IWA Waterways Magazine - Spring 2020

Issue 267 • Spring 2020

waterways www.waterways.org.uk

RAIN CHECK Advice for staying safe during floods

GREENER BOATING

Sustainable alternatives to diesel power

Taking the Helm

Meet IWA’s new National Chairman

PLUS

Plan your journey to the Festival of Water at Worcester

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Spring 2020 Contents Issue 267 • Spring 2020

waterways www.waterways.org.uk

RAIN CHECK

GREENER BOATING

Advice for staying safe during floods

Sustainable alternatives to diesel power

5. Welcome

16

Column of the National Chairman

6. News

The latest from within IWA and beyond

Taking the Helm

Meet IWA’s new National Chairman

12. Campaigns Update

Including the Boston to Peterborough Wetland Corridor and the Heathrow Airport Expansion

PLUS

Plan your journey to the Festival of Water at Worcester

16. Let's Party at Perdiswell Cruising to the IWA Festival of Water at Worcester

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COVER PICTURE: Worcester on the River Severn.

18. Rodger That

Introducing IWA’s new National Chairman, Paul Rodgers

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20. Come Hell or High Water

Advice for staying safe on waterways in flood

25. Year of the Volunteer

Profiling three voluntary roles within the Association WATERWAYS EDITOR: Amelia Hamson Tel: 01283 742962 E-mail: a.hamson@wwonline.co.uk FEATURES EDITOR: Sarah Henshaw E-mail: s.henshaw@wwonline.co.uk ART EDITOR: Claire Davis ADVERTISEMENT MANAGER: Laura Smith Tel: 01283 742956 E-mail: l.smith@wwonline.co.uk ADVERTISING DESIGN: Jo Ward ADVERTISING PRODUCTION: Samantha Furniss E-mail: s.furniss@wwonline.co.uk REPROGRAPHICS: Waterways World Ltd, 151 Station Street, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, DE14 1BG. Printed in England by Warners (Midlands) PLC, Bourne, Lincs Articles may be reproduced provided permission is obtained and acknowledgement made.

ISSN 0969-0654 A non-profit distributing company limited by guarantee (612245), Registered as a Charity (No. 212342) Founded: 1946, Incorporated 1958 Registered Office: Island House, Moor Road, Chesham, HP5 1WA Tel: 01494 783453 E-mail: iwa@waterways.org.uk Web site: www.waterways.org.uk Chief Executive and Company Secretary– Neil Edwards National Chairman – Paul Rodgers For press inquiries please contact: pressoffice@waterways.org.uk For all other contact details, including trustees and branch officers, visit: www.waterways.org.uk/about/ meet_team Nothing printed in Waterways may be construed as policy or an official announcement unless stated, otherwise IWA accepts no liability for any matter in the magazine. Although every care is taken with advertising matters no responsibility whatsoever can be accepted for any matter advertised. Where a photo credit includes a note such as CC-BY-SA, the image is made available under that Creative Commons licence; full details at www.creativecommons.org

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30. Silver Propeller Challenge

New locations in the north of England

32. Restoration Hub

Including WRG’s plans for 2020 and the first recipient of the Waterways in Progress grant

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40. Straight Talking

Interview with Steve Wood, seasoned IWA speaker

42. IWA's Digital Future

A closer look at the Association’s new website

44. Then & Now

North Walsham & Dilham Canal

48. Greening our Waterways Alternative forms of propulsion for more sustainable boating

Seven reasons why your membership contribution is vital 1. IWA Canal Clean-ups led by our branches keep many waterways clear of debris 2. Restoration is kept high priority through funding for the Waterway Recovery Group 3. Over 10,000 days of volunteering each year will be supported with the right training, tools and materials 4. IWA can defend the waterways from unwelcome development 5. We can pass on traditional skills and workbased experience for volunteering young people 6. We can lobby the Government and work with other organisations to repair, improve and protect our waterways heritage 7. Your voice is counted when IWA speaks up for all those who enjoy the country’s canals and rivers

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Spring 2020 23/01/2020 09:26

Welcome to a new

year and a new decade!

S

ometimes a chance encounter gives you a completely new perspective on life. Just five years ago, I had that experience when I spent a week with a bunch of people I’d never met before in a situation in which I’d never dreamt I’d find myself. Since then I’ve been fast-tracked on a journey I could never have imagined!

Even six months ago, if anyone had said I’d be writing a column in Waterways as the National Chairman of the Inland Waterways Association I would have declared them quite out of their mind.

But here I am, starting a new year and a new decade having taken on this role as the head of an amazing organisation that can boast an impressive 75-year heritage, the broadest perspective of the waterways, with a staff team, members and supporters who are passionately committed to positive change.

The people I met five years ago on a Waterway Recovery Group Canal Camp in the Cotswolds helped me understand the transformation that could be made by just a few people working together. It gave me a new perspective on what the waterways meant for our country in a way that inspired me to get more involved, particularly in canal restoration and bringing life back to communities that can take advantage of all that the waterways offer.

Initially, the appeal was that it provided a complete contrast to my day job – largely based in offices, airports, conference centres etc – helping me learn new skills, get a chance to be outdoors more often, and contribute to something that would almost certainly outlast anything that I am involved with in my financial sector role. As I became more involved, initially on IWA‘s Marketing Committee, then as a Trustee,

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and most recently joining the Finance Committee, I realised that IWA could provide an even greater outlet for my passions and interests and allow me to apply some of my business experience to the opportunities – and challenges – that lay ahead for both the Association and the waterways in general.

I know that everyone reading this will share my passion for the waterways and will take pride in being part of this unique, campaigning organisation which has done so much over the past 75 years. We all have different sources of inspiration that drive us as members, supporters, or active volunteers with the Association. For me, it comes from meeting and working with new people, spotting and unleashing potential, dealing with challenges and ultimately driving change that will make a difference in the future.

I’m delighted that so many IWA branches have asked me to speak at their meetings this year and even into 2021. I will also try to get to as many events as I possibly can. The most popular questions I get asked by members, and by the waterways press, are what changes I think are needed and what my vision for the future is. I’m fortunate that, even though I’m a relative waterways novice, I’ve had the opportunity in the past five years to speak to hundreds of members, volunteers and committee members and develop my thoughts on what the future could bring. I’ve shared some of those in the interview on page 18. I look forward to hearing from you in the coming weeks about how you can be part of that vision for the future.

Our waterways matter – environmentally, socially, and economically – and we have a responsibility to each other, to those who have committed their lives to this

Association over the past 75 years, but particularly to those who will follow us into the next 75. We must seize the opportunity we have today to make a mark for good in whatever way we can.

Much has already been made and, I have no doubt, will continue to be made of the fact that I still have a full-time job in the business world and may not have as much ‘free time’ as former National Chairmen to do the job in the same way as they did. I draw great encouragement from the knowledge that I am supported by Deputy Chairmen and a Board of Trustees who are committed to ensuring that the Association’s governance structures are fit for the next 75 years, an experienced staff team which brings a level of dedication that sustains much of what we achieve through members, and active volunteers whose support I will both rely on and be grateful for as I try to serve the Association to the best of my ability.

There is a lot on the horizon for IWA in 2020 – more volunteer days, a new website, increased campaigning, greater political engagement and so much more.

I encourage you to read all about it in the pages of Waterways and to get more involved. You never know, it might just bring that chance encounter that will give you a new lease of life. If it can happen to me, it can happen to you too!

Paul Rodgers, IWA National Chairman

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Waterways News

Meet IWA's new

National Chairman

Following a Trustee meeting on Saturday 16th November 2019, Paul Rodgers was elected as the Association’s new National Chairman. He succeeds outgoing postholder, Ivor Caplan, who, after two years at the helm, has decided to focus on areas of particular interest including heritage, navigation and planning.

Paul brings a wealth of business and volunteering expertise to the role and is currently chairman and founder of European payments community, Vendorcom. He first volunteered for IWA in 2014, when his wife persuaded him to go on a week-long Canal Camp with her and since then his involvement has grown.

Paul has big plans for IWA and says: “My aim as National Chairman is to continue to build on IWA’s reputation, developing well-thought-out, strategic and active campaigns that will result in the regeneration of the waterways to benefit all users, influencers and stakeholders for the remainder of the 21st century – and beyond.”

Three deputies have also been named to work alongside Paul: Chris Howes, Rick Barnes and newly elected Trustee Dave Chapman.

See our interview with Paul Rodgers on page 18 for a more in-depth insight into his plans and aspirations.

Paul Rodgers, IWA’s newly elected National Chairman.

Restoration Raffle success Thank you to all IWA supporters who bought tickets in IWA’s Restoration Raffle. Prizes included £1,000 cash, Imray maps and guides worth £150, a Crick Boat Show festival bundle valued at £250, ABC Leisure day-boat hire, plus many more.

R Thompson, winner of a full set of Nicholson guides, said: “Having lived by a vibrant canal for over 40 years and having so enjoyed all aspects of narrowboats, I want to encourage restoration everywhere of this most precious part of our landscape.”

The raffle raised a profit of over £8,000, which will all be spent on the provision of support to restoration trusts and societies across the country. One of the Restoration Hub’s first projects this year will be the rewrite of Part 1 of IWA’s Practical Restoration Handbook, a resource valued by all Hub users.

First Silver Propeller Challenge completed Michael and Jo Morehouse, the husband-and-wife team featured in the Winter 2019 edition of Waterways magazine, are the first Silver Propeller Challenge participants to tick off 20 locations. They have been vlogging (video blogging) about their experiences, and details of all the locations they visited can be found on social media through their @nbminiallist accounts.

The challenge encourages boaters to visit 20 or more lesserexplored waterways across the UK and it was with a visit to Standedge Tunnel that Michael and Jo finally made it to their 20th location. The couple have decided to keep on boating to try and bag even more locations and we should soon have some news on how participants can extend their achievement to gain a Gold and Platinum Propeller Challenge plaque respectively.

Two locations have been added to the challenge list this year (see page 30), and a new pack of information about each of the locations can be requested from waterways.org.uk/silverpropeller.

Michael and Jo Morehouse reached 20 Silver Propeller Challenge locations on their boat Perseverance at the end of last year.

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Waterways News

Photography competition

open for 2020

Last year’s winner in the Built Environment category was this image of Millwall Inner Dock, Canary Wharf, by Mark Caldon.

Our 2020 photography competition is now open for entries and this year photographers have four categories to choose between for their submissions: • Heritage & restoration: from old waterways signage and rope grooves caused by horse-drawn boats to the 500 miles of waterways that could be usefully restored.

• Waterscape: enchanting views of navigable waterways.

• Built environment: from beautiful old warehouses to wonderful new developments and creative, refreshing spaces to be. Let’s get a picture of our urban, waterside environments.

• Active waterways: all that contributes to the vibrancy of our inland waterways from the family enjoying a boat trip, a couple walking the towpath hand in hand or the boater mooring up for the evening, to the wildlife that lives there.

Photography received in this way allows us to improve the effectiveness of what we do and ensures that as much of our income as possible is used to protect and restore our waterways rather than for the purchase or rental of imagery. Good photographs really bring our communications materials to life and increase support for the waterways overall.

To enter please send your photographs by email, dropbox link, WeTransfer or other preferred file sharing service to summer.howard@waterways.org.uk – please include the location/waterway along with the chosen category for each image. The deadline for entries is 31st July 2020 and photos should be at least 2100 pixels x 1500 pixels.

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Which MPs have a waterway in their constituency?

We have pulled together a new tool for campaigners hoping to lobby MPs with a river or canal in their constituency, which covers all waterways in England, Scotland and Wales. Our new IWA Directory of Parliamentary Constituencies with Waterways identifies over 400 constituencies that have navigable waterways and/or significant restoration projects within their boundaries. The database is fully searchable by MP name, constituency, waterway and IWA branch, enabling users to work out which MPs should be contacted for any particular stretch of waterway.

This version includes all new and re-elected MPs following the recent general election.

Interested campaigners can sign up to receive a copy of the new resource on IWA’s website.

Go to waterways.org.uk/mps.

Right: Owen Paterson MP for North Shropshire (r) alongside Michael Limbrey, chairman Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust (c), and Michael Haig, chairman Shrewsbury District & North Wales branch, at IWA’s Parliamentary Reception 2019.

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Waterways News

New resource for waterways

IWA branch recognises

youngest volunteer

campaigners launched A new resource to help influence planners and policy-makers by demonstrating the value of inland waterways across the UK has been launched.

The review, commissioned from Birmingham City University and written by Nicki Schiessel Harvey, brings together previously written reports and studies in order to evidence the many benefits that a waterway can bring to an area.

This information about the real value of canals and rivers is crucial when speaking with local authorities and decision-makers who all too frequently overlook investment in the waterways, believing them to be peripheral to their local communities or simply assets that ‘someone else’ should deal with.

The report was commissioned by Ivor Caplan, who explains, “As budgets are stretched and funding is being cut, it is all the more important to have clear information at your fingertips when speaking to members of the local council or developers who are looking to impact on inland waterways. This report shows how the value of waterways moves well beyond just economics; it looks at how we show the oftenhidden value of health, well-being, community, local pride, heritage and so much more.”

IWA is working to ensure that inland waterways are given the full support they deserve and are appreciated for all their far-reaching benefits. The report summarises a range of existing and planned research into themes relevant to the waterways, such as heritage, green infrastructure, health and wellbeing, and economic development and regeneration, in order to review what we know and where we need more evidence.

Nicki Schiessel Harvey is a senior lecturer in built environment at Birmingham City University. She has a particular research interest in how different aspects of the built, natural and social environment are assessed and valued when making funding and support decisions. It was this expertise that led IWA to commission the report, which it is hoped will assist our branches and canal restoration societies when they are dealing with planning officials. Since publishing the review, Nicki has become a Trustee of IWA. The report is available online at: waterways.org.uk/ iwa_publications/pdfs/valueinlandwaterways.

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Lottie Clarke, winner of the IWA Northampton Branch’s John Faulkner Award.

Eight-year-old Lottie Clarke, who lives near Lock 14 on the Northampton Arm of the Grand Union Canal, has won an IWA volunteer award in recognition of her contribution to help clean up the waterway, turning up in all weathers and completing more than 50 hours with a volunteer team from IWA Northampton Branch.

Lottie received the John Faulkner Award, created by the branch to recognise someone who has made an important contribution to its work. The award was launched in the name of a long-standing member who left a substantial legacy to the branch in 2016. Lottie is the third – and youngest – recipient of the award.

The branch also celebrated the delivery of 11,000 volunteer hours in 2019 worked at the side of the Grand Union Canal tidying up, removing rubbish, clearing vegetation, planting bulbs, maintaining planters at the locks, filling in potholes and so much more. The total time is the equivalent of 1,500 working days or nearly seven people working full-time. It is the commitment and dedication of these volunteers that help to make IWA Northampton Arm such a success story.

Annual Restoration Conference The 2020 Annual Restoration Conference, jointly organised by IWA and Canal & River Trust, is taking place on Saturday 21st March at South Wolverhampton & Bilston Academy. This year’s theme is ‘building resilience and creating connections’.

We have attracted speakers from both within and beyond IWA and CRT to provide a lively programme of keynote sessions and breakout seminars. The conference will bring a focus to governance, volunteer recruitment and diversity within the sector, as well as funding, waterways operation, community engagement and planning.

Attendees should gain fantastic insight into the important topics facing restorations today, and have time for plenty of networking.

The conference is free to waterway restoration society members, volunteers and staff (refreshments and lunch are included), and booking is essential.

Find out more and reserve your place at waterways.org.uk/events_ festivals/workshop_courses.

Last year’s Restoration Conference in Wolverhampton.

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Waterways News

WRG North West

IWA Chief Executive

A hidden gem of the Stockport Branch of the Ashton Canal was recently uncovered by volunteers from the Manchester & Stockport Canal Society helped by WRG North West.

Working near the junction with the Ashton Canal, a heavily overgrown section of the derelict canal was cleared. Joined by the local area officer of Manchester City Council (which owns this stretch of the canal line), workers revealed a long-neglected garden, complete with ornamental mini-obelisks laid out when landscaping was completed in the 1970s, following the infilling of the canal.

Close by, IWA Manchester Branch volunteers continued their programme of improving the Ashton Canal towpath. “We just need the Stockport Branch back in water to complete the job,” said WRG North West volunteer John Foley, after working on the site.

IWA’s Chief Executive, Neil Edwards, has announced his retirement following a career spanning more than 24 years with the Association.

Credited with the creation of Neil Edwards.

Canal Camps, Waterway Recovery Group’s week-long working holiday format, Neil has spent many years supporting the charity both as a volunteer and as a member of staff. He first volunteered with London WRG in 1979, joined IWA as an employee in 1995 and led the organisation during the dramatic Save our System campaign, taking on the direct management of the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation, and through all of the discussions for the establishment and launch of Canal & River Trust. Since Neil began working for the charity nearly 25 years ago, over 210 miles of waterway have been reopened.

He advised trustees of his intention to retire in September 2019 and will step down as Chief Executive in the summer. In the meantime he will work closely on the appointment of a successor with a period of handover. Neil’s extensive waterways knowledge and expertise will not be lost to the Association, as he will continue to volunteer on the board of Essex Waterways Limited, and will be retained by the Association to oversee the insurance arrangements for IWA’s non-profit corporate members – a service which delivers enormous value to the restoration sector in particular.

Paul Rodgers emphasises the value delivered

by Neil during his time with the Association: “Under Neil’s leadership, IWA has developed an established reputation as champion and advocate of the restoration movement, and he has demonstrated an unswerving commitment to developing and improving the nation’s canals and rivers and IWA’s status as ‘voice of the waterways’.

“Neil is a well-respected and admired waterways campaigner and will be very much missed by colleagues throughout the sector. We have been fortunate to have him as our Chief Executive and when he retires he will be leaving the Association in an excellent position to further support the regeneration of our waterways and meet the challenges of the future. We all wish Neil a long and happy retirement.”

Roger Bravey

'brush bash'

The site on the Stockport Branch before the WRG ‘brush bash’…

Roger Bravey

…and after. Volunteers uncovered these ornamental obelisks beneath the vegetation.

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announces retirement

Spring 2020 23/01/2020 12:23

Spring 2020 p011_iwa.indd 11

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Spotlight on...

EASTERN REGION WATERWAYS Chris Howes explains how water resource management in East Anglia could help progress the Boston to Peterborough Wetland Corridor project Sitting in my narrowboat, in the middle of January, with the rain pounding on the roof and the swollen waters of the River Great Ouse rushing past, last summer’s water shortages are only a distant memory. This may seem an odd time to be thinking about water resource management, but it isn’t.

There are two parts to water resource management: getting rid of excess water (flood management), and guaranteeing a sufficient year-round supply of clean water to meet demand. For many years these activities have both taken place but perhaps despite, rather than in accord with, the other.

Here in the Eastern Region, those of us who boat on the rivers Nene or Great Ouse know how quickly the water rises after what appears to be quite a modest amount of rain. Much of the surrounding ground is clay, and rain runs straight off it and into the rivers.

Last year, during two heavy rainfall events the Environment Agency disposed of a total of 100 million cubic metres of water (approaching twice the volume of water in the Manchester Ship Canal) by pumping out to the Wash. This was at a time when the underlying water levels in the region remained very low.

Shortage of water for navigation affected the Grand Union Canal between Braunston and Stoke Bruerne during the summer of 2019, and locks were closed overnight. I remember the

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New waterways bring increased opportunities for people to experience the health and wellbeing benefits of green/blue spaces.

frustration of waiting in steady drizzle for Canal & River Trust to reopen the Buckby Flight one morning. There was a certain irony that the locks were shut to save water despite the seemingly abundant quantities descending on me from above.

Water Resources East What is clearly needed is an approach to water management which balances and reconciles the two apparently contradictory requirements of getting rid of water, and of finding it.

To tackle this problem across the country, five regional planning groups working as part of EA’s national framework have been set up. Water Resources East has been instructed to take a holistic approach for the Eastern Region.

WRE (which covers 31,000km² from the Humber in the north to Basildon in the south, and Northampton in the west to the East Anglian coast) is predicted to face a gap between supply and demand of 750 mega litres per day if it carries on managing water resources in the same way as before. This is the equivalent of 40 Olympic-sized swimming pools-full daily. WRE is focused on recognising the impact that climate change and population growth will continue to have on Eastern England’s finite water supply, combined with the need to enhance the environment in this region.

Spring 2020 23/01/2020 12:23

The Boston to Peterborough Wetland Corridor would require 12 miles of new waterway linking the River Welland to the River Nene.

In the region The Eastern Region is home to some of the UK’s most exciting businesses, beautiful natural sites, fertile agricultural land and prestigious academic institutions. Three of the UK’s five fastest-growing cities, the Thames Gateway, and the M11, A11 and M1 growth corridors are all in the Eastern Region – making a significant contribution to growth nationally.

However, the East of England has other characteristics that make it uniquely vulnerable to water shortage and severe weather events. Part of the land mass is below sea level and a huge proportion of the area is used for agricultural production; due to relatively low rainfall it’s also the driest region in the UK despite it having one of the longest coastlines of any region.

With the increasing risk of drought and a likely surge in demand for food, energy and services, there is a real risk that a lack of water could limit growth and development in the area.

Open water transfer WRE’s immediate task is to guarantee an adequate water supply for East Anglia. The River Trent provides a supply of water in excess of the requirements of the areas along its banks, and the plan is to move water from the Trent down to a new reservoir to be constructed somewhere broadly in the region of Holbeach.

Most of this can be done through existing waterways, but extra connections are required.

The water companies have traditionally moved water in closed pipes, rather than by open channel. However, in the 1960s the Great Ouse Cut Off Channel partly included open water transfer. The eastern (Denver) end of the cut off channel acts as a wildlife corridor, but is sadly closed to leisure activities, including boating. The southern part of the channel disappears into a tunnel and only serves to deliver drinking water to Essex.

IWA argues that moving water from the River Trent to this new reservoir using existing rivers and dykes should produce as wide a range of benefits as possible. EA and Lincolnshire County Council support this argument.

Benefits Many people enjoy spending time on or near the water, and the Government is actively promoting the benefits of walking, cycling, nature preservation, fishing, canoeing, paddleboarding etc. What we’ve all known for years is now official – boating is good for your health!

If the proposed water transfer link to the River Trent is made navigable it brings the aspirations of the Fens Waterways Link significantly closer. With EA and LCC, IWA has formed the Boston to Peterborough Wetland Corridor to ensure that the connection be open water. Even Defra is in favour.

The partnership has commissioned a Business Case Study to identify and quantify the many benefits (including economic and wellbeing) of bringing surplus water into the region by open channel.

This is a very real project with a concise timeline. Reservoir concept design should be completed by the end of March 2021. The project should be ‘shovel ready’ by 2025 and completed by 2030.

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The proposed reservoir would mean creating an open water channel close to Peakirk.

Wetland corridor This neatly dovetails with the aspirations of the Boston to Peterborough Wetland Corridor. Completion of the proposed reservoir should facilitate an open-water channel as far south down the River Welland as Peakirk, which is a couple of miles north of Peterborough. To connect to the River Nene below Peterborough will require approximately 12 miles of new waterway. There are two potential routes, either along the Car Dyke or the Cats Water Drain. Both of these pass through flat, agricultural land and wouldn’t pose significant engineering challenges.

The River Trent provides a year-round supply of surplus water; however, WRE is not the only area to be ‘eyeing it up’ as a source. During times of high rainfall so much water outflows down the River Nene that EA reverses the locks – opening the top and bottom lock gates at the same time to increase flow. If only some of this extra water could be stored and recycled for use during dry months. Hopefully one day the potential of doing this will encourage the development of the remaining ‘missing link’ between Peakirk and the River Nene.

Boston and Peterborough are geographically only 30 miles apart, but at present navigating between them by boat requires either a challenging Wash crossing or a torturous 250-mile, 135lock, 15-day trip, restricted to boats less than 7ft wide. When the Boston to Peterborough Wetland Corridor comes to fruition, it will only require a couple of days’ leisurely cruising.

Inland waterway links will reduce the need for boaters to take potentially dangerous crossings of the Wash.

IWA Waterways |

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CAMPAIGNING WITH YOU The expansion of Heathrow Airport is among some of the issues we’ve been campaigning on with your help. Here’s how we’ve been doing…

IWA responds to Heathrow expansion plans IWA has responded to the Heathrow Airport expansion plan consultation saying that it would cause significant harm to the natural environment of local canals and rivers, impacting habitats and heritage, as well as reducing access to the waterways and their benefits for local people.

Between June and September 2019 Heathrow Airport consulted on its preferred proposals for developing and operating an expanded site. The consultation was intended to provide feedback to allow the proposals to be further refined before an application is made for a Development Consent Order in 2020.

Waterways impact

Under the plans, the M25 will be diverted underneath a third runway at the airport, and while the nearest navigable waterway is around 1½ miles away at Stockley Park, some 13 miles of the Grand Union Canal and the Slough Arm would be affected by the permanent loss of 900 acres of land in the southern part of the Colne Valley Regional Park. The loss of this land will narrow the park and disrupt wildlife connectivity between the Thames Basin and the Chilterns. IWA is concerned that, particularly in urban areas where the canal offers a green refuge, increased noise and pollution would reduce use of the waterway

0hole12 cc-by-SA 4.0

Plans at Heathrow Airport include adding a third runway.

as an important recreational amenity and that the health and well-being benefits of the canal will be diminished.

The plans also require three rivers (Wraysbury River, River Colne and Bigley Ditch) to be combined to the north of the airfield to pass under the new runway in a single covered channel, while the Duke of Northumberland’s River and Longford River will also pass under the runway in a parallel covered channel. We are concerned that the roof voids that would allow limited daylight to the rivers would be open to spillages, causing pollution that could potentially threaten the ecology of the Thames.

The measures identified for reducing the effects of the Heathrow expansion on the water environment will be insufficient to mitigate the harm to the natural environment. Likewise, the expansion of the airport will be detrimental to the physical health and well-being of those in the entire area of the Colne Valley Regional Park and the communities close to the Grand Union Canal and Slough Arm, not just those near the airport. Community funding to help counteract environmental effects of the airport expansion should therefore be widened and include measures to create new open space, improve accessibility and enhance the waterway corridor.

The Grand Union Canal at Stockley Park near Bull’s Bridge Junction is the closest navigation to the proposed expansion of Heathrow.

Roadblocks

Ray Gill, planning officer with IWA West London branch, was involved in submitting the Association’s response to the consultation, which closed in September 2019. This was just one part of a six-stage process required by Heathrow before the submission of its Development Consent Order. It’s likely to be some time yet before outcomes are known.

“This pre-application process has been interrupted by a decision of the Civil Aviation Authority to cap early spending on the expansion project,” explains Ray. “Capping spending has prolonged the construction period of a new third runway by between one and three years, and means Heathrow will need to undertake refreshed modelling of key aspects of the plan – including public transport to and from the airport – to evidence that the Airports National Policy Statement targets can be met. As a result, a new consultation will have to be made between April and June 2020. Heathrow has said the responses to this consultation will feed into the final planning application, to be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate towards the end of 2020.”

A number of other roadblocks in the process have also occurred in recent months. “At the end of October 2019 the Government’s Environment Bill passed its second reading in the House of Commons. The Bill introduced a range of new policies including powers to reduce nitrogen dioxide and fine particle emissions to levels recommended by the World Health Organisation. In the Queen’s speech, the new Conservative Government pledged to go ahead with the Bill, which would make the expansion of Heathrow difficult to justify.

“Furthermore, in May 2019 the High Court dismissed four separate cases made by a group of Councils, the Mayor of London, Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth in an attempt to block the scheme to build a third runway. However, the group was given permission to take its legal battle to the Court of Appeal in October 2019. The decision from the Court of Appeal was still unknown in January 2020.”

Why campaign with IWA? We strive to make the waterways better for all.

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Spring 2020 23/01/2020 12:24

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Crick ad WW CBT fp adV3 sponsor.indd 15

23/01/2020 11:56

LET'S PARTY AT

PERDISWELL As Perdiswell Park plays host to the IWA Festival of Water this summer, we take a look at the 30-mile-long Worcester & Birmingham Canal on which it’s located

T

he Worcester & Birmingham Canal links the Birmingham Canal Navigations with the River Severn, and is one of the most heavily locked routes in the country. It was on this waterway near Tardebigge that Robert Aickman and Tom Rolt took their inaugural canal cruise together in 1945, inspiring the formation of IWA a year later. We’re kicking off the Association’s 75th anniversary celebrations at the IWA Festival of Water on 29th-31st August at Perdiswell Park on the banks of the W&B at Worcester.

The 30-mile-long W&B traverses a surprising mix of environs from the vibrancy of inner-city Birmingham to the rolling hills of rural Worcestershire and the charm of Diglis Basins close to the canal’s meeting point with the River Severn. But with 58 locks packed into its length, it’s not one for the fainthearted. Thirty of the locks are located in just 2 miles at Tardebigge, which raises the canal more than 200ft to its summit level. Here’s what else to expect on a cruise to the Festival of Water’s showground…

below: The W&B begins at Gas Street Basin.

1 The Worcester & Birmingham’s starting point is Gas Street Basin in the

heart of Birmingham. Passing through the now-defunct ‘Worcester Bar’ lock chamber, the canal makes an abrupt 90º turn outside the Mailbox retail complex and beats a rapid retreat into Edgbaston. Beyond Edgbaston Tunnel is a pleasant stretch of urban canal passing the city’s botanical gardens, University of Birmingham campus and Cadbury World at Bournville.

2 King’s Norton Junction is where the canal meets the northern Stratford

Canal, marked by a handsome toll house, parkland and roving bridge.

Convenient mooring rings are located here for a lunchtime stop before the 2,726-yard-long Wast Hill Tunnel. The structure has no towpath but, in spite of appearances, it is wide enough to allow two boats to pass. After around half an hour, you’ll emerge into a different world; gone is the urban sprawl of Birmingham, having been replaced by Worcestershire’s pretty countryside.

Hopwood provides a clutch of popular moorings.

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Edgbaston Tunnel.

below: King’s Norton Junction.

Spring 2020 23/01/2020 12:25

IWA Festival of Water BOOK NOW FOR THE FESTIVAL OF WATER Join us for a weekend of festivities at Perdiswell Park, Worcester, on 29th31st August. Book a mooring or campsite pitch for just £35 for the whole weekend, including evening entertainment. Entry to the festival and car parking are free. More information, including how to book your mooring or pitch, is available online at waterways.org.uk/festivalofwater.

Alvechurch.

3 Alvechurch comes next with its marina and array of brightly painted hire-

craft. The town’s railway station is located just over the hedgerow and provides direct links to Birmingham, Lichfield and Redditch, while the centre of Alvechurch is around a 15-minute walk away. The canal heads into lush countryside before a deep cutting leads to the 613-yard Shortwood Tunnel, shortly followed by Tardebigge Tunnel. Pleasant moorings located opposite New Wharf give boaters the chance to prepare for the challenge ahead.

Tardebigge Tunnel.

4 Your journey down the Tardebigge flight begins at Top Lock No 58 – look out for the plaque commemorating the meeting of Rolt and Aickman located on the lockside. On your descent, you’ll pass the old engine house near Lock 57, once needed to maintain the flight’s water supply, and at Lock 54 you’ll be afforded your first view of Tardebigge Reservoir. The short pound between locks 29 and 28 provides a well-earned opportunity for rest and recuperation, with the perennially popular Queens Head being ideally located for this purpose.

5 After negotiating the two six-lock flights at Stoke Wharf and Atwood, a Looking down the Tardebigge flight.

5-mile pound provides welcome respite from all the windlass-wielding activity and gives boaters the chance to appreciate the lush, rural surrounds. The meeting point with the Droitwich Junction Canal at Hanbury Wharf marks a pleasant interval with the Eagle & Sun pub overlooking a large workshop, chandlery and rows of moored boats. Sedate progress continues as the canal skirts the quiet settlements of Shernal Green, Dunhampstead and Oddingley. Good moorings and a handy range of facilities are on offer a little further on at Tibberton.

6 Six locks at Offerton raise the canal towards the centre of Worcester where Approaching Bridge 30 at Dunhampstead.

you’ll find plentiful visitor moorings close to the Festival of Water site, Perdiswell Park. On leaving the cathedral city, the W&B ends at Diglis Basins where narrowboats rub shoulders with sleek motor-cruisers and trip-boats. You can wind here for your return journey to Birmingham, or volunteer lock-keepers will assist you through the two broad locks that emerge onto the River Severn.

Mooring by Sidbury Lock 3 in Worcester.

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IWA Waterways |

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23/01/2020 12:25

All you need to know about IWA’s new chairman, Paul Rodgers, and his aspirations for the charity…

Rodger that He's a spring chicken!

Paul jokes that he’s probably IWA’s “first nonretired, non-pensioned national chair”. But while youth is on his side, free time isn’t quite so much. “I’ve basically got two other jobs, so there will inevitably be challenges. However, as the saying goes, if you want something done, ask a busy person! Thankfully, I’ve also got fantastic support in my new role – a good set of Trustees, members and volunteers and, of course, our staff team. And I’ve appointed three deputies [previously the chairman only had two], who are already proving invaluable.”

Younger than his predecessors – but hardpressed for time with two other jobs.

He's had a 'hire' education Paul and his wife, Amanda, started hiring boats in 2012 – and haven’t looked back since. Their first trip was inspired by a team-building exercise for their staff. “We wanted something away from London and that would reinforce the importance of good communication. Hiring a narrowboat came to mind.

Obviously, we had to try it ourselves first (we didn’t want to show ourselves up in front of the team!) so we took out a day-boat in Guildford. It was lucky we had this trial run, in fact, as we ended up getting swept towards the edge of a weir and completely stuck! It was bad enough that there were witnesses in the nearby beer garden, but at least we were spared our employees seeing us making a hash of it. We had such a fun time and the realisation that there was still so much to learn spurred us to book another ‘proper’ holiday – a long weekend on the Llangollen. Since then we’ve tried to hire at least once a year.”

Cruising the Llangollen Canal.

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Spring 2020 23/01/2020 12:25

Helping out at WRG's 2017 Bonfire Bash.

IWA has a “75-year proven track record” of making a positive difference on the waterways.

He was gifted a canal camp Paul joined IWA in 2014 after Amanda booked him on a WRG camp for his birthday. “Once we’d done the camp and found out more about IWA’s work, we thought it made sense to sign up. It’s been a fairly fast track through the organisation since then. Almost straightaway I happened to mention that my background was in marketing, and was subsequently enlisted to fill a vacancy on the marketing committee in early 2016. Then I was asked to join the Trustees. We’re still very heavily involved with WRG and and have led camps in the recent past.”

He thinks the organisation is in great shape going into its 75th year For this, Paul credits the charity’s unique position in the waterways arena. “Firstly, our independence allows us to be quite flexible – we don’t have to stay within statutory objectives or focus on short-term interests. We can operate beyond that and help bring together different interests. IWA’s second USP is its heritage – we’ve been there and done that. We’ve got a 75-year proven track record. That engenders trust, and it’s important we maintain this trust across the waterway community. None of this should make us self-aggrandising, however. We should be humble and working for the common aim of the good of the waterways.”

His vision is to 'get back to basics'

Community matters

According to Paul, IWA’s future is signposted largely by what’s been achieved in the past. “In many ways it’s about getting back to the basics. IWA was set up to be an association to campaign for the regeneration of the waterways.

There are four key words here, which have been and should remain absolutely fundamental to who we are. We need to reevaluate what those four principles mean as we look forward to the rest of the 21st century – not just the next three or five or 10 years.

1) Association: For Paul this means ‘engagement’. “It means being welcoming, stimulating, participating across the waterways, building relationships and connections and a sense of community, reaching out to all users. Now this might sound very over-arching, and perhaps idealistic.

Maybe even a bit naive. But I really think getting back to this will be essential.”

2) Campaigning: There are two strands to Paul’s thinking here. First, to make a strong distinction between ‘campaigning’ and ‘complaining’. Second: “We need to be much more focused on the effects of campaigning – we need structure and clear programmes. I think we’ve got that in some areas, but we need to do more to distinguish between effort and effect. It’s not all about wheel-spinning and looking busy. There’s already too much for us to be doing in the waterways world without us just grandstanding around the efforts we’re making. The effect we’re making needs to be evidenced.”

3) Regeneration: Paul makes the point that in the early days of the organisation, ‘regeneration’ could easily be interpreted as restoration.

“We were making sure canals didn’t fall into dereliction, we were having to reassess what the future use of the waterways would be (largely for leisure). As we’ve moved through the last 75 years, restoration continues to be as important as it ever was. But there are other risks surrounding the waterways. We’re seeing a great many more people using them, increased threats around urbanisation, planning issues, climate change etc. One of IWA’s key roles should be to constantly reassess what that word ‘regeneration’ means. We need to be reinterpreting it for today, and every 10, 50 years, and even to the end of the century.”

4) Waterways: Obviously, says Paul, the focus here is on navigable rivers and canals. However, he insists IWA also needs to understand what the waterways mean to other users (i.e. people on the towpath) as well as encompassing brand new or planned waterways. “With that in mind, IWA is getting behind what’s going on with the proposed Boston to Peterborough link, for example.”

While a lot of Paul’s attention will be around internal activities and how he can strengthen and bring the Association together, his other core interest is to make sure IWA reaches out and works more collaboratively with other organisations. “We can help them, they can help us. There’s way too much for only one organisation to do by itself. Our respective stakeholders and members, supporters, volunteers and so on actually expect us to be working well with others, often because they’re members of multiple organisations themselves. I want to see that as a strength.”

Spring 2020 018 Paul Rodgers SH.indd 19

He plans to use his business background to his advantage “I perhaps bring more of a change-minded approach and dynamism to the role. What I do in my main line of work, which is all about building a community, runs neatly in parallel with running a membership organisation of fairly diverse interests. I’m driven by creating collaborative communities. This isn’t all about me, this is about how we see the strengths of everyone, play to them and motivate those passions. There’s a home for everyone within IWA, no matter what their interests or their geographic focus. They can all add value. Or, equally, they can explore new opportunities and challenges, and we’ll support them with those. I think the main thing is for me to give people the opportunity to thrive and share their experience and information across the organisation.”

IWA Waterways |

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23/01/2020 12:26

COME HELL OR HIGH WATER As extreme weather looks set to become more commonplace, Peter Scott recounts a terrifying flood experience on the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation, while IWA rounds up advice on how best to stay safe in similar situations

“G

ive it a good thump; here’s the mooring hammer.” To that stake nb Copperkins II remained tethered for ten hours in June 2007 in 8ft of floodwaters, while two million tonnes of water rushed through the railway bridge we’d sought sanctuary under at 6mph.

We’d started the day on a canal section of the Sheffield & South Yorkshire Navigation above Ickles Lock, just behind the Rotherham United FC ground.

We’d moored there on the way to Sheffield Basin only because the advertised 8am-7pm opening times of the Tinsley flight just don’t work like that; the required 24-hours’ notice simply allows the lock-keepers to adjust boaters’ arrival to to suit them. Without this constraint we would have passed across Jordans Weir while the River Don was still navigable on Sunday evening.

The rain continued heavily all night and a Monday morning weir visit showed safe progress would be impossible; lots of water flowed over the full hundred metres of side weir, and running along the towpath we still couldn’t keep up with twigs floating in the river’s current above it. Along with my wife and our two guest crew members, we settled down to a day of crosswords and sudoku while we listened to the rain.

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By 4pm the view from our windows had changed somewhat as water came over Jordans Lock and Holmes Lock into our pound, flooded the towpath and started our 8ft vertical rise, reaching maximum height by midnight and falling again during the night, to deposit us back where we began by 7am.

Snap decision Few people in their right mind would choose to stay aboard a boat in floods. Had we foreseen what was to happen while still able to walk along the towpath, it would have been a tricky choice whether to stay onboard or leave. Evacuation would have required securing the boat better than a mooring spike, an accurate prediction of how slack the lines needed to be, and acceptance that Copperkins would find its own resting place as the waters fell, and probably sink. But there was no time to write a lengthy risk Spring 2020 23/01/2020 12:26

Flood Advice Back at towpath level – and the bridge rope.

Ickles Lock Cottage: the flood level is the line halfway up the windows.

Graffiti under the bridge, which the Scotts used to measure their ascent. Shown in this picture is the maximum height of the floodwater, where it stayed for four hours.

Ickles Lock debris.

assessment. More to the point, once we’d risen 3ft over the towpath Alastair and Peggy, who are in their 80s, might have needed a helicopter to disembark, with its own hazards.

We just have to back our judgement in these situations. In any case, it’s easier than dicing with a 40-ton lorry on the slip road, and in my estimation we were never in any immediate danger. Overall it was a stimulating experience; I had a workable plan and was thinking clearly about it as we rose. Using a rope I always carry for emergencies, I tied to the underside of the railway bridge when its beams were reachable with the boat-pole hook. This became our second line of defence; I trusted the rope to take the snatch if the mooring pin came out, assuming we would swing into the stream from which our bridge pillar had been giving some protection. We were trusting our lives to these ropes, our knots to extend them, and our overall strategy of staying where we were; but then we do the same with the front tyres whenever we drive on the motorway.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to retain my outward calm all evening, loudly begrudging any use of the corridor for the frivolous activity of making tea when a furious dash to the tiller might be needed. It was the stress doing the talking, and I was better off with the tea.

Spring 2020 020 flooding SH.indd 21

Grafitti godsend Our third flood defence was the engine, which we kept running with the tillerbar in place. Having watched a boat on the tidal Ouse steering into Selby Lock, I understood the technique of blasting full-ahead against the flow, while actually moving with control, in reverse relative to the bank. We also had the anchor ready to deploy, and attached to it 10m of heavy chain and 20m of hefty rope.

This was kept in reserve because I wanted to hold to the mooring pin for as long as we could; we knew the profile of the bank we had moored to, and what would be needed on the way down, but nothing of the hazards downstream. The anchor would have gone in to help the engine if we had needed to fight the current.

Reassuringly, we also had support from off the boat. Railway workers on the bridge above were sorting out their own problems on the line, and offered help a couple of times. Meanwhile, a firefighter arrived to check on our progress, and could have summoned a helicopter had we ever required it. When one did swoop our way we gave a thumbs-up rather than frantic friendly waves, which might have given the wrong impression. We were also aided by ‘DE50’, a graffiti artist: his tag on the bridge easily identified each course of bricks and helped us measure our swift ascent.

Less handy were the telephones: as soon as the floods hit our part of Sheffield and Rotherham, mobile phone networks were overloaded, and all five of our phones on three separate networks rendered all but useless. It was sheer luck that a mistyped British Waterways emergency number connected us to an operative driving somewhere in the Midlands. Much surprised to be chatting to discomforted boaters in Sheffield, he helpfully passed on our position to family, to the proper BW emergency number with a request to call us back and, some hours later, he checked in again personally. We never heard from the BW emergency service.

IWA Waterways |

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23/01/2020 12:27

RAIN CHECKS What a comedown! A Sheffield Keel narrowly avoids sinking.

Washed away We found out later that other boats in our pound fared far worse than we did, including a 15ft craft which sank as it remained tied to the bank as the waters rose. Meanwhile, it was frightening to hear the story of a man who, when moving boats, fell in and was swept past the lock fittings and found clinging to the concrete bridge below. He was hauled out with a life ring, and fortunate to survive.

In the boatyard above the lock a Sheffield Keel formed the core of a raft made by the smaller boats moored there. But they came down higgledy-piggledy; one in the lock cottage garden, necessitating a digger to push it off the bank. The occupants of the lock cottage itself left when the waters reached knee height. Like many in Sheffield, their home and possessions were wrecked that day.

Another Sheffield Keel was roped to the piling as the flood started, and was soon tipping at a 45° angle. It seemed likely to sink, but broke free, turned sideways in the flow and began to bear down on the raft of boats moored above the lock. It was the precarious position of this 80-ton boat that made us decide against joining the raft when we were invited. The Sheffield Keel’s bow rope held for a while, it completed a 180° turn and floated to the bank, where it remained without further danger. It eventually came down with the front 4ft on the bank, at a crazy angle, where it stayed for three days until jacking and winching persuaded it back to its moorings. The piling on the bank was a bit buckled…

Top tips for staying safe afloat if you’re caught in a flood Mooring matters The Scotts’ experience on the S&SYN shows how quickly situations can escalate in adverse weather. If there’s heavy rain before you set off, or once you are underway, you will need to keep a close eye on conditions and plan ahead to identify safe locations where you will be able to moor up until water levels reduce.

Choosing a secure spot is easier said than done, however, especially when a river is already in flood. Try to avoid shallow banks or steep falls as this increases the chances of your boat listing when the water comes down or, if you have the opportunity, moor in a lock as it provides some protection from floodwaters.

River Canal Rescue also urges boaters to take into account the flow of water: “Will it push or pull the boat and could it cause problems with other mooring points? Several boats sunk in recent floods because they were subject to water level changes which left them at an angle with outlets allowing water in.”

On our own way down we stayed awake in shifts, and to pass the small hours I did an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live and two with Radio Sheffield. While I slept, my wife Elaine did another. They phoned us for a fourth interview on Wednesday morning: I can still dine out on the tale that Radio Sheffield lunchtime news round-up re-played my early-morning clip, and only then proceeded to the news of what Tony Blair was doing (resigning!).

Having been married for 33 years to a sewerage engineer who enjoys talking about her work over meals, I have outgrown squeamishness. When our firefighter informed us the River Don had overwhelmed Sheffield’s main sewerage plant at Blackburn Meadows, just above Jordans Weir, and the effluent was on its way to our bridge, I could only smile. I have never been closer to my spouse’s professional interest.

With an inch of black mud on the towpath, it was reassuring to think that two million tons of water can do a lot of diluting.

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Alan Deane

Media attention Lock chambers can offer some defence from floodwaters.

Clean out drainage holes Drainage holes on the stern deck can easily become blocked with leaves and other debris over time, and become corroded. The risk here is that water may leak into the engine compartment and the alternators and starter motors, compromising charging and even starting the boat. If you’ve only got a manual bilge pump the entire engine room could fill with water. Clean out drainage holes regularly to reduce the chances.

Spring 2020 23/01/2020 12:27

Flood Advice

Ease off the ropes

Stay up-to-date

Fluctuating water levels will mean any boat tied too tightly is in real danger of listing. This could potentially sink the craft if outlets are submerged and water allowed to ingress. Keep your mooring ropes slack to stay safe.

It’s also worth ensuring your ropes run to points that can be accessed even in a flood situation, so they can be adjusted to the conditions. If it’s especially windy, check ropes for chafing too.

Canal & River Trust issues stoppage or restriction notices when flood locks are brought into operation or when a navigation is closed due to flood conditions. You can sign up to receive emails advising of these per particular waterway, or you can check this information at any time on CRT’s website: canalrivertrust.org. uk/notices.

Meanwhile, the Environment Agency issues Strong Stream Advice whenever flows reach a level that could be hazardous to boaters on its navigations. When Strong Stream Advice is in force, red flags, signs and warning lights at various lock sites are activated.

Up-to-date information on any strong stream warnings in force on Environment Agency navigations can be obtained by telephoning EA’s Floodline Information Service on 0845 988 1188. EA operates a messaging system to inform boaters by telephone message, text or email, to advise when Strong Stream Advice has been issued or cancelled. You can sign up for these on EA’s website for Anglian waterways (gov.uk/ guidance/anglian-waterways-river-conditionsclosures-and-restrictions) and the River Thames (riverconditions.environment-agency.gov.uk).

Build some slack into mooring lines to account for rising and falling waters.

Battle of the bilge There are three words which could spell the difference between a boat sinking and staying afloat: automatic float switch. If you have a manual bilge pump fitted, and it works – A small, low-profile, automatic bilge pump like you’ve checked! – it’s no good on EA’s website can advise when Thames navigation this is easy to fit in a tight space and capable of unattended craft without a switch. is unsafe. draining the bilge water level lower than most.

Meanwhile, bear in mind that all pumps are reliant on batteries being in good condition and well charged. RCR advises: “Most batteries with a good charge can operate Point plank a pump for one week to ten days with a bilge pump RCR managing director, Stephanie Horton, has a great tip to continuously running. To charge the battery, frequently help prevent a boat drifting onto land when water levels rise: run the engine for a minimum of one to two hours. It’s “Position a boarding plank between the boat and the river/ also worth finding out how long your battery will last on canalside edge and fix it into position on the side of your continuous use so if there is heavy rain, you can gauge boat.” This basically acts as a stop. how often to visit the boat.”

She also advises using the engine to keep the craft from getting grounded. However, she warns, “be mindful that as the propeller is at its lowest point, it can easily be damaged if the boat does drift.

These options are not advisable other than in emergencies.”

If your boat does drift onto land, it can be tempting to try and Wind factor push it back into the water yourself. Timing is everything here Strong flows and difficult river conditions aren’t your – and so is your health and safety. Don’t attempt this potentially only concern in adverse weather – wind can cause havoc dangerous manoeuvre rashly, especially if you’re unable to see underway too. Check the direction it’s coming from before under the water. attempting any manoeuvres – it’s all too easy to lose control.

Spring 2020 020 flooding SH.indd 23

IWA Waterways |

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23/01/2020 12:27

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waterways.org.uk/legacy 24

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Boat Yard Services: Covered Dry Dock • DIY • Signwriting & Painting • Engine Servicing • Call-out Service • GAS • Diesel • Pump out • RING FOR DETAILS

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Spring 2020 23/01/2020 09:30

YEAR OF THE

Year of the volunteer

VOLUNTEER

An IWA work party at Horseways Channel.

Mike Daines

If 2020 is the year you’re planning to get more involved with the waterways, IWA could have a volunteer role tailored to your particular skillset and interests. In the first of a series of features, we spotlight three positions to whet your altruistic appetites…

Job Description:

Branch Planning Officer In a nutshell, the role of planning officer is to monitor planning applications for those that may affect local waterways. To do this you’ll likely be trawling council websites to keep up to date with the latest developments, and submitting responses of support or objection to planning applications that may impact canals or rivers in the area.

A knowledge of planning issues is useful, but not essential, and the branch committee will offer advice as to what response should be submitted in specific situations.

Planning applications can be found on local authority websites, and feedback can also be submitted online, so access to a computer and the internet is useful. The planning officer is also responsible for responding to wider plans issued by local authorities, and again this information can be shaped by comments from the whole committee and coordinated by the planning officer.

There is scope to make of this job what the volunteer wants, including opportunity to define the geographical area you wish to cover or a particular specialism, such as heritage issues or local development frameworks.

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Case Study:

Ray Gill Planning and Navigation Officer for West London Branch

What attracted you to the role?

I took up the role in 2011 in response to a request for help when our previous branch planning officer retired due to ill health. The role appealed as I thought it would allow me to discover more about the canal network in west London, including heritage issues and the pressures of new development on the waterways.

It was something that would involve site visits along the canal as well as research I could do at home on the computer.

Had you ever volunteered before taking on this position?

I joined IWA in 1987 and my only volunteering before taking up the planning officer position was the occasional towpath clear-up.

How many hours do you spend on the role per week?

On average I probably spend up to 10 hours per week, but this varies from week to week according to the number and the size of new planning applications adjacent to the canal. The West London Branch has 36 miles of canal falling within the boundaries of nine local authorities, as well as the newly created Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation.

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The IWA branches within the Greater London area probably review many more planning applications than most branches, so the role is perhaps more time consuming in comparison to the rest of the country. Since 2017 I have been fortunate to share the role with a second planning officer, Roger Still, who has now also taken on the role of chairman of our branch. I would definitely encourage other branches to consider splitting the planning officer role in this way. Apart from sharing the load it is great to be able to discuss responses to planning issues with a fellow planning officer.

Applications for large developments are generally supported by numerous technical documents that require review to determine if there will be an impact on the canal. We do not always comment on all planning applications as we find some will actually improve the waterway environment or offer wider regeneration opportunities. Preparing responses to Local Plan consultations or to very large development applications, particularly if we are objecting, does take time but one quickly develops an approach and ‘language’ that speeds up the process.

What do you enjoy about it?

I try to keep our branch well informed about the planning situation and prepare a short report for our committee meetings. A picture speaks a thousand words so one of the things I most enjoy is preparing a slide presentation of the current planning issues. The slides are generally location plans and computer-generated images extracted from planning application documents.

Apart from seeing my branch committee on a regular basis, I have found the role has involved meeting many other people including Canal & River Trust staff, council officers, developers and local amenity groups. When I have time I attend pre-application workshops and local authority planning committee meetings as an observer when major applications are determined.

Uxbridge and preventing the near destruction of the Toll House at Bulls Bridge.

Despite years of battle we sometimes fail – in my case the decision by the London Borough of Hounslow to permit Waterside Places (a joint venture partnership between Muse Developments and the Canal & River Trust) to demolish the iconic overhanging warehouses at Brentford Basin. Planning officers should not beat themselves up about the uncertainties of the planning system. The difficulties are sometimes just too extreme, with local planning authorities permitting development under enormous pressure to meet central government targets or anxious that a refusal would lead to an appeal with costs being awarded to the developer.

“We do not always comment on all planning applications as we find some will actually improve the waterway environment” How does it play to your strengths?

I took up the planning officer role following my retirement as an architect, so I was fortunate to have some knowledge of development and the planning process. However, planning legislation is constantly changing and there is a need to keep up to date, which I enjoy as a form of continuing professional development! In reviewing planning applications my architectural background does tend to make me think of alternative design approaches. This is probably best avoided but it does sometimes help in drafting comments on planning applications.

What's been your biggest achievement in the role to date?

What type of person would the role suit?

I believe the role of an IWA planning officer is very much a gradual process of influencing decision-making by all those involved in preserving and enhancing the waterways for the benefit of all, so identifying individual planning success stories doesn’t really represent what we do best. It is often the small planning interventions made over a period of years that help to make a considerable contribution to the future of the waterways environment. In west London the things that come to mind are helping to prevent inappropriate development on Green Belt land, influencing the design of a residential development in

Although I have an architectural background this is not essential for the role. If you have an interest in the planning of the built environment, heritage and conservation you would almost certainly make an ideal planning officer. The IWA website has invaluable material on planning guidance and policy, which provides an excellent introduction to the role.

As mentioned much of the work is on the computer so the role would suit someone happy to spend some hours each week in front of a screen and who is used to setting up a well-organised computer filing system. Broadband is a must!

Bulls Bridge Toll House in July 2013 (erection of mansard roof in breach of planning) and in May 2019, with the roof restored to its original profile.

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Year of the volunteer

Job Description:

What do you enjoy about it?

Branch Work Party Organiser

Although I like the organising and seeing it all come together, it’s the actual site work that I enjoy the most. It gets me out in the fresh air and allows me to spend the day boating. What more could anyone want?! Seriously though, I enjoy the camaraderie, banter, sense of achievement, and getting out from under my wife’s feet for a day. Also, I have a vested interest in doing the off-side vegetation cutting because we’ve just had an expensive re-paint carried out on our boat and I don’t want to get the cabin scratched!

In this role you’ll be organising regular volunteer work parties or canal clean-ups by coordinating with the branch campaign team at Head Office and the relevant navigation authorities.

Usual tasks include litter picking, grappling, lock painting, vegetation maintenance, hedge planting and laying, and liaising with the public. The work parties usually last a few hours but this is entirely up to you.

IWA work parties are fun and friendly, a brilliant way to get outdoors and fit in some exercise (without realising it!), and a chance to make new friends. Anyone is welcome to help in this important work to ensure the canal can be enjoyed by all users, whether on water or the towpath (although under18s must be accompanied by an adult). No experience is necessary for this role and full guidance is offered to manage your very first work party, including risk assessments, supplying contact details, publicity material and answering any questions.

Case Study:

Neil Barnett Off-side Vegetation Cutting Work Party Organiser for Lichfield Branch

What's been your biggest achievement in the role to date?

The organising and coordinating are easy, but I’m very proud of the way our team faces the challenges we come across.

Everybody pitches in and just gets on with it, and we work particularly well together.

How does it play to your strengths?

My role has sort of evolved. When we began in 2017 I was just part of the work party, but soon I was being perceived by the others as the leader and organiser, probably because I’ve always been a bossy so-and-so. During my working life I was a gaffer for most of it, so perhaps it happened subconsciously.

What type of person would the role suit?

As a leader you need good organisational skills and to be suitably trained, especially in aspects of health and safety. Be prepared to put in the necessary hours to fulfil your role. It’s also important to be a good listener, to take on board the opinions of others in the group and to encourage their input.

As a work party volunteer then the obvious prerequisite is the ability to work as part of a team, undertake any necessary training, and to be happy working outdoors in all weathers.

What attracted you to the role?

Since retiring a few years ago my wife and I have lived on our narrowboat. We are away cruising around the country for six months of the year but I was looking for something to do in the winter months. Organising and liaison regarding the off-side vegetation cutting team fitted in with requirements perfectly because it is only carried out during the winter.

Had you ever volunteered before taking on this position?

No. Before retirement I worked long hours and never found the time to do any. I wish I had done so sooner though, because it is so rewarding.

How many hours do you spend on the role per week?

I spend a couple of hours a week organising and coordinating, and one day a week with the work party for between six and seven hours, depending upon the number of hours of daylight. If we can attract more volunteers we’d like to introduce another day.

Most of our volunteers want to do just one day a week but some are keen to increase this.

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Neil (far left) and his team tackling vegetation in January.

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Job Description:

What do you enjoy about it?

Branch Publicity Officer

It feels great contributing to IWA and the branch activities. Of course, all the members are contributing in different ways – such as attending work parties, coming to the open talks, renewing their membership, donating towards branch funds etc. However, since I am really passionate about the canals and canal heritage, I feel that as a committee member and by contributing just a few hours a week extra, I can really make a difference doing what I like anyway.

Moreover, if it helps to attract more people to the waterways, or makes them appreciate them more, that makes me very happy.

The role of publicity officer involves publicising branch activities, meetings and events in the press, in appropriate publications and websites and sometimes producing a regular eNewsletter. This will require the holder to establish links with media organisations in the branch area to disseminate the information.

You’ll be writing a lot of press releases, covering everything from canal clean-ups to lock help weekends, plus other notable branch activities/achievements. These will be prepared in accordance with IWA format and approval and sent to waterways and local press.

You’ll also be working in conjunction with the organiser of specific branch events as the source of information for developing the publicity copy and its production.

More generally, you’ll provide appropriate content for the branch information boxes/newsletters, help identify locations for displaying branch information (such as its social programme), devise new opportunities for branch publicity and maintain the branch page on the IWA website.

What's been your biggest achievement in the role to date?

Maarja Kaaristo

Setting up the IWA Manchester Branch Facebook and Instagram accounts, which makes the branch much more visible and helps to reach out to people who would not have heard about us otherwise. It was also great that our branch’s initiative to create an Incredible Edible herb garden on the Ashton Canal (near Lock 4) gathered substantial attention. Not only was it publicised in various CRT and IWA outlets (including an opportunity to publish a longer piece on our branch’s work transforming the Ashton Canal in this very magazine) but it was also well received by local people. I was similarly very happy to talk about the branch’s activities with Guardian journalist Ian Wylie for his article on Manchester waterways, which was published in the newspaper’s excellent Canal Revolution series in summer 2019.

Publicity Officer for Manchester Branch

How does it play to your strengths?

Case Study:

What attracted you to the role?

I had been attending IWA open meetings and work parties for a year, and I really felt the branch could better promote all the amazing activities and events it offers. I shared my ideas with committee members and subsequently was invited to join them as a publicity officer, which I did happily. I have since set up the social media accounts for the branch and designed flyers and info leaflets – doing things I like and helping the branch to gain visibility and attract new volunteers.

A lot of the publicity officer’s role is writing up different accounts of our various activities, be they short snippets on social media or sometimes longer ones, such as magazine articles. Since my day job as a research associate at Manchester Metropolitan University involves a lot of writing (where I also study canal tourism, among other topics), then this role is quite well suited to me. It has also allowed me to try my hand at, and subsequently enjoy, many other things that I do not do in my work life, such as taking photos for the social media accounts or designing flyers about our branch activities.

What type of person would the role suit?

I would say that the role of publicity officer suits anyone with good communication skills, both verbal and written. Being accustomed to social media definitely helps, but this is so simple to use and can easily be learned on the job. Ideally you just need to be open to trying new things for the branch to see what works best.

Had you ever volunteered before taking on this position?

I had never really volunteered before I started coming to the IWA Manchester Branch work parties – but once I started I enjoyed it so much I thought: “Why have I never done this before?”

Volunteering with any organisation is a worthwhile endeavour, and I cannot recommend it enough. What I especially like about volunteering with IWA is the variety of activities it offers – you can spend time out and about in the fresh air during work parties, but as a publicity officer I also do a lot of volunteering on my sofa with just my laptop!

How many hours do you spend on the role per week?

It really depends on the week; sometimes it’s a couple of hours and sometimes more.

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IWA Manchester branch volunteers at the Incredible Edible Garden in 2017.

GET INVOLVED If reading about the variety of roles on offer at IWA has piqued your interest, why not contact our volunteers support officer who can match your skills and available time to an opportunity to suit you. Email nicola.kiely@waterways.org.uk or go to waterways.org.uk/volunteer.

Spring 2020 23/01/2020 12:28

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SILVER PROPELLER CHALLENGE

NEW LOCATIONS

IN THE NORTH OF ENGLAND

Exploring the far-flung reaches of the network just got even more rewarding

T

wo locations at the northern extremities of England’s waterways network have been added to the list of qualifying locations in IWA’s Silver Propeller Challenge. Both were chosen for campaigning reasons, primarily to promote increased use of two very under-used sections of waterway, in line with the overall intentions of the Silver Propeller Challenge.

The addition of the isolated section of the Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal will help to promote the restoration of the canal up to Kendal, while the River Foss in York is accessible again with a new team of IWA volunteers coming together to operate Castle Mills Lock.

Northern Reaches, Lancaster Canal

WENDY HUMPHREYS

In the North West, and on an unconnected part of the network, the Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal is accessible by portable or trailable craft, and by trip-boat. The qualifying location for the purposes of the Silver Propeller Challenge is the northern limit of navigation at Stainton (beyond the aqueduct once it has reopened, or just before it until then), or Mattisons Bridge, which is where the Lancaster Canal Trust’s trip-boat runs to.

The Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal are in water from Millness to Stainton, a length of almost 2 miles which provides a beautiful stretch of canal with magnificent scenery for trailboats and paddlecraft as well as walkers.

There is a slipway and parking at Millness, at the southern end of the stretch, with mooring possible.

The slipway has seen much use in recent years, particularly for the IWA Trailboat festivals in 2015 and 2019. There is a platform alongside enabling the launching of canoes and other portable boats, and this is used on a regular basis by a local charity, the Bendrigg Trust.

Volunteers working on the First Furlong of the Lancaster Canal.

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The canal passes immediately alongside the Westmorland County Showground, which has events throughout most of the year. The towpath Hincaster Tunnel, is being upgraded Lancaster between Kendal and Canal.

Hincaster, and there is further parking at Stainton car park. There is a pub at Crooklands, and a regular bus service from Crooklands to Kendal.

There are other things of interest for those visiting the area, such as the Gunpowder Trail walk from Crooklands. Hincaster Tunnel is a listed structure, which was recently awarded a Red Wheel from the Transport Trust, and its associated horsepath is a scheduled ancient monument.

For those without a boat, the Lancaster Canal Trust runs its trip-boat Waterwitch on Sundays during the summer months from Crooklands to beyond Mattisons Bridge, and also offers charters for up to 12 people to the end of the navigation length. For further details see the Lancaster Canal Trust website (lctrust.co.uk). LCT also produces an excellent guide book on the canal.

At the northernmost point of this section is Stainton Aqueduct, a listed structure which will be reopened to navigation soon. Beyond the aqueduct is Stainton Crossing Bridge and a couple more furlongs of canal to the current limit of navigation. You can visit the LCT restoration site to see the ongoing work on its First Furlong project, which is due to open shortly and will extend navigation by 200m. The restoration of the next 400m will then commence.

In reaching this new Silver Propeller Challenge location, boaters will have traversed the most northerly navigable canal in England, and increased use of this isolated section will support the efforts of LCT to reopen the canal to Kendal. Boaters who attended the 2019 Trailboat Festival can claim the award already as the Silver Propeller Challenge was implemented before the Trailboat Festival – although you are encouraged to go back for a return visit!

WENDY HUMPHREYS

We’ve added the Lancaster Canal’s Northern Reaches and York’s River Foss to our list of under-boated waterways to visit

IWA Trailboat Festival, Lancaster, in 2015.

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Silver Propeller Challenge

River Foss, York

Synton turning at Wormalds Cut.

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Peter Hopwood

EA flood barrier, River Foss, York.

Castle Mills Lock, River Foss, York.

Above: Castle Mills Lock, River Foss, York.

Right: Gate winding mechanism, Castle Mills Lock.

Both photos by Alison Smedley

Mermaid on River Foss.

IWA Waterways |

Peter Hopwood

Peter Hopwood

Alison Smedley

Boaters venturing onto the tidal waterways of the North East – specifically the Yorkshire Ouse and its tributaries – will now have three Silver Propeller locations to bag with the addition of the River Foss in York. The existing locations are Melbourne Basin on the Pocklington Canal and Ripon Basin.

While the River Foss was historically navigable for nearly 12 miles up to Strensall, these days it can only be boated for 1⅓ miles upstream of its confluence with the River Ouse in York city centre.

For the purposes of the Silver Propeller Challenge, the qualifying location is the junction with Wormalds Cut, although many craft will get further upstream to the limit of navigation at Monk Bridge.

Historically, the river had six locks, but the only one that remains is Castle Mills Lock, which is just upstream of the Environment Agency’s flood barrier that protects the Foss from the floodwaters of the Ouse. The Foss Navigation opened in 1796 and was extended in 1804. It was sold to York Corporation in 1852, and all but the last mile and Castle Mills Lock closed in 1859. Rowntree’s bought the wharf and warehouse that had originally been part of Leethams Mill at the junction with the Wormalds Cut, which was in use until the 1980s, and barges were bringing 200 tons of newsprint per week into York from Goole until 1997.

Castle Mills Lock, named after the water mills in the vicinity of York Castle, is unique both in its gate-opening gear, and the fact that it is operated by IWA volunteers. For many years, City of York Council (which is the navigation authority for the river) operated the lock for a fee of £50 (in 2008) in each direction, but following campaigning by IWA members in the York area, an agreement was reached and trained IWA volunteers took over the operation of the lock from May 2008, as a free service.

It is the unusual method of operating the gates that makes the lock unsuitable for user operation – chains are wound when opening and closing each of the four gates, thus eight chains altogether. As the chains lie across one another, there is a danger of them becoming entangled, so City of York Council will only allow the lock to be operated by people who have been suitably trained. Operation also has to be carefully controlled to maintain a reasonable water level above the lock, and, very occasionally, passages have to be refused or rearranged due to low river levels.

Mooring is available on the river downstream of the lock, but no overnight mooring is allowed upstream (return passage back through the lock has to be on the same day). Boaters are requested to pass back down through Castle Mills Lock within two hours A new booking system is in place for 2020; to book a passage through Castle Mills Lock, call IWA Head Office on 01494 932731 or email castle.mills@ waterways.org.uk, and we will pass your enquiry on to the new team of local trained lock volunteers.

If anyone is interested in getting involved as a volunteer lock-operator, or helping to coordinate the lock operations (of which there are usually only a handful each year), please get in touch as the local team will be very happy to hear from you.

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restoration HUB: Waterways in Progress: The Waiting Gain

An artist’s impression of the completed cottages and community hub.

I

WA’s report on the untapped potential of unfinished restorations was published in March 2019. It included a wealth of case studies from across the network demonstrating how projects can deliver benefits to users even before they’re back in water, with additional examples cropping up continually. Waterways looks at two more inspirational accounts...

Derby & Sandiacre Canal Cottages

Building community involvement Over the past year, the Derby & Sandiacre Canal Trust has seen significant progress on its canal cottages restoration. This project aims to restore the Draycott Canal Cottages to create a community hub on the ‘Golden Mile’ section of the Derby Canal.

During 2019, an ever-increasing band of volunteers successfully stabilised the buildings, replaced the roofs, rebuilt and underpinned walls and floors, and installed utilities including a borehole and a waste management tank. Early this year, the buildings were fitted with windows and flooring and attention has now turned to the interior layout and decoration.

The aim in 2020 is to complete the restoration of the canal cottages, which will house a café, museum and office space for DSCT’s headquarters in part of the building. It will become a hub for visitors to gather and enjoy a break from walking or riding along the canal, and a base for canoeists and anglers to meet.

The remaining section of the building will be sold as residential housing in summer 2020 to repay loans and finance the completion of the community space later in the year.

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“This has been a huge undertaking with 4,500 hours of volunteer time already being used to get this far with the restoration of the cottages.

Our volunteers have turned out in all weathers and we seem to be attracting more and more local helpers as the project takes shape.

Support has come from local residents, who won a Gold medal in Britain in Bloom through promoting the canal project, students from local colleges and Derby University, and also businesses who have supported us financially. We have been well supported through planning and building control by Erewash Borough Council, which is keen to see the community assets enhanced.

“In 2020, following granting of planning approvals, we will be raising more funds to progress the restoration of the canal itself alongside the cottages, and have already raised around £100,000 through public donations.”

Chris Madge, chair, Derby & Sandiacre Canal Trust Right: Fundraising on the Golden Mile in 2017 to kickstart the restoration of the cottages. below right: Under construction: the cottages at Draycott in January 2018. below: Progress on the cottages in 2019 included installing new roofs on the cottages.

Spring 2020 23/01/2020 12:30

restoration hub

Steve Hayes

Sleaford Navigation

Working to create a safe haven for nature

above: Constructing the winding hole on the Sleaford Navigation.

below: The first boat made use of the winding hole last summer, before construction had finished.

“When we began work on this winding hole improvement project, we knew we wanted to mitigate any environmental impact and maximise the biodiversity of the area.

Working with our partners, we were able to introduce all the necessary elements to enhance habitats. Since we completed the work in the summer of 2019, we have experienced abnormally high water levels which have restricted plant growth but we are hoping to see grasses appearing through the coir come spring.”

Chris Hayes, chair, Sleaford Navigation Trust

Steve Hayes

Canal corridors can act as a vital wildlife sanctuary but sometimes the biodiversity needs a helping hand.

To complete the LEADER-funded Destination South Kyme project, Sleaford Navigation Trust wanted to install a separately financed winding hole on the navigation to encourage more boats to the area.

Working closely with the Environment Agency, partly through membership of the Witham Catchment Partnership, SNT had become aware of the criteria needed to improve the status of the waterway in accordance with the Water Framework Directive. Fish numbers in some sections of the river were judged to be not high enough and this led to discussion of ways in which mitigation work associated with the project could address this specific issue.

The basic design of the winding hole is that provided by IWA but it has been amended to incorporate a shallow berm for fish spawning and a separate pond as a fish refuge. Partially closed off by brushwood, the pond can be accessed by small fish but larger predators are unable to enter. Pre-planted coir roll has been used to provide an environmentally friendly edge to the winding hole and, when this becomes established with plant growth, it will also help protect the bank from erosion. The trust has previously installed similar coir roll in the nearby village of South Kyme and villagers have been delighted by the stability it has given to the bank and by the increase in biodiversity it has provided. The number of butterflies and dragonflies has multiplied and there have even been grass snakes seen in the area.

Excavation of the winding hole was undertaken by a local contractor with previous experience of working with SNT and the Environment Agency but the installation of the coir roll and matting was undertaken by volunteers from SNT and the Lincolnshire Rivers Trust.

Funding for the project cost of approximately £17,500 came from a variety of sources. SNT received grants from IWA, the East Anglian Waterways Association and contributions from private donors. EA also put forward £5,000 in acknowledgement of the additional amendments to address environmental issues.

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IWA Waterways |

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restoration HUB:

Waterways in Progress: the grant

F

ollowing the positive response from the waterways restoration sector to our Waterways in Progress report released last year, IWA’s Trustees announced a new grant offering organisations up to £100,000 to assist in funding a project or projects that promote the report’s vision and values. The grant is made possible by legacies that have been left to the Association.

Applications for the grant opened in May 2019 and by the August closing date we had received 28 from 27 different groups, who between them applied for over £1.1m. Our judges faced the difficult task of choosing which of these to progress; seven projects were selected, and detailed stage two submissions were then discussed by the panel in November. All successful applicants have now been informed of the outcome.

Behind the grant The scale of many restorations, especially in terms of the funding or construction skills required to deliver a completed waterway, can sometimes stop progress in its tracks. If restoration groups can focus on smaller-scale projects that start delivering from day one, benefits, including local awareness and community support, lead to the issues facing the overall scheme feeling more surmountable. This was a key requirement for any organisation applying for the Waterways in Progress grant – that the project can start to deliver right from day one.

To be successful, the grant’s panel of judges also needed evidence that the projects fitted into one or more of the following key themes detailed in the Waterways in Progress report: • Channelling Regeneration – projects that bring economic benefits to the local area • Promoting Personal Development & Well-being – encouraging people to get out and about for both physical and mental health benefits as well as volunteering and learning new skills • Creating Community Spaces – projects that build social cohesion and instil civic pride • Enhancing Heritage & Habitats – the delivery of environmental benefits and/or the preservation of history and tradition for the benefit of future generations.

The intention was never for the grant to fund the creation of more navigable miles, but rather facilitate the wider benefits that a waterways restoration project can bring to an area. Waterways in Progress shows the success that can be delivered when projects create partnerships, engage communities and inspire stakeholders in order to keep moving forwards to an end goal.

Over the coming issues of Waterways, we will reveal the successful grant applicants, the first of which is the Ashby Canal Association.

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Ashby Canal Association

Ashby Canal Trail Grant allocated: £10,000

Work on the restoration of the Ashby Canal had slowed in recent years, and it was felt by members of the Ashby Canal Association that a Waterways in Progress-style project could serve to invigorate the volunteer team as well as bring a new lease of life to the overall restoration scheme.

The village of Snarestone at the terminus of the canal is a short walk from the conurbation of Measham, but while geographically close, there is little to link the two settlements. Waterway users arriving at Snarestone along the canal need to know that Measham, and its shops and facilities, is close by, and to get to the village, they are currently forced to walk hedgelined country lanes with poor visibility and narrow or non-existent verges.

A new Ashby Canal Trail would create a safe pathway link between the village and the canal, crossing land owned by Leicestershire County Council, which is very much in favour of the canal restoration scheme.

The new path will provide tangible leisure benefits for locals, encouraging visitors and walkers to get out and about on a level, easy route. The path also passes the Ashby Canal Association’s headquarters, and it’s hoped that the increase in foot traffic will provide opportunity to raise awareness of the restoration and encourage new volunteers to join the organisation. Measham suffered from the effects of the closure of local collieries and, in the longer term, the restoration of the canal will help with the regeneration of the area.

The trail will also highlight the heritage of the area. The existing Ashby Canal towpath will form the first ⅓ mile of the route. At Snarestone Wharf, visitors will see information panels showing the history of the Grade IIlisted building as well as the original pump beams preserved by Ashby Canal Association volunteers. Crossing Gilwiskaw Brook, a Special Area of Conservation, the length will follow the original line of the canal to old Ilott Wharf (a major railway/canal interchange site for the old Measham colliery) and then pursue the Transport & Works Act Order route to Measham, passing the old preserved Measham Midland Railway station, now Measham Museum.

Commenting on receiving the grant, Geoff Pursglove, project adviser from Ashby Canal Trust, said: “We are thrilled to be the first recipients of the Waterways in Progress grant from IWA. This new Ashby Canal Trail is something that will really bring local residents together and will also attract visitors to the area, which will benefit Snarestone, Measham and the wider area. The fact that there is a great story to be told about the area will hopefully mean that people go away with a greater understanding of the local heritage and the important role that the canal played in this area.

We are very thankful to Leicestershire County Council for supporting this scheme.”

Legacies A quarter of IWA’s charitable income comes from gifts in wills. This makes it possible for IWA to support the restoration movement with funds through schemes such as the Waterways in Progress grant.

These help us to deliver our aim of seeing a further 500 miles of waterway be restored. To receive more information about gifts in wills please contact us for a pack. Email ellen.hawes@waterways.org.uk or call 01494 783453.

Spring 2020 23/01/2020 12:30

restoration hub

Ashby Canal, section restored at Snarestone in 2014.

Phil Sharpe

Ashby Canal, section restored at Snarestone in 2013.

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IWA Waterways |

Phil Sharpe

The Ashby Canal Trail aims to improve the towpath and links to Measham

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restoration HUB: Waterway Recovery Group Get involved with our Canal Camps, Restoration Conference and Leadership Training in 2020

Experienced machine operators and civil engineers are encouraged to apply for our summer Canal Camps to help build the bridge on the Wey & Arun Canal.

Restoration projects:

Making a bigger impact Our 2020 Waterway Recovery Group programme of working holidays has now been launched. This year’s Canal Camps will see our volunteers visit fewer sites but spend longer on each project. More weeks on site mean our groups can make significant progress on some of the more in-depth work including bridge repairs, lock restorations, channel excavations and brickwork.

Twenty week-long Canal Camps will take place on the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation, Cotswold, Derby, Lichfield, Swansea, Way & Arun and Wilts & Berks canals, and the River Waveney.

Last year, our hard-working volunteers made a huge impact on waterways restorations up and down the country. Among the highlights were: restoring a towpath wall and excavating 120m of channel on the Lichfield Canal, starting work on restoring Lock 14 on the Grantham Canal, and continuing the archaeological excavations on the Monmouthshire Canal. In 2019, more than 300 volunteers contributed over 17,000 hours to canal restoration across England and Wales.

Over the past ten years, the number of work sites visited by WRG volunteers during the working holiday programme has steadily increased. This has worked well and meant that many different canal trusts have been supported but it does limit the progress that can be made at each of the sites. Our decision to visit fewer sites in 2020 means that we can offer more significant support to each of the canals we visit, and gives our volunteers more opportunities to learn new skills.

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Cotswold Canals Working with the Cotswold Canals Trust over the last few years, our aim has been to reconnect the Stroudwater Navigation with the national waterways network. We have already helped to bring a number of lock and bridge structures back to life, and last year a small team of specially trained WRG volunteers supported CCT’s final push to complete Weymoor Bridge at Latton. During this year’s week-long Canal Camps, volunteers will work on the restoration of Westfield Lock and the construction of the new Oldbury Brook Aqueduct.

Wey & Arun Canal Last year, volunteers worked on the creation of a new lift-bridge on the Wey & Arun Canal and made great progress on laying the foundations. Over three week-long camps, volunteers used more than 5½ tons of reinforced steel, 7,000 ties and 22m³ of concrete. This summer, volunteers will continue work on the bridge and begin construction. Completion of two new bridges will bring the Birtley section back to navigation.

Get involved

To book spaces on any of our Canal Camps and find out more about our family weekends, go to waterways.org.uk/ wrg, call 01494 783453 extension 607, or email canalcamps@waterways.org.uk.

Camps cost just £70 for the week, which includes accommodation and three meals per day.

Spring 2020 23/01/2020 12:31

restoration hub

Restoration conference:

Building resilience and creating connections

Every year IWA works with Canal & River Trust to deliver a conference to support restoration groups and to help drive their projects forward. Together we are able to facilitate an impressive roster of expert speakers to give presentations on topics such as funding, engaging new volunteers and the environment.

The 2020 event takes place on 21st March in Wolverhampton and we have tried to make sure that as many of the sessions as possible are delivered by speakers from outside our two organisations to bring as broad an external perspective as possible and new ideas into our sector.

Keynote speakers from NCVO, Birmingham Museum Trust, and National Citizen Service will cover topics on governance, heritage volunteering and connecting with diverse audiences to build resilience in the sector.

Key questions that will be answered include: • What can restoration group trustees do to implement good governance?

• What are the key issues facing boards and leaders in our sector?

• How can groups build resilience in volunteer-led teams?

• What role can a diverse and inclusive culture play in future proofing organisations?

Breakout sessions give restoration volunteers the opportunity to find out more about a specific topic, and will include National Lottery Heritage Fund grants, how waterways transition from restoration to operation, engaging local councils and Biodiversity Net Gain. Attendees should gain fantastic insight to the important topics facing restorations today.

These conferences offer real value to restoration groups and provide delegates with plenty of opportunity for networking. As well as benefiting from the informative presentations offered throughout the day, representatives can share their own experiences and ask questions. IWA is able to offer this service as part of our Restoration Hub and thanks to the generosity of our members.

Waterway Restoration Conference 2020 Date: Saturday 21st March, 10am to 4.15pm Location: Ormiston South Wolverhampton and Bilston Academy, Wolverhampton WV14 0LN Cost: Free (refreshments and lunch included) Book online: waterways.org.uk/events_festivals/workshop_ courses Paul Rodgers spoke at the 2019 Restoration Conference.

New leaders are being recruited to help deliver our programme of Canal Camps.

New generation:

Training our volunteers IWA’s Waterway Recovery Group has launched a Leadership Development Programme for 2020 to give volunteers more comprehensive knowledge and skills needed to support the restoration sector. The scheme will help to deliver robust, volunteer-led projects that result in economic, social, environmental and health benefits for the communities they serve.

Each Canal Camp needs leaders to plan the work, set up the site, oversee how the restoration work is carried out, train volunteers, and ensure a safe and happy working environment. The training programme aims to harness the knowledge of our highly skilled volunteers and enable future generations to continue carrying out the more technical areas of a restoration project.

Some of the aspects covered will include: the Site Supervision Safety Training Scheme, risk assessments, project plans, toolbox talks, setting up a construction site, environmental considerations, heritage bricklaying, machine and tool training, and leadership training. Each participant will be allocated an experienced restoration volunteer who will act as a mentor.

During the Canal Camps, there is always an element of training and skills transfer for all volunteers taking part.

WRG aims to encourage its volunteers to not only have fun and progress the restorations they are working on, but also to come away feeling confident in their new-found skills.

Fifteen volunteers will receive over £1,000 worth of training and development across 2020 and 2021, to give them the confidence to become leaders or assistants on future Canal Camps. These skills will also help improve volunteers’ opportunities within the wider job market.

In addition to the Canal Camps and annual training weekend, WRG will be running specific training courses and webinars throughout the year.

find out more You can request more information and register an interest in participating in the programme by contacting Alex Melson at alex.melson@waterways.org.uk or 01494 783453 ext 607. Preference will be given to those who demonstrate eagerness to get involved with future canal restoration work.

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IWA Waterways |

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restoration hub

Alex Melson

Waterways talks to WRG volunteers coordinator about Canal Camps, environmental sustainability and the importance of inspiring the younger generations to protect the waterways Waterway Recovery Group wouldn’t exist without its many enthusiastic volunteers, but behind the scenes, ensuring that they all get to where they’re supposed to be and carry out restoration work safely, is our volunteers coordinator Alex Melson. Alex has been with the Association for just over four years, prior to which he spent a tenure with Groundwork South doing practical nature reserve work and was also a trainee reserves officer with the Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust. Here he tells us more about his responsibilities at IWA.

What is your main role at IWA? As volunteers coordinator for Waterway Recovery Group, I oversee the planning and logistics for WRG’s Canal Camp programme as well as all of WRG’s other activities throughout the year. I am also part of IWA’s Restoration team and provide environmental and ecological advice for canal restorations, and am well known for my bat surveys.

WRG Canal Camps are held at different worksites every year. How do you decide on the locations?

Each year we accept applications from restoration groups to receive support from WRG volunteers for week-long Canal Camps; we then arrange site visits and decide as a committee where our resources should go. Factors include ensuring planning is in place, finances are in order, health and safety guidance is being followed and that we have the right skill set to be able to do the job properly. We try and ensure a good mix of sites across the country, offering many different opportunities for volunteers to learn new skills.

You helped set up the Family Canal Camps – why do you think they are important?

The Family Canal Camps are a great way to engage with new generations and help spread the word about the importance of our waterways networks. They prove that you are never too young to volunteer, and also allow us to welcome back volunteers who now have families but still want to support restorations.

The camps encourage children to put down their screens and get outside into nature – something that I know parents are particularly happy about.

Environmental protection is a cause close to your heart – can you tell us more?

I studied environmental sustainability at university and in our lectures we seemed to be constantly reminded of the impact of humans on our fragile ecosystem, especially in terms of things like soil degradation, climate change, ocean acidification and biodiversity loss. In recent years, public pressure has been mounting and there has been a realisation that the environment is important – it is almost certainly coming from the younger generations. This makes me feel encouraged, especially if we are able to inspire young people to protect and support the waterways.

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What do you think are the top three environmental issues facing the waterways in the next decade?

There are so many issues, but in terms of the top three, I would say firstly climate change. This is by far the most important factor affecting the future of the waterways. While many of our waterways are coping with today’s needs, looking at projections, such as increased flooding, droughts and temperature, the focus really needs to be on future-proofing and creating a resilient waterways network.

Second on my list is invasive species. The cost to the UK economy in 2010 from invasive species was £1.7 billion, with impacts ranging from health to the environment. These small, unassuming species can cause vast damage. I’m sure boaters out there are fully aware of the annoyance that floating pennywort can cause when it gets caught in your propeller, restricting navigation. The species can also negatively impact upon fish through restricting access to feeding and resting spaces, and can contribute to localised flooding through the blocking of drainage systems.

Floating pennywort has a rapid growth rate of up to 20cm a day and is particularly difficult to control.

The third issue is shifting baseline syndrome. I am aware this may not be a commonly known term but, in essence, shifting baseline syndrome demonstrates how people’s accepted thresholds for environmental conditions are continually being lowered. For instance, let’s say 60 years ago there was an area of farmland with prime hedgerows, copses and wildflower margins, then 30 years ago the farmer removed the features to expand arable stock, and now that field had been turned into a housing estate.

Through the generations, the perception of what is natural has changed. We can apply this to canals and the state they are in; if we are not careful, over time we can lose what makes the waterways network so vital and valuable for people and wildlife.

What changes are you seeing in terms of the type of volunteers signing up for WRG activity?

Finding volunteers is getting harder, not just for WRG but for all organisations. Much of this is a result of modern life, where people are time-poor. At WRG, we are seeing more and more one-off volunteers, who come along for one event but don’t come back.

We really need to try and encourage a longer-term commitment where skills can be developed and shared.

What are the big issues facing volunteering at WRG in 2020?

We have an ageing volunteer base, and are seeing more of our volunteers deciding to hang up their steel-toe-capped boots and support us in a different capacity. Somehow we need to find a way to encourage more volunteers to take a chance at joining one of our Canal Camps. We also need to find leaders to run our camps. If anyone reading this is interested in finding out more about our camps, please visit our website waterways.org.uk/wrg.

Spring 2020 23/01/2020 12:31

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23/01/2020 11:55

STRAIGHT

TALKING Steve Wood, seasoned IWA speaker and Deputy Chairman of North Staffs & South Cheshire Branch, explains how he went from introvert to in demand on the waterways public speaking circuit

Photos: Leigh Willows

How did you get involved with IWA talks?

I wear multiple hats, not just for IWA, but also the Caldon & Uttoxeter Canals Trust. I came into public speaking through the latter, taking over from two guys who did a joint talk about the restoration. That was in 2012. It was a very scripted talk and I learned quite quickly that I couldn’t do such a formal delivery. I’m terrible at sticking to what’s written down in front of me. I needed to be able to interact with the audience so ended up completely rewriting the thing. It took four or five goes and feedback from various audience members about what did or didn’t work, but I got to a point where I was pretty comfortable with it. That, in itself, was quite an achievement as I’m not the sort of personality who wants to stand up in front of a room full of people.

But you ended up accepting more and more invitations to talk...

Yes. I’m very aware there are not enough speakers in the world for everyone’s social occasions, so you do quite quickly become in demand, and not always on one specific subject. Because our branch area has two restoration projects, for example, I ended up writing a talk about the Burslem Branch Canal as well. On one occasion I was asked by Warwickshire Branch to talk about what we do in our area, and that evolved into a presentation about the canals of Staffordshire and Cheshire generally. All these sorts of things have grown organically, as people ask for different spins on a subject. I gladly agree, as there’s usually scope to re-use the talk at one of our own branch socials afterwards. I’ve ended up with three or four different talks but all based around activities in the Staffordshire area.

How long do these talks typically last?

There is no ‘typical’. My Caldon & Uttoxeter canals talk is in two 45-minute sections but, because I’m not tied to a script and quite comfortable now to edit as I go along, I can easily jump through three or four slides to keep within a narrower time frame, or if the audience pose questions in the middle. I always ask what the group wants out of the talk first. Do they want to be entertained?

Are they a more serious group who want to learn something? Is there a chance of us getting volunteers out of it? And then I tailor the presentation accordingly.

How many, roughly, do you do per year?

On average, six a year, although in 2018 I did as many as 11. They tend to be autumn and spring events – I do very few in summer.

Have there been any memorable talks – for good or bad reasons?

I was once asked to do a post-AGM talk, which was held in a church. It was a relatively modern building, with a projection screen above the nave and the projector itself in the ceiling. I set everything up before the AGM, waited for the meeting to finish, and then took up position, by which time it was about 8.15pm. But just as I began to speak, the sun started coming through one of the side windows right across the screen. There were no blackout blinds

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Spring 2020 23/01/2020 12:32

Steve's top talk tips • Go and watch some other speakers. What works and what doesn’t work?

• Don’t try to do too much. Fancy graphics and statistics are not why people are there.

• Be yourself. People are interested in your take on the subject, not in what they could read online.

• I tend to slip in more slides than I need, but I can skip sections depending on what the audience is like and the time remaining.

• Be comfortable with the technology you’re using. I always use Presenter View on PowerPoint, which allows you to have bullet points and notes on your laptop that don’t display on the main screen. You can also see ahead to the next few slides, so you always know what’s coming up.

• Try to use your own equipment (laptop, projector etc) rather than relying on what they have at the venue.

• If you feel the audience is unlikely to ask questions, you can avoid an awkward silence at the end by instead suggesting that anyone who wants to chat can do so afterwards, and hang around for half an hour once the talk has finished.

• If you are going to have a Q&A, make sure you know your subject! You will be asked the unexpected!

and by the time I was about three slides in, nobody could see the screen at all, including me! So I ended up doing the 40-minute talk without my laptop, without any visuals at all, just winging it really. That’s when the importance of understanding your subject and knowing your script before giving a presentation really gets hammered home. To be honest, on that occasion it worked out really well, as the audience became more involved. But it was a curious moment!

What makes a good audience?

An audience that you’re going to get something back from, whether that’s questions at the end, or a laugh when you make a joke. I’ve learned to drop bits in early on to gauge their response. For example, I have some slides showing what volunteer work parties looked like in the 1970s, with some retrospectively amusing health and safety howlers. If you’ve got the right audience you can get a couple of laughs out of that. But if you don’t, then it’s still interesting in its own right, but you just make a mental note that this is a serious, grown-up audience and tailor the rest of the talk accordingly.

Do you have any advice for people who are really passionate about a subject, and would like to talk about it, but currently feel too shy or who aren't technically competent?

That was me. The first time I did a talk I was absolutely terrified. I’m not a natural extrovert, but I was forced into the situation – no one else was going to do it if I didn’t. It helps if you can put the talk together in a way that works for you, rather than inheriting somebody else’s. And try it out in front of friends first, who can give feedback and reassurance. Don’t try to be over-ambitious.

It doesn’t have to be technically complicated or incorporate video or live web pages or Google Maps or any of that stuff. But pictures help – the more engaging the better – so that even if you stop talking for a while the audience still has something to look at.

What do you get out of it personally?

For me it’s about enthusing other people. I’m really passionate about the subjects I talk on and sharing that enthusiasm is what I enjoy most. It can also be a good way of testing ideas out: “We’ve recently done this project, and we’re now think of doing that one – what do people think?” The audience can be used as a sounding board.

Find out more about IWA speakers at waterways.org.uk/information/ speakers/.

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The new look homepage for the waterways.org. uk website, due to launch this spring.

IWA'S DIGITAL FUTURE Coming soon: manage your membership through IWA’s new website

S

oon you will be able to easily access and update your membership details, and see other information, such as previous event bookings, donations and shop purchases, through our new website.

Whether you are using your desktop computer, smart phone or tablet, you will be able to log in and manage your information. Everyone will have their own personal account area, including members, joint members, volunteers and more.

IWA’s new website is due to launch in this spring, and you’ll be able to find it at the same web address (URL): waterways.org.uk.

The site will draw attention to our campaigns and events, feature a simplified navigation and a much-improved search function.

You can read more about why we are changing our website in our Winter 2019 edition of Waterways magazine.

Get on board Once the website has launched, we will be in touch with more information to help get you started with the website and your new account area. You may receive a link by email if we have an up to date address for you, or instructions through the post.

You can help by checking that we have the correct email address for you, particularly if it’s been a while since you’ve heard from us.

Email us at membership@waterways.org.uk or phone 01494 783453.

Not online?

Don’t worry if you don’t have a computer or prefer not to use the internet. We want to make it as easy as possible for our members to manage their information but there is no requirement for you to use the new website. It will still be possible to manage your membership by contacting the membership team by phone, post or email.

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Mobile first The new website will be much easier to navigate and use with a mobile phone, particularly if you want to log in and renew your membership, edit any of your contact details or preferences or book an event.

This is important as over half of our website users now access the site using a mobile phone or tablet, and at the moment these users spend less time on the website and visit less pages.

Supporters using mobile devices are currently 50% more likely to exit the website when they get to a payment page on our existing website, compared to those using a desktop device. The new site will improve the experience for mobile users in this area and make it easier for people to support us.

Spring 2020 23/01/2020 12:33

Your New Account Area You will have complete control over your information through the new website. You will be able to: • Update your contact preferences – choose how you hear from us. For example you will be able to opt in or out of email updates from us about events happening near you, appeals or campaign updates.

• See your event bookings - whether it’s a working holiday, IWA Festival of Water or our AGM. You will be able to book onto events like these and see them all in one place.

Soon you’ll be able to manage your contact details, events, membership and volunteering activity from your online account.

• See your volunteer information – if you volunteer with us, you will be able to see work parties and other events that you have booked onto and record your volunteer hours. If you are interested in volunteering with us, you will be able to find opportunities to suit you.

• Subscribe to email updates – choose what you receive from us by email.

You will be able to opt in to receive things like our monthly email Bulletin or working holiday updates, or change your subscription preferences.

• Renew your membership and see past transactions – easily renew your membership by credit card or Direct Debit, and view your previous membership renewals. You will also be able to see things like your Navvies subscription, past donations and things you buy from our new online shop.

• Change details like your address or phone number – plus your email address, name, local branch and more.

Spring 2020 042 new website managing membership AH.indd 43

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Then and Now: celebrating restoration success stories

North Walsham & Dilham Canal

T

he 9-mile long North Walsham & Dilham Canal stretches through north east Norfolk, and is the area’s only ‘cut and fill’ canal; as such, it holds a special place in the hearts of the dedicated enthusiasts who are working to restore it.

THEN The canal, which runs from the River Ant just upstream of Wayford Bridge to Antingham Ponds situated further north near North Walsham, was opened in 1826 and has six locks along its length. It was designed by John Millington of Hammersmith and was cut over the course of just 18 months, by engineer Thomas Hughes.

The waterway was designed for small, 20-ton wherries, and was initially planned as a route to transport coal, but this never really took off and it was corn, flour, timber, cattle cake and animal feed that became the principal trades. Phosphates were also carried to the Antingham Bone Mills.

Use of the canal for trade was short lived due to the building of the East Norfolk Railway between 1874 and 1877. Thoughts quickly turned to pleasure-boating, with a forward-thinking miller and corn merchant named Edward Press seeing its potential as early as 1874. Mr Press bought five wherries and fitted them out to take passengers. Twelve years later there was a wider scheme to attract more pleasure-boaters to the canal, but by 1893 the canal had become disused above Swafield Locks. During 1927 the top reaches were dewatered and returned to farmland, and in 1934, the last motor wherry, Ella, left Bacton Wood Mill with a load of barley and, over the following years, the canal became dormant.

In the 1960s, the stretch of canal from Bacton Wood Mill to just above Royston Bridge was dewatered, possibly to aid the lowering and strengthening of Royston Bridge, which was seeing heavy traffic from the Bacton Gas Terminal.

The spillway before restoration.

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Spring 2020 23/01/2020 12:34

Clearing the site ready for restoration works.

NOW Thoughts of restoration started in 1953 when the waterway was visited by IWA founder, Robert Aickman. IWA was involved in early work with the East Anglian Waterways Association, which in turn was instrumental in setting up the North Walsham & Dilham Canal Trust in 2008. The aim of the trust is to progress restoration at a more local level.

Over the course of the past ten or so years, detailed studies of the canal have been carried out in partnership with the waterway’s owners (there are four different private owners along its length). One lock at Bacton Wood has been completely rebuilt including replacement lock gates. In addition, the mill pond at Ebridge has been cleared, Royston and Ebridge spillways have been renovated, the channel has been de-silted, and the banks have been strengthened. Over 2⅓ miles of the canal bank and 1 mile of the canal have been opened up for the public use. Pleasure cruises have been running for the past few years on a solar-powered motor wherry called Ella II in memory of the last boat to work the canal.

NWDCT is now a registered charity and is working on the restoration of Ebridge Lock, including the installation of new lock gates. Work on the structure began in summer 2019 with help from the Waterway Recovery Group.

WRG Canal Camp volunteers previously carried out extensive restoration work on the 200-year-old spillway in summer 2017. Damaged areas were carefully removed, the weir was levelled to a new grade and a base was laid ready for the brickwork to be replaced using traditional materials. WRG volunteers helped lay over 1,400 bricks during the two weeklong working holidays.

The 2019 Ebridge Lock project, estimated to cost up to £35,000, was made possible thanks to a £26,000 EU LEADER grant to NWDCT. This funding covered the cost of manufacturing the top lock gates and stop planks, which block off the lock and enable repairs to be carried out. Volunteers from NWDCT are carrying out the practical restoration of the lock. For more information visit nwdct.org.

above: WRG volunteers laid over 1,400 bricks on the new spillway.

Left: Traditional materials were used to replace the brickwork.

below: Swans on Ebridge spillway.

luke smith

gwenn nunn

An aerial view of the spillway and lock.

Spring 2020 044 Then and Now AH.indd 45

IWA Waterways |

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GREENING OUR WATERWAYS Bowman Bradley, leader of IWA’s steering group set up to examine alternative forms of propulsion, offers his vision for more sustainable boating

T

he overwhelming proportion of craft currently navigating our inland waterways are propelled by fossil fuels, mainly diesel but in many cases petrol. While their overall contribution to UK carbon emissions is small, it will inevitably come under scrutiny in the near future and, in any case, we also have a social responsibility to ‘do our bit’.

While there are many steps boaters can take right now to reduce carbon emissions from their craft, such as not running engines at locks, the thrust of this feature is to paint a picture of what sustainable propulsion on our canals and rivers might look like in the coming decades. Technology will inevitably develop, possibly in ways we do not envisage, but IWA’s focus is on technologies that are currently available or close to being available rather than ‘blue sky’ thinking.

There are many stakeholders in the inland waterways world, from boaters, navigation authorities, boat-builders and marinas, to hire companies, chandlers, marine surveyors, BSS inspectors and more. Most will be required to make a significant (to them) investment if we are to resolve the issue. It is hoped that our vision for the future, if ultimately validated, will allow these groups to move forward with a degree of confidence.

When we talk about the boats themselves, we’re mainly referring to steel, diesel-powered canal craft, both narrow and wide-beam. The reason for this is the large number in the existing fleet and within the IWA membership, as well as the similarities of the basic design. However, the principles established will be applicable in some cases to other types of craft, including river boats, but not all.

This is not a technical feature, but is assembled from my technical knowledge (limited), the useful discussions that have taken place over the last month or two with IWA colleagues, and some feedback from the ‘trade’. Hopefully it will prompt others with specialist knowledge or bright ideas to do further work to underline or amend the vision. The problems are largely economic and logistical rather than technical.

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Mothership Marine’s 57ft semi-trad stern with 10kW electric drive and 2kW of solar panels was launched last year. It’s not entirely electric – a 7kW ‘rangeextending’ generator is also on board – but it’s not bad!

New-build boats It seems extremely likely that the canal boat of the future will be driven by an electric motor. The technology exists and is mature. Quite a few boats have been built over the years with electric motors and they work. Motor vehicle technology will lead development.

As with road vehicles, the problem is how to carry the energy around. Hydrocarbon liquids are a very efficient and effective method of transporting energy.

There are two current solutions, both of which are being actively developed for road and rail vehicles: 1) Batteries: There are very few issues installing a battery bank in a narrowboat. Weight is not a problem and space is more readily available than in a car. Power requirements are well within the range of the current technology and less than most road cars. The main drawback of batteries is range and recharge times. Both will improve. Batteries can be recharged using a shore connection, by onboard photovoltaic cells or small wind turbines. PV cells and wind turbines, given the current state of development, will not be able to provide all the energy required. However, PV cells are developing rapidly. Batteries can also be charged by hydrogen fuel cells, see below.

Batteries are, of course, only ‘green’ if the electricity used to charge them is ‘green’, which at the moment is only partly true. This is a national problem and will not be addressed here.

There are also environmental issues around the manufacture, recycling and disposal of batteries.

2) Hydrogen: Hydrogen is an efficient method of transporting energy but not as good as hydrocarbon liquids. The hydrogen is converted Spring 2020 23/01/2020 13:04

Greener Boating

into electricity in a fuel cell. The technology is well developed (and will develop further) and the size of existing cells is within that required to propel a narrowboat. Hydrogen, while potentially dangerous, can be engineered, in my opinion, to be no more hazardous than a petrol system.

It will never be as intrinsically safe as a diesel system. Yet, California has 10,000 hydrogen cars and they are commercially available worldwide.

Germany has hydrogen trains and they will be on the UK rail system too in a year or so. I assume they will be allowed in tunnels! Hydrogen engineering is well understood and mature.

Currently hydrogen is not ‘green’ as it is mainly manufactured from hydrocarbon liquids and gases. This could be made ‘semi-green’ with CO2 capture. It can also be manufactured from ‘green’ electricity if available in sufficient quantity. Again, this is a national problem not confined to the waterways.

Existing craft Boats last a long time, as do their diesel engines. Owners, especially those with few engine hours a year, will be reluctant to convert from diesel to electric drive unless required by legislation, which is unlikely. It therefore follows that most of the existing diesel fleet will be with us for many years to come.

Given that we don’t wish these boats to be made obsolete by legislation or owners being forced into expensive conversions, we need to find a way of significantly reducing the environmental impact of the existing diesel engine.

One possibility is to use biodiesel. While not entirely ‘green’ (its manufacture requires use of a small quantity of hydrocarbon) it is a significant improvement on mineral diesel.

Using biodiesel at 100% concentration has a number of disadvantages and problems. On our inland waterways, however, we can probably mitigate most: 1) Biodiesel is manufactured from vegetable oil, and almost any vegetable oil can be used. The most common is palm oil, which gives a biodiesel that thickens in temperatures such as we experience during UK winters.

This isn’t a problem when used at low percentages in mineral diesel, as in current road diesel, but it does cause issues at 100%, particularly when fuel lies unused in tanks for a significant period. Fortunately, proprietary biodiesels (using a blend of oils) are now being produced which can resist northern European winter temperatures.

2) Pure biodiesel burns at a slower rate than mineral diesel and hence high revving, turbo-charged road diesels can struggle on 100% biodiesel. This is not a problem when blended at low percentages into mineral diesel. Most, if not all, canal-boat engines are low-revving and not turbo-charged, and so we would not expect this to be a problem for the majority of craft.

3) The rubber seals and similar components of some canal-craft engines, mainly in fuel systems, may not be fully resistant to 100% biodiesel. This can be corrected – at a cost. Work would need to be done to identify and convert these engines, but it is believed that most modern ones are biodiesel resistant.

Spring 2020 048 green boating SH.indd 49

Left: Leading the way: Ortomarine’s Watt Knot boasts diesel-electric propulsion with a 775Ah 48V battery bank and eight 160W semiflexible solar panels fixed flush to the roof.

Above: The experimental fuel cell canal boat, Ross Barlow, has been a testbed for a number of hydrogen technologies.

It’s the brainchild of Professor Rex Harris of the Hydrogen Materials Group of the University of Birmingham. right: Biodiesel has greener credentials than traditional mineral diesel, and the existing refuelling infrastructure should suffice.

IWA's current vision for new-build narrowboats of the future • Powered by an electric motor.

• Equipped with a battery bank large enough for canal cruising at normal speed.

• Equipped with a hydrogen tank and a fuel cell powerful enough for canal cruising at normal speed.

• Both would be used when high power (stopping, starting, manoeuvring) is required.

• Battery charging by shore connection, onboard PV cells or the fuel cell.

• The combination of battery and hydrogen fuel cell gives flexibility and reduces the cost of the total installation because of the reduced size of the fuel cell.

• The cost would currently be higher than a diesel set-up, but this would come down with time.

• Batteries would be adequate for short trips.

The hydrogen system would give range and fast refuelling capability.

• An electronic management system would be required, but this technology is available.

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Tout vert and it only takes two hours to charge! France is well ahead of the UK network with electric hire-boats and newly installed charging infrastructure on some waterways.

4) Biodiesel is currently, and perhaps inherently, more expensive than mineral diesel.

5) Biodiesel is manufactured from vegetable oils, and its production normally uses land which could otherwise be given over to food. In most cases, the oil itself is a foodstuff. For this reason biodiesel has not become the universal solution to road vehicles emissions. Inland waterway use, however, would be relatively small in comparison to cars etc, and so could be acceptable.

Refuelling and recharging Assuming existing boats can be converted to biodiesel, the current refuelling infrastructure could be used.

Future builds, however, will require more investment, whether we are considering an electric recharging infrastructure or a hydrogen refuelling one. At the moment we’re in a catch-22 situation: commercial operators will not invest until the boats to use it exist, and private owners won’t buy the boats until the infrastructure is available. It is unlikely that Government will stump up the cash, as is happening, to some extent, with road transport.

Electric hire-boating exists on the Mon & Brec with Castle Narrowboats. Could a hydrogen hire-fleet be next?

An electric charging infrastructure does, of course, exist in most marinas and this will be adequate for slow charging of boats moored for significant periods.

It would require upgrading for faster charging. This could be adequate for most ‘hybrid’ (hydrogen/electric) boats as envisaged earlier. It is difficult to imagine every visitor mooring on the system being equipped with charging points.

Hydrogen refuelling stations are more problematic. None exists on the system as far as we know. They will also need a distribution system, probably tankers, to service them. They will be more costly than red diesel pumps and tanks, but the technology is available. Work is currently being done to

“Assuming existing boats can be converted to biodiesel, the current refuelling infrastructure could be used” develop hydrogen infrastructure in the UK, both for road/rail transport and for domestic use, but this is some way off. The natural gas industry is actively looking at using the gas grid to distribute hydrogen for domestic use. This may ultimately develop into a partial solution.

It may also be possible to develop a network of hydrogen refuelling stations around hire-fleet bases, if enough hire companies could be persuaded to use hydrogen boats. Hire-boats are typically refuelled at base, sent out for one or two weeks and refuelled at the same base on their return. Hire-boats are also replaced at relatively frequent intervals, compared with private boats. This combination could make installing a hydrogen refuelling station at a hire-base reasonably economical, with a hydrogen fleet being available in a short period of time.

If sufficient bases could be ‘converted’ this would provide a basic network for private boaters to use and hence encourage the uptake of hydrogen boats, eventually leading to further development of the hydrogen refuelling infrastructure.

This would only apply to the central part of the system, however, where hire bases are common, and leave a problem for outlying waterways, at least initially.

Have your say This article is not intended to be a final solution to the problem of sustainable boating on our inland waterways. It tries to paint a picture of where we might go and is intended to stimulate discussion, development and the generation of new ideas. Some may disagree with parts of it.

IWA would be pleased to have any comments, supportive or not, so that we can continue to develop the vision. Email alison.smedley@waterways.org.uk if you’d like to have your say.

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Spring 2020 23/01/2020 12:35

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