navigation management of the EA’s current responsibilities to Canal & River Trust’. Many around the table at TNUF do not wish this transfer to happen and aim to argue against the move when consultation on the transfer occurs later in the year. [Ed. It is understood IWA has responded to this consultation strongly supporting the move of EA navigations into CRT which is the stated preferred option of government].

All matters of interest such as lock closures; river flood warnings; enforcement measures for licences and other data can be found through the website;http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/recreation/129900.aspx

Thames Alliance AGM The RTA is a broad church attempting to embrace more than just the users of the Thames but also involve riparian owners and local authorities. It has a management committee and a couple of sub-committees which meet according to need.

This year’s AGM gave an opportunity to consult with members about adjustment or renewal to elements of the River Thames Plan. Attendees from mixed backgrounds spent an hour discussing four specific topics set as a result of an earlier questionnaire.

24 To 'Encourage Recreation and Leisure Use' of the river it was recommended to set up multi-discipline events to encourage new users to 'try an activity', to increase the number of access points to the river and to create extra visitor moorings. A major problem was to get information to non-users about the opportunities available.

To 'Improve Public Access' it was recommended to identify 'hot spots' at roughly 10 mile intervals where the whole variety of activities would be increasingly available supported by urban services such as picnic sites, car parking and close public transport stops. Some lengths between would be expected to remain 'tranquil'.

To 'Improve the Natural Environment' it would be necessary to consider the whole river corridor as effects - for example pollution - often originate from nearby roads and land uses. This group recommended that the plan should avoid 'solo' thinking.

The 'Flood' group noted engineering works can help - for example Jubilee River but considered the public needed a wider appreciation of how rainfall finds its way to the sea. Not all visible flooding of fields is a bad thing as it relieves the pressure downstream and 'flood protection' should include more individual actions to make their own structures more 'flood robust'. Wider dissemination of relevant information and application of known controls over new developments would be useful.

Administrative actions concerning the Management Committee were endorsed by the meeting before the close. In the light of lack of funds, it remains to be seen to what extent the existence of the new plan will inform actions on the riverbanks.

Brian Roberts

Southampton Canal Society 2012 Intersociety Waterways Quiz As always, our 2012 programme rounded off with the Intersociety Waterways Quiz.

As last year’s winners, SCS arranged Peter Oates as the Quiz master and Laura Sturrock scorer. Because of the sad demise of IWA Solent & Arun we were only able to field three teams on this occasion. Until the closing rounds not many points separated the teams but Southampton tailed away leaving Guildford & Reading and IWA Salisbury to fight it out. Guildford & Reading came through by just three points and were deservedly presented with the magnificent Inter-Society Waterways Quiz Trophy.

Angela Rose

Quiz Master, Peter Oates (rt) presents the Trophy to G&R Captain, Ben Scott

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Forthcoming Meetings Thu 7th Mar: We welcome John Dodwell. A Trustee of the Canal & River Trust, he will update us on the Trust, plus give us the opportunity for Questions and Answers. SCS would appreciate fellow IWA members from around our Cargoes area to support this meeting. If you wish to come along and ask John any questions please email alanjrose@btinternet.com so that John can ensure that he has the relevant information to hand at the meeting. In our December 2012 Newsletter our Editor, Peter Oates, wrote an interesting résumé of John’s involvement and campaigning for the IWA from1961. www.sotoncs.org.uk/archive/pdf/DEC_12.pdf Thu 11th Apr:

Chris Humby of the Bishopstoke History Society will talk on “The Itchen Navigation” - an unseen & unheard history of the River.

All Meetings are held at the Chilworth Parish Hall, Chilworth, Southampton, SO16 7JZ at 7.45pm. For Monthly newsletters visit www.sotoncs.org.uk

Wey and Arun Canal News Walks to offer new perspective on canal heritage Canal cruises will no longer be the only way to gain an insight into the history of the Wey & Arun Canal with the launch of a new guided walk programme.

From April this year, the Wey and Arun Canal Trust (WACT) will be offering a guided walk each month from the Canal Centre in Loxwood, West Sussex, to give visitors a chance to find out more about the canal and the area the waterway passes through.

The programme will start on Tuesday 23rd April with a 1 mile walk (Walk 1) that will head off on the canal towpath towards Brewhurst Bridge before taking in the church, old school, the site of the toll house and the Onslow Arms in Loxwood. As well as learning more about the history of the canal, the Loxwood Link and restoration work on the waterway, walkers will also learn more about the history of the village of Loxwood itself and include a visit to Brewhurst Mill. This walk will be repeated on Thursday 18th July.

The other walks planned include a 2.5 mile route (Walk 2) that will take place on Wednesday 22nd May and Tuesday 20th August and a 3.5 mile walk (Walk 3) that is scheduled to take place on Thursday 20th June and Wednesday 18th September.

Similar to Walk 1, both of the longer routes will include sights and history of Loxwood, Brewhurst Mill and details of the history of the canal, the Loxwood Link and restoration work on the waterway. Walk 2 will also take in the new lock and road crossing at Loxwood, Devil’s Hole Lock and the Old Wharf building, among other local sights. Walk 3 will take visitors further north of Devil’s Hole Lock to include visits to Southland Lock where new lock gates have recently been installed and nearby Gennets Wood.

26 The cost of the walks is £4 per head with groups limited to 20 people, so booking is recommended. The meeting time for each of the walks is 10am at the Canal Centre, with the walk starting at 10.15am. Places can be booked by emailing the Canal Centre – canalcentre@weyandarun.co.uk for further information - www.weyandarun.co.uk.

Canal restoration sets its sights on reaching the Sussex-Surrey border Canal boats will be able to travel to the Sussex-Surrey border on the Wey & Arun Canal for the first time in over 145 years when a new fundraising appeal launched by the Wey & Arun Canal Trust (WACT) proves successful.

WACT hopes to raise £365,000 and the Trust estimates that volunteer work will reduce the cost by at least 50%. The Trust hopes to start work on restoration of Gennets Bridge Lock in mid 2013. The construction of this lock will ultimately allow boats to travel northwards from the popular Loxwood Canal Centre in West Sussex up to the Surrey border for the first time since the canal was abandoned in the late 19th Century.

“This is the next stage of an ambitious environmental and heritage conservation project in West Sussex,” said WACT director and project manager Eric Walker MBE. “Restoration of the lock will extend the recreational amenity that the canal offers to the community, will enhance the natural environment and promote biodiversity.”

Reconstruction of Gennets Bridge Lock marks the next stage in the efforts by the Trust’s members who have been working to restore the Wey & Arun Canal between Guildford in Surrey and Pulborough in West Sussex since 1970. The lock will be on the 136-mile Sussex Border Path and the 36-mile long Wey South path.

Planning permission for the work at Gennets Bridge Lock was granted by Chichester District Council in October 2011 but fundraising could not start in earnest until construction on the previous lock, Southland, neared completion.

WACT has already spent £20,000 on surveys and other preliminary activities.

“Most of the work will be undertaken by volunteers but some critical parts of the construction project will need to be undertaken by contractors,” said Eric. “We hope to have raised enough money to enable these elements of the work to be carried out this summer, 2013, to take advantage of dry weather conditions.”

To contribute to the project, or to keep a track of the fundraising progress, please visit www.weyandarun.co.uk

IWAKES Branch News

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Past Events Crossness Engines On a chilly day in mid-October sixteen TMCA and IWA members met at Crossness Engines Industrial Museum. The pumping-station stands as a lasting memorial to the Great Victorian age of enlightened public works and engineering enterprise. It was the cornerstone of Sir Joseph Bazalgette's revolutionary new sewage system for London that helped rid the city of cholera and typhoid.

Bazalgette's innovative network of intercepting sewers pumping-stations and storage reservoirs was designed to serve the whole of London, providing it with the largest such sewerage system in the world.The four beam engines, named after Queen Victoria's family, were originally built

by James Watt and later converted by Benjamin Goodfellow in 1901 to lift 1,372 gallons (in old money) of sewage at each stroke. Their 43ft beams and 27ft flywheels make them the largest rotative beam engines in the world. The [Photos: Angela Acott] outstanding ironwork

28 and the wonderful colours the detail was picked out in were admirable. Two of the huge beam engines are being restored, whilst two others are being left to see the state they were in when the engine trust was set up in 1985. The number of people visiting when we were there just showed how much the man in the street cares about this sort of project. We wish the trust the very best of luck and good fortune for their future restoration.

Angela Acott The Medway Queen A very full house gathered at Gravesend Sailing Club for the annual Christmas Get Together of TMCA and IWAKES. We were treated to a very professional programme from a couple from the Medway Queen Preservation Society, who came all the way from Margate. The paddle steamer Medway Queen was built at Troon in Scotland for the New Medway Steam Packet Company and worked as an excursion ship across the Thames estuary between the Medway towns and Southend-on-Sea. In 1939 she was converted for minesweeping duties and was among the first to join Operation Dynamo to rescue some of the British army from the beaches of Dunkirk in 1940.The Medway Queen and her crew made seven trips to the beaches of Dunkirk and rescued 7000 British and French troops.

After the war she returned to her excursion days, until the public found supposedly more exciting things to do on their holidays and in 1966 she went as a night club on the River Medina on the Isle of Wight. She slowly mouldered away due to lack of care until, in the 1980s, the Society was formed to bring her back to her home waters. Things were still very difficult due to lack of foresight and money. But the society still kept plugging away until, in 2008, they were awarded a Lottery Grant and the Little Ship was moved to Bristol to be repaired in a dock alongside the SS Great Britain.

The Society hope very soon to move her back to a more permanent home at Gillingham Pier where she can be admired and, hopefully, once again fulfill the roll she was built for.

Angela Acott

Three members left the Medway towns on a very foggy morning in mid-November.

By the time we had gone a few miles the sun broke through and it was lovely for the rest of the day. We left the car at Sheffield Park and walked across the fields, stopping for our lunch on a convenient bench. Eventually we came to the remains of Iron Gate Lock. The next major works for the Sussex Ouse Restoration Trust.

They had already saved many engineering bricks from the lock; these being neatly piled on the bankside. Some of the vegetation had also been cleared from the lock and it was beginning to take shape.

The other purpose of being in Sussex was to attend a talk at Haywards Heath given

by John Morris, a trustee of the River Stour Trust. This is the Stour on the Suffolk/Essex border, much loved and painted by John Constable. The navigable river runs 24 miles from Sudbury to Manningtree, where it joins the sea at Mistley.

29 The Stour Act was on 16th Feb 1705 in the time of Queen Anne. It had no continuous (hailing) towing path, so was difficult to navigate. Lighters, 47ft x l0ft 9in and carrying 13 tons, always worked in pairs. Their cargo was mostly malt, coal, wheat, bricks (by the million), flour, oil and oats. Lots of the buildings in London are of Suffolk bricks.

In 1972 the Trust dug out an old Lighter from the mud. It floated, though later fell to pieces. But it gave the Trust a pattern to construct a replica. It will join the Trust’s four small electric launches for popular public trips on the pretty, peaceful river. The Stour Trust have also restored three "Constable” Locks and hold rallies and a ‘Sudbury to the Sea’ canoe trip every year.

Angela Acott

Thames & Medway Canal Association We look forward to 2013 and to the prospect of connecting the pump to the electricity supply. The meeting at The Civic Centre with Gravesham Borough Council and The Thames and Medway Canal Association arranged through Adam Holloway and his office went well and the agreement is now in the hands of EDF and UK Power Networks with permission to proceed and, all being well, the pump could be operating by the end of February 2013. During January a test will be arranged with Gravesham BC and the Contractors, using a generator, to explain procedures for the maintenance team to monitor flow, extraction and general care of the equipment. With all the water about at present in stretches of canal between Gravesend and Higham, topping up this first section is vital to illustrate the benefits of restoration to a usable condition.

Maintenance of the footpath/towpath and canal banking is still high on our list of tasks, as is replacing the decking at Watt’s Landing, replacing a seat near the slipway and restricting the spread of the Japanese knotweed. There is occasional dumping of rubbish and the nuisance of motor cyclists at week-ends leaving their rubbish in the swing bridge area, while they destroy the permissive footpath that takes them to the sea wall and beyond.

Taking down unstable trees along Canal Road Higham and improving habitat and landscaping around the Obelisk is ongoing. Two members have taken on improving the footpath between Nuralite car park and Shornemead Crossing, removing dead elms covered in ivy that keep falling across the cycle way, and opening up aspects north and south for users to enjoy the canal wildlife and views across the marshes to the River Thames and Essex.

The Heritage Lottery Fund application has entered another stage and we remain ever hopeful of receiving a Grant. Christmas and New Year’s Day falling on a Tuesday meant a rest over this period for the working members who will have started again on the 8th Jan. I wish all members and supporters a healthy and happy 2013.

Brian Macknish

30

River Medway News

1. Work on the Teston Lock refurbishment is going to plan. It has uncovered severe wear and cracks in the upstream bull nose section of the lock. Although the river will be navigable at the beginning of the new season, work will still be required once the lock opens. Once finished the lock should provide good service for at least 70 years – for the next generation of boaters!

2. The Environment Agency has released more money in 2013 for an extensive programme of work this year including Eldridges lock sluice channel improvements, fish pass at Yalding and East Farleigh Lock refurbishment and a Tonbridge Landscape Scheme. New moorings together with refurbishment of the house and small lock building at Allington Lock are also planned.

3. The number of EA vessel registrations on the Medway to date is 590. 125 failure to register warning notices have be sent out with 91 resulting in no further action. 9 owners had been taken to court resulting in fines imposed and 14 vessel owners await court dates.

4. EA is looking into VHF radio link installation at Allington Lock to enable vessels to contact lockkeepers via their handheld devices. Costings have been obtained and consultation with various groups including the lockkeepers is in progress.

Allington Lock

5. The Medway Navigation Notices to Mariners have posted the following lowering of water levels and lock closures in 2013 so far: Oak Weir

11th to 18th February

East Lock

18th to 25th February

Porters Lock

25th February to 4th March

Eldridges Lock

4th to 11th March

Town Lock

11th to 15th March

Teston Lock

15th November 2012 to 28th March 2013

31 6. All the boating information about the Medway such as slipways, moorings, locks, navigation rules, bridge heights etc. can be found on the EA link http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/recreation/130921.aspx or download the brochure on http://www.environmentagency.gov.uk/static/documents/Leisure/medwayguidecomplete_690099.pdf There is also a very good Canoe Trail link with details of each section including description of local woodlands and wildlife to see on the trail.

If you are a walker then why not try some of the excellent Medway walks on the Maidstone Borough Council Site. Download the brochures and guides at http://www.visitmaidstone.com/things-to-do/by-the-river/riverside-walks Details of the 28 mile Medway Valley Walk can be found on the KCC website.

With river water levels likely to be high at any time of the year call Floodline on 0845 988 1188, select option 1 and enter Quickdial number 012642 to get more information if planning boating, canoeing or walking the river Medway.

Mike Marsh

River Adur Shoreham Slipway News The Shoreham Slipways Group has continued to talk with Adur District Council (ADC) , West Sussex County, several key Councillors and the Environment Agency. ADC are now looking at the possibility of creating a slipway at Silver Sands which is located on the North East corner of Shoreham Beach. The site has been considered before and, like other possible sites for slipways on the Adur, it isn't perfect but a viable slipway could be created. On the plus side, there is convenient parking and it would be located on shingle/sand which have a low "environmental" value. It would be a relatively low cost project and funding may be available if some of the ancient public hards are closed and the land sold. On the negative side it is located away from any shops and so would offer limited economic improvement and the Port Authority staff have mixed views. There are now three possible slipway sites on the Adur. Each has its own issues and is supported by one, or more, of the public bodies. There is now more interest in slipways in Shoreham than there has ever been so the aim is to make use of this support in 2013. The SSG will ask the County Local Committee for a grant to commission a hydrogeomorphic study into one or more of the sites. The EA is providing some support by not charging for permission to use "their" data that was created during a study into flood defences. After much battling with the EA during 2012 this was a welcome concession.

Brendan Whelan

32

IWA National Trailboat Festival 25th to 27th May at Bodiam Castle Arrangements are now well advanced for the Trailboat Festival and we are looking forward to seeing boats on the River Rother at Bodiam Castle.

A highlight of the event will be the Saturday afternoon and evening. The National Trust are extending the opening hours of the castle until 8.00 pm, so why not make the most of this opportunity to visit the castle for free from 5.30 pm? Visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy this castle of wonder, one of Britain's most picturesque and evocative, set in the heart of 1066 country. With spiral staircases, battlements and a portcullis, 14th-century Bodiam Castle is the real thing. Windows where arrows were once fired, a tower that was once a look-out and ruins that were once walked upon by knights; this is a place where you can relive your childhood memories and let your imagination run riot.

Having toured the castle you will then be able to enjoy a barbecue and music before the traditional display of illuminated boats that the trailboaters put so much enthusiasm into. So what better way to enjoy a Bank Holiday Saturday evening than in such beautiful surroundings?

Throughout the weekend there will be table based ‘Wild over Waterways’ (WOW) activities for younger children. Amongst the displays in the IWA marquee will be one relating to the restoration of the Rye Sailing Barge Primrose, which was built by William Evans Clark at Winchelsea Road Yard, Rye, probably around 1887. Rye barges worked on the River Rother and it is therefore highly likely that Primrose would have traded to the wharf at Bodiam.

The Rye river barges were small everyday working craft providing a vital link between the port of Rye and the hinterland of the rivers Rother, Tillingham, Brede and Royal Military Canal to Folkestone. In the late 19th century one company, Vidler & Son, became particularly associated with the fleet which worked in the harbour discharging cargoes from the larger ships and working the cargoes up the shallower rivers and canal. Principal cargoes were timber, coal, hops, hop poles, manure, sand and ballast. The continuity of the tradition of this type of vessel can be traced back to early 16th century maps of Rye harbour and probably beyond.

The Primrose display will give a fascinating insight into the history of the local rivers.

There will also be displays from The Thames and Medway Canal Association and The Sussex Ouse Restoration Trust.

Standard National Trust charges apply to enter the castle and car parking costs £2 (free to National Trust members) but both will be free on the evening of the Saturday.

We look forward to seeing you at Bodiam.

Future IWAKES and Other Events

33

Wed 27th Feb: 8.00pm for 8.15pm IWAKES AGM at St Nicholas’ Church Hall, Poplar Grove, Maidstone ME16 0DE. Alan & Christine Smith will then speak on “Shared Ownership of Boats”.

Thu 21st Mar: 7.30pm for 8.00pm Grove Ferry Boat Club, Grove Ferry Road, Upstreet, nr Canterbury: CT3 4BP “The Basingstoke Canal”: Gareth Jones Wed 17th Apr: 7.30 for 8pm (NB New date) Gravesend Sailing Club, The Promenade, Gravesend: TMCA AGM followed by “Out and About with Angela”.

(This is a TMCA event to which all are welcome).

Mon 13th May: 7.00pm (NB New date) Meet at Ship & Lobster, Mark Lane, Gravesend: Accompanied walk organised by TMCA as part of ‘Discover Gravesham’.

St. Nicholas' Church Hall, Maidstone

Grove Ferry, Upstreet

th

Mon 27 May: 7.00pm (NB New date) Meet at Ship & Lobster, Mark Lane, Gravesend: Accompanied walk organised

by TMCA as part of ‘Discover Gravesham’ Tea and coffee are available at all IWAKES evening meetings.

Gravesend Sailing Club

34 Sat 25th to Mon 27th May: National Trailboat Festival: Bodiam The displays will be open:Sat 10.00am to 5.00pm (site open until after dark for illuminated boats and barbeque); Sun 10.00am to 5.00pm; Mon 10.00am to 4.00pm Entry on foot to the festival is free.

Normal National Trust rates apply for parking and castle entry (free after 5:30 pm Sat).

Oxfordshire Branch News Chairman’s Report Having made a list of those committee members not seeking re-election or who have given notice that they are resigning at the AGM on Wednesday 13th March I note that only two, Ann (currently the treasurer) & Terry Yeatman, will remain of the present committee.

Oxfordshire Branch members who wish the branch to continue are therefore urged to come to the AGM and to do so ready not just to serve as committee members but to take up an officer role. The committee appoint these at their first meeting following the AGM. The rules require a committee of not less than three and the appointment of a chairman and treasurer (not the chairman), though the branch cannot practically function without a minute secretary and a programme secretary.

Chris Wardley

Past Events Skittles night - December 12th Every December for a number of years now Oxfordshire Branch has held a skittles night as their final event in the fading year.

Having attended for the last 9 years I can say it is always a great fun night - a time when we can all get together in light hearted competition and take the opportunity of chatting to each other, something we all look forward to.

We moved from Kent to Oxfordshire in 2003 and our very first attendance at an Oxfordshire IWA social event was Skittles night. On that occasion Ron, later to become Chairman, won the booby prize (a tiny teddy bear). He must have improved since then as he was on the winning team at the 2012 event.

We were delighted to be joined by so many Thrupp Canal Cruising Club members.

They fielded two teams and “team 1” won. They were of course well practiced, having had a similar event of their own a couple of weeks before. Well done TCCC and thanks for your support.

35 A big thank you also to Ann and Terry Yeatman for organising such a fun evening incidentally - the sausage and chips were lovely too!

Ron and Mary Heritage Waterways Quiz - Wednesday January 9th Speaker: Richard Fairhurst, Waterways writer, journalist and editor at large Waterways World.

On a cold and foggy January evening only 11 branch members managed to come to this well prepared, informative, interactive question and answer session with Richard. The quiz was divided into several topics: questions on the Oxford Canal and the River Thames, map identification, people, places and general waterways knowledge. Everyone learned something new, including Richard (the reason why the “Rock of Gibraltar” is so called! ) It was just disappointing for us all that so few members were able to attend an event that had been requested by several people.

Sue Wardley, Programme Secretary

Forthcoming Events Wed 13th Mar, 7.30pm for 8.00pm Branch Annual General Meeting will take place at the Social Club at Kidlington Football Club, Yarnton Road, Kidlington, OX5 1AT. All Members are encouraged to attend.

For more details or directions phone Ann Yeatman – tel: 01865 372552.

Oxford & Banbury Events For several years now we, Oxfordshire branch IWA, have been involved in two very popular Community Events:- Oxford "Open Doors" and Banbury Canal Day. Both of these are hugely successful events, bringing lots of interest to the Waterways and an opportunity to promote the Inland Waterways Association.

Banbury Canal Day Banbury Town Council or to be more precise Tricia Campbell, the Mayor's PA and organizer of this event, has already started the preparations for this year, a very special one as it is their 10th year.

As many of you know I was unable to be involved last year for family reasons and Tricia is asking if I will be there to help this time. Much as I would like to say "yes" I cannot do it without you. Because of the number of people who attend this event (many thousands) they want to increase the number of boats they will use. This means more skippers and crew, people to help at the waterside, on the lift bridge, the lock, our IWA promotion stand and the stall if we decide to have one.

I know October 6th is a long way off but without your help it will not be possible for IWA to be involved and it really is too good an opportunity to miss..

Are you interested and able to assist? if so please let me know ASAP E-mail me on ronald.heritage@btinternet.com or ring 01869 277400

36 Oxford "Open Doors" This event is part of the National Heritage Weekend. Many of you will know this as the time when local preservation Trusts, and others, open the doors of buildings and other places of historic interest to the public. Our waterways fall into this category and 4 years ago we were invited to "open" the Oxford Canal.

While I am unsure as we go to press what role we, i.e. Oxfordshire Branch, will play in this I am sure it will happen and that we will be asked to play a part. I would like to be able to give a positive answer to this but again cannot do so without you.

Dates for this are 14/15th September.

Again if you are interested and able to help at either or both of these events please make contact. See details on previous page.

My regards to you all and Best Wishes for 2013.

Mary Heritage

South London Branch Meetings South London Branch Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of each month at 7:30 for 8:00 pm in The Primary Room, The United Reformed Church Hall, Addiscombe Grove, Croydon CR0 5LP. Admission to the talks and presentations is free to all, members or non-members, although we do request a contribution towards room hire and refreshments. The programme for meetings is as follows: Wed 13th Mar:

AGM followed by a talk by the new National Chairman Les Etheridge

Wed 10th Apr:

Passage to Astrakhan by Roger Squires

Sat 4th to Mon 6th May: Canalway Cavalcade - Summer of Celebrations of London’s Waterways, Little Venice (see back cover for more details) Wed 15th May:

Natural Thames by Wendy Yorke and Dick Mayon-White of The Thames Rivers Restoration Trust

Wed 12th Jun:

Regent’s Canal ’Regency Roulette’ by Lester Hillman

For more information about South London’s Social Calendar, please contact Alan Smith, telephone 020 8255 1581, mobile 07774 890 750 or email alan.smith@waterways.org.uk

37 Towpath Walks Group - London Walks This introduces newcomers to the pleasant world of waterways - which most outsiders don’t realise is here! It is also a good way of recruiting new members to the IWA. Sun 17th Feb, 2.30pm: Walk, Regents Canal, King’s Cross – Camden, start Kings Cross Tube Station (taxi rank) Sun 17th Mar, 2.30pm: Walk, The Olympics, Three Mills & Bow Back Rivers, start Bromley-By-Bow Tube Station (taxi rank) Sun 7th Apr, 2.30pm: Walk, Regents Canal, King’s Cross – Camden, start Kings Cross Tube Station (taxi rank) Sun 21st Apr, 2.30pm: Walk, Regents Canal, King’s Cross – Hitchcock’s Hackney, start Kings Cross Tube Station (taxi rank) For more information about Walks (Normal charge: £9.00, Concessions & Student rate: £7.00) please contact Roger Wilkinson, telephone: 020 8458 9476 or email: rogerw9796@yahoo.co.uk

Wilts & Berks Canal Trust In the light of changing circumstances the Trust is reviewing the processes to deliver this missing regional link in the recreational network of recreational canals south of Braunston. The recent illness of Chairman John Laverick and his subsequent retirement has brought the review into focus.

Our external environment is changing significantly -- Canal & River Trust is up and running, Town Planning rules are changing so that community benefits from new developments, generally housing, will be financed differently from the old Section 106 ways and Local Councils are having to deal with much reduced resources.

Over the last year the Trust has succeeded in bringing a number of initiatives through the 'paperwork' stages and close to being 'shovel ready'. Efforts will now turn increasingly towards new implementations on the ground.

As well as many local projects in response to opportunities as they present themselves there are two major leaps forward in hand.

The first will create a new link from the Kennet & Avon Canal down onto the riverfront at Melksham which was discussed by over 200 at a public meeting in December to general approval. This bypasses one of the places where the closed canal has been built over.

The second is to open the entire route of the canal to walkers over the next 5 years.

The Trust has now collected much of the legal, historical and geographical information using the latest digital technology and is currently opening negotiations

38 with the first tranche of landowners outside the 1/3rd of towpath route that is already open.

IWA members might wish to see progress for themselves by joining part or all of the Easter Towpath Walk - in Wiltshire for the first 2 days, then around Swindon on Sunday and in Oxfordshire on Bank Holiday Monday (see opposite). Back up vehicles and guide sheets to the new way-marks will be provided. Full details of rendezvous locations etc. can be found at www.wbct.org.uk or contact tim.pyatt@wbct.org.uk.

Brian Roberts

East Vale Branch In Oxfordshire the East Vale branch continues to work on the Sack House in Wantage turning this small building into a museum. The first task was to stop rainwater from leaking through the door which has now been fixed. The inner walls are being repaired and the next job is to re-flag part of the floor installing a waterproof membrane at the same time. Electricity is to be installed and the displays are in planning. Funds have come from our local County Councillors Community Funds, from Waitrose under the green token scheme and also from the Lions Club locally.

The Monday mob work party of those members who are available weekdays continues to do routine work, although the most recent day out was spent tree planting. We actually had to cancel one of our Saturday work parties for first time for ages it being so damp underfoot.

In the far west of the Vale, work has commenced on towpath clearance of a stretch of canal near Shrivenham with volunteers coming from Swindon organisations as part of their community work.

Finally with snow on the ground it feels funny to be thinking of June, but I am already planning my programme of walks for the Wantage Summer Festival. Once known I will put details on the Wilts and Berks Canal website Brian Stovold, Chairman East Vale Branch

Wilts & Berks Canal Trust Towpath Challenge

The Inland Waterways Association South East Region: Chairman Paul Roper Cranborne, Baughurst Road, Baughurst, Tadley, Hants RG26 5LL Phone: 01189 813381 Email: paul.roper@waterways.org.uk Guildford & Reading Branch: Chairman Gareth Jones, Hill House Farm, Misbrooks Green Road, Beare Green, Dorking, RH5 4QQ Phone: 07850 819071 Email: hhel@btconnect.com Kent & East Sussex Branch: Chairman Mike Hannan Trumpeter, Water Lane, Headcorn, Kent TN27 9JN Phone: 01622 890586 Email: mcfhannan@btinternet.com Oxfordshire Branch: Chairman Chris Wardley The Mount, High Street, Adderbury, Banbury, Oxon OX17 3LU Phone: 01295 810610 Email: oxfordshire@waterways.org.uk Opinions expressed in Cargoes are not necessarily those of IWA. Editorial Team: Ray Carnell and Tim Fry iwacargoes@hotmail.com Next issue Summer 2013 Copy date 1st April 2013

CANALWAY CAVALCADE

4 - 6 may 2013 Come and join in IWA Festivals’ first event in the

2013 Summer of Celebrations of London’s Waterways* at Canalway Cavalcade, at the junction of the Regent’s and Grand Union Canals at Little Venice, near Paddington, during the May Day Bank Holiday weekend. Organised by Inland Waterways Association volunteers for over 30 years, you can be assured of a fun time for all the family: boats with bunting in abundance - some have travelled hundreds of miles to be here; processions and pageants; a marvellous variety of music; plenty of kids’ activities (including favourites like Punch & Judy and Teddy Bears’ Picnic) competitions; trade stalls; a real ale bar; a wide variety of snacks and food...

and much, much more!

Saturday 10:00 - 18:00; Sunday 10:00 - 18:00 (followed by music at 20:00 and a procession of illuminated boats at 21:00) and Monday 10:00 - 17:00 Admission is Free!

Press/media/advertising: 07774 890750, email: christine.smith@waterways.org.uk General enquiries: 07979 676461, email: canalway.cavalcade@waterways.org.uk Trade Show: 07788 204442, email: exhibition@waterways.org.uk Waterspace and Boat entries: 07867 488161, email: marksaxon999@hotmail.com * the celebrations continue at: Rickmansworth Festival 18 -19th May; Ware Festival 5 -7th July; IWA National Festival at Watford 19 -21st July; Olympic Park Event 10 - 11th August; Angel, Islington 1st September; Slough 14-15th September scan the qr code below or visit www.waterways.org.uk to find out more)