Basingstoke Canal Society

Keep your Canal Alive – for your health, habitat and local economy! Since the launch of the “Keep your Canal Alive” campaign in April, we have had a great response from members, local communities, local businesses, and media.

The “Keep your Canal Alive” campaign all focuses on the importance of the continued investment from councils, at all levels, to ensure the future of the Basingstoke Canal for us all to enjoy. This is very much aligned with the challenges facing waterways across the UK and our messaging echoes the larger campaigns across the country.

Our campaign focusses on the benefits the Basingstoke Canal brings to individuals who can benefit from their “green gym”, the benefits for wildlife in the SSSI site and finally on the financial gain this brings to the local areas the canal runs through.

These benefits give us a unique message and opportunity to speak to our members and local communities as well as businesses located near to the canal and finally to councillors for whom the canal represents a valuable income stream and attraction to their area.

The campaign kicked off with leaflets and posters distributed on high streets across the 32-mile stretch of the canal through Surrey and Hampshire alongside an email campaign and social media posts across all platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and our new LinkedIn presence.

More recently there has been coverage for the campaign across local press including BBC Radio Surrey with a live breakfast show interview with Basingstoke Canal Society Chairman, Ian Moore who later that day welcomed a Deputy Lieutenant of Surrey onto our trip boat, Kitty in Woking.

Upon the launch of this year’s campaign, we had the biggest month for new members on record which is fantastic news to show support of both the Basingstoke Canal Society and our shared appreciation of the Basingstoke Canal but there is a lot still to come.

Over the coming weeks, we will be providing our members with easier to follow details on how to contact their local MP to raise the importance of the Basingstoke Canal to them and their area, Finally, we will be continuing to tap into corporate volunteering and helping businesses fulfil their CSR ambitions by getting them involved with our work.

The Electrification of Kitty

With Kitty over 40 years old, plans are fully underway for a new, improved, and modern Kitty 2 trip boat that will lead the way in the electrification of the Basingstoke Canal.

Moving from a diesel engine to an electric powered boat, however, is not the only improvement planned. Kitty 2 is planned to be much for comfortable for guests, with better ventilation, more space and on-board facilities that will make the service more accessible to more people and allow for longer trips.

There is still a lot of work to be done before we will be running trips on the Woking based trip boat, but lots of hard work has been completed. Fundraising efforts have been extremely successful to date, and we have confirmed our new boat builder and the details of the fit out, complete with a lift for easy wheelchair access and an onboard toilet.

Of course, you can’t run an electric powered trip boat without electric charging points which is also a current work in progress as the Basingstoke Canal Society volunteers work with UK Power Networks on confirming a pedestal supplier as well as of course location for these and routing for the electrics.

Finally, although we’re working hard on Kitty 2, this paves the way for the future of electric boats on the Basingstoke Canal with additional charging points planned for visitors to Woking.

John Pinkerton II Trip Updates

Hampshire residents, tourists and Basingstoke Canal Society members all thoroughly enjoy trips on the John Pinkerton II. The schedule is full as we move into the upcoming summer months. Regular public trips throughout the week are not the only type of trip on the schedule: Cream Tea trips are on offer, lasting two and half hours and of course the trip is complemented with a cream tea and music accompaniment.

In addition, the JP II has many evenings planned where you can enjoy a trip down the Basingstoke Canal whilst enjoying dinner onboard and entertainment from a live band.

Last but by no means least is a boat trip perfect for canal lovers, keen photographers and early risers alike! The JP II is heading out at 4:00am on the longest day of the year for visitors to enjoy nature at sunrise, complete with breakfast and an opportunity to see the wonderful location at this usually unseen time of day and position.

A weekend of Coronation events

The BCS events team was determined to make the most of the Coronation weekend and with some careful planning, experience of team members and enthusiasm of some new volunteers we did it. All on the same day!

On Sunday 7th at The Fox and Hounds we were joined by some BCS member boat owners, raft builders of 26th Odiham Sea Scouts and some Coronation attired paddle boarders. The pub provided a delicious smelling barbecue to accompany a beer and had arranged a couple of local bands to play for an entertaining afternoon.

We also joined in a parade arranged by the Fleet Coronation committee. The parade started with classic and vintage cars on a route around the town. There were just a few of us, but we held the Basingstoke Canal Society banner and were featured in the local Fleet newspaper.

The parade ended at Calthorpe Park, where we had a lightweight stall beside numerous other charity and organisations gazebos. We spent a frantic couple of hours talking to people who had been inspired by our new King’s message about volunteeri ng. We gave out information about membership and how people can get involved with our initiative of “Keeping the Canal Alive”. Another group of five enthusiastic volunteers were at Frimley Lodge Park for the Mayor’s Family Fun Day. The event was well attended and the Bazy Buzzer Box proved a great attraction for all members of family. The BCS gazebo was visited by the Mayor and the newly elected local councillor, who both expressed their support for the Canal. They understand the contribution that the Canal makes towards the health & wellbeing of the local community.

Charlotte Rodgers, Press Officer BCS

Trips aboard the John Pinkerton II and Kitty

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@basingstokecanal.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.

Focus on Accessible Boating Association

The Accessible Boating Association, (Accessible Boating or ABA), is a registered charity initiated in 1985 by Mildred Stocks, then Chairman of Hart District Council, who wanted to enable people who couldn’t use existing canal boats to enjoy cruises on the Basingstoke Canal .

Two boats are available: Madam Butterfly is a comfortable 7-berth cruising boat and Dawn is 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

Chichester Ship Canal Trust

May family fun day

On Wednesday, 31st May, our volunteer Community Team hosted a family fun day in the Canal Heritage Centre at the Canal Basin. The event was targeted at children up to 11 years and, although we supervised and help ed with a number of activities, the parents were encouraged to stay with their children! Activities included: Dressing a peg doll or making a peg butterfly ; decorating your own sun visor or sun glasses; drawing or writing on a leaf and hanging it on a summer tree ; decorating a pebble and completing a word search

The Big Help Out news

Following on from celebratory canal cruises over the weekend, we held our Big Help Out event on Monday 8th May. A big thank you goes to all the volunteers who helped to make it a special day. The weather had forecast rain, but we were lucky and it was mainly dry with even a little sunshine. Visitors to our busy café and shop were keen to take up the offer of a free canal ride to learn how to drive a trip boat and what’s involved in cabin crewing. The Kingfisher gave them the best views of the canal in Spring. The yellow flag irises are flowering brightly on the banks, the water lily leaves are pushing up with the promise of flowers yet to come. The first family of coot chicks were out on the water with the parent coot bird vigorously chasing off any ducks that dared to come near.

Back on land, Richard explained how he is recruiting volunteers for the work parties maintaining the canal banks and skippering the Kingfisher and Richmond. The community group showcased their projects for children on fun days with butterflies, masks and trees that could be made. Whilst Catherine, Richard’s wife, enticed visitors to the cafe with samples of scones and coronation jam, a speciality jam made locally especially for the weekend.

Fishbourne Mill Morris rounded off the day with their own brand of traditional dancing. Overall, the day was a great success.

Photos by David Richardson and Dave Standley

A new attraction at the canalWelcome to 9 cygnets

Lots of excitement at the canal this week. The first cygnets of the year were spotted on Thursday by canal nature watchers Nilla Roberts and Mel Allen. Volunteer photographer, David Richardson made an early start on Friday and captured these beautiful photographs of the swan and cygnets including the eighth one hatching. At the moment we have a total of nine cygnets on the canal.

Please come and see our new additions. The fluffy bundles are irresistible and if you are lucky you may see them catching a ride on their mother’s back, warm and dry up above the water tucked in between her arched wings. From there, they can watch the world go by and when it is all too much they can sleep.

The first few weeks of the cygnet’s life is really important as they have so much to learn. The absorbed food from the egg yolk before hatching will last them 7 – 10 days and then the cygnets feed themselves with some help from the parents. To start with they will only dip their heads into the water very briefly to eat insects that are floating on the surface or on plants overhanging the canal. The parents will also pull up plants from the canal floor and tramp the water stirring up food particles for the young to eat. After a few weeks the cygnets wi ll start to dive below for longer periods and pull up plants to eat. If you listen carefully, you may hear the cygnets calling to their parents. The first sounds are made whilst they are still inside the egg. Once hatched the cygnets will make sounds to communicate. A soft call is a contented happy call when the cygnet is warm and feeding or preening. But a louder higher pitch call means that the cygnet feels cold or hungry and is upset.

The young cygnets will also need to swim well to and avoid predators if they are to survive the first few weeks. Luckily, nature has given them very protective parents who will see off intruders. At night the cygnets will sleep amongst their parents feathered wings keeping warm and safe.

Thank you to our customers and volunteer photographers for submitting photos. Courtesy: Chichester Ship Canal Website

Kennet & Avon Canal News

Newbury Branch

Unfortunately the start of the boating season for MV Jubilee was badly hampered due to very strong flows on the River Kennet rendering it unsafe to operate. It was not until late May that trips were back in full swing. Our regular public trips are on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 12 noon and 2pm and will run until the end of October. For further details and to book online please visit: www.jubilee.katrust.org.uk .

In the summer we will be running some special evening summer cruises for those who would like to unwind and enjoy a relaxing trip on the canal with a drink in your hand. And in August Jubilee will be turning into a Pirate ship for swashbuckling trips on Tuesday afternoons.

After a break for several years, we will also be attending Reading Water Fest on 10th June, when we will be running trips around the Gaol Loop from Chestnut Walk. This popular event is one of the highlights for the crew who get a chance to work on a different part of the canal, including during the transit to and from Reading. The Reading to Burghfield leg of our return journey on 11th June will also be offered as a public trip.

Sarah Foley

Reading Branch Chairman’s Report

Hello, The Swallows have returned and the Mayflies have started to bounce, all set for the coming summer months. The past few months have been rather frustrating as the weather, and specifically fast flowing river sections, and high water levels have largely stopped much of the boating and waterside activity. We have had virtually continuous “Red Boards” on the locks…so no boat movements have been possible. Looking at the current at Fobney and County Locks it would be the foolhardy that would attempt the river in those conditions. We did manage to get the trip boat Matilda Too down into Reading at a point where the flow dropped…for all of a day. It began raining again as we moored in Reading and shortly after the “Red Boards” were again being flagged and stayed until the beginning of May. We had planned to start our trips for the Easter holiday, but this was not to be, we eventually began in the 2nd week of May. It’s great to be back on the water and giving folk a different perspective on Reading.

I mentioned that I planned to join a CRT volunteers guided walk around Reading’s waterways. This was most enjoyable and I can recommend David Palfrey’s guided tour. It was a cold blustery day, but it was good to chat to fellow waterway enthusiasts and look at the state of the Kennet at a point of being most visibly powerful and impressive.

The major spectacle around the Easter time is the famous Devizes –Westminster canoe race. We watched some of the intrepid paddlers move past Southcote lock but unfortunately even these folk were curtailed at Reading due to the strong current on the Thames. Around this time we came across two intrepid walkers from the Cauldwell Youth Trust who planned to walk the length of the K&A to raise funds. Karen and Emma told us how the walk had extended first to London and then to the Thames Estuary…so a walk from west coast to east coast across the country. You can hear a small part of this adventure on Radio 4’s “Ramblings” with Clare Balding (BBC sounds). We invited them back to talk to the Branch at our May meeting. The Aldermaston Tea Rooms are now open again, and well worth a visit. They started by hosting the Devizes – Westminster teams and spectators, opening up early to provide bacon butties and hot drinks for the teams. Since those earlier, darker colder days they have moved from strength to strength with the garden and the rooms being frequented by walkers, boaters and many more. On the 13th of June we have the restoration of the old GWR “boundary markers”. They have both been repainted and are to be placed back in their original locations.

The Toll / Wash house is almost ready to be opened. The building has dried out well and Kingsmen Construction have done a superb renovation job. I’m now working with the Trust’s Museum curator and the Trust’s Archivist together with the CRT Heritage staff to give the building a story and presentation that will provide visitors with information about the history of the navigation and the work of the K&A Canal Trust.

Water Fest is nearly with us…10th of June….it looks like it will be a fun day with music and arts as well as the boats and water activities. In 1723 the Kennet

Navigation was opened to Newbury, but not before the then Reading Mayor, Robert Blake had led a riotous mob to stop the building by damaging the works. He was arrested and so the story goes, given the option of 6 years “hard labour” or to support the opening of the waterway…needless to say he took the latter option. We hope to recreate this scene at Water Fest with the newly elected mayor. We also have the Waterways Poet Laureate on hand to describe the day and work with folk to record their thoughts and memories of the K&A. The event will finish with the traditional duck race. If you would be like to help or attend, please contact me.

The Trust has a new web site to be launched very soon. This will be a welcome upgrade and should have more dynamic information about the activities, events and information about the work the Trust is doing. Our next branch meeting will be in September, this will again be a combined live and Zoom meeting at the Bel and Dragon. The Speakers will be announced on the Trust’s web site once they are confirmed.

Keep well and look after each other.

Graham Puddephatt chair.reading@katrust.org.uk

“Reading…on Kennet and oh so near the Thames” - Daniel Defoe 1724

Future Events

Entry donation to Meetings, including K&A members, £2.50 (to help with expenses). All meeting start at 7.30pm and further details can be found on the Website at www.katrust.org.uk

Crofton Beam Engines

Crofton Pumping station on the Kennet and Avon Canal in Wiltshire houses the oldest working beam engine in the world and is still able to do its original job, pumping water to the summit of the canal. Our 1812, Boulton & Watt engine and our 1846 Harvey engine are regularly in steam.

With the help of graduates from the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) at Aldermaston and students from Bath University we have installed a sophisticated Mechatronics’ system, as used in F1 racing cars, to measure and record key parameters such as pressures and valve timings. We do not think this has been done before for such historic engines.

The results enable us to monitor the performance of the engines, to prevent any damage, to monitor any changes and to show the visiting public their detailed workings. We are happy to make this data available to suitable accredited academic establishments.

By analysing unusual occurrences and comparing results over time we are in a unique position to identify any problems, ensuring early intervention if required. Analysis of the data can also significantly increase our knowledge of how these amazing machines work.

On Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th June we will hold a special Mechatronics Event when there will be experts available to explain the systems and presentations throughout the day.

Future Events:

Steaming Weekends: Sat 24th & Sun 25th June & Mechatronics Event

Sat 29th & Sun 30th July

Sat 27th & Sun 28th August

Sat 23rd & Sun 24th September

Please visit our website for up to date information on our Open Days: www.katrust.org.uk

Photo and information: Crofton Beam Engine Website

Maidenhead Waterways

We were delighted to host our second Waterways Fun Day on Saturday April 22nd, which was blessed by fine weather and drew paddlers and families (sometimes both..!) from afar into Maidenhead, where the newly restored waterway is now a major feature of a slowly regenerating town centre. Closure of the road over the waterway allowed us to have stalls all along the High Street, inside the Chapel Arches development and in the streamside amphitheatre by the Library where a mobile farm had been set up. A sound stage hosted a programme of music through the day, headlined by mezzo soprano Joanna Henwood, Thames Valley Chorus and Waltham St Lawrence Silver band. Fun on the water included a canoe cavalcade (set off by the Town Cryer), a crazy Flamingo chase, free canoe and paddleboard try outs and short boat rides on our service boats to view the restored channel and adjoining new developments up close. Food, craft and community stalls were complemented by Royal Berkshire Fire’s tender and rescue boat and the fun kept on coming with Morris Dancers, a pirate stilt walker, a Bubble Fairy, a Balloon artist and even a real live Mermaid..!!

A short Youtube video of the event can be seen at https://youtu.be/ooNXHXV5x-k

May’s local elections in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead saw a change of control. We wait to hear how the new administration will support the continuation of the waterway restoration project, in conjunction with ongoing development in the town.

Richard Davenport, Chair of the Trustees

River Wey & Godalming Navigations

The sun has come out and the Navigation has been a hive of activity. From boaters to walkers and paddleboarders to cyclists, the waterway is once again the destination for so many people.

General Updates from the River

Although so far there have been few incidents of conflict between users, with the busy summer approaching, we will be continuing to promote the safe, shared use of the Navigation. Information for Paddlers poster will be displayed at key points and there will also be warning signs being put out both up and down stream of all weirs.

After hours of hard work from two skilled and enthusiastic volunteers, Watchful has been repaired and is back on the water for the first time since Covid. Over the coming months, she will be taken to different parts of the Navigation as a presence on the river and to conduct spot checks on licences.

Update on Maintenance:

The team is currently working in the Godalming area after spending the last month reprofiling mooring spaces and repairing dog holes along the Navigation.

Projects:

Godalming Wharf – the staging is currently being replaced and the team are working hard to minimise the impact that this work has on the river users but the condition of the wood in some sections has meant that this is critical work in ensuring a safe environment for those who moor and launch from the wharf.

Thames Lock footbridge – the application for planning permission has gone in and so far we have seen a huge amount of public support for the plans to create a more accessible bridge.

Stonebridge – The team have done a great job and managed to realign a large portion of the staging flattening out the walkways.

New Haw mooring line steel sheet piling replacement – After conducting a series of invasive surveys, we are happy to report that the steel work is in better condition than initial reports had suggested. Based on engineering advice, we shall reinspect this bank in 5 years’ time.

Visiting Dapdune Wharf

For those of you who have been past Dapdune Wharf recently, you will have hopefully noticed the newly accessible area next to where Perseverance had been moored for the past 12 years. The wharf team has cleared the shrub to expose this new area that offers great views of the wharf, and it is proving to be a popular picnic spot for our visitors. This is an area where we are showcasing some of the craftmanship of our team and showing the ways that old materials can be given a new lease of life. The benches a re made from old and retired lock balance beams whilst the hand carved owl is the remains of an Ash tree that was felled due to Ash Die Back.

Update on Perseverance IV

We are very pleased to announce that Perseverance has moved from the mooring at Dapdune Wharf to her new temporary home at Stoke Lock.

Perseverance is one of only a few remaining Wey Barges, a type of boat specifically designed to be towed along the Wey Navigation. The last floating example, Perseverance was built by GJV Edwards and Sons at Dapdune Wharf for the Stevens’ family who ran the Navigation until it was handed over to the Trust in 1964. Built in 1934/35 she was one of the last of her kind, the tenth of eleven built, and was used to tow cargo such as timber to London and then on the return journey would load up with wheat for Coxes Lock Mill at Weybridge. By the time she came to the end of her working life in 1982, laying cable in the Regents Canal, she had traded at various points along the Thames including the West India, Ro yal Victoria and Millwall Docks.

Gifted to the Trust from the Museum of London in January 2011, Perseverance spent the last 12 years at Dapdune Wharf. Unfortunately, a combination of time and the elements had taken their toll and she is now in need of substantial restoration works. The decision was made to move her to Stoke Lock where she could be lifted out of the Navigation (temporarily) so that initial works to preserve her can be carried out.

Months in the planning, this has been a real team effort with staff and volunteers from multiple departments all working together behind the scenes. Hedges and trees have needed to be cut back as well as posts removed to allow access for the crane, boats stored at the lock needed to be moved and the layout redesigned to fit Perseverance. Heritage boat experts were called in to survey the hull and complete strengthening works in line with the hoist design and a multitude of logistics and risk assessments were completed to name just a few of the tasks that have been undertaken.

Even with all of this being done, towing her to Stoke Lock and the subsequent lift still carried a level of risk and so in the build up to the event, there was an element of trepidation amongst the staff team here.

With the works completed and the frame put together ready for her at Stoke, a small crew led by the Navigations Foreman, met at Dapdune Wharf ready to take her on her first voyage in over a decade. Leaving just as the sun was rising, everyone on board felt a sense of pride in being able to take part in this historic journey. It was a genuinely humbling experience to be able to see her floating down the Navigation again and it brought to life the history that we have all heard so much about.

Replacing the traditional horses with a tug, (along with some large punt poles and a ready crew on hand, just in case) the 2.4km journey took just over an hour. When Edwards and Son’s constructed the barges, they maximised the carrying capacity by building them as large as the Navigation would allow. This became very apparent as we passed under the Woking Road bridge where the clearance has never felt so tight!

Once at Stoke, she was placed in the lock until the crane was ready. Even though all reasonable measures had been taken to protect the barge, there was still an uncertainty on how the structural timbers would react when lifted, and all 18 tonnes were no longer being supported by the water.

The lifting strops were lowered into the Navigation and Perseverance was floated over them ready for the lift. After months of planning, the journey down, and the 2 hours wait for the crane to be set up, the lift itself only lasted a few minutes but was a truly impressive sight to see a boat of the scale of Perseverance lifted out of the lock, over the cables to the lock cottage and then so gently and precisely placed onto the stand. When she touched down, the feeling of relief was tangible.

So now here we are. Over the coming months, the initial works to preserve her will start with initially pressure washing and rubbing down the hull to expose the frame and more precisely evaluate the quality of the timbers. She will then be given an initial paint/wood treatment to protect her whilst the full scope of the project is drawn up.

The aim is to combine heritage with the modern-day use of the waterway and have Perseverance not only floating again but to actually be used on the Navigation in a way that serves the needs of those who enjoy this historic and beautiful Navigation today. As the project develops, we will put out updates and would also welcome the opportunity to hear suggestions of how the barge could be used in the future. So far ideas of a mobile community space for hire, to a bookshop or café have all been floated (pardon the pun). This is an exciting time for Perseverance, and we are all looking forward to seeing the project develop.

Future Events:

Wed 21st June: Guided Walk, Ripley and Wisley village. A 5 mile guided walk in the middle part of the Navigations

Sat 8th July: Puffing-a-Wey, Come and soak up the atmosphere as the Steam Boat Association of Great Britain shows off their magnificent steam powered craft

Tues 11th to Fri 14th July, Prologue Youth Theatre present the Just So stories.

Sat 15th July: Guided Walk – A local historian will guide the group around the waterways in the West Byfleet area.

Sat 22nd July: Big Camp at Dapdune Wharf, – Enjoy a night under canvas in the centre of Guildford. This is an overnight event.

Sun 23rd July: Guided Walk, Three Surrey Properties. 10 mile guided walk that includes the River Wey, Winkworth Arboretum and Hydon’s Ball and Heath.

Sat 16th September: Wey River Festival. Our biggest event of the year offering live music and entertainment, a range of stalls and events, culminating in our illuminated pageant. Any boaters who want to register for the event and take part in the pageant, please contact the Navigations office a t riverwey@nationaltrust.org.uk .

Please visit our website (www.nationaltrust.org.uk/riverwey ) for more information.

Tristan Brown

Wey Navigations General Manager