Keels and cuckoos November 2018
CONTENTS Chairman’s contemplations STAVELEY BASIN WATERSIDE EVENT More WATER LANES IN NOTTINGHAMSHIRE Norwood Tunnel re-visited PULLING THE PLUG Regional Chairman’s thoughts Forthcoming Events AND THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
KEELS AND CUCKOOS THE INLAND WATERWAYS ASSOCIATION
Views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Inland Waterways Association nor the South Yorkshire and Dukeries Branch Committee
CHAIRMAN’S CONTEMPLATIONS There comes a time in life , when a long look into the mirror is an urgent requirement. I have passed that time.
FOSSDYKE CANAL SUMMER 1963
A few days ago gave a talk to some 200 people about a day back in 1963 spent exploring the insides of the long-abandoned Butterley Tunnel. Helen and I had organized this on behalf of IWA’s north-east midlands branch, inviting both branch and members of the recently formed Dudley Tunnel So in order to make room on the Preservation Society to join us on branch committee for someone tuned into the twenty-first century, the Cromford Canal. both Helen and I have decided that As I projected my colour slides we will not stand for re-election at many memories resurfaced and the Branch Annual General these I shared with my audience. Meeting next spring. It was whilst driving home from this (I am told) successful presentation that I realized that I had been happily referring to an exercise that took place fifty-five years ago.
The AGM is still some four months away which allows time for you to consider stepping forward. As chairman you will need a little patience and a little energy, a telephone and an e-mail account. Given these resources, the rest is Looking in the bed-room mirror easy. that evening it finally dawned on me that I am so - yesterday’s man! Editing “Keels and Cuckoos” requires some ability to visualize an I still think in terms of 35mm outcome an ability to one-finger colour slides, cine film, antitype and an desire to ferret about establishment campaigns, the for bits of news and gossip. written word and I still despise guide-lines, high-viz jackets and Helen and I have enjoyed our electric cars! involvement with the Branch and would love to see it revitalized. I It will soon be 2019 where would be happy to talk through the everyone else lives in a world of requirements of either job with Instagram, iPhones, Twitter and you, just call me. Facebook. Page 2
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WRITE IT DOWN - PLEASE Words, as a medium of communication, are fading into second place, replaced, almost every where by images captured on smart ’phones. This does not bode well for the archivists of the future. In the past, carefully constructed photographic images formed the basis of records. Time was taken over the job, as a photograph was a relatively expensive and time consuming item to produce. Equally, back then any image would have a brief caption if only, often on the reverse, the names of people or landmarks depicted. Many IWA members have boxes of colour slides or colour prints of waterway-related activities which can be incorporated into the IWA archive at some stage, otherwise much of our recent waterway history could be lost. Without captions, photographs may be open to interpretation. Imagine the picture of a few people in gabardine Macintoshes huddled on a deserted canal tow-path. My interpretation of the event would be “it’s a precursor to a Waterway Recovery Group working party Health and Safety briefing”. A tabloidnewspaper reporter seeking to sell copy would headline the image “Gaberdine Flashers captured on towpath” With that in mind, I appeal to members to put pen to paper, or finger to key board. Why not put captions to those photographs and also record some of those memories on paper now. You can then submit them to either the branch or Island House for publication or archiving and the
edification of those enthusiasts yet to come.
waterway
This train of thought sprang from a recent task that I undertook. I was presented with two large boxes of assorted photographs, acquired over the years by various Branch committee members. Some had formed a basis for IWA branch exhibitions up to thirty years ago. Head Office would be pleased to house these, but in a “sorted” state. It was easy enough to remove the many duplicates, but in the end almost no image had any reference on it as to who, why, when, or where it had been taken. Fair-isle tank-tops and flared trousers (on the blokes) suggested some were from the 1970s, but images of barges on a reach of canal were almost impossible to identify as so much of the background has changed. So I repeat, please, through the coming winter evenings, dig out your memories, both mental and photographic, and link them for ever. Whilst you are busy, why not label all your images (your family will be grateful you did, when your grown-up grandchildren decide to research you and your life, maybe in 2055 or even 2075!) One day your canal images may be a follow-on to the collection of Francis Frith’s images, reproduced in various coffee-table books these days. Please remember that one single toll receipt saved the Stratford Canal from oblivion. What might one of your photographs achieve?
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STAVELEY WATER FESTIVAL June 30th July 1st 2018 Once again the branch had been invited to attend this superbly organized local event. Staveley Town Basin is a modern confection; on the original Chesterfield Canal, no such location existed. A modern confection perhaps, but this is no light-weight temporary affair. The basin is massively constructed and huge, in inland waterway terms. It reflects the confidence in the waterway’s restoration shared by not only the Chesterfield Canal Trust, but the local and county authorities who have supported this project from its inception, despite the misconception that in recent years “there is no money”. The Chesterfield Canal Trust capitalizes on its waterway events, inviting all and sundry to a two-day canal fest reminiscent of early IWA Festivals. No festival would be complete without ice-cream, a real-ale beer tent, stiltwalkers, displays of well-trained dogs, burger-vans, music, dancing and boat trips. Yes boat trips. This year the CCT mustered its entire fleet of passenger-carrying boats, Hugh Henshall, Madeline, John Varley and Seth Ellis. The boats ran without faltering all day on both days. Given each boat ran with twelve passengers, that’s forty-eight passengers, or almost a hundred people an hour over two days, must mean that close to a thousand people enjoyed a trip on the water and passage through the newly completed lock. The branch was allocated a prime corner spot right on the water-side and
next to the trip-boat booking tent. This meant that as people queued for the next available boat, we were able to discuss the Chesterfield Canal and waterways in general with a disparate group of local residents. Conversation was interrupted on the Saturday by a very low fly-past, or rather three, very low fly-pasts of the Battle of Britain Flight’s Lancaster and on the Sunday a similar performance by a Dakota. The latter generating verbal recollections from those locals who, in the early post-war years had flown abroad, well to the Channel Islands, on similar ‘aircraft. Recently IWA has reviewed the face it presents to the public and as a consequence there are now “official gazebos” which can be borrowed from Island House and returned when no longer required. Ever skeptical of anything over which I have no control I waited, with Helen, Jill Hardy and Pat Davies for the two large cardboard boxes, delivered to Jill’s home and completely filling husband Peter’s VW Golf to be opened. I have to say that Head Office had exceeded my wildest dreams. The Gazebo was no “big, tin-shed, bargainbasement frippery” from the far east. Although its place of manufacture was not conspicuous, it was more than worthy of a “made in Sheffied (or Rotherham or Doncaster or even Swindon) label. Ruggedly constructed of high-quality materials with Velco fasteners that might even retain the QE2 it was an effort to erect. Happily there were willing helpers from the CCT and no
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real difficulty was experienced. The mini marquee, for that is a more fitting description, came with four clip-on sides. Ingeniously one was printed with a massive, full-colour map of the inland waterways. This was designed to show on the inside of the tent, but in our case would have been totally obscured by our photographic display. A quick rethink resulted in that side being reversed, so that the map was on the outside of the tent for the duration. of the two-day event. This meant that any conversation with a visitor and which required a visual aid took place in the open air. It also lead to some quite hysterical moments, when, seated on the inside, one over heard “the knowledgeable boor” on the outside, using our map to demonstrate to his audience his incredible “knowledge” of the inland waterways. Oh for a tape recorder at the time! The week-end officially closed on the Sunday evening, but there was a treat in store. Jill’s husband Peter is the CCT Trustee responsible for the narrowboat Seth Ellis and this boat had paying passengers on the Monday for a cruise to the head of navigation. Peter invited Helen and I (Helen is an RYA skipper and a regular crew member on the boat anyway) to join the crew for the day’s adventure. I recall my early days, as a sales rep, when I used to attempt to locate the disused and derelict canal, as a spot to park and ingest the odd sandwich between calls. In those days, even a good OS map was no guarantee that the “line of former canal” would be where the map indicated.
Although I have made the trip before, it is almost beyond belief to see the waterway today, and I hope that some of you will see for yourself the massive change that the CCT has effected upon this north-east Derbyshire waterway. Even better than a walk on the towpath would be to take a trip yourself on the John Varley from Tapton Lock for a cruise to Hollingwood Hub. The contact number is 01142 811575 or 01629 533020. Our voyage went above Tapton lock, through the stop lock and for a very short distance on the River Rother itself. However due to the long, hot and dry summer, the river level was such that the distance twixt its surface and its muddy bed was somewhat less than the distance between Seth Ellis’s normal waterline and her base-plate. Ours was short cruise on the Rother.
Above:-
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HARD TO BELIEVE IT THE STOP LOCK IN CHESTERFIELD, A FEW HUNDRED YARDS FROM THE TOWN CENTRE
ABOVE The B r anch stan d at Staveley B asin, w ith the Festival behind BELOW A m ost u seful w ater w ays m ap!
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FROM THE MANAGER’S DESK OR WHO WOULD RUN A BOAT-YARD? One problem of running a hire fleet is that on some turn-round days, there is so much paperwork that the admin staff (me) didn’t always get to see the customers before they set sail in the blue yonder. It had been thus the previous Saturday. Being the only body in the office on the following Monday, I answered a ringing telephone, “Wharf Boats” “I am so sorry to trouble you” came this refined and mature lady’s voice “But we seem to be having trouble pumping out the shower water”. “You have remembered the switch on the side of the shower-room wall?” I asked automatically “Of course, that nice lady showed us how to do it. We may be pensioners, but we are not stupid. My husband says that the pump is making a whirring noise, but the water just stays there”. Realising that I had inadvertently offended the lady it was time for reparations. “Where is the boat?” I asked “I’ll come myself and fix the problem”. Having ascertained that the boat was a mere fifteen minutes away, I grabbed a tool box and set off. Sure enough, the boat, one of our six-berth craft, was exactly where it should be, and there waiting on the stern deck was a well-dressed mature couple. I decided on formality “Good afternoon Mrs and Mr Smith, I’m David, Helen and I run the company”.
I followed the couple into the immaculate cabin and refusing “a drink” went to the shower-room. As described, the shower-try was almost overflowing. The first job was to check the master fuse, then the evacuation switch. Sure enough, much gurgling from below, but the water remained stubbornly in place. Next job was to investigate the plug hole, it seemed to be clear. Then remove the facia panel to access the pump. There was an in-line filter on all our boats to prevent inappropriate items from jamming the pump. Having inserted the shower-tray plug, I removed the four screws and using some wipers to catch the dribbles, removed the housing. I was amazed to see that the filter was packed solid with bright ginger bristles! As neither of the people in the cabin looked like hirsute aliens I was a little perplexed. The mystery was soon solved when Mrs Smith popped her hear through the doorway and exclaimed “Oh! The corgies!” I looked up, “We have three corgies with us, my son and daughter-in-law have taken them up the tow-path in anticipation of your arrival, they are very excitable you see. We shower them after each outing so that they don’t get mud on the boat’s upholstery”. Suitably relieved by the news and with the filter cleaned I bade them farewell to return to “the manager’s desk”.
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THE EDITOR AND PRODUCTION TEAM OF ‘KEELS AND CUCKOOS” THANK WEST STOCKWITH PARISH COUNCILORS FOR THEIR KIND HELP AND PERMISSION TO PRINT THIS ARTICLE props from Norway, Sweden and Russia via the Humber and the Trent would travel up the Chesterfield Canal. At this time, vessels of all kinds, shapes and sizes would be moored along the river bank. There is an area in the village known as Raft Yard, which got its name from rafts of trees being made, to float along the river. For some this was the only method of transport at the time.
THE CHURCH Continuing the history of West Stockwith from Keels and Cuckoos March 2018:Through the years the village became a large, busy port especially when the Chesterfield Canal opened its basin with the lock to connect with the river Trent. in 1777/78, giving access from the Peak District to the rest of the world via Stockwith Basin and the Trent. Ship building was big business in the village with vessels of six or seven hundred tons being built at various ship-yards up and down the river bank. Cargoes would come from the east coast , London and even over the North Sea from northern Europe. In Stockwith goods would be transferred to small boats for either onward movement up the Trent, into narrowboats for transport to Retford, Workop and Chesterfield or even smaller craft headed for Bawtry via the river Idle Coal would be brought down the canal for transport to the Trent-side pumping stations. Return loads of pit-
Some older residents still remember a vendor using his raft to sell his wares. His cart would be piled high with china and crockery and his party trick was to balance plates all the way up his arm
THE IDLE FLOWS INTO THE TRENT
With the ship-building came the allied trades such as rope-making, a blacksmith, wood yards, a brick kiln, a flax mill and a malt kiln. The latter stood on the site of today’s children’s playground. The trades included mast and block (wooden pullies used in huge numbers on sailing craft) makers and of course, sail makers. Local legend has it that the boats made at Stockwith were bigger and wider
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KeeLS AND CUCKOOS than the Danish craft, leading to a theory that King Alfred was building the boats and this was the start of the English Navy! Stockwith would also have had the more common trades such as butcher, baker and general stores to provide for a population much larger than today. There was also a daily packet steamer that plied the River Trent from Gainsborough to Hull, calling at West Stockwith to pick-up passengers. The journey took four hours each way and the return fare was 2/6 first class or 2/- second class. Although there was an inn at Misterton called the Packet Inn, this related to the horse-drawn boats which ran to Retford from the village. One legacy of the boat-building is the river-side church funded by a boatbuilder, William Huntington, His effigy is in the church built on land he provided and on his death most of his accumulated money was left to the village. The name of the Ferry House in East Stockwith is confirmation that a ferry did once exist to link the two communities. The most recent boat was a heavily built clinker “cob� propelled by two oars. The oarsman would stand in the centre of the craft facing forward. The boat could accommodate several passengers and their bicycles, as many would use the ferry as the first stage of their journey to work in Gainsborough. The first ferry began in 1541 and was propelled by chains laid on the river bed. It could carry horses, carts and cattle as well as people. One West Stockwith butcher used the ferry to deliver his orders to East Stockwith.
A village resident remembers taking orders across the river for her grandfather. She would always ask the ferryman if the Aegir was due and would always be told no, even though it was imminent.. She did not enjoy being tossed about as the wave swept past! The Aegir is a similar to the Severn Bore, the incoming tide pushing the outgoing water back in a huge wave anything up to six feet (two metres) in height. As it flows upstream a deep rumbling can be heard, then the wave arrives, as soon as it has passed, the water flow immediately changes direction from flowing out, to flowing in. To reduce the risk of flooding the river bank at Alkborough has been deliberately breached forming a wildlife haven, and this has reduced the size of the Aegir. With many thanks to the Clerk of West Stockwith Parish Council for permission to quote from their history gathered from local residents
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TODAYS BRIDGE OVER THE IDLE
PASSAGE INTO NORWOOD TUNNEL Many of you will know of Norwood Tunnel, it sits on the summit pound of the Chesterfield Canal, according to Edwards it is 3102 yards in length and was closed to navigation in either 1907 or 1908 depending upon which expert you consult. As the restoration of the Chesterfield has progressed, the tunnel has to some extent remained the “elephant in the room”. This was good news, as C&RT has invited both commercial television and the BBC to join in the adventure and both channels featured the tunnel on evening news bulletins. The CCT and C&RT have ambitious plans for both the tunnel and Kiveton Park and IWA would be delighted to see progress in this area.
As the tunnel is the responsibility of the Canal & River Trust, it needs to be inspected on a regular basis, and in August 2016, the bricked-up eastern portal was opened to allow access. C&RT engineers allowed suitably qualified enthusiasts access to the tunnel and IWA member and civil engineer John Lower was one of the privileged group to venture below the ground. As Richard Parry C&RT’s chief executive, shared the boat with John he was in good company. On asking his own engineers for feedback, Richard was apparently told that the length accessible was in as good a condition as many of C&RT’s many navigable tunnels!
PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN INSIDE NORWOOD TUNNEL WITH THANKS TO THE CHESTERFIELD CANAL TRUST
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PASSAGE INTO STANDEDGE TUNNEL
The boat used by C&RT was an inflatable and powered by an electric outboard motor. Every one was issued with appropriate safety gear and air quality was monitored through out. The team was able to penetrate 440 meters at which point they encountered a sunken pan (a squarebuilt metal boat presumably abandoned there following an earlier inspection or attempts at repairs). The pan was partially submerged under silt The return journey took over thirty minutes. The condition of this length of the tunnel is important as there are plans under consideration to retain the first 450 metres of original tunnel, before opening up to the sky to create a turning basin. From this proposed basin locks are planned to raise the canal to the surface level with Kiveton Waters, built on reclaimed land some years ago. One comment by visiting boats is that the head of navigation has little to offer, other than the Station Hotel. A fifty-berth marina with facilities would not only be an attractive destination, the mooring income for a base so close to Sheffield would be a great boon to C&RT. Even at twenty pounds per foot per year, fifty average narrowboats would generate £50,000.00 a year ,every year in moorings plus licence fees on new boats being ordered. This would take the number of boats on the Chesterfield beyond “Critical mass” not only making a full-facility boat yard a practical proposition but creating several full-time jobs too.
Standedge Tunnel 1963 In stark contrast to the image opposite, of C&RT personnel inside Norwood Tunnel. The above photograph shows Richard Allsopp (with bobble-cap) and me (with unruly hair) about to embark on a cruise through Standege Tunnel in 1963. Note the extensive safety features. Illumination is a bottle-gas powered floodlight, mounted directly to the cylinder and housed within the open hull. The engine is a two-stroke petrol model which feeds fuel to itself by pressurising its fuel tank, also located within the boat’s hull. BW staff and other passengers are variously attired in gabardine ‘macs and flat caps. Our trip lasted several hours including being deposited on the sloping walk-ways linking the canal to the steam powered railway tunnel alongside. Steam, smoke, bottled gas, petrol vapour and cigarette smoke produced a heady mix which Richard and I still remember to this day.
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CHESTERFIELD CANAL TRUST HOSTS A ROYAL VISITOR
ABOVE:- HRH The Duke of Gloucester with Robin Stonebridge of CCT
ABOVE:- HRH meets volunteers and staff at Hollingwood Hub
HRH The Duke of Gloucester paid a visit recently to see for himself the fantastic work done by CCT volunteers who of course last year won the Queen’s Award.
BELOW:- The Duke unveils a plaque
BELOW: - Studying plans for the area
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KeeLS AND CUCKOOS
KEADBY WHARF
KEADBY is always worth a visit, as there is likely to be something “on the move�. However this trip the surface weed was not going anywhere, blown along the pound by a strong westerly wind, it was accumulating against the lock gates. It had achieved some five inches in depth by the time we arrived there. The image, bottom right shows an intrepid boat heading west. Above SpiderT and several other converted wide boats lie alongside. The lock structure looks quite formidable when compared with the Chesterfield Canal locks, just a few miles south.
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REGIONAL CHAIRMAN’S THOUGHTS - HOW WELL ARE WE BEING ?? happen around the duckponds just as well as the navigable canals. Our Unique Selling Point is the vibrancy, the colour and the movement of the navigation across the countrywide connected network, by powered boats, by paddled boats and anything else that floats.
Canal & River Trust is now a wellbeing charity, with a new branding and logo, and it aims for greater public recognition and engagement in the period of the supportive government funding contract until 2027. On the logo, I assumed that the C&RT lockkeeping team an Hanbury locks were being ironic with their painted car-tyre in the new colours, mounted on their fence. On the new “wellbeing” idea, I find myself in agreement with Steve Haywood in CanalBoat p25 October 2018 who is sceptical at these "attempts to butter up the Government into extending its grant by trying to pass itself off as some sort of arm of the NHS, dedicated to the health of the nation." and he advocates ways that C&RT could more successfully sell the canals as a national resource, which he thinks they are missing a trick by not doing. As I understand it, wellbeing is a local authority funded responsibility so no easy money there for longer term canal maintenance and development. We all need to attract support from communities, their Local Authorities, MPs, Town Councils, ... It's all better than going for fitness, which can
As I write this in Sheffield, I am cut off navigationally from London by all routes bar the tidal Trent. Everything across the Pennines is closed as a through route for lack of water and has been closed for the whole of the school summer holidays, when we might have expected the peak in navigation. I have yet to meet anyone in C&RT who thinks such a sorry state of affairs was their responsibility, something for which, doing their job, they should have prevented. They all say it was the hot weather and the lack of rain in the Pennines that was responsible. The Weather Was The Ogre. And so it was. If I correctly remember a presentation from the C&RT water management team, these closures would only happen once in twenty years. And the mathematician in my soul chirps that just because it happened this year in no way completely prevents it happening next year too. See tinyurl.com/mp201809c (from C&RT) Our national Navigation Committee will be considering launching a Resilience Campaign - how to make more of our network by wasting less. Examples are: wear on wide lock gates by boat gunwales scraping past the closed gate: better protection for the gates would help retain water. Dredging summit levels to their original depth would retain more water in a similar way that the
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widened Knostrop Pound in Leeds retains more water as part of the Flood Alleviation Scheme. Access to more reservoir capacity ceded to the Water companies. More backpumping. More remote monitoring of water levels with local volunteers responding to leak (accidentally open paddles) notifications. Winding holes at top and bottom of all flights to avoid unnecessary locking by those wishing to go t'other way. Using technology to find and co-ordinate boats into sharing wide locks. And any other ideas which may not be original in themselves but can help as part of an overall strategy.
better used on the canals. That was probably a rhetorical flourish, as even a couple of thousand new teeshirts, replacement signs all over a dozen high profile locations, and a few launch events, together with the £60k on the rebrand itself – and I'm still a nought away from £3m. It is still worth reading the C&RT Annual Report, which doesn't have any better rebranding accounts, but does show how their money is spent. Restructuring costs for the new six regions, (on p84) were £2.2m. There is another report on how wellbeing is measured by C&RT.
Maybe it could be Wellbeing Strategy.
See tinyurl.com/mp201809a tinyurl.com/mp201809b
a
Network
On the bankside, Geoff Auty reports being told by a C&RT person that the £3m spent on rebranding would be
Peter Scott
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and
HOW THRIFTY ARE WE BEING?
Do we walk into the supermarket thinking “I must be THRIFTY today”? However much we think of value-formoney, or restricting food-miles, I would be surprised if many members used the word THRIFT in any context in our daily lives. It just doesn't tripoff-the-tongue, even if it ever did. “I wish my car was more thrifty” ?? We all need to share the water available in a dry summer to best advantage, and it's C&RT's campaign people who have written lots of signs based on the word THRIFT, and tried to make a mnemonic of it, with each letter standing for a different idea. It would normally be a harmless game, and maybe some navigators would remember some of the six messages on
the notices stapled to lock beams across the country. If only it had an S in it! We could tell navigators to Share locks. Or a P for Paddles an d G for Gates, w hich all need to be left closed. Having decided that THRIFT is the thing, these ideas have to be “Tw o in a Lock” and “Have y ou Sh u t Up?”. Or that's what they were in old notices, which all remain displayed for years. A newer, revised H says “Help Keep It In”. Someone thinks that's more memorable. “Report Leaks” is as good an anything and expressing Take Turns as “Invite Oncom in g B oats Through” is no worse than the others
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if navigators remember the additional advice that this applies to a lock set t'other way, and an oncoming boat is able to use it. My granny used to say that Fs always cause the trouble. And so it is here. The old signs said “Follow Advice” and “Th ink Ah ead” with the expansion that it's a good idea to lockwheel through flights as well as checking boats in front and behind to maximise efficiency. This has now become “Find anoth er favou rite” which the website says means “Explore less busy parts of the network” and “Th ink ah ead” which now means “Plan cruises to minimise use of locks” as well as saying “It doesn't matter if it's pouring down or gloriously sunny. It's always good boating practice to ...”
Maybe, if we had the letters, Go Som ew her e Else or Go Car avanning Instead. It's all so discouraging. The challenge is to have the water to make the network alive with moving boats. Working the locks is the privilege and the essence of navigation. Neither chore nor hardship, it's an essential part of why the network is so attractive. And to help C&RT appreciate and celebrate its assets, the challenge if you choose to accept it, is to design a new mnemonic based around a different word that encompasses what we can all do to use those resources to best advantage. Fame awaits your efforts in the next edition of Keels and Cuckoos (if we have a volunteer to be editor). Peter Scott
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TINSLEY LOCKS CLEAN-UP Twice each year, the branch holds a working party based upon the length of the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal incorporating the Tinsley flight. Some years we use the local working boat, other years, it’s a tow-path ramble. For many years Abbeydale Rotary Club has supported the branch members in this useful and visible work. Canal & River Trust provide litter pickers and plastic bags, so all you need are strong shoes, gloves and possibly some waterproof clothing! The job is traditionally held on the Sunday of week-end at which we “change the clock” lasts for two hours and the morning is rounded off with a pie and pea lunch in Tinsley Boat Club’s headquarters. PLEASE do telephone either Pat Davies or David Dawson (see inside back cover) before you set off to attend to confirm times, as these may change due to weather etc., and to ensure there are enough pies! HERITAGE NARROW BOAT EVENT? .Each year the market town of Retford celebrates Heritage Day and in 2019 this will be on September 14th. There is an optimistic rumour that this could include a gathering of historic boats.. The day usually attracts classic cars, vintage tractors and historic buses. A fleet of heritage boats could do nothing but enhance the event. The Chesterfield Canal provides the southern boundary to King’s Park a vast expanse of green in the town centre which would offer extensive moorings from the aqueduct over the River Idle through to the winding hole famous for plug-pulling (see back cover) in 1978. With excellent road access via the A1, main railway services on the East Coast Main line and a local train from Sheffield this event, if it is to happen, deserves full branch support. BRANCH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2019 Your committee, ever mindful of the numbers that attend Annual General Meetings is hoping that this year it can again tempt you to attend by hosting in the same venue as last year. The Boat Inn at Sprotborough has been confirmed as the location for the 2019 AGM., partly because it is almost waterside, nestling as it does in the Don Gorge and has easy access from the branch area. In place of the usual “illustrated talk”, for 2019 the committee invites you to the short AGM and then to stay on for a meal (at your own expense). Vintage Inns is the parent company and the menu and prices are available on line. Just search “Boat Inn Sprotborough”. There is a huge car park and the dining area is split into separate rooms allowing the branch to host the event in a private setting.
The AGM will be on April 24th at 6.30 p.m. The Boat Inn, Sprotborough, DN5 7NB Telephone 01302 858500 Page 18
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MAKING YOUR BRANCH TICK CHAIRMAN DAVID DAWSON 21 SMEATH LANE CLARBOROUGH RETFORD NOTTINGHAMSHIRE DN22 9JU 01777 704224
VICE-CHAIRMAN COLIN CROFTS STADDLESTONES SOUTH BRAMWITH DONCASTER DN7 5SY 01302 841619
dawsondavida@yahoo.com
cjcrofts@btinternet.com
SECRETARY JILL HARDY 17 LIMEKILNS NORTH ANSTON SHEFFIELD S25 4FB
TREASURER PAT DAVIES 55 ROCKCLIFF ROAD RAWMARSH ROTHERHAM S62 6LX 01709 206856
jill@hardy9.plus.com
patdav54@gmail.com
EDITOR HELEN DAWSON 21 SMEATH LANE CLARBOROUGH RETFORD NOTTINGHAMSHIRE DN22 9JU 01777 704224
MEMBERSHIP JOHN SHAW 72 NORTON LEES CRESCENT SHEFFIELD S8 8SR 01142 582535 No e-mail address
dawsondavida@yahoo.com
SOCIAL SECRETARY
JOINT PLANNING OFFICER
VACANT
VACANT
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ONE LAST THOUGHT One last thought for an event that happened forty years ago, and has become the stuff of legend. The expression “Pulling the plug” took on a new meaning for canal enthusiasts in 1978 for it was then that the unfortunate Kevin Bowskill, BW’s dredger driver was asked by his colleagues to extract an annoying length of chain from the canal bed. Kevin recalls that an attempt had been made by using the BW pick-up truck, but this lacked the power. So the chain was attached to the dredger bucket and it, together with a chunk of wood was swiftly removed from the waterway. He tells that later that night a police constable on footpatrol noticed a whirlpool on the surface of the winding hole and raised the alarm. Obviously this was to become the source of many jokes and the event’s fortieth anniversary recently warranted a mention on the BBC TV show QI. Quite why the BBC chose to show an illustration of a Springer narrowboat moored in Drakeholes Basin to illustrate the moment escapes the editorial team. Presumably the BBC’s picture library simply has a file for “canal, “barges” or simply “stuff”. Who knows? C&RT hosted a celebratory event to mark the fortieth anniversary and Kevin together with his still slightly bemused family were in attendance. Two marquees were erected, Chesterfield Canal Trust brought its display trailer and provided free trips on the canal in in the local trip boat, Seth Ellis, in support, which gave Retford citizens a chance to cruise over the “plug ‘ole”. The front cover shows the location of the accident, outside what used to be the Major Oak flour mill and warehouse, but which is now the home of Retford Snooker Club. This issue of K & C has featured lots about the Chesterfield Canal, just one of the five waterways in our branch area., but the one on which things seem to happen. If you want more about the Rivers Trent and Idle, the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Waterway or the Dearne and Dove Canal, please put pen to paper and forward your contributions to the address below.
KEELS AND CUCKOOS THE INLAND WATERWAYS ASSOCIATION Views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Inland Waterways Association nor the South Yorkshire and Dukeries Branch Committee
Editor Helen Dawson 2 Smeath Lane Clarborough RETFORD Nottinghamshire DN22 9JU Phone:01777 704224 E-mail: dawsondavida@yahoo.com
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