Edition No: 1 February 2013

The Newsletter of the Birmingham, Black Country & Worcestershire Branch, Inland Waterways Association

At the Helm This is the first of our branch newsletters entitled “Worcester Bar”, perhaps not an original name but if you can suggest a more appropriate one let our editor know.

Contents Branch Annual General Meeting

2

email addresses

2

IWA Welcomes High Court Decision 2 Crossword 3 (Answers in the next edition) Forthcoming Meetings in 2013 4 Winter Working Parties 4 Boat Rallies, 2013

4

2012 has had many accolades assigned to it but the waterways are our passion & the year marked a momentous milestone in the establishment of the new charitable body Canal & River Trust putting our navigable waters on a firmer footing. The founding members & their subsequent officers would be pleased that at last one of the principal aims of the IWA has been achieved. With the guarantee of funding from the government it should make planning & costing of work to be carried out a smoother & more cost effective process. At least it will mean that plans can be made without the worry of where the funding will come from. We all remember the funding deficits in 2006 caused by Defra being fined over its failure to manage the administration of the Common Agriculture Policy funding. This doesn’t mean that everything we desire will be done instantly but signs are that things are beginning to improve, it will take at least two years for the new organisation to bed in & we will then hopefully begin to see some benefits. This new year of 2013 will see much happening in our branch area. Some events are mentioned herewith. Our branch covers a fairly large area (see map) giving a great opportunity to enjoy the local canals & rivers. Whilst many people are aware of the waterways a lot are not, so whatever your interest please tell people so we can share our enjoyment. Most areas are readily accessible & benefits from the support of the local authorities contributing to the cost of making them so. A lot of the branch effort goes into monitoring planning applications to see that the water environment is not drastically altered. Currently we have three major developments proposed, including Sainsbury’s at Selly Oak and the Icknield Port Loop proposal & we will be commenting on each as appropriate. As well as local events this year sees the return of the National Rally, with the support of the local council, at Watford. Last year it was suspended as there were so many other national events being staged. The rally produces a lot of national publicity & hopefully will swell our funds. The branch is closely involved supplying key personnel & it would be nice to see you there. However you use our waterways enjoy your visits in 2012 Dave Pearson

Page 2

Branch Annual General Meeting

Severn Navigation Restoration Trust

The branch AGM will be held on Monday, March 18th, starting at 7.15 for 7.30pm.

The long running, though intermittently heard campaign to extend the navigation of the Severn above Stourport, has officially closed; disbanding the company formed for the purpose, and passing remaining funds to the IWA.

The meeting will take place at the Coombeswood Canal Trust, Hawne Basin, Hereward Rise, Halesowen. B62 8AW. Accounts will be available for perusal in hard copy at the meeting. Updated notice for the branch AGM is available in the winter 2012 edition of Navigation Magazine. https://www.waterways.org.uk/branches_regions /west_midlands/navigation_magazine

The Severn Navigation Restoration Trust was formed after David Hutchings proposals of 1982, but had met with many disappointments and misunderstandings, in spite of changing designs and emphasis to more environmentally sensitive aspects such as the use of hydro-power and ecological advantages. The records, correspondence and reports commissioned over this period are held by the last Chairman of the trust David Struckett, who is now on our Branch Committee – but the intention is to pass them to somewhere suitable for archiving. Meanwhile anyone interested in the River Severn in particular, and possible future organisations for monitoring navigation interests should contact David who will keep them in touch with developments. David W Struckett

email addresses Distribution of this Newsletter in hard copy format costs several hundred pounds per year. This money would otherwise be spent on direct activities associated with the IWA core functions. In an effort to keep administrative costs to a minimum, the Branch will distribute “Worcester Bar” by email. If you received this edition via Royal Mail, would you please take a moment to ensure that the IWA is aware of your up-to-date email address by contacting either Tracy Higgin at membership@waterways.org. uk or Neil Hodgson at neil.hodgson@waterways.org. uk as soon as possible. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Clearing the Cut at Coombeswood

Page 3

Crossword (Thanks to John Butler) Across 1

Half cut

10

A big cheese, in France

5

The other half

15

American estate agent

9

Earpiece?

19

Lew’s rank or status

11

Narrow ford?

20

Less than three but not solo

12

Terminus of 1 and 5

23

The Shadow Chancellor?

14

Square feet?

24

The AIDS virus

16

HMRC’s old initials

25

Eggs

17

Isn’t ungrammatical

26

Woodwind instrument

18

Buddhism, or a Roman detective

27

Take the oath

19 & 24 The other terminus

28

Sounds like a girl, sadly

21

Consume

31

One of Kate’s in-laws

22

Mr Sneidjer or Mr Snipes

35

A crowd, possibly of Mafia members

24

See 18

36

1016 kg

26

Old boy takes 29 backwards

37

A sorrow suffered by Frankie Howerd thrice

27

Sedate and restrained

38

Three quarters of a sovereign for the family

29

Ms Derek or Ms Peep

30

The 21

40

Her Majesty hesitates

32

The Edinburgh Research Archive should last for a very long time!

42

Stainless steel Nazi steamship

33

The fourteenth letter of the alphabet is English, in short

34

The home of Galton Bridge

39

About the Royal Engineers

41

The Institute of Science and Technology takes the lead

1

2

3

4

5

9

43 & 44 Chief Executive sounds like a thieving Welshman

10

12

14

17

19

20

21

22

24

Bribery and corruption?

27

2

Turnover reduced, sounds like a pair

30

3

Not all there – or here!

32

4

A big cheese, in Greece

6

Lady’s fingers

7

Numerical relationships

8

Caribbean red pepper

23

25

26

28

29

31

33

34

39

8

11

16

18

1

7

13

15

Down

6

35

36

37

40

43

38

41

44

42

Forthcoming Meetings in 2013

Winter Working Parties

February 18th “Update of the Lapal Canal Trust” Peter Best, Chairman of the Lapal Canal Trust.

April 13 & 14, Stourbridge Canal. Clearing the pound from Delph bottom lock to Stourbridge top lock. Details from Dave Pearson.

March 18th AGM followed by members slides and quiz April 15th “An update on the Canal and River Trust” Clive Henderson, IWA. May 20th “Water Management” Adam Comerford, Group Hydrology Manager, Canal and River Trust. IWA Meetings are held at Coombeswood Canal Trust, Hawne Basin, Herewood Rise, Halesowen, B62 8AW Meetings start at 7.15 for 7.30. Non–members are very welcome.

February 16, IWA Birmingham, Black Country & Worcestershire Branch and the BCN Society, working in partnership with the Canal & River Trust, Canal Clean Up Work Party on the Soho Loop from 10am to 3pm. Meet at Hockley Port, All Saints Street, Hockley, Birmingham, B18 7RL

Boat Rallies, 2013 St Richards Festival, Droitwich, Worcester Birmingham & Droitwich Canals Society. 3-6 May, details: Adrian.Smith12@virginmedia.com Pelsall Canal Festival, 15-16 June, see <www.bcnsociety.co.uk/> for details and entry form. IWA National Cassiobury Park on the Grand Union Canal in Watford over the weekend of 19th to 21st July. Further information from IWA website.

Dudley No.2 canal near Selly Oak. The next issue should show some photos with boats on this canal!

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BBC&W Branch Officers & Committee:

Chair: Dave Pearson daveapearson@talktalk.net Secretary: Becky Smith-Keary rsk63@yahoo.co.uk Treasurer: Chris Neal cptjneal@yahoo.co.uk Members: John Taplin Deputy Chairman, Planning Officer (Worcs) johnwtaplin@btinternet.com Freddie Cooke Planning Officer (Walsall, Wolverhampton & South Staffs) freddiecooke@googlemail.com Bob Fox Planning Officer (Sandwell & Dudley), Newsletter Editor bob@bobfox.demon.co.uk Michael Payne Planning Officer (Birmingham) michael@payne.name David W Struckett dstruckett@aol.com Michael Smith-Keary Membership Secretary: sk63@btinternet.com Chris Osborn Meetings organiser jcosborn@btinternet.com John Butler j4hnbc@yahoo.com Nicki Schiessel nicki.schiessel@waterways.org.uk

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Views expressed in Worcester Bar are those of individual contributors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Birmingham, Black Country & Worcestershire Branch or the Inland Waterways Association. No responsibility can be accepted for errors or omissions.