Hereward Spring 2011

PETERBOROUGH BRANCH

HEREWARD SPRING 2011

www.iwapeterborough.org.uk The IWA charity registered number 212342 The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Inland Waterways Association or of the Peterborough Branch. They are, however, published as being of interest to our members and readers

BRANCH SUPPORTS NEW MOORINGS AT BENWICK

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he Branch has made a donation towards the cost of the creation of public visitor moorings at Benwick on the Middle Level system of waterways. The facility will provide boaters with a much easier opportunity to stop off at the picturesque village located on the route from the Nene-Ouse link line to Ramsey and Holme Fen. A cheque for £1,080 was handed over by branch chairman Alastair Chambers to Jeff Walters, commodore of the Middle Level Watermen’s Club, at the Branch meeting held at Peterborough on 19th January.

Alastair said “Peterborough branch IWA has fully supported the project to create public visitor moorings at Benwick and has been happy to donate its share of the profits of the IWA National Festival held at St. Ives in 2007 towards this local project”.

Funding was also provided by the Parish Council and the Watermen’s Club themselves. The work was undertaken by the Middle Level Commissioners own engineering team to designs agreed by all parties involved and is a splendid example of what can be achieved with a coordinated effort.

Above: Branch Chairman Alastair Chambers (right) presents the cheque to Jeff Walters on behalf of the Branch Opposite Page: Views of the new moorings nearing completion in January. Some finishing work remained to be completed but the moorings will be ready for use by boaters for the coming ’season’ and will be a welcome addition to the facilities on the Middle Level system.

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CHAIRMAN’S LETTER

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K lets do the easy stuff first. Welches Dam, not a lot I can say at present. Matters are wending their weary way. The IWA has agreed to take legal advice on the position as to whether a Statutory right of Navigation exists on this route, and when we hear anything I’ll let you all know..

BW and EA and the New Waterways Charity. At the recent Trustees meeting we had an update from Paul Roper (Chairman NavComm) and Clive Henderson (National Chairman). It is not yet clear whether EA will be part of the NWC from day 1. Obviously if it is not then it blows a big hole in IWA’s long held dream of a Single Navigation Authority and single licence. It would appear to be simply a case of legal logistical logjam in resolving aspects of the law regarding EA. Not insurmountable by any means but unquestionably time consuming.

We also had presentations from John Edmond, outgoing head of IWAC and Robin Evans, currently Chief Executive of BW. Both were articulate, passionate and care about waterways. We shall have to await the outcome.

Easter Cruise. Yes there will be one, see page 9 for details.

AGM. Yes it’s coming! March 16th at The Indoor Bowls Club. Volunteers for the Chairman’s job, please form an orderly queue.

Which brings us to Socials. The Xmas social was great, a really good evening enjoyed enormously by the 9 people who came! Do we bother this year? David Venn’s talk equally thin on the ground. A disappointment to your committee after adjusting the format. However the talk on sailing the Atlantic, and Irven Forbes presentation were both well supported. What do you want us to do? Please tell us before we stop trying to please everybody and abandon the social meetings.

See you soon,

Alastair Chambers

NORTHAMPTON BRANCH DIARY MARCH 8th 8pm IWA Northampton Branch & East Midlands Region AGM. Followed by Inter-Branch Quiz. Held at The Walnut Tree PH, Blisworth, Northamptonshire APRIL 12th 8pm Northampton IWA Branch Meeting.

Colin Edmond with "Chelmer & Blackwater - Past, Present and Future" at The Walnut Tree PH, Blisworth, Northamptonshire MAY 30th-2nd IWA National Campaign Rally at Becket's Park, River Nene, Northampton organised by IWA Northampton Branch 10th Northampton IWA Branch Meeting. Speaker to be announced at The Walnut Tree PH, Blisworth, Northamptonshire

Further details of Northampton Branch activities can be found on-line at:www.waterways.org.uk/regions_branches/east__midlands/Northampton/diary

All members are welcome to attend any of these events.

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REGIONAL NAVIGATION GROUP UPDATE

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he latest Environment Agency RNG meeting took place on 10th February and produced two positive pieces of news together with a number of problems. I will deal with the latter first.

The River Cam The Conservators of the River Cam have been considering how to increase their revenue for some time. In December they issued a consultation document setting out the options which they were considering and asked for comments. The time for commenting has now passed. We were told at the RNG meeting that 72 responses had been received and that a decision on how to proceed would be taken by the Conservators at a meeting on 16th February. As you will know, at present boats based on the Conservators’ section of the Cam and having an Agency licence can under a licence interchange agreement between those two bodies use both the Cam and Agency waters. Similarly under the same agreement Agency boats based elsewhere and having an Agency licence can use the Cam without further charge. [NB. There is a separate Cam licence which is used by those boats based on the Cam and which do not normally leave the Conservators’ section of the river. The fee is set at a rate of 95% of the Agency charge for an Anglian licence and is unaffected by the present proposals] Two of the options in the consultation document were variations on a common theme and essentially would mean that boats based on the Cam and wishing to use both it and Agency waters would in future have to have both an Agency licence and a special Cam licence which would be set at either 25% of the normal Cam licence or at a flat fee rate. This change would affect only Cam-based craft; boats based elsewhere and having an Agency licence would still be able to use the Cam without further payment.

The third option would see an end to the interchange agreement so that boats based on Agency waters would only be able to use the Cam on payment of a full Cam Conservators’ licence and vice versa for Cam-based craft.

The potential implications of this debate are serious and could possibly be expensive. As I write this we await notification of the Conservators’ intentions.

The Killer Shrimp There was a presentation by Ian Hirst of the Agency’s Fisheries Department about the so-called “Killer Shrimp” Dikerogammarus villosus. In essence the shrimp is a freshwater species which it is suggested kills invertebrates and small fish. It is feared that if it became free to roam the country it would alter significantly the waterside habitat and ecology. Currently it is present in Grafham Water reservoir to a major extent and to a limited extent in Diddington Brook which is the natural outflow from that reservoir.

To date the strategy has been to try to limit the species to the reservoir. This has involved taking care when using fishing tackle in those waters, the washing down of craft before and after use etc. The cost of research and these controls, particularly to Anglian Water has been large. In discussion it became clear that other infested sites had been identified in Wales; one of those sites had a much greater concentration of shrimp than Grafham Water.

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£7.95

Having heard the presentation I for one was left wondering whether it was not inevitable that sooner or later the shrimp would “escape” into the wild given that it already has several bases across England and Wales and is able to multiply quickly.

Future Agency Consultation As you will know the Agency intends to close down the RFERAC at the end of March 2011. There has to date been uncertainty as to what would replace it and how these changes would affect both the RNG and the separate consultation bodies for individual rivers.

Some light was shed on these issues at the meeting. It certainly appeared that there was a good chance that the RNG and river consultation bodies would continue. The problem arose in relation to the RFERAC replacement. It appears that the present intention is that the new consultation body will be based on the existing River Basin Liaison Panel. Currently this has a membership of about 15. It is apparently intended to increase this membership although there was a noticeable coyness about the target number. Amongst those to gain seats would be local councillors. The losers appeared to be users and in particular the navigation interest whose representation it was intended to reduce. At present navigation has three members in the RFERAC which has a membership of some 15; it is intended that it should have one member in the enlarged body.

Cont’d on page 7.............................

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STUART HOLMES BOAT SAFETY EXAMINATIONS PETERBOROUGH BOATING CENTRE Chandlery

Diesel - Calor

73 NORTH STREET STANGROUND, PETERBOROUGH Tel: 01733 566688

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Cont’d from page 4...............

You do have to wonder what is going on. We are extolled to promote the values of the Big Society with lots of community involvement; yet the Agency’s way of doing this appears to be to reduce the extent to which it consults with the users of its services and give representation to “the suits”. Bizarre!

Capital Works – The Nene I will finish with two pieces of good news. The Nene Task Force is the Agency consultation vehicle for the Nene. John Dudley represents the branch on that body. For some time the NTF has been lobbying to improve landing stages on the Nene, particularly as to their length and siting. Consultants did start work on producing a detailed plan but this was stopped as a cost cutting measure. The good news is that the “brakes have been taken off” so that the work has re-started and a completed report is expected shortly. It will then have to receive business approval. It is not pretended that money will be abundant in the next financial year but what the completion and approval of the report will mean is that when any spare money does become available it will be possible for the Agency without delay to make use of that money by taking down the report and using the money to carry out work on one or more of the identified sites.

The meeting concluded with more welcome news. The Government increased the VAT rate at the beginning of the year to 20% and this increase the Agency has to implement. However subject to that increase, Agency charges for licences and mooring fees will not be increasing in the next financial year i.e. 2011/12.

Nigel Long

Mill Drove, Ramsey Cambs. PE26 2RD Tel: 01487 813621 billfenmarina@tiscali.co.uk www.billfenmarina.com

Moorings occasionally available, £11.25 per foot per year + VAT, if paid annually.

Slipway for bottom blacking from £100.00 Chandlery, Fuel, Gas, Toilets, Shower We stock Rylard & Craftmaster Paints, Anodes, Coflex, Rust Konverta, Incralac etc.

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PROTECTIVE COVERS FOR ALL APPLICATIONS

Contact Ray Whitby Unit 3C Cromwell Business Centre New Road, St Ives PE27 5BG Tel: (01480) 462150 Fax: (01480) 493309 E-mail: ray.whitby@onetel.net Web:www.srobb.co.uk

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EASTER CRUISE

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aster is looming into view, Good Friday is 22 April and it’s time for the plans for the cruise to be unleashed on an unsuspecting World. This year I felt we should try for a couple of places we haven’t taken the cruise before.

Good Friday meet at High Lode Lock around 1pm and cruise down to Holme Fen. We haven’t been for a while and Carole is keen (desperate) to see if the ‘Admiral Wells’ still does Baileys in chocolate cups.

Easter Saturday we run back up to Benwick where we can moor at the new moorings and indulge in a leisurely pub crawl. These are the result of some excellent work by the Waterman’s Club, to which we were happy to donate a bit of money, and it would be a shame not to use them.

Saturday afternoon we continue around to Bevills Leam, mooring along toward the pump station, hopefully the weather will allow a boater’s bankside Barbie!

Easter Sunday I thought after a lie in a run up to Whittlesey and a visit to the new ‘Wetherspoons’, about which I hear good things, then go our separate ways on Monday morning.

This is an IWA event insurance will be needed, forms from me by email.

See you there

Alastair

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CAMBRIDGE BRANCH MEETINGS Members of Peterborough Branch may wish to attend meetings of our neighbouring Cambridge Branch. All will be made welcome. The remaining programme for 2011 is given below.

Thursday 24 March 2011: Branch AGM followed by a speaker from the EA on the latest information regarding navigation matters in the area.

Sunday 1 May 2011: Annual Gathering of Boats at Reach Lode, a mini rally, lunchtime barbecue and quiz. Members come by boat or car and bring their own selection of food and drink. Boats start arriving on the Saturday and there is often a meal booked in a local pub on the Saturday evening.

The historical Reach Fair is held on the Bank Holiday Monday.

Meetings are held at Milton Community Centre, Coles Road, Milton, Cambridge, CB24 6BL 10

EA ANNUAL UPDATE - February Meeting

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rven Forbes gave his annual report to the Branch at the February meeting against the background of uncertainty that still existed at that time as to whether EA navigation will be incorporated in the proposed new Waterways charity. He expected a decision by the end of February so by the time your read this issue the outcome may be known.

Income from boat licences has steadily risen from £0.6M in 2000 to £1.6M in 2010 but there were signs that new registrations of powered craft were levelling off although non-powered craft licences were increasing. A strong line is being taken on licence evasion with 15 recent prosecutions and 34 either pending or in preparation. Irven took pride in the fact that £15M had been invested in capital works in the Anglian region over the past six years. With the current financial constraints this level of investment will fall but he and his team will always strive to seek all funding opportunities.

Plans for this year include two weed cuts across the region with a move towards achieving consistent standards in all work undertaken with more pre-fabrication offsite. This will save both money and stoppage times. Success reported were the new non-slip landing stages, the improvement to over 100 lock paddle mechanisms and the weir booms which have saved several potential accidents and proved their value. Improvements to the Strong Stream communication system have been instigated by splitting the Nene and Ouse into upper and lower sections to give better response to localised conditions. Much of the improvements to navigation have been funded from the Flood Management budget and Irven expressed some concern that this method of cross -funding will be lost if EA Navigation is separated to another body.

With the grant-in-aid reduction being faced, reliance on Partnerships with other bodies will become more important in the future. EA Navigation had benefited to the tune of £16M from the Lincolnshire Waterways Partnership over the last 10 years and this relationship is still strong although finding in the immediate future will be much reduced. A new Partnership has been established with Peterborough CC with funding for landing stage improvements at Orton Lock and the establishment of a pro-active Waterspace Strategy for the river corridor through the city including plans for a marina and water taxis to expand on the very successful model currently operating in Spalding.

Similar initiatives are underway at Ely, Bedford and Spalding, where the local councils see benefits to be obtained from a vibrant and well used riverside space in their areas.

The new mooring facilities at Northampton will be completed in July and to coincide with a Festival which will mark the 250th Anniversary of the establishment of the Nene as a through navigation and 100 years existence of Northampton Boat club. The event is being promoted by the IWA and Northampton BC and will be a high-profile launch of the improved facilities at Northampton.

Irven, as always, stoically stood for a concluding questions session and some regular issues were raised regarding pump-out, water and rubbish facilities, particularly on the Nene. Members felt these facilities were no getting close to non-existent. Use of volunteer input on the EA Waterways was aired again and Irven explained the future policy would be tied up with the future status of EA Navigation and its place in the ‘Big Society’ government policy. The Branch wishes to thank Irven for his valuable input to our annual programme.

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EDITOR’S NOTES

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fter another ’Winter from Hell’ with temperatures down to more than ten degrees below zero for several weeks I am sure like me you are all looking forward to some serious boating. We receive our renewals for cruising licence, boat insurance and mooring fees all in January and the ever increasing outlay seems all the more painful when use of the boat is very sporadic to say the least. It’s a test on the resolve of the most committed boaters.

At this time of year contact with the waterways is often maintained by browsing through the glossy magazines and while perusing the most popular one I was struck by the ever rising price of new and used boats. The issue I was reading had a review of a new narrowboat which made a hole in someone’s bank account to the tune of £120k. It was a lovely boat and had every conceivable ‘bell and whistle’ that one could wish for. In fact it had gizmos we don't even have at home! But that is a lot of money for a boat. I then moved onto to browse the brokerage adverts and saw that prices of well above £80k are fairly common and a good few were over the ‘ton’.

Whatever happened to the Springer ‘Waterbug’ and similar cheap entry level boats and cruisers?

In the same issue there was, in contrast, an article about a trip by an enthusiastic group on a Camping boat made in 1977. By Camping boat I mean a working narrowboat in which the accommodation was provided under the sheets in the hold using cooking and sleeping facilities that were rudimentary to say the least. (I leave the issue of toilet provision to individual imagination).

The contrast between that 1977 ‘adventure’ and today makes one wonder whether the Inland Waterways are becoming too elitist. We have heard how many of our organisations, including the IWA are suffering because of an ever aging membership with few younger members and families coming along. If the cost of acquiring a boat is little short of buying a house then this is the reason. Have younger newcomers with children who will be the next generation of boaters been priced out of the market? It is a point worth reflecting.

I am not for one minute advocating roughing it like that trip of 1977 but surely there is a case for a range of entry level boats that are affordable, compliant with today’s safety requirements and provided with basic holiday type facilities that would attract newcomers to the water without the need for a second mortgage.

This year will see the start of dramatic change in the format of the Inland Waterways and it is hoped that whatever system of management and control comes into being appreciates that people’s ability to pay is not a bottomless pit.

Enough of all that. We are into Spring and the Waterways are at our beck and call.

Time to plan this years cruises and routes which is always a pleasurable task. Or perhaps you are of the persuasion that just sets off and makes a decision at each waterway junction. Sometimes the most enjoyable outgoings come from just taking it as it comes. Wherever you get to, enjoy your summer.

Philip Halstead 12

INLAND WATERWAYS ASSOCIATION Peterborough Branch

COMMITTEE MEMBERS CHAIRMAN: Alastair Chambers 52 Hereward Way, Deeping St James, Peterborough PE6 8QB Tel: 01778 344438 e-mail: alastair.boater@virgin.net DEPUTY CHAIRMAN & SALES OFFICER: Graham Baughn PO Box 15, 10 Marina Drive, March, Cambs PE15 0AU Tel: 07578-753558 e-mail: w.baughn@tesco.net SECRETARY: Nigel Long 7 Georgian Court, Peterborough PE3 6AF Tel: 01733 553782 e-mail: nhlong@supanet.com TREASURER: Michael Slaughter 45 Elstone, Orton Waterville, Peterborough PE2 5JZ Tel: 01733 390598 e-mail: m.slaughter45@ntlworld.com MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY: Carole Chambers 52 Hereward Way, Deeping St James, Peterborough PE6 8QB Tel: 01778 344438 e-mail: alastair.boater@virgin.net EDITOR: Philip Halstead, 20 Cane Avenue, Peterborough PE2 9QT Tel: 01733 348500 e-mail: pp@halstead5.orangehome.co.uk John Dudley, 1 Bellmans Road, Whittlesey, Peterborough PE7 1TY Tel: 01733 202581 Roger Mungham Boatmans Cottage, Workhouse Lane, Upwell, Wisbech PE14 9ET Tel: 01945 773002 e-mail: rogerboatmans@talktalk.net David Biggs, Evelines, 85 High Street, Chatteris PE16 6MP Tel: 01354 696956 e mail: evelines85@hotmail.co.uk Roger Sexton, 2 Shaw Drive, March, Cambridgeshire PE15 9TB Tel: 01354 652329 David Venn, Bruffs Lodge, High Street, Nordelph, Downham Market PE38 0BL Tel: 01366 324102 e-mail:davidgvenn@tiscali.co.uk Richard Fairman, The Old Railway House, Cowbit, Spalding, Lincs PE12 0XD Tel: 01406 380575

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Email: gregbassam@gbwatersports.co.uk 14

Brian W. Smith Marine Surveyor Pre-Purchase Surveys Valuations—Insurance Surveys CE Compliance for Home Builds Contact Brian on: Tel: 01354 680341 Mobile: 07887 781649 E-mail: smith.marine@btinternet.com

Boat Safety Examinations Engine Evaluation & Condition Ultra-sound Osmosis Assessment Gas System Surveys

Member of the Association of Boat Safety Examiners - Gas Safe Reg. YDSA

WATERWAY JUCTIONS

— by The Editor

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aterway junctions always provide a fascination for boaters and other users.

There are decisions to be made as to which way to go and where the options may lead the unsuspecting or ill-informed. There is however an amazing variety of forms such junctions take over the wide expanse of the inland waterways system.

Our own Fenland waterways are known for their tranquillity and there can be no more a tranquil scene than Angle Corner (photo 1) located on the Middle Level System where the main Nene-Ouse through route crosses the obstructed Twenty Foot River between Whittlesey and March. On a crisp January day, the flat landscape and big clear sky is the type of backdrop that inspired the great landscape painters of East Anglia!

At the opposite end of the scale there can be no more an urban setting for the junction of the Ashton and Rochdale Canals hard behind Piccadilly station in Manchester (photo 2). The Ashton Canal leaves or joins the Rochdale through a bridge beneath a new building that seems as though it would challenge a well fed rabbit! This area at the top of the infamous Rochdale Nine flight of locks was not long ago the pits of dereliction and passage through this route cost you nearly 30 quid for the experience.

Now the area is being developed, the Rochdale Canal is restored across the Pennines but it still has problems with water supplies over the heavily locked route.

For those who venture down the demanding nine locks on the semi-subterranean route through Manchester’s trendy ‘bohemian’ sector the rewards for those into Industrial Archaeology to be had in Castlefield (photo 3) are legion.

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Here the Rochdale Canal joins the Bridgwater, the canal that started it all, while the infant River Medlock flows through on the level and the former Manchester & Salford Junction Canal tunnels pass beneath. Above all this supported on massive iron and brick viaducts are some of the railways that were embryonic is establishing what we now call Network Rail. A few years ago to add to all this, the Gardner engine enthusiasts held a rally for anything whether floating or wheeled that had a Gardner engine. It resulted in a magnificent turn-out of boats, buses, lorries and all sorts.

Sheer bliss!

The junction of the Trent & Mersey Canal with the River Weaver Navigation required a neat bit of kit to overcome the significant difference in level. This resulted in the Anderton Boat Lift (photo 4). For several years we stopped off when passing on the T & M and always walked down the hill to gaze up at the rusting masterpiece and view the massive gear wheels stripped off and laid forlornly in the undergrowth. It was a sad sight and I always hoped that one day it would be put to right. You can imagine the feeling when in 2002 we took Sands Green on the newly restored lift and had a splendid trip on the Weaver from the flashes at Winsford down to Weston Point docks. It was splendid and recommended to all if you visit the north west.

A junction that I always find rather complex is Kingswood Junction (photo 5) where the Northern and Southern Stratford Canals meet each other and then the Grand Union. There is also a railway bridge across here as well! If you were leaving the GU and going down to Stratford you used to have to go up one lock to the Northern Stratford, do a very tight U-turn and down one lock to get back to the level where you started. This was tremendously wasteful of water on what is a busty route in summer so they drove a new lock across the ‘isthmus’ and now you can go straight through.

Simple! The Southern Stratford is notable for the distinctive barrel-roofed lock cottages and one is pictured here at Kingswood.

The Montgomery Canal has been under restoration for many years and it seems to have fits and starts as money is available. The canal leaves the Llangollen (or should I say Shropshire Union – Welsh Branch to be correct) at Welsh Frankton. To save water the lock times are limited and this puts off many from venturing down this superb waterway. The wait is well worthwhile and you will be looked after by the friendly lock-keeper Colin, who looks after the lockside and is ready to offer his local knowledge. The BW sign sports stick-on numbers to keep the length of the canal up to date as the restoration was moving so rapidly when the millennium money was flowing. It is a lovely quiet cruise to the border with Wales and one day it may be possible to actually get to Montgomery.

The final junction (photo 6) is what could be considered an archetypal canal junction where the waterways join at 90 degrees and there is a horse bridge to take the towpath over the ‘branch’. This is Portland Basin where the Ashton Canal makes an end on junction with the Huddersfield Narrow as it heads up to Standedge Tunnel, and the Lower Peak Forest Canal heads off to Marple to join the Upper Peak Forest and the Macclesfield Canal. These are a few of the many junctions that exist on our waterways and there are many more that are rich in history and interest.

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