John Pinkerton Focus on Accessible Boating Association
Byfleet Boat Club Page: 10
Chichester Ship Canal Trust Page: 10
Fund Britain’s Waterways Page: 3
Guildford & Reading Branch Page: 6
Sales and Publicity Stand
Kent & East Sussex Branch – IWAKES Page: 30
Thames & Medway Canal Association
River Adur
River Medway
Sussex Ouse
River Stour Future Events
Kennet & Avon Canal Trust Page: 13
Reading Crofton Beam Engines
London Region Page: 42
South London Branch
Maidenhead – Friends of Maidenhead Waterways Page: 17
Mikron Theatre Group Page: 41
National Trust - River Wey & Godalming Navigations Page: 19
Narrowboat Trust Page: 44
Oxfordshire Branch Page: 38
Paddle UK Page: 26
Puppet Theatre Barge Page: 42
River Thames Page: 25
Surrey Care Trust Page: 27
Tooley’s Boatyard Trust Page: 38
Towpath Walks Page: 43
Wey & Arun Canal Trust Page: 22
Wilts & Berks Canal Trust Page: 39
Cover Photo Courtesy: Narrow Boat Trust
Unloading Nuneaton and Brighton – River Thames
Editorial
Welcome to the Summer edition of Cargoes. I hope you are managing to enjoy the better weather in and around our waterways.
The condition of the water in our canals and rivers is an ongoing subject – it is very important that Government and water companies take notice. One of the ways to do this is to support the “Fund Britain’s Waterways” campaign. Details of their activities for 2025 are shown in their article. Also, this very dry weather is affecting the water levels in our canals and rivers. Some routes have been closed to boaters although towpaths are still available for walkers etc.
I managed to look in at the Crick Boat Show on my back from Scotland and was impressed with the IWA and FBW stands. Several members of both organisations were walking around the show handing out leaflets. I also managed to join the discussion between CRT’s Richard Parry and the Waterways World editor. It was interesting to hear Richard’s views on the waterways past, present and future. He was saying how although the non-boating public benefits from the waterways, they do not really help with funding them. More needs to be done get more non-boaters involved in paying for and maintaining the waterways – although how can this be done?
Many thanks to all contributors for the articles and photos you have supplied for this edition of Cargoes. I hope everyone enjoys reading them.
Chris Jones, Editor
Fund Britain’s Waterways
Fund Britain’s Waterways Takes Warning to Westminster
Government received a wake-up call on Wednesday, 7th May from waterways campaigning group, Fund Britain’s Waterways, as it took its message to Westminster.
A flotilla of boats stopped by the Palace of Westminster as the call to safeguard Britain’s inland waterways reached the heart of government. A colourful 26-strong flotilla delivered a clear message to the nation’s policy makers from the Thames to protect the future of our waterways.
The journey began with the initial group of boats
The FBW flotilla viewed from Westminster Bridge (credit: Liz Rayner)
4
setting off from Strawberry Island Boat Club in Doncaster on 29th March as the start of the major campaign cruise to and beyond the heart of government, raising awareness and being joined by other boats along the way. By the time they stopped outside Parliament, the group had operated 172 locks to London.
The flotilla included a pair of working fuel boats, a historic narrowboat, a Dutch barge and privately owned narrowboats from across the country, some of which had to battle failing canal infrastructure and a pollution incident in their determination to reach Westminster.
United, they sounded their horns to cheers from supporters on Westminster Bridge, drawing the attention of MPs gathered on the Palace’s terrace ahead of Prime Minister’s questions time.
Welcoming the flotilla were crowds of inland waterway supporters on the bridge and representatives from the campaign’s alliance of 160 organisations joining Parliamentarians on the Terrace.
Uma Kumaran MP and guests on the terrace of the Palace of Westminster (credit: Uma Kumaran MP)
L-R Ros Daniels (Canal & River Trust
Regional Director London & South East), Mike Wills (Inland Waterways Association National Chair and Chair of FBW), Uma Kumaran (MP for Stratford & Bow and Waterways APPG CoChair), Mel Hide (Royal Yachting Association Director of External Affairs), Sue O’Hare (Inland Waterways Association Deputy Chair and Member of FBW Steering Group), Richard Parry (Canal & River Trust CEO)
Fund Britain’s Waterways is a coalition of organisations representing hundreds of thousands of users and supporters of inland waterways campaigning to safeguard the future of Britain’s 5,000-mile network of cherished canals and rivers. The campaign urges recognition of the importance of Britain’s inland waterways as part of the national infrastructure with environmental, leisure, heritage, and commercial freight value, and calls for an urgent review of their funding in view of their already-deteriorating condition
This year’s flotilla was led by Hazel Owen, Chair of the AWCC (Association of Waterways Cruising Clubs) and a member of the FBW steering group, who said:
“Not even broken locks or pollution from a fire closing the Maida Hill Tunnel stood in the way of the 26 boats representing thousands of FBW members getting our message across to the Government that adequate funding is required to save our canals for future generations.
A big thank you to the staff and volunteers of the Canal & River Trust for the special efforts they made to facilitate the campaign cruise. Thanks to them as well as the hard work of the boaters we were able to reach the Palace of Westminster
as planned. We were delighted to be welcomed by Parliamentarians and FBW representatives on the terrace and supporters on Westminster Bridge as we sounded our horns and made quite a noise.”
From Westminster, the FBW flotilla continues its journey north and will cross the Wash to the Anglian waterways, continuing to sound its horns and the alarm across the country to the need for investment and support for Britain’s inland waterways. The initial group of boats is scheduled to return to Doncaster in August, 20 weeks after leaving.
About Fund Britain’s Waterways (FBW):
FBW brings together a wide range of organisations with the sole purpose of campaigning collectively for an increase in government funding of Britain’s inland waterways to avert their decline, and to promote awareness of the huge economic, environmental, and social well-being value they provide. Established in June 2023, it already has 160 members representing hundreds of thousands of users and supporters of inland waterways.
Contact: For further information about Fund Britain’s Waterways, contact info@fundbritainswaterways.org.uk
Media contacts: Amy Tillson, Inland Waterways Association 01494 783453 pressoffice@waterways.org.uk and Debbie Walker, PR Consultant, T 07748 640577 walker.debbie@sky.com
Members of the FBW flotilla standing off the Palace of Westminster (credit: Rachel Eglinton, Be Seen Be Green Photography)
FBW supporters on Westminster Bridge (credit: Liz Rayner)
Guildford & Reading Branch
Branch Chairman
Well, it has stopped raining and the water levels on navigable waters seem to be holding up so far. Unexpected stoppages, often caused by maintenance issues, impacted boats traveling to Cavalcade at Little Venice and the FBW cruise from London to celebrate the IWA 75th anniversary later this year. While the majority chose to take the Grand Union route a few boats chose the Oxford Canal route and they were welcomed to Tooleys Boatyard in Banbury by Matt Armitage and the volunteers. A timely reminder that Tom Rolt began his journey there.
We shall be taking the branch sales stand to the Reading Water Fest on June 28th and the River Wey Festival at the end of September. There is no on-site parking at either venue, but both have good public transport links and nearby car parks. More volunteers are always welcome. Do come and have a chat.
The branch committee is aware that the format for our branch AGM does not suit everyone, and we are keen to hear your views. Do you prefer online or in person? It would be good to be able to offer a venue in the central area of our branch.
Enjoy using the waterways and support them however you can. They all need more funding.
Photo Courtesy: NT Website Verna Smith (Chair)
Sales & Publicity Stand
This year we are planning to attend Reading Water Fest (Saturday 28th June) and Wey River Festival (Saturday 27th September). Please do let us know if you can help at either of these events. We are really in need of additional help and hope more of you will put yourselves forward. Please contact Chris Jones or any member of the Sales Team if you can help, our email address is: chris.jones@waterways.org.uk.
The Sales Team
Future Events
Sat 28th Jun: Reading Water Fest
Sat 27th Sep: Wey River Festival, Dapdune Wharf, Guildford, GU1 4RR.
Sat/Sun 4th &5th Oct: Banbury Canal Festival (With Oxfordshire Branch)
Basingstoke Canal Society
Volunteers
We’re a really strong team of 300 volunteers working both out on the Canal and behind the scenes and last year our volunteers contributed over 30,000 hours to keep the Canal and towpath safe and available for all its users. In addition to individuals volunteering, we also welcome corporate teams onto the Canal regularly to both help the beautiful Basingstoke Canal but also have a great team day! This year we’re looking further into Corporates and expanding our offering to local businesses, with more ways for them to support our charitable efforts.
If you’re a business looking for a corporate volunteering day, then please do get in touch. Most of our corporate volunteers are local to the Canal but some also do travel from further afield to visit the Surrey and Hampshire beauty spot.
Those interested in finding out more should contact andy.brown@basingstoke-canal.org.uk
Trip Boats
After carrying over 6500 passengers in 2024, both of our trip boats have been enjoying some wonderful trips so far this year with many more planned. There are lots already available to book on our website, with trips taking place from Odiham in Hampshire and Woking in Surrey.
This recent May Bank Holiday, the John Pinkerton II travelled to Fleet and welcomed passengers from a different location, offering a new view of the Canal.
With our trip boats available for private charter as well as our bookable trips, there’s a trip for every occasion over the coming months – you can even enjoy a cream tea, dinner or drinks on board too.
Some of you may recall that Kitty II is currently being built and should be completed soon. This all new electric trip boat will be based in Woking and hopefully we’ll be ready to share launch plans soon. There’s been a lot of hard work on the infrastructure side of things to make sure the boat will be able to be charged.
Calendar Competition
The 2026 Calendar competition is now open! Each year the Basingstoke Canal Calendar, created by the Basingstoke Canal Society is purchased and displayed in homes and offices far and wide and we hope that this coming year will be no exception.
We are planning for more entries than ever before and for more sales too.
If you’ve been out and about on or by the Basingstoke Canal and have a beautiful and interesting photo, then don’t forget to send it to editor@basingstokecanal.org.uk
Photos need to be landscape and of good quality (ideally 300dpi or above).
Charlotte Rodgers, Press Officer BCS
Boat Trips:
The John Pinkerton II trip boat operates from Odiham in Hampshire, running public, themed and chartered cruises. Trips last about 3.25 hours and run through farms, woodlands and the occasional small settlement.
Information for times and prices for trips and how to charter the boat for a special occasion or social outing is available on our website: https://basingstokecanal.org.uk/book-your-trip/. All bookings are done online but for help email: jpbookings@basingstoke-canal.org.uk, or call: 07506 864411 (10am – 6pm).
Kitty public boat trips are at 11am, 1pm and 2.45pm from the town wharf in Woking.
Trips from Mytchett: Boat trips on board our friendly 12-seater boat Rosebud usually run at weekends and on public holidays from Easter to September. Please contact us for up to date information. Tel 01252 370073, email info@basingstokecanal.co.uk or check on Facebook or Twitter.
Basingstoke Canal Authority
Basingstoke Canal spring update 2025
As the weather gets warmer the Basingstoke Canal team are still recovering from a very busy and disruptive period of works over winter. The Canal team and our contractors completed renewal of two of our overflow sluice structures with new stainless steel ones, did more than 500 m of “soft” bank repairs in various places across the canal, replaced two sets of lock gates, and re-planked three further sets of gates, redecked and repaired the swing bridge at Mytchett, installed a new set of stop plank grooves at Mytchett Lake, and overhauled one of our back-pumping systems.
The main issue over last winter/spring has however been Surrey County Council’s major infrastructure team have been relining and renewing the expansion joints on Ash Aqueduct which carries the Canal over the A331 and River Blackwater. This meant that the usual flow of water from upstream to downstream was severed roughly at the mid-point of the canal.
Now the works are mostly complete, and we can pass water down the canal a good amount of the spring has been spent moving water around to fill up the Mytchett pound and the Deepcut Lock flight.
The very dry weather that set in around February is however not good news from a water management perspective, as I am sure many of you will know that the Basingstoke Canal has a chronic water supply issue having been built with no summit reservoir. We are therefore significantly reliant on ground water sources at Greywell and Odiham, as well as surface water run-off from the many ditches and inflows which have been directed to the canal over the last 230 years. Frustratingly this meant that the good water flow into the upstream parts of the canal caused by last year’s wet autumn and winter months had to be shed over the overflow weirs to keep the canal within its safe operating range.
If dry and warm weather persists, we are unfortunately predicting that we may experience water shortages sufficient to close the Deepcut Locks by the middle of the summer; this has always been the Achilles heel of the canal.
The BCA team are now also managing the fishery on the canal directly for the foreseeable future, the fishery is a mixed coarse fish fishery, strictly on a catch and release basis. To fish you require a permit purchased on line from the Basingtsoke Canal website (www.basingstoke-canal.co.uk) as well as a rod licence – there is a “close season” from 15th March to 15th June when there should be no fishing; a full set of rules are available on our website. Any BCA staff may ask for proof of a valid licence on bank.
Finally, I would like to express thanks to the many wonderful volunteers who support the operation of the canal in wide range of activities and roles – directly with us at the BCA, and through our friends at both the Basingstoke Canal Society, and the Surrey County Council run visitor centre at Mytchett. There was an astonishing total of more than 31,000 hours volunteered in the last financial year. Well done and thank you all!
James Taylor
Strategic Manager – Basingstoke
Canal May 2025
Focus on Accessible Boating Association
The Accessible Boating Association, (ABA), is a registered charity initiated in 1985. The charity enables people who cannot use existing canal boats to enjoy cruises on the Basingstoke Canal.
Two boats are available: Madam Butterfly, a comfortable 7-berth cruising boat and Dawn, a 12-person day boat. Both boats are based in Odiham at Galleon Marine’s boatyard with trips operating from Colt Hill Wharf from April to October.
For more details see the website www.accessibleboating.org.uk. New volunteers are always welcome; speak to one of our volunteers or contact our Chairman, John Ranson at chairman@accessibleboating.org.uk
Byfleet Boat Club
Byfleet Boat Club at Cavalcade:
Four boats represented the club at Little Venice this year. They were: Tros Yr Afon (Phil Gaskell), Narnia (Steve and Vikki Kennedy), Shuna ( Mo and Graham Cutler) and Ben Gorton (Greg Beardsall). Tros yr Afon won the trophy for the best illuminated boat for the fourth time, (see picture) and Ben Gorton won the Ray Dunford Buckby can for the best decorated boat entered by a waterway or community group. Congratulations to all!
Mike Chamberlain
Chichester Ship Canal Trust
Chairman Report
As we are gearing up for the new season, I want to wish you a happy 2025 at the canal, whether volunteering, visiting our café, enjoying a boat trip, or just enjoying the lovely environment of the canal. As I write this, we have just enjoyed another successful laser show at the basin,
organised by Chichester District Council, but with a very heavy involvement from Trading and our volunteers. Thank you all for your hard work, and two nights to be proud of. Partnerships such as these have had a significant impact in integrating the canal into the wider community, which, provided we can manage them, we are keen to encourage. Even the poor weather did not discourage a sizable crowd over both evenings.
We have been pleased with the work done in the Heritage Centre, which will provide flexible options for it to be used more regularly, such as the events that Celia Javan and the community engagement team run through the year. We are keen to maintain the integrity of the HC as a place where visitors can learn about the history of our canal, but we do hope that other opportunities for use may come along.
One very important area that we have been spending time on is the need to dredge sections of the canal. We have not dredged for many years, and one of the first "issues" flagged to me when I joined six years ago was the need to do some work at some point. Thanks to another great year from our Trading team, we have money in our reserves now to do some work on this. Richard Bland is our work party leader.
I have been here a few years now but one event that fascinates me every year is the annual boat lift, expertly managed by Ian Jackson, Chris Grimes and the team. If you have never seen one of our boats outside the water, with much maintenance activity going on around it, it is well worth the trip. More of that inside this edition, as well as updates from Shoreside and the Work party.
I represent the canal on the Inland Waterway Association and have recently attended the southern annual general meeting. Two key themes continued to come up at the meeting. Firstly, local and national government withdrawing funding from the waterways. At this point I have to remind attendees that Chichester Canal is a completely self-funded charity, and we should all be immensely proud of the work done to keep us operating so effectively. Secondly, attracting new volunteers
is seemingly a problem for all. The trustees will put more focus on this area this year, and if you know any potential volunteers, please send them in our direction.
Another area we have looked at in the last few months is governance. This is not always the most popular topic, but we are a sizeable organisation financially, in terms of the number of volunteers and the range of activities that we are involved in. So, it is important that we run our business properly, consistent with applicable laws, and the charities’ commission expectation. Good governance protects volunteers, employees and visitors alike and ensures our money is spent appropriately. In terms of what will change, you may see new policies to help ensure we do the right thing, in the right way.
And finally, after a number of years of service Jean Barrett has stepped down as editor of canal news. On behalf of all of us, l would like to thank her for her great work publishing canal news, which involved a great deal of “herding cats” when trying to gather articles and reports from all of us, along with creating and designing interesting editions every quarter. Thank you, Jean.
I wish you all a drier, warmer next couple of months and look forward to seeing you at the canal soon.
Chair, Chichester
Mark Stoneman,
Canal
Photos Courtesy: David Richardson & David Stanley
Sun 15th Jun: 12.30pm: Father’s Day Fish and Chips Cruise.
Sat 12th Jul: 6.00 pm: Murder and Mystery on the Chichester Canal – including Fish and Chips
Please contact the Chichester Canal Trust for further details or check our website boxoffice@chichestercanal.com
Richard Janczur
Chichester Canal Trust
Kennet & Avon Canal News
Reading Branch
Chairman’s Report
The winter’s rain and force of water had led to recurrent flooding to the West of Reading. Members of the K&A Trust and residents attended meetings with West Berks councillors, accompanied by the local MP, the Environment agency and CRT. Reading Borough councillors held a similar meeting a little while afterwards, which this time, was with the Environment agency, Thames water and the railway. They explained what has been done to mitigate the high water so far, and the limitations in making adaptations for abnormal conditions, which might be detrimental during normal times. When asked if the neighbouring councils and water authorities work together, the reply was not convincing. Given that the navigation runs through the same water meadow for the area under discussion, it was suggested that a joined-up approach may produce dividends. There have been promises of a follow up. The first meeting was in February…still waiting!!!
Blakes lock, which is the first Lock onto the Kennet from the Thames has been out of action, needing repair. Initially, narrowboats could go through, but then further damage prevented navigation altogether. This Lock comes under the EA as it is counted as a Thames conservancy lock. Currently it is listed as able to allow 7 ft wide Narrowboats through again. We hope it will be back to full operation soon.
With spring turning to summer, we have seen the return of Swallows, seen some Grey Wagtails and heard the Cuckoo. It is noticeable that numbers are down, and our explosion of Mayfly was not as impressive as previous years. We did have the SSE taking out trees and shrubs and brush cutting swathes of wetlands in preparation to replacing electric poles. I thought such destruction was only allowable outside the bird breeding season (March –July). This is the time when not only birds, but our reptile populations will be impacted, newts, toads, frogs, grass snakes and slowworms all exist in this area. This presumably may have a knock-on effect on Otters, Water Voles and others that are higher up the food chain. This is planned (not emergency) work so I believe it should be planned to avoid such sensitive times. I did report this to the Wildlife team at EA but have not had a response…it’s a real shame!
The Tea Room at Aldermaston is now open on its summer hours. Sioban and Liz have been building a strong contingent of regulars. We saw a few canoes practicing, and enjoyed seeing, the Devizes to Westminster canoe race held over the Easter weekend 18th to 21st April. There are some good viewing points and I know the Ladies at Aldermaston Tea Rooms had their Coffee and Cake ready to welcome everybody. They give a discount to KACT members which is an excellent reason to sample another wonderful piece of cake. Liz ran the London marathon this year, not the first time, but it was the first time she had entered through the ballot system. She completed in a very respectable 4 hours 5 minutes. She had been aiming for 3 hours 40 minutes but picked up a calf injury about half way round. Well done Liz!
Maintenance on the trip boat Matilda has progressed well over the winter and spring, to prepare her for the coming season. We have repainted the cabin sides, refurbished much of the woodwork, and improved some of the electrics, including a new fuel gauge, and some USB charger sockets. We have also conducted our safety training, starting with some online Zoom
sessions that we were able to do while the water was still a bit too fast to take the boat out. Once conditions allowed, we were able to put our crews through their paces, rehearsing procedures for dealing with potential incidents. With the water still looking a bit strong in central Reading we spent part of April and first part of May operating from Burghfield with The Cunning Man giving us some support and allowing us to chat to their customers. We were invited to an interview with Paul Coia on BBC Radio Berkshire, and seem to have encouraged some to venture out for a boat trip. Matilda Too moved to our regular spot at Star Lane Wharf (Queens Road Car park) in mid-May and we have already improved on our passenger count with some good compliments on the day, and on Trip advisor. This feels like a good start to the season of trips. We were sorry to hear that David Dare has passed away. He had been a good supporter of our endeavours to get our first Matilda trip boat up and running. He made an arrangement to provide us with a three-year trial, using a boat from his Oxfordshire Narrowboats base. David was a valuable supporter of the waterways and to the K&A specifically. He will be greatly missed.
There is some exciting News about Water Fest this year (28th June). The wonderful Mikron Theatre will be appearing on the Saturday evening. They travel the waterways on board narrowboat Tyseley, putting on shows at waterside venues along the way. Tyseley will still be further North so they will travel by road especially for us. We have been hoping to be able to welcome them for some time, and this year they are able to fit us into their busy schedule. More information can be found at www.https//Mikron.org.uk The IWA will be promoting their “Fund British Waterways” Campaign and CRT will be providing some canoes that you can try for yourselves,
We also plan to have the Crofton branch showing models and they will talk about the steaming and pumping activities and the new schools’ educational sessions run at the pumping station.
Anvil Blacksmith will be demonstrating their ironwork skills, The Wilts and Berks Canal Restoration Trust will be in attendance and there will be boat trips from Matilda, and NB. Jubilee from the Newbury branch.
Bruce Boats Branch wheelchair accessible boat Rachel will be arriving for a week. They are looking forward to Reading Water Fest, and will be running day trips from Reading either side of the day. If you know a family or group of up to 12
who would like a day out on a wheelchair-accessible boat, send us a message or email bruceboats@katrust.org.uk. The Finale is of course the famous Duck Race.
We are always looking for more volunteers to help on the day and can always accommodate more boats. If you would like to come and help or to bring your boat, please email chair.reading@katrust.org.uk. You are of course welcome to just come and enjoy the day.
We continue to have Branch meetings on the 3rd Tuesday of the month. These are held at The Cunning Man in Burghfield. We do also run a Zoom session so folk can join and enjoy the speaker and join in the discussion. We have had presentations from author Victoria Owens talking about her book about the life of LTC Rolt. One of our members remembers working with Tom Rolt. A photo that was shown included Tom Rolt taking Cressey along the K&A with Southcote Mill (Then a water pumping station} in the background. We had a talk about the National Waterway’s Museum in Ellesmere Port focusing on items from the GWR days of the K&A. Ali Cannon, one of our Trustees, spoke about her book looking at Victorian leisure boating on our lovely waterway, which was very well received. Our last meeting of this Winter meeting season was a virtual tour on Matilda Too. We are developing the video to use as a training aid for our crew and for the commentators to share stories and points of interest. We will take a summer break from meetings returning on the 16th September at 7:30pm at The Cunning Man pub. Details of future speakers can be found at www.katrust.org.uk . Contact chair.reading@katrust.org.uk for a zoom link if you are unable to attend.
As a summer special we are hoping to stage a day in The Cunning Man Pub Garden with John and Team from The Anvil Blacksmith providing demonstrations and stories alongside the Kennet.
Keep well and look after each other.
Graham Puddephatt
Chair Kennet and Avon Canal Trust. Chair Reading Branch Kennet and Avon Canal Trust chair@katrust.org.uk
“Reading…on Kennet and oh so near the Thames” - Daniel Defoe 1724
Crofton Beam Engines
The 2025 Season:
The 2025 season has started and the steaming dates for the next few months are now available.
Steaming Weekends:
June: Sat 28th and Sun 29th June
July: Sat 26th and Sun 27th July
August: Sat 24th and Sun 25th August
September: Sat 27th and Sun 28th September
Crofton by Night: Sat 27th September 18.30 -22.00
A chance to see the 2 boilers working during the hours of darkness
There is no charge to enter the site on non-steaming days except for Special Events. There is a charge to visit the station itself to view the boiler and engines. Advance booking is not required on non-steaming days. There is a charge to enter the site on steaming days.
Advance booking is essential for steaming weekends and special events . We operate an on-line booking system with Art Tickets (from Art Fund, supporting museums and art galleries across the UK). Booking recommended but not essential.
Please visit our website for up to date information on our Open Days: www.katrust.org.uk
Photo and information: Crofton Beam Engines
Maidenhead Waterways
PRN Review Outcome - We are delighted to report that after a year-long legal review of the Public Right of Navigation (PRN) the EA has reaffirmed the PRN on all parts of the Maidenhead waterway. We supported the review with historical data and detailed flow records, which prove beyond doubt that the flow into Maidenhead originates from the Thames and returns to it downstream. As such the waterway is a side channel of the Thames and enjoys a perpetual PRN under the Thames Conservancy Act 1932, which cannot be extinguished by lack of use.
Channel Maintenance - Waterways volunteers continued our targeted clearances through the winter months, of the channels that lead to and through Maidenhead town centre. The council has now agreed to fund a realistic minimum budget for the costs of maintaining the restored waterway. Blanket weed is being targeted with the natural biological agent Byofix, supplemented by visits from a professional Weedcutter boat.
Waterways Events - We plan three public events this year, starting with a Paddlefest on June 14th to encourage canoeists to enjoy the restored channels that now run through the centre of Maidenhead. Tuition from Marlow Canoe Club, a canoe based quiz and family entertainment in and around the waterside amphitheatre will add to the attraction. Later we will be offering free boat rides as part of the new Waterside Quarter’s summer celebrations.
Our main event for 2025 will be the Waterways Fun Day on Saturday 13th September, when the road over the waterway will be closed and filled with displays, stalls, music and magic. The fun will continue on the water below, with canoe try outs and displays plus free boat rides.
Pictured is last year’s ‘Crazy’ Flamingo race. Children love trying to throw plastic balls into the Pink Flamingo as it is being towed around...!!
Corporate Volunteers - We have enjoyed support from two groups of Corporate volunteers so far this year, from Haleon and Costain. The teams have helped us to maintain the banks, clear the paths and cut back overgrown borders along the waterway, as well as planting some new specimen trees.
super team from IWA’s Waterway Recovery Group/BITM to continue progressive clearance of fallen trees across lower Bray Cut, which still block the navigation’s link to the Thames.
Richard Davenport, Chair of the Trustees Maidenhead Waterways Group
Bray Cut Clearance - We have welcomed back for another weekend session a
River Wey & Godalming Navigations
Our Work: renewing lock gates on the River Wey
When the lock gates were built along the River Wey over 300 years ago there was no standard plan or template. This article explains how we’re working today to create custom built gates to fit the section of waterway where they are needed. Our sustainable working methods keep the waterways open and the lock gates in good condition.
Constant use: as a busy trade route to London, the locks were in constant use from the horsedrawn barges. Over time the lock gates became worn and damaged and would need replacing. This work would be carried out by craftsmen using local oak.
Gradual deterioration: today the traffic along the Wey is very different but the locks are still busy. The wooden lock gates gradually deteriorate from exposure to the elements and from boat damage.
An important task: The gates help maintain the correct water levels in each section, or length, of the waterway. If the levels are incorrect then the locks become difficult to use and could put users at risk. This is why we routinely check the gates as part of our day-to-day work.
Annual maintenance: replacing old and damaged locks on the River Wey and Godalming Navigations is part of our annual maintenance programme. We always complete the work in the winter to cause minimum disruption to all waterway’s users.
Using traditional methods: We use many traditional methods, tools and sustainable oak for the replacement gates. The cast iron fittings are taken off the old gates and repurposed for use on the new ones.
The maintenance team can spend up to two weeks installing each gate, in much the same way as has been done for over three hundred years.
Cold conditions: When the lock is emptied we’re able to carry out any other works that become apparent. The team work in cold and wet conditions but gain a great sense of achievement from seeing their work appreciated by users of the waterway.
‘It’s been fantastic to see the skill and care taken by the maintenance team to not only ensure that the locks are both safe and operational but to also preserve the heritage of the gates by using techniques that have been handed down through the centuries.
Locks and weirs
Locks exist to allow boats to move up and down the waterway . Boaters are able to operate the locks themselves. Weirs are used to control the level of water in the Navigations.
When it rains, water drains into the river and makes the water level rise. If the water rises too much, it will overflow the banks, and cause flooding. When there is too much water in the river, opening the weir gates lets the water out and the water level drops. This needs to be done gradually so that the length of river below the weir does not flood.
There were 13 original sets of weirs or tumble bays built along the Navigations, and in the 1930s 15 new sets of flood relief weirs were installed to improve water management. Most of these are owned or operated by other bodies, the National Trust owns five weirs. If the weirs are opened as a chain reaction, the water in the river should stay level. This is one of the duties of the National Trust’s team of lengthspeople.
What is a lengthsperson?
This is a question frequently asked by visitors to the River Wey Navigations. There are six National Trust lengthspeople, who live along the river, often in the original lock keepers’ cottages.
They are responsible for the day-to-day running and management of a three to five mile length of the navigation. This includes the river, the towpath and any structures such as locks, weirs or bridges.
Because they live on site and are familiar with their length of the river, they develop a wide knowledge of the flora and fauna on the river as well as the history of their length.
What does a lengthsperson do?: The answer to this depends very much on the time of year. During the winter, managing water levels by operating weirs can take up most of their working hours and beyond - water doesn't stop rising or falling during the night. The team may be up all night checking and making weir movements.
In spring, the bankside vegetation starts growing, so strimming is in order, and the structures need painting. Later on a full force battle against vegetation takes place as the team successfully maintain a path for visitors to enjoy the river and for boaters to moor up. This used to happen automatically by the constant brushing of horse ropes against the towpath as they towed the barges.
Late summer or autumn storms will often bring down trees which block the waterway and lengthspeople need to remove them if they fall from National Trust land or arrange this with neighbours if the tree belongs to them. Protecting the waterway from invasive species, such as floating pennywort, Himalayan Balsam and signal crayfish is also high on the agenda.
One of the best ways to understand what the team does is to browse Emma, National Trust lengthsman’s, blog which is full of detail and pictures which show what it is like to work along the Navigations.
The water: The National Trust owns the river bed and much of the towpath. To help protect the Navigations, the National Trust works closely with others, including English Nature, the Surrey Wildlife Trust and the Environment Agency. The Environment Agency have responsibility for the water and within their remit fall water quality and flood alleviation. We work with them on projects such as fish passes.
Rooks Hill Project: Reinstating the canal and opening up new
countryside walks in Surrey
Following approval of its planning application, the Wey & Arun
Canal Trust is starting work on a new restoration project south of
Bramley in Surrey The site is at Rooks Hill and extends for 800 metres
south from a recently restored section at Birtley Green.
After completing the restoration of a section on the Wey & Arun canal
south of Bramley in 2023 along with two lifting bridges and the creation of
a circular walk connecting the canal and the Downslink, construction on
a new section will start this summer.
Walkers who enjoy walking along Greensand Way which crosses the
route of the canal today just see a grassy field as the canal was infilled and
therefore not visible
Phase I will see the construction of a bridge over which the
Greensand Way will cross the canal. Along with the bridge construction,
the banks and canal cut to the south of bridge alongside Fanesbridge
Cottage will be created and a culvert under the canal will be repaired.
In Phase 2, a new canal cut will be constructed and connected up
to the in water section just south of the Birtley 1 swing-bridge. A new
towpath will be built providing public access from Greensand Way up to
the completed Birtley bridges section and create new walking routes.
Schematic of Rooks Hill Project and location Map
In Phase 3 a new lock will be constructed on the site of the original
Fanesbridge Lock and the rest of the canal channel restored
On completion of this section, a 1.6 km length of canal will have
been restored and we are working on a new scheme to continue the
restoration as far as Run Common Road.
The costs of phase 1 is estimated at £286k The Trust already has
donations of over £86k to start wo
erial P
HedgeLaying
In February, we replanted a significant gap in the hedge, where brambles had overtaken all the previously planted hedgerow plants. The brambles were cleared, and the hedge was then re-planted using cell-grown hawthorns (UK stock grow by Cheviot Trees, who specialise in cellgrown trees). Previously, gapping up used bare-rooted plants, which can dry out and die while waiting to be planted especially in windy conditions like those that seem to prevail at the Canal!
There is good evidence that well rooted cell-grown plants establish better and faster, even though the plants are fairly small - time will tell if that is the case -the plants all had excellent root balls, and were ceremoniously dipped in the Canal before planting to make sure that the roots were completely soaked. Biochar (fine charcoal), from
site bonfires, was then applied as a weed suppressant around the base of the newly planted trees - competition for water is the major killer of trees during the establishment phase and suppressing grasses, in particular, is very important.
As expected, during February, the Team finished using all 330+ stakes and 330+ binders cut back in November. Some of the binders (aka heathers or heathering) were already becoming brittle, which is why numbers cut early in the season were deliberately limited. The hedgelaying season normally runs towards the end of March, so a further 130 stakes and a similar number of binders were cut from a local wood on the last outing of February, to allow us to work across March. The Team would like to express our sincere thanks to Peter Foulger who very generously allowed us to work his hazel coppice again, providing us with necessarily flexible binders as well as stakes
Rye Farm Project
A group has started work on the Rye Farm project to divert the bridleway from the landowner’s drive to immediately next to the canal. The first phase, which is around 180 m long, involves tree protection for the entire length of the diversion, which takes the form of Heras metal panels supported and secured with scaffold poles, complying with the arboricultural survey requirements, which are part of the planning agreement.
Following the construction of a storage compound in Buffy 's field (Buffy is the landowner's bull!), all of the necessary plant and equipment was transported to site. The first operation was to create a bund across the canal and start pumping the water to reduce the level to as low as possible, helped by relatively dry weather.
This was followed by the construction of an access ramp, for our excavator and dumper, down from the drive level to the starting point of the newly located bridleway. This new bridleway will be created by
placing fabric bulk bags filled with dry mix concrete in line on the canal bed parallel to the bank. These will be secured in position by a scaffold pole driven through the centre of each bag into the canal bed below. To provide further support and stability a further line of bulk bags filled with crushed concrete hardcore will be laid alongside the dry mix concrete bags on the side towards the bank. The area between those bags and the sloping canal bank will be filled with hardcore and compacted. On top of that will be laid a geogrid membrane followed by another layer of hardcore making up the level to form the base for the finished surface. The final surface needs to meet the approved bridleway specification.
This all involves much work for the drivers of the excavators and the dumper. By the end of the month the access ramp and 20 metres of the new bridleway had been constructed.
Future Events
Sun 29th Jun, 4pm – 6pm: Wey & Arun Small Boats Rally. Please check our website for full details The launch at Pulborough will be at 4 pm and from Stopham at 4.30 pm due to the tide.
Trevor Lewis - WACT Press Office and Website
River Thames News
At the meeting of the Thames Waterways Forum on April 23rd Maria Herlihy noted the number of potential Health and Safety incidents relating to children on boats that have taken place near locks. EA will ensure that people hiring boats are fully informed about the relevant risks.
The fatality at Weybridge was also noted and the EA will have talks with British Rowing about their advice for rowing when red boards are showing.
There was disappointment that electronic payment for mooring fees has not yet been implemented and the limitations of QR codes were noted.
Conditions for manning locks overnight were mentioned and it was noted that some locks are waiting for their safety plans to be agreed. The complexities of daytime lock manning during the day were mentioned. The EA staff declined to be drawn into discussions about the possible lock keepers’ strike.
Currently the water levels at Lechlade are good with enough for navigation but some shoals would benefit from dredging. Mooring remains a problem with lying vegetation causing slip hazards on mooring points and overhanging trees blocking sight lines.
Some additional funds have been found to plan for future works. The Thames is a great river to navigate, just check the relevant pollution websites if you want to swim etc.
Verna Smith
Paddle UK
Water Quality
Paddle UK has welcomed the rise in criminal investigations into water companies. Improving the water environment remains an important issue for paddlesport and other users of the waterways.
A record 81 criminal investigations have been launched into water companies following action by the government. It means water bosses could be jailed for up to five years, or companies face fines of hundreds of millions of pounds, following the crackdown.
In 2024, England experienced a record 3.61 million hours of sewage discharge through storm water overflows or malfunctions at treatment works. An aid to identify where this occurs, Water UK has released mapping showing near real-time storm discharge activityhttps://experience.arcgis.com/experience/cb89b71c060f40d394dca026445da4bc/ . Known as Event Duration Monitoring (EDM) the maps show when combined sewer overflows (CSOs) are discharging into a watercourse.
To avoid the risk of infection from contaminated water that can also result from animal waste flushed into water courses Paddle UK provides advice to paddlers.
Details of the scheme and consultation are posted atwww.https://engageenvironmentagency.uk.engagementhq.com/hub-page/lowermole-flood-alleviation-scheme
The scheme was constructed over 30 years ago after the serious flooding event on the River Mole at East Molesey. Sections of the River Mole and River Ember were widened to create a flood channel between Esher and the River Thames. Several sluices control water levels and flows are time expired to require replacement.
The Environment Agency consulted users and the local community in 2024 to discuss the engineering options to remove or renew the sluices. As the LMFAS and the River Mole upstream of Esher are a regularly used paddling resource in the South West London area, Paddle UK responded to the consultation. Engineering options proposed include a lowering of water levels more than 1 metre in places, creating shoals with the potential to disbenefit paddlers and create a loss of amenity. The
water level on the natural River Mole upstream of Esher would also be much reduced.
Paddle UK, along with many others have objected to a reduction in water levels. Paddle UK also commented the renewal works should include the provision of facilities for users such as landing stages for portaging about structures as a recreational gain.
The EA has recently released the outcome of the consultation advising over 50% of responses have opted to retain the existing water levels. In May, Paddle UK attended an EA tour of the scheme to learn any works will not start until 2031. In the meantime, the EA stated it is to review design proposals that suggests a further consultation.
Map courtesy of EA website Kevin East Voluntary Waterways & Environment Project Officer
Surrey Care Trust
Swingbridge Community boats provide a wonderful experience people who have limited mobility or special needs. Our boats run excursions from Dapdune Wharf on the River Wey throughout the spring, summer and early autumn. Tranquility is specifically adapted with a wheelchair lift, so it is fully accessible for people with limited mobility as well as other needs, to enjoy a morning or afternoon out. We also offer courses leading to National Community Boats Association qualifications as well as our own courses. All training courses can be adapted to meet different interests and ability levels. www.surreycaretrust.org.uk
Addlestone Canoe Club
A Surrey canoe club has been honoured by King Charles III for its community work
We are proud to announce that Addlestone Canoe Club has been awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service for 2024. This is the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE.
Based on the edge of the picturesque Wey Navigation, Addlestone Canoe Club has been established for over 40 years. We are a registered charity run entirely by volunteers. Addlestone Canoe Club is a multi-discipline club that welcomes all those interested in paddle sports from Whitewater, Sprint, Marathon Racing and Paracanoeing. Addlestone Canoe Club is probably the most diversified Club in the region, and we run programmes and instruction to suit beginners and advanced paddlers of all ages and abilities. Due to our location on the Wey Navigation, we have developed a special ethos of providing a wide variety of Canoeing experiences
and opportunities for young people. Some of our young paddlers have gone on to represent Great Britain at International events while some adult members have participated in the renowned Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race.
The Canoe Club operates all year round and during the summer months the volunteer (Paddle UK qualified) coaches at the Canoe Club take out hundreds of local young people from various scout, guide, church, youth and school groups including young carers and those with disabilities.
Addlestone Canoe Club is one of 281 local charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year. Our work, along with others from across the UK, reminds us of all the ways fantastic volunteers are contributing to their local communities and working to make life better for those around us.
The King’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by local volunteer groups to support their communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate Her Majesty The late Queen’s Golden Jubilee and, was continued following the accession of His Majesty The King. 2024 marks the second year of The King’s Award for Voluntary Service.
Recipients are announced annually on 14th November, The King’s Birthday. Award winners this year are wonderfully diverse and include volunteer groups from across the UK, such as a mental health and wellbeing support network for veterans and their families in Yorkshire; a group preserving a historic 12th century castle in south Wales; volunteers providing English lessons for refugees in Stirling and an organisation providing a opportunities to engage in the arts for people with learning disabilities in County Fermanagh.
Representatives of Addlestone Canoe Club received the award crystal and certificate from Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Surrey, Brigadier Paul Evans OBE, at a ceremony on Saturday at the club's home. In addition, two volunteers from Addlestone Canoe Club will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May and June 2025, along with other recipients of this year’s Award.
Caroline Pemble, Chair of Addlestone Canoe Club said: “We are delighted that Addlestone Canoe Club’s work has been recognised. We are a multidisciplined canoe club based on the edge of the Wey Navigation that provides safe, quality paddlesport activities, fitness and health opportunities for all. This is not possible without the hard work and commitment of all our volunteer coaches and club members.”
Addlestone canoe Club Website
Join our community of like-minded people from all walks of life and show your support for the waterways. The Inland Waterways Association is the only national charity that works to preserve and restore all Britain’s 7,000 miles of canals and river navigations.
Kent & East Sussex Branch
Interim IWAKES Chairman’s Piece
The limited choice of destinations to navigate to this Spring has led to Llangollen. On the way, glancing back down the Farmers Bridge flight of locks I marvelled at the way the developers of the properties here worked around the locks. How easy it would have been to abandon and fill in the canal. We must be forever grateful to the people who ensured this did not happen.
Leaving the Welsh canal we intended to return via the Trent & Mersey, usually a reliable route. So I thought. Arriving at Middlewich we learned that the Cheshire locks are to be closed due to a shortage of water. So, returning back to the Shropshire Union seemed the best option. Luckily the Wardle canal was a delightful return trip! I wonder what alternatives will be for the next canal journey.
This experience prompts me to give thanks to everyone involved in Fund Britain's Waterways. Banners and posters are now to be seen extensively on both business and private premises. It is so important that we all give whatever support we can so that the heritage that we have so far protected is not lost forever. Navigation is important but I am heartened to see that there is a recognition that the campaign is about so much more. Increasingly, water quality and supply, whether too little or too much, needs more attention from government.
Peter Wilkinson
Thames & Medway Canal Association
Our primary task this spring has been at the section alongside the Nuralite industrial site to clear branches growing from the south bank which were overhanging the canal. Due to the steep bank ending at the waterline this has proved to be a long and laborious task as we had to establish a pallet bridge and work from the water’ s edge. Access from the top of the bank was impossible. This will become a very long project as we must wait until the leaves fall in late autumn to see what we are doing before we begin and we must cease work at the end of March when the birds start nesting.
River Adur
Clearance started opposite the “Vista” which gives a much wider view of the water. It was nice to see a few daffs come up that some school children planted earlier in the year. Now that summer is upon us the vegetation is running rampant.
Water level is causing concern as some sections seem to be almost a mud puddle. Hopefully, with a bit of research, we can resolve this.
Dave Parnell
Following changes in the politics, both within West Sussex County Council (WSCC) and Adur District Council (ADC), a more dynamic and positive approach is being adopted towards completion of the Adur Tidal Walls. It has been a pleasant change for the IWA to support proposed changes, which include improved access to the River Adur, rather than having to object. Construction of the walls has been ongoing for over 18 years and the only stretch remaining to be completed is that alongside the Sussex Yacht Club (SYC). Discussions and even arguments have continued throughout that lengthy period. The complication is that Stows Gap (a public hard traditionally used to launch and recover boats) is mainly on land owned by the SYC, which has made several attempts to officially remove the public right of access. The WSCC Rights of Way team has repeatedly stated that obstructions on the route are not a reason for closure and that the original width must be retained. It is currently expected that the original 12 m (42') width of the ramp will be officially approved, by WSCC, and then ADC will propose plans and a timescale for completing the Tidal Wall.
Dolphin Hard is the next one upstream from Stows Gap and it is likely to return to BOAT (Byway Open to All Traffic) status after being a Restricted Byway. So, there is a strong case for Stows Gap, and other public hards on the River Adur, to be returned to BOAT status. That would mean that there would be full vehicular access which would greatly improve the public's ability to access the water. The IWA has recently reminded ADC of their long involvement with improving public access to the River Adur and politely asked for an update on the current situation. It is expected that the plans for Stows Gap will be presented to the ADC Planning Committee in the near future. Brendan Whelan
River Medway news from Mike Marsh
Environment Agency (EA) News
– There is a significant shoal buildup downstream of Teston Lock. Plans are in place to address this shoaling as a matter of urgency. A marker buoy has been placed to indicate the affected area. Boaters are advised to approach with extreme caution and pass the marker buoy on their left.
– EA temporarily closed the Town Lock (Tonbridge) Canoe Pass as water level conditions fell below safe operating thresholds in May. Porters Lock Canoe Pass was also closed in mid-May due to fluctuating downstream water levels. This measure was taken to prevent any risk of canoes dropping off the ramp, ensuring the safety of all paddlers. EA closely monitored the situation and Porters Lock Canoe Pass was re-opened later when conditions stabilised and it was safe to do so.
– A sunken vessel under the M20 bridge, approaching Allington lock on the tidal section, was safely removed on 22nd May.
– Work continues to upgrade and improve the lock landing stages.
Step into a world of enchantment as Maidstone River Festival returns on Saturday, 26th July 2025. This year’s theme, "Fairytales &
Maidstone River Festival
Fantasy", is inspired by the wonder and imagination that have captivated audiences for generations. Join the fun as the festival organisers transform the picturesque River Medway into a sparkling realm of storytelling and adventure, celebrating 70 years of magical memories around the world.
Families and visitors of all ages are invited to experience a day brimming with excitement, creativity, and community spirit. Dust off your finest fairytale attire, gather your magical companions, and immerse yourself in a festival where every moment feels like stepping into a storybook.
Raft Race: Cheer on imaginative rafts as they race down the Medway, showcasing the creativity and competitive spirit of our local teams.
Music and Dance Performances: Enjoy captivating shows at Coronation Square, inspired by the theme of fantasy and storytelling.
Family Fun: Face painting, costume contests, and storytelling sessions will spark the imagination of our younger visitors.
Illuminated Finale: As the day turns to dusk, witness the river light up with illuminated boats and the muchanticipated Firmin Family Fireworks Spectacular at 10:00pm.
Full program of events: https://www.maidstoneriverfestival.com/whats-on
Medway River Users Association
The Medway River Users Association was formed in 1968 after catastrophic floods which ravaged the Medway valley destroying homes, businesses, property and, not least, lives. They continue the ongoing challenge of persuading and lobbying the authorities responsible for the River Medway and its environment to do the essential maintenance that may not be obvious to the casual observer.
Who uses the River Medway? Anglers, boaters of one kind or another, canoeists, paddle boarders (SUPs), rowers, we even have divers, not to mention bird watchers, walking groups, art groups and photographers. All enjoy the diversity of the navigation. Its scenery is admired by thousands of tourists. Just look at Teston Lock and Yalding on a sunny summer day.
In addition to clubs and businesses, MRUA have an ever-growing number of individual members who support them. These people appreciate the benefits of
having an organisation such as the MRUA to help keep an ever-watchful eye on the river and see that things that need to be done get done!
The Association works closely with the Environment Agency, meeting regularly to discuss issues relating to the well-being of the water and surrounding areas. These meetings are held bi-monthly at the EA offices, Allington Lock. The number of clubs and groups represented on the committee has grown and diversified over the years.
These include: Allington Marina CC, Border Force, East Farleigh CC, Hempstead & Yalding CC, IWA, Kent Fire and Rescue, Kentish Lady, Kent Police, Kingfisher Trust, Maidstone Canoe Club, Maidstone Invicta Rowing Club, Maidstone BC Councillors, Maidstone River Park, Medway & Swale Boating Association, Medway Valley Countryside Partnership, Medway River Canoes, Medway Victory Angling Society, The Old Boat Café, Tonbridge River Trips, Local Police Community Support Officers and residential boat owners,
The EA is represented by Nick Dundon, Medway Navigation Team Leader. The MRUA Chairman is Mark Smurthwaite, ably supported by Secretary Helen Rogers and Treasurer Bev Henderson. https://www.facebook.com/rivermedwayboaters?fref=ts
Sussex Ouse Restoration Trust
There is little positive news to bring. Members and Trustees continue to keep the restored Isfield Lock’s area neat and tidy.
As reported before, we at the Sussex Ouse Restoration Trust are working to close the charity due to the lack of permissible, viable restoration and preservation work available on the Sussex Ouse Navigation. It is not a quick process!
Conversations are being had with the two landowners concerned at Isfield Lock and its wharf. Their boundary runs right up the middle of the lock and its cuts! One will have to take on the maintenance, mowing, etc. of the public footpath (The Sussex Ouse Valley Way) which is on the western side of the lock. SORT has done all this for the last twenty years but the landowner will now have to fulfil the full legal responsibility. The eastern side has no public rights of way over it (apart from those with fishing rights) and will not need any real attention.
Some trees there look a bit fragile and may fall in the not-so-distant future. If they fall away from the cut, into the main course of the river, they will become a matter for the Environment Agency. We shall be trying to persuade the two landowners to keep checking on the structures of the lock and its adjacent wharf. I hope they’ll be prepared to remove self-seeded saplings and anything else that might compromise the integrity of the lock. Let’s see what happens.
We have a compound to dismantle and remove, which is much easier said than done. It is over half a mile from a public road and a cattle field has to be crossed to get to the nearest estate track. The hardest task would seem to be to “chop” up a rusting 20 ft former sea-going container but with a member who used to build fishing boats and is very handy at building and unbuilding metal structures we are not anticipating any difficulties here.
The challenge is getting the chopped-up container, a pile of very old and rusting scaffold tubes, old tin roofing sheets, a plethora of very old hand tools, etc. up to the estate track 250 metres away. We’re hoping the landowner will lend us a tractor and trailer to do the heavy moving for us. We shall also be calling for volunteers once we have the various agreements in place. We have to do this before the end of August because we lose access to our preferred estate access road from September to February and our other access route is not feasible for such heavy movements.
What is much easier and quicker to deal with is where SORT’s outstanding funds go! Already £24,000 of our cash reserves have been donated to appropriate charities working in the waterway restoration and preservation sector. £4,000 has been given to the IWA-promoted Fund British Waterways (FBW) campaign. Many, many years ago IWA gave grants adding up to £4k to SORT to develop and publish our vision document and also to buy a dumper. We felt it was only appropriate to “return” this money.
SORT has had a major and very generous donor over many years who donated sums to be held as restricted investment funds to provide an income to help SORT do its work. Each year SORT has received between £1,500 and £2,000 in dividends from these accounts.
This member suggested that this invested money be donated to the Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Trust for their building of a new lock on the stretch of canal alongside Tamworth Road that is currently being restored. The Trustees were very happy to agree to the request as the funds will contribute towards the building, if not a restoration, of a lock as we did at Isfield. Just over £20,000 is the sum involved. Both these donations were delivered in mid-May. The rest of our funds will be dispersed in various suitable directions once the costs involved in the final decommissioning of our site have been paid.
Not the news I wanted to give and not the news you would have wanted to hear. Let’s hope the FBW campaign is successful and other trusts and bodies working on more viable waterways get the encouragement and resources they need. David Evans
River Stour
Report from Malcolm Hasler
Since my last report on the Kentish River Stour, leisure activity has begun to rise as the warmth of the impending summer approaches. Leisure boaters, stand up paddle boarders, canoes and kayaks can all be seen to maximise the time that they can spend on the water. As I write this report Colin Carr, who operates the river trips out of Plucks Gutter, along with his crew, have set off from Plucks Gutter on his historic Dunkirk Little Ship, Ferry Nymph, to travel to Ramsgate and then on to Dunkirk to join the flotilla of Little Ships commemorating the 85th Anniversary of Operation Dynamo. We wish them a safe passage.
Grove Ferry Electric Boat Trip – Places remain available at no charge for IWA members and their guests. Details are below.
Grove Ferry Bridge Replacement – This is currently being considered by Kent County Council (the Highway Authority) which has consulted IWAKES, the Downstream Interests Group, The Boat House and all other affected or interested parties. An update meeting was held on the 4th February with AECOM after the initial engagement in 2023, with constructive discussions being held. On 13th May Mary Newing from The Boat House, received some alleged circulating local news that a new design for the bridge, raising the air draught by about 1 foot, was now in the public domain. An update, on behalf of the interested groups, was requested from AECOM, whose response was as follows:
“The bridge form remains unaltered, and we can confirm it is the same as we discussed in person during our last meeting. We are still working on the vertical alignment to maximise the clearance. As mentioned during our meeting, it is not an easy solution as the railway crossing on the north and downhill levels along the south approach are the main constraints to increase the levels at the bridge location. We will let you know once we have a firm answer regarding the clearance improvement.”
The main points arising from the meeting on the 4th February were:
- Design discussed/shared has the same air draught as the current bridge.
- The design aims to reduce the time that the road has to be closed by constructing the bridge off site, keeping disruption to a minimum for local services and businesses.
- Currently the plan is to commence the works in October 2026 with the programme of works taking some 4 to 6 months to complete.
- Consideration is to be given to reducing the current speed limit on this section of the road to 30mph, allowing for a possible increase of the air draught over the river at the bridge.
- Further feedback to be given when it becomes available.
We now wait for the next update meeting and hopefully the promised full public consultation before plans are finalised.
Any news, views and/or information that you would like to share can be sent to me at: Malcolm.Hasler@waterways.org.uk or mshasler@btinternet.com
Future IWAKES and Other Events
Thursday 10th July 2025: 12.00 to 13.00 and 13.00 to 14.00: Grove Ferry Inn, Grove Ferry Road, Upstreet, Kent. CT3 4BP: “Grove Ferry - River Stour - Boat Trip”:
IWAKES has booked two consecutive “one-hour trips” to see the river and beaver lodges (though not the beavers themselves, which come out only at night). IWA members (and up to one guest) are welcome to join either trip. The trips are free, but contributions on the day are welcomed.
Please make reservations (first come, first served) in advance with Malcolm Hasler: Malcolm.Hasler@waterways.org.uk or 07734 905021
Stagecoach bus 8, Canterbury to Margate, passes Sturry rail station and stops just East of Upstreet village with a ten minutes walk down the rather steep Grove Ferry Hill to the river. You should park in the Grove Ferry Inn car park (not the Kent County Council one) and register your car number plate at the Inn bar on arrival. Parking is free whether or not you buy food or drink, but the Inn serves good food, which should be ordered from the bar only after the boat trip. You may bring your own refreshments on board the boat. The boat trip starts and ends from the decking on the riverside of the Inn. Please arrive five minutes before departure.
Oxfordshire Branch
Well, the start of this year’s boating season has enjoyed very much better weather than the last two years. I hope you have been able to use our waterways.
We held the branch AGM in April 2025 and tried something different with a Saturday lunchtime pub-based meeting rather than a dark cold evening meeting in a village hall. Unfortunately, the new format didn’t result in the huge influx of attendees hoped for but a bit of that may have been to do with inadvertently clashing with the Thrupp Cruising Club’s work party day which lots of members were involved in.
In addition to Mark Rowan and I, one member expressed an interest in helping to run the branch and a couple offered to organise a social event. This was very welcome but fewer than the 4 to 6 people willing to put themselves forward to take on official branch committee roles that I had said was the minimum required for the branch not to close. However, I had my arm twisted not to close down the branch so we will struggle on and hope for further support. Please do find some time to contribute, if you can, even if not in an official role. Please get in touch.
Hopefully you can help man the stands at the Banbury Canal Festival 4th and 5th October 2025. If you can again, please do get in touch if you can help.
Ian Lindsay Oxfordshire Branch Chair
Tooley’s Boatyard Trust
Easter saw the start of the boat trips season – our team of dedicated volunteers giving up time every Saturday (and sometimes weekdays) to welcome visitors on board our Dancing Duck to sample the atmosphere of the Oxford Canal and to learn a bit about how that Canal, and Tooley’s Boatyard, made such a difference to Banbury in the 18th and 19th centuries.
The Trust is fully supportive of the Fund Britain’s Waterways campaign, so it was nice to see some of the boats that had taken part in the cruise past the Houses of Parliament as they transited though Banbury on their
way to The Wash. Well done everyone involved!
We continue our efforts to transmit the traditional skills to as many people as possible - be it working on our historic wooden boat Hardy or learning the blacksmith’s art in our Forge. If you’re interested in developing new skills, do get in touch - give us a ring on 01295 272917.
Tooley’s also runs helmsman courses, beginners or advanced, and these are proving very popular indeed - which suggests a growing interest in the canals and boating. They can be booked via our website: https://tooleysboatyard.co.uk
And we’re planning now for the Banbury Canal Festival, with a full complement of both trader boats and historic boats already scheduled. So make a note in your diaries: Saturday October 4th and Sunday October 5th .
Wilts & Berks Canal Trust
First, some sad news; Gordon Olson, retired businessman, Trustee and for several years CEO of the Trust, died peacefully on May 24th. A man of vision, a crystal-clear mind and tireless energy extending well into his 80s, he set about transforming the Trust’s structure into a more business-like model; a process our present CEO, Mike Gibbin, has continued, putting us into a much stronger position in terms of engagement with potential funders, politicians both local and national and others in preparation for the political support and large funding bids we will need to progress. This is all the more important bearing in mind the huge challenges that we, like all Charities, are currently having to deal with.
Meanwhile our trip boat Dragonfly, with her new coat of paint, resumed her trips from Waitrose over Easter; our new boat Nonsuch, also with new paint, resumed hers in Royal Wootton Bassett every Saturday, albeit briefly delayed by vandals damaging a spillweir. We repaired the latter quickly but had to await some rain before the water level rose sufficiently. At our third trip boat location, our fascinating and ever-changing restoration site at Pewsham (by Chippenham), we hold open days including boat trips every second Saturday of each month. Lastly, we ran our two smaller trip boats during the Chippenham Folk Festival over the late May Bank Holiday – possibly the last time we can do this as the Environment Agency is going to remove the radial gate that enables us to do this.
In other news, digging has resumed on the new section in Middle Wichel in Swindon, taking the canal up to Mill Lane. Hopefully later this year work will start from the other side of the road to join up with the stretch at Waitrose – that will make our trips much longer and more interesting. Once that is done, a tunnel under Mill Lane itself will enable the two sections to join up, tripling the length of canal currently in water and enabling our boat trips to include a lock!
In the previously mentioned threat to the canal line posed by the development on the Oasis site the developers, in response to our concerns, have modified their proposals in an effort to address the problem. We, in turn, have put forward a design with some minor changes that, if accepted, will enable us to withdraw our objection. We await events.
Thames Water, much in the public eye recently, now seems certain to progress with SESRO, the large reservoir near Abingdon that would inundate the canal line. We are meeting with their planning team with a view to facilitating a new canal line around the reservoir in some shape or form.
Photos courtesy of WBCT website
Chris Barry Comms Secretary, Wilts & Berks Canal Trust
Mikron Theatre Group
Multi-award-winning Mikron was founded in 1972. 2025 marks Mikron’s 53rd year of bringing professional theatre to your doorstep.
Subterfuge, seagulls and salty air
Wouldn’t you trade anything for a trip to the beach? A centuries old tradition, full to the brim with nostalgia and escapism! But as history ticks on, some places get left behind…
When Holly arrives in the quaint seaside town of Fiddling-On-Sea, she expects a quiet break from the din of the big city. However, she soon finds herself plunged into a whole new world of coastal chaos. “Fiddling-On-Sea’s Best Beach Hut Competition” is in full swing, and the summer heat is rising…
As the competition deadline draws closer, the deep history of the seaside floats to the surface, washing up a host of characters and stories from centuries gone by. It doesn’t take Holly long to realise there is far more at stake than just a prize for best beach hut.
Join Mikron on our latest musical adventure to the Great British seaside!
A Bletchley Story
In a nondescript mansion house, in a nondescript town, a group of extra-ordinary men and women worked to provide intelligence that would help to win the war.
But shhhhhh, you’d better keep it under your hat, because as far as the rest of the world is concerned, Bletchley Park doesn’t exist
Peggy Valentine arrives at Bletchley in 1940, 18 years old, headstrong and gifted. Finding herself in a world of boffins, soldiers and debutantes, Peggy has to shoulder the burden of high pressure war work whilst navigating a new world of feuds, friendships and growing up in a frame of absolute secrecy.
But what of the world beyond Bletchley? As the war rages on in Europe, the stakes are raised for Peggy and her friends as they work to protect their loved ones fighting abroad.
Mikron invites you to enter a world of secrets, songs and cyphers as we get to know the heroes of Hut 3.
Please visit our website for booking details, times and venues. www.mikron.org.uk
The Puppet Theatre Barge
The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse (LITTLE VENICE)
London Region Socials (Combined with North and East London Branch)
We have made the decision to alternate our Region Socials as in-person one month and on-line the next. This will enable us to continue with the social aspect whilst also allowing people unable to travel to the venue to join in with talks. Dates for the online ones are under discussion and will be circulated in due course. These will be in April and June.
The in-person ones will alternate with South London Socials (see below) so there is always an in-person IWA event each month. We are pleased to be able to continue to hold the Region ones at the London Canal Museum, 12-13 New Wharf Road, N1 9RT.
The talks start at 7.30pm and we have tea, coffee and soft drinks available beforehand and in the break. Some of us usually go to a local pub for a drink afterwards and all are welcome to join us.
If you would like to be added to my circulation and are not on the IWA London Region circulation please email me as below: Libby Bradshaw libby.bradshaw@ursa.me.uk 07956 655037.
South London Branch
Since the autumn we have been holding meetings on alternate months.
Wed June 11th – Speaker TBA
Meetings start at 7.30pm and we can access the venue from 7pm via a code which will be put on the door on the evening. The venue is The Primary Room East Croydon United Reformed Church, Addiscombe Grove, Croydon CR0 5LP. It is a short walk from East Croydon Train and Tram stop Refreshments will be available in the break. For further information please contact Shea Richardson, Social Secretary, South London IWA: shea.richardson@homecall.co.uk 07803 904803
Towpath Walks Group
The Start time for all Walks is 2.30pm. Normal charge: £15. Concessionary and Student rate: £10. Children aged 16 and over, accompanied by parents: £10. Children aged 8 – 15, accompanied by parents: £5. (Children under 8, accompanied by parents, go for free). Prior booking is mandatory: Please contact London Walks: 020 7624 3978. Or email: london@walks.com. It is Very Important to watch the IWA websitewww.waterways.org.uk - or the London Walks website –www.walks.com – for any late changes to the walk.
Towpath Walks Group is looking for volunteers to guide small parties of walkers on short walks along the towpath of the Regent’s Canal (and elsewhere). This introduces newcomers to the pleasant world of waterways. It is also a good way of recruiting new members to IWA. No experience? No problem, we’ll brief you.
Sun 1st Jun: Regent’s Canal: King’s Cross - Granary Square – Hitchcock’s Hackney. Meet King’s Cross (meet by Taxi Queue sign, next to outdoor Pret a Manger)
Sun 15th Jun: Sun Regent’s Canal: King’s Cross - Granary Square – St. Pancras. Meet King’s Cross (meet by Taxi Queue sign, next to outdoor Pret a Manger)
Sun 22nd Jun: Regent’s Canal: Mile End – Limehouse. Meet Mile End
Sun 6th Jul: Regent’s Canal: King’s Cross - Granary Square – Camden. Meet King’s Cross (meet by Taxi Queue sign, next to outdoor Pret a Manger)
Sun 3rd Aug: Regent’s Canal: King’s Cross - Granary Square – St. Pancras. Meet King’s Cross (meet by Taxi Queue sign, next to outdoor Pret a Manger)
Sun 17th Aug: Regent’s Canal: Little Venice – Camden. Meet Warwick Avenue
Sun 24th Aug: Four Hundred Years of the New River. Meet Manor House (Finsbury Park exit: exit 6)
Sun 7th Sep: Regent’s Canal: Mile End – Limehouse. Meet Mile End
Sun 21st Sep: Royal Victoria Dock – East India Dock. Meet Royal Victoria (DLR)(IFS Cloud/Seagull Lane exit)
Sat 27th Sep: Grand Union Canal: Kensal Green – Little Venice. Meet Kensal Green
Sun 5th Oct: Regent’s Canal: King’s Cross - Granary Square – St. Pancras. Meet King’s Cross (meet by Taxi Queue sign, next to outdoor Pret a Manger)
Sun 19th Oct: Limehouse – Thames – Docklands Meet Westferry (DLR)(by Cycle Hire Point)
Sun 2nd Nov: Regent’s Canal: Little Venice – Camden. Meet Warwick Avenue
Sun 16th Nov: Regent’s Canal: R.Tyburn – Little Venice. Meet Baker St (Baker St north/Lords exit)
The Narrow Boat Trust
In the Autumn edition of the Cargoes my colleague John Fevyer introduced the Narrow Boat Trust to your readers. I thought it might be interesting to give a bit more information about the trust.
Interestingly, the very origins of the NBT were right here in your area. In 1970 the last long distance carrying by narrow boat came to an end with the last deliveries of coal to Dickinson’s paper mills and also the “jam ‘Ole” in Southall which served Kearley & Tonges jam factory. In the same year there was a spontaneous meeting of several individuals at the IWA Water Festival at Guildford. Several people were
trying to keep carrying going and it was felt that there was a need to preserve some of the dwindling number of narrow boats to facilitate this.
The result of these conversations was that the germ of the Narrow Boat Trust was formed. Further meetings took place in various parts of the country and by September the first formal meeting took place. By the next year, following visits to the Wendover Arm where many old boats were dumped, bids were successfully put in for two motors and a butty: Alton, Nuneaton and the butty Satellite. Many years later, and several changes of boats, we still have the motor Nuneaton and, from 1996, the butty Brighton, both built in 1936.
Deliveries have at various times been to different locations around the network, including the River Weaver and the Worcester & Birmingham Canal, but over the years we have settled on our “patch” the River Thames, including Ash
Island and Eel Pie Island, and the rivers Wey and Kennet and the upper Thames. Last year our progress was interrupted by the red boards at many locks but we still managed to get to all our customers, albeit by resorting to a hired van for those above Bourne End including the Kennet and the Thames up to Lechlade.
Our motor, Nuneaton, had her hull extensively restored with new base plates, a few years back largely funded by a legacy from one of our members and this year Brighton is getting the same treatment thanks to a second legacy from a member. We will therefore have a working pair in a very good condition to continue delivering solid fuel well into the future.
What makes the Narrow Boat Trust different from other fuel boats delivering around the network is that we are a charity and anyone can join us and learn the skill involved in handling a pair of narrow boats not only to rallies and events but on our autumn “coal run” where we offer them the unique opportunity to steer a loaded pair. It also includes the important skills of sheeting up the boats, running with snubbers and snatchers when loaded as well as cross straps when the boats are empty. There is also the opportunity to use gate lines to open the gates and, at times, long-lining on flights of locks where the motor is in one lock and the butty in the previous lock.
For further information about joining us or, if you are waterside, or on the water, ordering solid fuel, please see our website www.narrowboattrust.org.uk we would love to hear from you as we move into our second half century.
Kirk Martin, Chair
IWA Chesham Head Office Staff
Administration Manager (PT): Tracy Higgin ext 601
Membership Assistant (PT): Rachel Bryant ext 600
Administration Assistant (PT): Kelly Gascoine ext 615
Treasurer: Mark Rowan Cargoes co-ordinator & Jericho: tba Email: mark.rowan@waterways.org.uk
Non Committee Responsibilities
Thames RUG 3: Sue & David Cooper
Next issue: Autumn Copy date: 27th September 2025
Opinions expressed in Cargoes are not necessarily those of IWA. IWA, 16B Asheridge Road, Chesham, Bucks, HP5 2PX. Tel: 01494 783453 Company No: 612245. Charity No: 212342 www.waterways.org.uk
Cargoes
Editor: Chris Jones chris.jones@waterways.org.uk
The Wey River Festival returns for a fabulous day of fun with:
Food and craft stalls
Children’s activities
Live music
The illuminated boat pageant at dusk
All with FREE ENTRY
There is no parking on site, please use town centre car parks or public transport
