Towing Path Topics, May 2015

TOWING PATH TOPICS The newsletter of the Lancashire and Cumbria Branch of the Inland Waterways Association

May 2015

DISCLAIMER The views expressed in Towing Path Topics are not necessarily those of The Inland Waterways Association or of its North West Region or of the Lancs and Cumbria Branch. They are, however, published as being of interest to our members and readers. Nothing printed may be construed as policy or an official announcement unless so stated. The Association accepts no liability for any matter in this newsletter.

No reproduction is permitted without acknowledgment.

Cover Illustration: 'Our Bridge' The bridge to which North Lancs & Cumbria Branch (as it was then) contributed spans the Ribble Link at its junction with the Lancaster Canal.

Line drawing by Celia Lockley from a photograph taken by David M Smith.

The editor retains the right to edit any article or letter submitted for publication.

Editor:- David Faulkner 10 Shetland Close, Wilpshire, Blackburn BB1 9NQ Tel. 01254 249265 Email david.faulkner@waterways.org.uk

Copy date for next edition 26th July 2015 2

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Contents Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Pages 5&6 Page 7 Page s 8&9 Page 10 Pages 11&12 Page 13 Pages 14&15 Page 16 Page 17 Page18&19 Pages 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page23

Disclaimer & acknowledgements Contents & diary dates Welcome from the editor Trailboat Festival & programme Lancaster Canal Branch Chairman’s report Summary of branch accounts for 2014 Region Chairman’s report Himalayan Balsam Moving to a canal-side property Crossrail’s clay Welcome to new members Kennet Branch committee Job descriptions How I got interested in waterways IWA news

Dates for your diary May 30th,31st & June 1st

Trailboat Festival, Lancaster Canal, Crooklands

Saturday July 11th 10.30 – 2.00 Balsam Bash at Haslam Park, Preston Thursday 24th September 7.30pm First social meeting, Colne Thursday 29th October 7.30pm social meeting, Preston Thursday 26 November 7.30pm social meeting, Colne The details of speakers for the social meetings will be published in the next edition of ‘Towing Path Topics’.

If you have any suggestions for speakers or topics please contact Wendy (p20) We do not get many members at our social meetings these days, if you have any comments on why you don’t attend (location or day of the week maybe) please let us know.

Dates for working parties to help maintain ‘our’ length of the L&L Canal at Barrowford will be announced by email if before the next edition.

We will need your help to get the canal spic & span in time for its 200th birthday next year.

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Welcome to the May edition of ‘Towing Path Topics’, your branch newsletter. I am the new editor.

Thanks to Wendy Humphreys for stepping in and producing the last edition.

You will see from the list of committee members that Wendy already has several roles so at the February AGM I swallowed hard and volunteered to become editor. I know that I follow some illustrious predecessors so I take on the job with some trepidation.

It is not my first time on the committee, I was a member in the 1980’s (is it really 30 years ago?) and was Branch Secretary for 6 years. At that time Eric Sadler was the editor with Jack Staziker responsible for distribution.

I have never been a boat owner but have had plenty of boating holidays (see the comments of the branch chairman about boat hirers). I consider that it is very important that we in the IWA emphasise the environmental and historical importance of the canals and navigable rivers as well as the boating. There are a lot more towpath walkers than boaters, although without the boats I don’t suppose there would be walkers or even towpaths.

This edition has a Lancaster Canal bias, mainly due to the IWA National Trailboat Festival on the last weekend in May. These events require a lot of hard work and I would urge you to help if you can, however briefly, but at least attend.

The other reason is that the Lancaster Canal Trust’s publicity officer responded to my request for articles. We could do that for other publications if we had a publicity officer too. Just one of several jobs that are vacant at the moment. I know that you are probably fed up with us asking for help but the IWA is an organisation that relies on volunteers and much of the effective work is done at branch level.

My apologies if the layout is not quite right, I am still getting to grips with the technical side of the job. Thank you to everyone who has sent contributions and responded to Wendy’s request for suggestions on content and presentation. I am proposing 3 editions a year, the next one at the end of August in time for the autumn/winter season of talks.

I do need something to print so please send me anything you think might be of interest to others.

David Faulkner

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IWA Trailboat Festival 2015 There is not long before the IWA National Trailboat Festival on the Lancaster Canal. Be there and beat the rush to get on this beautiful section of the canal before it opens which hopefully will not be very far in the future!

Work is currently going on to bring a new stretch of the restored stretch into operation.

IWA’s National Trailboat Festival 2015 will take place at the Westmorland Showground, Crooklands, on the Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal over the weekend of Saturday 30th May to Monday 1st June. The festival which is to be hosted and organised by Lancaster Canal Trust will be part of the “Country Fest” show, an annual canal side event.

The Country Fest is a two day show and will take place over the Saturday and Sunday of the weekend with activities for the whole family as well as a variety of food and drink providers, exhibitions, food demonstrations, trade stalls, music and dance, crafts and a beer festival to entertain visitors.

The Trailboat Festival will include a guided walk along the Gunpowder Trail, a Boat Handling competition, trips on the Lancaster Canal Trust trip boat, Waterwitch and a Grand Illuminated Boat Parade. On the Monday there will be a boaters day with a guided walk to the Hincaster Tunnel, a Guided Bat Walk, an awards ceremony and hopefully an opening of the restored stretch of the canal or an inspection of the rewatered section from Stainton Cross to Sellet Hall bridge.

For further information see the Westmorland Showground website www.westmorlandshow.co.uk Or the Lancaster Canal Trust website www.lancastercanaltrust.org.uk Or the IWA website www.waterways.org.uk Should you have any time to spare and want to do some volunteering at the festival please let Wendy Humphreys know at wendy.humphreys@waterways.org.uk we are looking for people to help at the National stand, stewards and a variety of other roles.

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Trailboat Festival Programme of Events for Entrants Saturday 30th May 9.30am Opening Ceremony at Lancaster Canal Trust Stand.

10.00am 11.30am

Country Fest show opens.

Guided walk along the Gunpowder Trail.

1.00pm

Boat Handling Competition at Wakefields Wharf.

5.00pm

Country Fest show closes.

6.00pm

Waterwitch boat trip for Showground Volunteers.

6.00pm

WBOC AGM followed by evening entertainment.

Sunday 31st May 10.00am

Country Fest show opens.

11.30am

Guided walk along the Gunpowder Trail.

4.00pm

Country Fest show closes.

5.00pm

Waterwitch boat trip for Showground Volunteers.

8.30pm

Illuminated Parade from Coal yard Wharf.

Monday 1st June 10.00am

Awards Ceremony at Lancaster Canal Trust Stand.

11.00am

Boats sail to Stainton.

1.00pm

Possible opening or inspection of First Furlong.

2.00pm

Guided Walk to the Hincaster Tunnel.

8.00pm

Guided Bat Walk at Crooklands

(This is the programme at going to press Ed)

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LANCASTER CANAL, NORTHERN REACHES.

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If ever a canal was treated badly, it is the Lancaster. In 1962 it was little used, but complete with a full public right of navigation, needing little money to put it in good order. Tewitfield locks had all their gates and paddles intact and repairs were minimal alongside problems facing the Kennet and Avon, Stratford and Peak District canals.

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Nevertheless, the Ministry of Transport was planning the death of the Northern Reaches by routing the M6 from Carnforth over the canal at various points. Local groups put forward an alternative survey which reduced the motor way by three miles and gave a better route to Barrow, saving £2M road costs and £500.000 on secondary road bridges. This avoided Beauty spots and the Lancaster canal. But Westminster was determined to have its way.

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The Lancaster Canal Trust’s primary objective is to restore the Northern Reaches of the canal from Tewitfield to Kendal. The Trust continued with restoration of the 280-yard Stainton to Sellet Hall length with help from WRG. The transition walls adjacent to Stainton Crossing Bridge were rebuilt, the stop plank grooves refurbished and coping stones replaced. A CRT employee unearthed some king posts and the Trust purchased and fitted new stop planks. Further profiling and some relining of this section has been completed.

Re-watering of this length has been approved by the Environment Agency and as minimal canal extraction and rain water causes the level to slowly rise, tests are constantly carried out. The IWA Trailboat festival expects to be the first to use this section.

The Trust has worked closely with CRT and wishes to record their generous contributions. The next section towards Hincaster Tunnel has been surveyed and work is being planned for 2015 with agreement of the landowner

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The following is based mainly on the Chairman’s report to the February 2015 AGM. After that I have put a brief synopsis of the annual accounts presented to the AGM by Wendy Humphreys our Treasurer. Full minutes of the AGM will be published in the January edition of TPT which will give notice of the 2016 AGM. (Ed) Report of Branch Chairman During the last couple of years my reports have mainly been about the changes from BW to CRT and how it has affected us in the North West.

Mostly, I might add for the better. Relationships and cooperation have improved well. Not everyone agrees with that view and we have lost one member who thinks entirely the opposite. He considers that the IWA nationally is too close to the CRT. I don't believe that you gain very much from shouting at people; persuasion is a better way to achieve our goals.

This time I want to concentrate on the Lancashire and Cumbria branch. We are heading for something of a melt down! Our stalwart secretary and social secretary has had to take on far more work in producing the village newspaper where he lives, following the death of the previous editor. He will not be able to devote the time and energy that he has done to maintaining our records and arranging our meetings. We need someone to fill his boots.

Not necessarily both jobs but someone taking on either would be a massive help.

I have already informed the committee that my work with Housing Associations is increasing and I intend to stand down as Chairman as soon as a replacement can be found. I will stay on the committee and do all that I can to assist my successor.

Other posts that require filling are press officer, (probably the least onerous of all the jobs) Environment officer, (keeping an eye out for planning applications that affect the waterways), sales officer to ensure we have goods to sell at fetes and festivals.

Following an appeal at the AGM, David Faulkner stepped forward to be our new newsletter editor and this edition is his first contribution, thank you, David.

If anyone would be good enough to help us out with any of these roles then please give me a ring on 07785 232985.

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For those of you who prefer to get out on the banks, the branch has signed up to adopt a length of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. The length is from the southern portal of Foulridge tunnel to lock 49. This is in partnership with a local building company so we should have plenty of support and a ready supply of materials from them or CRT. A schedule of work will be drawn up in the next few weeks and days arranged where everyone who is interested can come along and do as much or as little as they like. We are talking about planting shrubs and painting lock gates, perhaps cutting back over-growing vegetation and of course keeping the length clean and tidy. Manchester branch are very successful at this with twice monthly work parties and attracting 15 to 20 people to each.

On a much pleasanter note the Easter break has seen a sudden flurry in boating activity with many cruising clubs having weekend get-togethers and many hire boats out for the first time this year.

I know it is common for regular boaters to moan or smile at the activities of hire boaters but please remember we were all new to it some time and who knows that hire boater may well have been doing it for the last forty years and have more experience than some of us. They also keep many businesses along the canal side afloat (if you'll excuse the pun) One thing we experienced during the week was the difficulty opening some swing bridges after a period of little use. On one occasion three of us were unable move a bridge until a hire boat with seven strapping lads on it came along; they soon had it open!

The weather over Easter week was certainly kind to those of us who were able to get out on the water. If that didn't include you then I hope it is just as kind when you are able to venture out.

Alan Davies

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IWA Lancs & Cumbria Branch Abbreviated Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2014 2013

2014 Total Income

£3,555.18

Total Expenditure

£1,830.95

£3,857.46

Surplus

£1,724.23

£7,129.44 £3.857.46 £10,986.90

General Accumulated Funds Balance as at 1 January 2014 Surplus Balance at 31 December 2014

£10,986.90 £1,724.23 £12,711.13

£5,644.45 £5,342.45 £10,986.90

Funds committed to specific causes Northern Reaches Fund Branch Funds Totals

£6,644.45 £6,066.68 £12,711.13

£4,732.87 £875.41

Raffle prizes wanted At our branch social meetings we usually hold a raffle, it’s a bit of fun and the money raised helps pay for room hire and speakers. At the March meeting I was lucky enough to win a lovely basket of fruit which started me thinking, where do the prizes come from?

Well they have been donated by branch members but stocks are a bit low so; do you have any items suitable for raffle prizes, perhaps unwanted gifts or maybe you would like to donate something.

Should anyone have any suitable items then please email me on wendy.humphreys@waterways.org.uk and I will try to arrange to collect them, or better still why not bring them along to the next branch meeting with yourself as well of course!

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NW Region Chairman’s Report Spring 2015 Occasionally I get asked ‘What is the IWA doing about this’ or ‘Why hasn’t the IWA done that’ and in many cases the answer is to turn the question back and ask ‘What are you doing about it?’ The IWA is not a remote organization with a massive Head Office. The IWA is its members and it is due to the efforts of those who join in that we get anything done at all. The branch committees are all volunteers, some of many years’ standing and they need all the help they can get. Committees may not be your thing but there are other ways you can help out - at events, work parties or whatever suits your taste.

There has been some talk in the social media that the IWA is too close to Canal and River Trust and doesn’t have the relevance it did have. If you talk to members in the East of England they get cross at that as they have to deal, not with CRT but with the Environment Agency, which still suffers from the budget cuts and uncertainties that made life so difficult in the days of the old British Waterways. Here in the North West we also have to deal with the very different owners of the Bridgewater and Manchester Ship canals, Peel Holdings, so there is a lot more to it than CRT. However the IWA nationally and locally does work with CRT, as that is the best way of maintain and improving the quality of their waterways, and together we can achieve more than each can separately. The change of mind as regards the route of HS2 at Fradley was initiated by the IWA, but our campaign was greatly helped by working with CRT, with their greater resources. Where we don’t like what they are doing , or plan to do, for example the plan to put railings on the offside wall of Marple Aqueduct, with implications for similar aqueducts such as Chirk, has been opposed loudly and clearly.

The IWA is still very relevant; CRT may be a Charity but it is a very different type of charity to the IWA, not least in that we are a membership body, and the membership is where we get our volunteers and committees from and who elect us, from Branch Committees to Trustees and to whom we are answerable. I hope and trust that anyone who wants to communicate with me as your region representative on the Trustee Board feels he can. I don’t guarantee to agree with you, but I will listen and I will pass on your opinion even when I don’t agree with your point.

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Where I am sitting just after Easter, it suddenly looks like summer is just around the corner and already the waterways are busy so however you enjoy the waterways, by boat, bike or on foot, have a great summer.

Alan Platt, Region Chairman

Dive Dive Dive.

Members of Kendal Diving Club searching for the sunken Diphtheria barge in the Lancaster Canal have finally found the remains. On Saturday 7th March at 4.10 she was located in shallow water about 4 feet deep.

Walking on the gunwale (Gun'al' in naval slang) Kendal Club members fully identified the barge as a typical Lancaster wooden barge 72feet in length with a beam of 14feet.

Lancaster Canal Trust had contacted Canal and River Trust, custodians of the canal on behalf of the Nation, for permission to dive the site before dredging could take place, necessary on this section due to a massive build up of Horse Tail Weed.

This work is needed before the IWA National Trail Boat Festival on 30 May to 1st June can take place alongside CountryFest. ‘Gunwale’. The Wales are the long stabilising beams on the entire length of a wooden ship. The Gunwale being on the upper deck where the deck guns are found.

Frank Sanderson, Lancaster Canal Trust Public Relations Officer

Did you know that all the South Lakeland and North Lancashire rivers down to the River Wyre still carry Scottish names, dating from the time we were part of Strathclyde in the time of King Macbeth?

(Thanks Frank, one for the pub quiz. Ed) 12

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Things are not always what they seem …

“Mummy! Mummy! Look at the pretty pink flowers. And if you touch the seed pods they ‘pop’ and fling the seeds all over the place. What fun!”

“Beware my child. These are alien invaders and they will destroy our countryside as we know it”.

Root Out Himalayan Balsam This Summer - IWA Calls for Public’s Help to Stop the Invader The IWA)’s annual summer Himalayan Balsam Campaign begins with an Awareness Week from 16-24 May, ahead of its main growing season, when the public will be asked for help to root out the invasive plant.

During Himalayan Balsam Awareness Week, IWA will spread the message about the damage this deceptively pretty but destructive plant can cause to river and canal banks, biodiversity and waterway habitats. Through social media and the Association’s website, IWA will share identification tips, interesting facts and information on how people can help by joining a Himalayan Balsam pull on their local waterway.

Education plays a key role in reducing the prevalence of Himalayan Balsam and IWA’s resources, which will be publicised throughout the week, are an interesting and helpful way for the public to learn more about the plant, how to report a sighting and how to get involved with removing it.

IWA volunteers including those from Lancashire and Cumbria Branch gave over 900 hours to the campaign last year and cleared over ten miles of waterway from the plant. IWA branches are already busy planning pulls so keep an eye on IWA’s website for more information about these events that will run mainly between late May and the end of July.

Lancashire and Cumbria Branch will be holding a Balsam Bash on Saturday 11th July at Haslam Park, we hope to have as many volunteers there as possible so keep the date in your diary.

Further details about the local event are available from wendy.humphreys@waterways.org.uk

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Himalayan Balsam Find out more about Himalayan Balsam at www.waterways.org.uk/invasivespecies.

Or Follow IWA on Facebook (facebook.com/inlandwaterwaysassociation) and Twitter (@IWA_UK) and keep an eye out for the #rootout2015 hashtag during Himalayan Balsam Awareness Week.

(No I don’t ‘follow’ anyone either, Ed) Do not walk on the water from Branch member John Hewerdine I responded to Wendy’s request for comments from members on her first adventure into editing our magazine. I made a few suggestions on layout and content and look where it got me! One suggestion was that it might be good to have the odd contribution from branch members, reflecting on their connection with the cut. Like any good editor, Wendy replied by asking me if I’d like to start the ball rolling. Well here goes…

Like many IWA members, Dot and I really started boating as a retirement activity. Ten years ago we were lucky to have some capital, in the form of a ruin in Normandy which, over the years, we had done up to a reasonable standard and was worth more than the cost of a half-decent narrowboat.

Although broadbeams were attractive to us for their interior space, it would have to be a narrowboat so we could “go anywhere”. In the future we might be tempted by an attractive Dutch Barge style broadbeam, but that will certainly be at a stage when we really don’t have ambitions to cover any great distances. On recent canal trips, I have been quite sympathetic with folk who have all that boat, scraping its way through shallow sections or running aground, as they leave the channel to give room to oncoming craft.

It does often seem very tedious...

A good reason to say goodbye to our share of Northern France was that, before retirement, we were living within an hour of the Portsmouth ferry.

We were close to the River Wey and also the Basingstoke Canal but had many friends in the North and love Derbyshire. Perhaps it was time to move and give up the need to visit our beloved beaches on the West side of the Cherbourg Peninsular.

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We found a house in Lancashire called “Whittle Wharf” and learned more about life on the “Johnson’s Hillock” section of the Leeds Liverpool Canal from the then National President of the IWA. Audrey Smith responded to our emails and Audrey and David made us welcome when we visited. It wasn’t long before we made the decision to become their neighbours.

Whittle Wharf was the perfect place and it was almost certain that British Waterways (as it was then) were unlikely to refuse permission for us to moor a boat. What seemed strange to us at the time was that they would take money off us for mooring but would not do any dredging to enable a boat to moor up there. Now, we live on the site of the old Whittle Springs Brewery where, a century ago, boats moored regularly. Fifteen years ago, the offside (outside our house) was not just silted up but had been a dumping ground for all manner of builders’ rubbish. (to be continued)

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Originally written by Frank Sanderson as a Light Hearted Story for Lancaster Canal Trust members.

Crossrail, the largest construction project in Europe, and one of the most important archaeological projects of our time, are tunnelling under London and excavating millions of tons of London Clay. Most of this is going to Wallasea Island in the Thames Estuary.

What has this got to do with the Lancaster Canal?

More than you might think.

Can you envisage 300,000 cubic metres squared of London clay? Neither can I, but as it comes out, no longer compacted, it increases in volume, and somebody has the job of getting rid of all this material.

Quite by chance Lancaster Canal Trust met one of these men and realised it may be of use on our canals, not perhaps as puddling clay, but there are many areas where our canals could be strengthened with banks made wider and depressions filled.

Consequently this was passed to Canal and River Trust top management.

So it just goes to show, it is sometimes true that it is not what you know, but who you know.

However, I received a comment from a colleague who pointed out it could be transported by boat. And so it can.

Are there any carriers in the London area that can handle this? It would certainly be worth doing, bringing the canals back to a commercial life.

C&RT executives are now talking to involved London companies and Crossrail.

(Watch this space, but I think most of the tunnelling is now finished Ed)

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Welcome to new members Normally we would welcome new members to the branch at this point but your new editor was not sufficiently organised to get details in time so we will include you in the next edition. My apologies.

Fear not, new member, this is but a minor glitch in that well oiled, smooth running machine which is the Lancs & Cumbria Branch.

Boating tip from Sue Flint To keep your mop in reasonable condition when it's travelling on the roof, cut the bottom off a 2 litre pop bottle and then thread the neck end through the mop handle and pull the bottle over the mop head.

Keeps it clean!

(Sue kindly responded to my request for items. Have you got any tips to pass on? Ed) Webcams on the River Ouse IWA North Riding Branch advises us that a useful service is available to the general public planning journeys to York on the River Ouse.

There are 2 webcams installed along the river Ouse. One at King’s Staith, courtesy of the Lowther Public House and the other by York City Rowing Club overlooking Museums Garden towpath, courtesy of the rowing club.

Both can be accessed online and could potentially help in planning a boat journey to York, where it is difficult to moor if the river is in flood. With the ability to easily look at the current situation boaters can aim for an alternative destination at short notice should the river levels suddenly change.

The rowing club website is www.ycrc.co.uk For the Lowther webcam go to www.farsondigitalwatercams.com 17

‘KENNET’ ‘Most of you will know that Kennet is the traditional Leeds & Liverpool Canal short boat built in 1947 to carry cargo the full length of the canal.

Her dimensions of 62 ft long by 14ft 3” beam will fit in all the locks.

She is owned and operated by the Leeds & Liverpool Canal Society.

The size of the hold has allowed an interactive museum to be created to inform people, especially children about the canal and its importance in the history of their communities.

The project is run by volunteers and extra help is always needed. On the next page is the 2015 movement schedule which will give you the opportunity to get involved with a real boat (Ed’s words).

You can visit Kennet at: May 2-4 Saltaire waterways festival May 23-25 Saltaire arts trail June 14 CRT Bingley family day June 27-28 Leeds waterfront festival July 4 Heritage open day Dobsons Lock Maintenance Yard, Apperley Bridge July 18-19 Blackburn heritage weekend Aug 29-31 Burnley canal festival Sept 12-13 Blackburn heritage weekend Movement schedule If you would like to join the crew of Kennet for a day, help out at locks or assist with transporting the crew to/from the start/end points of the trip please contact the appropriate lead contact.

Lead contacts: CS = Cris Shave crisandgill@gmail.com Tel:01535 631975 LC = Lynton Childs landf-@hotmail.com Tel:07967 286945 MH = Mike Hustler Tel: 07929 915487 KB = Ken Barnes kenbarnes@talktalk.net Tel: 012540395773 or 07794 386198 FofK = friendsofkennet@gmail.com 18

Kennet 2015 – Moving Schedule From

Date

To

Contact

16 May

Skipton

Crossflats

LC

19 May

Crossflats

Saltaire

CS

26 May

Saltaire

Bingley Top Lock

MH

21 June

Bingley Top Lock & Return

Micklethwaite Swing Bridge

CS

22 June

Bingley Top Lock

Rodley

KB

23 June

Rodley

Granary Wharf Leeds

KB

2 July

Leeds

Apperley Bridge

MH

5 July

Apperley Bridge

Bingley

LC

11 & 12 July

Bingley

As far as possible westwards

LC

w/c 13 July

As far as possible westwards

Eanam Wharf Blackburn

CS

19 July

Eanam Wharf Blackburn

West End

LC

21 July

West End

Reedley Marina

CS

28 Aug

Reedley Marina

Burnley

MH

w/c 1 Sept

Burnley

Blackburn

FofK

w/c 14 Sept

Blackburn

Greenberfield

FofK

1 Oct

Greenberfield

Skipton

KB

5 Oct

Skipton

Greenberfield

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L&C Branch Committee 2015 Chairman (Temporary) Vice Chairman

Alan Davies Colne Vacant

07785 232985

Secretary

Les Fragle Thistleton, Preston Wendy Humphreys Darwen Les Fragle Thistleton, Preston Shared by Secretary and Chairman Vacant Vacant See Treasurer See Treasurer

07946 702274 01995 672230 07763 561572 01254 703553 07946 702274 01995 672230

Treasurer Membership Secretary Environment and Planning Publicity Sales Social Secretary Lancaster Canal Restoration Partnership Leeds and Liverpool Canal Lancaster Canal Trust Region Chairman (ex officio) Wild over Water Web Master Editor – Towing Path Topics Without portfolio

Shared by Treasurer and Chairman Helen Thomas Carnforth Alan Platt Caerwys Vacant Martyn Clapham Nelson David Faulkner Blackburn Tony Dunning Egremont

01524 735504 07860 250152 01352 720649 07710 468303 07912 249265 01254 249265 07730 113894 01946 820875

Email addresses are firstname.surname@waterways.org.uk We no longer publish addresses.

If you want to write to us please use the editor’s address.

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Job information Sales Officer The sales officer will provide income for the branch but is much more than that.

The sales officer will provide a focus of interest at branch meetings, a service to members and provide a welcome for newcomers.

At outside events a sales officer will have a sales stand which will attract interest, provide information and potential new members, they will also have the rewarding experience of participating in events.

They will provide an educational opportunity by having maps, guides and information about the waterways.

Work Party Organiser You may have seen that other IWA branches have adopted a length of a canal in their area and hold regular work parties to make sure that the length is attractive to visitors. We plan to adopt a length of the Leeds Liverpool Canal but if we are going to do so we need a work part organiser.

The canal clean ups we have done have shown that branch members will support such practical sessions whatever the weather and members of the local community have welcomed our involvement.

If you would like to know more about what is involved contact our branch secretary or chairman.

Publicity Officer If we don’t tell anyone what we are doing nobody will know! We need someone to take on the task of advertising our presence. A poster in a local library or a shop or a listing in the “What’s on” pages of the waterways magazines and local newspapers has the potential to attract a bigger audience for our speakers or increase the workforce at our work parties.

What about our successes? Shouldn’t we tell someone about them?

Could you be the one to spread the word about us? The branch chairman or secretary will be pleased to hear from you.

There is no requirement for any of the above to be a member of the branch committee although they need to work alongside the committee and keep in touch.

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How I got started I thought it might be interesting to find out how people first got interested in our waterways so I will set the ball rolling.

I was brought up in Leicester and we had many family holidays in Norfolk.

We never had a holiday on the Broads but we often visited places like Potter Heigham to see boats crashing into the low bridge (schoolboy memories).

Aged 18 five lads hired a 4 berth yacht on the Broads. We picked up the 5th person out of sight of the boatyard. It was pretty ambitious as we had limited sailing experience (the boatyard must have been mad or desperate). The holiday was a good one but hard work. The wind always seemed to be against us so tacking up the rivers was a slow business.

My first experience of canal boating was in a friend’s Dawncraft Dandy, moored at Greenberfield on the L&L Canal. My wife Gill and I were never allowed to borrow it on our own so it was always 2 couples which is pretty cosy in a boat 19’ long by 6’5” beam (5.79m x 1.96m).

Two of the berths were under the cockpit at the rear; we referred to them as the coffins. The fellas had to sleep in those, the girls claiming claustrophobia.

Fortunately my bladder was stronger in those days so I was able to stay in my coffin until morning. I probably couldn’t fit into the loo now anyway.

Eventually we tired of the Leeds and Liverpool and we trailered the boat to other canals. Our first narrow canal was a revelation. Those little locks, weren’t they easy to operate? Only one gate at the top. With muscles built up on wide locks and those dreadful swing bridges it was a doddle.

Gill and I hired narrowboats on various canals and rivers. A favourite memory was strolling from the theatre in Stratford and sitting on our boat moored on the Avon opposite, sipping a G&T watching the cars queuing to get off the car park. Happy days.

22 David Faulkner

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IWA news Press Office The IWA has recently established a Press Office. No employees so it won’t cost much (I know how people think). The idea is to improve the way the Association gets IWA’s message across to its members, potential supporters and other interested groups. The Press Office will be responsible for handling IWA’s press relations, developing and responding to media opportunities as they arise.

We are asked to direct to the Press Office any general enquiries received outside of usual publicity activity, especially any enquiries on IWA policy on national issues. It does not mean that we should no longer cultivate our own contacts with local media. So we still need a branch publicity officer.

NB We are reminded that any branch press releases should be checked by the Regional Chairman before dispatch.

Election You will probably get this after the General Election so I’ve not bothered to put in much about it. Beforehand IWA branches were busy getting candidates to sign up to the IWA Manifesto – Securing the Best for the Waterways.

The manifesto had 5 points to which candidates were asked to pledge their support: 1. Protect our heritage 2. Build a local relationship with constituency waterways groups 3. Work with the IWA in Parliament – join the all party Parliamentary Group for the Waterways.

4. Support the transfer of navigations currently managed by the Environment Agency to Canal & River Trust 5. Support affordable new off line moorings.

We normally write to new MPs congratulating them and giving them a point of contact for waterways issues.

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