East Yorkshire Branch – January 2013 Newsletter

East Yorkshire Branch

BRANCH NEWSLETTER JANUARY 2013

The Branch Christmas Meal

Some thoughts from our Branch Chairman May I wish you a happy and healthy New Year and good boating weather to all our boating members.

2012 saw a very active year in our branch and waterways matters in general.

British Waterways became Canal & River Trust in July and we wish them success in their new guise and hope that we will see improvements filter through to the various waterways.

Locally, the East Riding and North Waterways Partnership has gained strength and momentum and has been instrumental in setting up a number of partnerships specific to individual waterways. It is great to see progress being made on the Market Weighton Canal, the Driffield Navigation, Hedon Haven and the Pocklington Canal. In some cases it is consultations with local residents and with others it is by working towards obtaining grant money for larger projects. Your IWA branch is involved with some of the partnerships and continues to push forward our aims.

We participated in the litter pick along Beverley Beck and took our branch stand to the Jubilee Day event on the Beck as well as taking it to Goole Waterways Museum for the Folk Sail event and also to the Pocklington Canal on their 'fun day' in May. The stall has also been to a couple of other local events. All this has enabled us to meet many members of the public and tell them about the good works of the IWA as well as raise extra funds which will then go to local waterway projects. We look forward to more outings for the stand this year. If you are able to help staff the stand, please let Chris Stones know.

Another major event for us was of course inviting the Mikron Theatre Company, details of which appear elsewhere in this issue.

The East Yorkshire section of the IWA website now looks far more inviting and interesting thanks to the help of Alistair Anderson adding our newsletters, events, news and providing links to other local happenings. Please do try to visit our site when you can and feel free to comment or provide any information you feel may be of interest to our members.

Alison Smedley, IWA Branch Campaign Officer, came to one of our committee meeting recently to talk to us about her role within the IWA. She has been recruited to assist branches in their volunteering efforts. After discussion about our area it is hoped that a group from our branch will be able to go 'balsam bashing' on the Pocklington Canal in the summer. This invasive plant has been spreading in a few areas on the canal. Please look out for details in the newsletters or on the website.

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We continue to ring the changes with speakers to talk about a range of topics at our monthly social meetings. It would be great to see a few more people attend. We get less than ten percent of our members at each meeting and in order to attract speakers a few more in the audience would be appreciated. If you have any suggestions for speakers or topics, please let me know as it gets harder each year to find presenters.

Finally may I thank all the committee members for their help and support in my first year as chairman and for their continuing work in running our events. It is much appreciated. If you are able to offer a little of your time, how about joining our team? Our AGM is in March and we would love to have some extra members on our committee.

Many thanks to you all Roger Bromley Branch Chairman

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Have fun ...... Have funds Fund-raising has long been a core functiom of the IWA. Our structure, with its 40 or so branches evolved, in part, to facilitate this.

Many branches take advantage of the fund-raising opportunities presented by attending all kinds of local events, not just waterway-related ones. Some have very impressive display and sales stands, on a par with commercial organisations.

Tapping in to the goodwill of the general public has proved to be an excellent source of revenue and those members taking part usually find it to be hugely enjoyable and rewarding.

Historically the efforts of our own branch in this area have been somewhat sporadic. We have had a large display stand with photographs and publicity material for many years. However, it is fair to say that it has not had many outings for a very long time now.

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In most recent years a few of our members, most notably Joan and Gordon Muspratt, have represented us at various local events, the Hull Sea Shanty festival springs to mind. Their efforts were largely on their own initiative and they raised awareness of our branch as well as funds. This year, however, we have stepped up a gear. By investing in a gazebo and new signage, we now have a housing for our display stand with more impact. Updated publicity material and a selection of IWA shop items for sale along with donated books have, with just three outings, enabled us to raise four hundred pounds, most of which is surplus to expenses. We need to build on this great first season.

In order to realise this we have two requirements. Firstly, more helpers are needed to assist in manning the stand. So far most of this work has fallen on the shoulders of Chris and Dave Stones. We are grateful to them for their efforts but I am sure that they would appreciate some help from you. Secondly, if you know of any events local to you that might be suitable for us to attend, please let us know. It does not need to be waterways-related, one of our most successful outings this year was the Royal Jubilee celebrations at Beverley Beck. We just want a presence where we can promote the IWA. Our activities with the new stand this year have been a real achievement for the Branch. We have raised our profile as well as making a major contribution to fundraising. It is all themore worthwhile when you know that the cash raised will be spent on local waterway restoration and amenity projects. Apart from that it is a very enjoyable and satisfying way to spend a few hours.

Jack Wootton Branch Treasurer Please, please offer to help out if you can, the new gazebo does give protection from rain and too hot sun (what’s that?) and we cannot be represented at events which we don’t know about. Don’t leave it to someone else, it is something most of us can do.

Editor

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Reiger and the York 800 Flotilla 2012 At Leeds boat gathering (see August newsletter) we met up with Mike and Sue on Vulcan and they agreed we could go with them up the Yorkshire Ouse from Goole to York for the York 800 Flotilla on Saturday 7th July.

We arrived at Goole on Thursday evening (we were due out of Ocean Lock at 7am on Friday 6th July) to find diversions in place after areas of the town had been flooded. Meeting up with Mike he had sensibly decided that we would not go to York. Less sensibly he joined the Syntan team to go to York on the Thursday night, which left them arriving at Naburn lock about midnight. Syntan had an agreement that they would stay in York for several weeks.

In the meantime Sobriety had sailed earlier and was at Nayburn waiting to head back to Goole.

We had several phone calls from Liz Topi advising us that the Flotilla was still on and the wonderful weather York was enjoying! But on Friday morning the heavens had opened and a bucket left on deck collected about 2 inches of water in half an hour starting at 7am. Eventually we received a call about midday on Friday saying the Flotilla had been postponed. Subsequent visits to farsondigitalwatercams.com allow you to see the view from the Lowther pub on Kings Quay in York and on 7 th July the civic party would have had to wear waders to review the flotilla.

So it was with some trepidation that we met up again with Mike and Sue on Thursday 23rd August to make the trip to York for the postponed Flotilla.

At 9.40 I heard Mike call Ocean Lock on channel 14 to request an early “Pen�.

Ocean lock is free to use two and a half hours either side of high water otherwise a charge is levied. We were out of Ocean Lock soon after 10am and switched to channel 9 used by the Ouse bridges. There started a master class in tidal river navigation and VHF communication. Mike is a master Mariner and retired Humber pilot. Vulcan was a Calder and Hebble towing barge with a hull reputedly 150 years old but it has a fair turn of speed and Mike made the best use of the current on the outside of bends such that we lost a significant distance on each bend just about catching up on the straights.

After Caywood Bridge we switched channels again to be on 74 for Naburn lock, where we arrived at 2pm and found we could just fit both barges in together. We 5

were instructed to advise Liz Topi of our arrival and confirm our berths but eventually got a message to make ourselves at home in the Foss Basin. We finally tied up in an empty Foss Basin at 3.30pm having found it quite shallow in the middle.

The Mason’s Arms seemed the answer to our need for sustenance and after Jenny had visited to check that food was on offer we both went round only to be confronted with closed doors and a notice “Ticket Only Tonight” of course it was the Ebor meet at York races and the landlord was intent on keeping out those who might be a bit rowdy, we managed to slip in when a customer came out for a cigarette only to find no one had a ticket and several customers had may be over celebrated at the races, in particular one gentleman with a large badge 50 today!

Not impressed with the guest beers we settled for the tried and tested Black Sheep and had a pleasant meal.

Saturday morning we were summoned to a crew meeting in the Mason’s Arms (with only tea and coffee available to purchase). Here we met Liz Topi and the Head Marshall and also in attendance were Tony Martin, Keith Chapman and David and Mark of IWA North Yorks./Foss Society. All we needed to know was that a rib would come into the basin when we were to join the Flotilla. Later in the day three boats from Ripon joined us including “Gipsy Rose” the same Branson design hull as our boat but the owner had purchased it as a flat pack and built it himself and made a very good job of it. Even later still Mark and Debbie on “Just Chillin” from the Melbourne Arm on the Pocklington canal arrived.

After the meeting in need of supplies we decided to walk the walls as far as Waitrose, but before we could start we found that members of the Friends of York Walls were offering guided tours of Fishergate Postern Tower (across the road from the Mason’s Arms for those who navigate by pubs). This proved to be most interesting and can be recommended for those stuck in York with nothing better to do than clean and decorate their boats.

Saturday evening steady rain started and rather than get wet we ate again at the Mason’s Arms who kindly lent us an umbrella to get back to the boat to free our table for other diners.

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The overnight rain had consequences as Sunday morning we found the water level in the basin had risen a foot and water was pouring over the lock gates, the island beside the lock and the steps down the path beside the lock.

A phone call to Tony Martin brought him to the basin with a key to the security lock on the gate paddles. Tony was without suitable footwear so it was left to Mike of Vulcan to get across the gate and lift the paddle which gave immediate relief to the overspill. With the water still rising in the basin we began to be concerned that we would not be able to get under the blue footbridge at the entrance to the basin from the Ouse, we received some rather incredulous looks from passers-by as punt poles were hung from various angles on the bridge to gauge if the different height and width wheelhouses would get under the bridge. The bridge needed lifting but no one was prepared to take responsibility. Tony Martin had mentioned in the Northern Navigation News that there was a lack of cooperation between the different agencies in York over the Foss and the Ouse and it was clearly demonstrated on 26th August! If larger craft are to be directed to the Foss basin in future the blue footbridge must be operable in an emergency!

Family and friends began to arrive to augment the crews and we had invited Tony, David and Mark to join us. With the water level still rising we decided to lower our mast and pull through the footbridge and wait for our place in the flotilla outside the basin.

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As with most navigable rivers the craft on the Ouse between Naburn and York are predominantly fibre glass cruisers and this was certainly evident as one expensive cruiser after another paraded past, several had taken the opportunity to display “For Sale” signs as well as their official numbers. Eventually it was our turn to join the flotilla with Vulcan bringing up the rear, carrying a young lady with a Paralympics flame. By this time David had decided to abandon ship, as he could not see us getting back in time for him to go to work.

Our experience with the flotilla was a bit stop-start as we negotiated the bridges with vessels returning and the York Trip Boats moving on and off their berths.

There were quite a few people watching but I felt that the numbers might have dwindled by the time we passed as a procession of plastic boats can be seen most Sundays in York! It might have been more appropriate to place the visiting boats in the middle to give earlier variety. However I did not see the Flotilla from the Kings Staithe and so I may be talking out of the back of my head again!

The official party were aboard a cruiser moored at King’s Staithe. After Clifton Bridge we were to turn, but found our friends on “Gipsy Rose” broken down having floated into some willow trees. Their engine had failed and with the loss of power so had all their auxiliary equipment which was hydraulic, an interesting proposition for those deciding between electric and hydraulic. We pulled alongside but he was able to get his engine started without our jump leads and we both turned and headed back into York.

We made a quick visit into the Foss Basin to drop off our passengers and decided with Vulcan to move out of the basin to Naburn. The water level was still rising and we were worried we would be trapped in the basin by the dreaded blue footbridge.

The first suitable tide for the return journey to Goole was to leave Nayburn Lock at 6am on Tuesday so we had Monday to wait there. We decided to have a walk and eventually reached the Blacksmiths Arms, which we found to be a very active

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village pub with a good selection of beers. However the route to the pub is along a busy road without a footpath and I would not like to use it after dark.

Early Tuesday morning was bright and sunny and we were out of Nayburn Lock at 6.30am the lock keeper having let two cruisers out first, we went in with Vulcan and a narrowboat. The voyage back to Goole was uneventful and we entered Ocean lock at 10.30am 4 hours after leaving Nayburn. Out of hours we paid the charge to the lockkeeper and made our way back to our berth at Goole Marina.

Overall York was an enjoyable long weekend and gave us the opportunity to gain tidal river experience. Perhaps the organizers did not adequately appreciate the boaters who had made a considerable journey to York, and it was disappointing that the heritage boats that should have taken part in the original flotilla were unable to make the rearranged date having other commitments.

Andrew and Jenny Brett 9

Losing the Plot The Mikron Theatre Company There is a famous line in the film A Field of Dreams which goes ‘Build it and They Will Come’ Well, we did not have to build anything but we took a chance with booking Mikron, and come they did!

Nearly a full house came to Cottingham to see Losing the Plot performed by the famous Mikron Theatre Company and they thoroughly enjoyed themselves. We enjoyed the first production of Mikron’s autumn schedule after another successful season travelling the waterways on their Narrowboat Tyseley.

A well written dialogue with songs old and new, was faultlessly presented by four extremely talented performers keeping the packed house laughing and clapping throughout.

Thanks must also go to the helpers who worked tirelessly selling tickets, advertising , organising the raffle, preparing and serving the refreshments and doing other tasks too numerous to mention. With their help and the support of the audience our branch funds have benefitted nicely which in turn means we can give more support to our local waterways. Thank you everyone for your support.

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Branch Christmas Meal It was decided that a change of venue and of time might suit some of our members so we met for lunch on Sunday 1st December at a very quiet Cottingham Parks Golf Club as the course was closed and largely under water. It was a pleasant time with good food and equally good company.

Our thanks go to Chris Stones for planning and handling the bookings so efficiently.

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ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS The AGMs of the East Yorkshire Branch of the Inland Waterways Association will be held at 8.00pm on Friday, 15th March 2013 at Cottingham Methodist Church Hall.

Agenda i)

Apologies for absence

ii) Approval of the Minutes of 2012 AGM iii) Matters arising from the Minutes iv) Chairman’s report v) Secretary’s report vi) Financial report vii) Election of Committee members viii) Any items requested beforehand by members ix) Report on Region and National matters Secretary:Mrs Chris Stones 41 Keswick Gardens Cottingham Hull HU6 8TB Tel: 01482 875894

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BRANCH PROGRAMME and other waterway events Winter 2013 Venue (unless stated otherwise) Cottingham Methodist Church Hall, Hallgate, Cottingham HU16 4BD 8.00-10.00 pm. Use entrance down side of church.

2013 Friday 18th Jan.

‘All you need to know about locks’ by Paul Waddington

Friday 15th Feb

Waterway Films A selection of old waterway films including some of local interest

Friday 15th March

East Yorkshire Branch Annual General Meeting followed by a talk on the Driffield Navigation by David Hamilton

Easter

New Horizons, the Pocklington Canal trip boat, trips start now

Friday 19th April

To be announced

Friday To be announced 17th May For more information about the Inland Waterways Association use the website www.waterways.org.uk or contact Barry Robins on 01482 658254 or 07885941983. For more information on the above meetings contact Roger Bromley on 01482 845099. The Branch email address is roger@roger.karoo.co.uk This newsletter is edited and produced by Barry Robins, 90 Carr Lane, Willerby, Hull HU10 6JU, tel 01482 658254 Note: The views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of the Association and should not be construed as such unless so stated.

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