MilePost200905

The Magazine of the West Riding Branch May 2009

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Contents Branch Chairman’s Musings...................................................................3 Shirley Lloyd Hobson..............................................................................5 AGM With a Difference.........................................................................6 AGM........................................................................................................7 Income and Expenditure Account...........................................................9 Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme Consultation.....................................10 Walking The Caledonian Canal.............................................................11 Not Sailing but Walking , With the Barge Fingal!................................12 Feedback on Talks.................................................................................14 First Year’s Training? To Be a Boatman...............................................16 Letters....................................................................................................19 News From Yorkshire Ouse and Ure Section........................................20 Events....................................................................................................22 The Mile Post.........................................................................................24 Bridge Number!.....................................................................................24 Map showing location of meeting venue...............................................26 Committee Members 2008 / 2009.........................................................27 Programme of Events for 2009/10.........................................................28 IWA Headquarters .

Registered Office The Inland Waterways Association Island House Moor Road CHESHAM HP5 1WA Telephone - 01494 783453 Web site www.waterways.org.uk NOTE: The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of The Inland Waterways Association or of The West Riding Branch. They are, however, published as being of interest to our members and readers.

Front cover.

Huddersfield Narrow Canal. Looking east from Lock 41e.

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Branch Chairman’s Musings We have returned from trips on the Ribble Link, and with workingboat-and-butty to IWA Cavalcade at Little Venice, and find reorganisations are the flavour of the season. http://tinyurl.com/BWreorg for those with internet access, explains how a new British Waterways organisation will give new money to maintenance instead of office staff, and includes a map of the eleven new Units to replace eight current Regions. With a hundred redundancies, it will be a difficult time for everyone, and I have written to Laurence Morgan, currently General Manager of Yorkshire Region: Dear Laurence, BW REORGANISATION The announcement on 29 April makes ‘BW-Yorkshire’ a smaller geographical unit, with fewer overall responsibilities: I suppose the Leeds office will bear its share of the removal of a whole layer of BW management and the 100 England&Wales office-based redundancies that are expected to follow.

I have been at the sharp end of such announcements during my career and understand the personal disruption they cause. I have much appreciated the professionalism and consideration shown to me during these two years by the Leeds Team; please pass on my sympathy and best wishes for the future, with the hope that you all find a way through these difficult changes.

At our April Open meeting, we briefly discussed how BW can best retain expertise in the waterways it manages, and I hope that 3

recognition can be given to valuable knowledge and skills during this reorganisation.

From the waterways viewpoint, there is positive news in the announcement. IWA nationally have welcomed the extra ten million pounds towards healing the funding gap, as well as closer integration of volunteers’ energies, in the future. In our area it is much better to have the South Pennine Ring under a single BW unit, and we hope that its funding recognises the catching-up of maintenance needed to bring the Rochdale and Huddersfield Narrow fully to the navigable standards of the so-called cruiseways elsewhere.

I have also valued your consultations with the Standedge Tunnel group, and hope that they may continue within the new structure.

Regards, Peter Scott

Within IWA, we have our own reorganisation of Regions: after much discussion, we have from 1 May reduced our number to eight. Our Regional Chairmen (who also serve as IWA national Trustees) are now to be elected directly by members during the autumn, and initial details are in the recent Summer edition of ‘Waterways’. This coincides with the retirement of John Reeve, our long-serving chairman of the former North-East Region. Our new expanded Region includes South Yorkshire and Dukeries Branch, and at our Regional AGM, I was pleased to agree to the suggestion from our East Yorkshire Branch that I seek to succeed John as Regional Chairman. Details of all the candidates, and instructions for voting will be in the next edition of Waterways.

With best wishes for an enjoyable Waterways Summer Peter Scott, Chairman

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Shirley Lloyd Hobson 23rd October 1926 to 24th January 2009 Aged 82 Years It is with great sadness that we report the death of Shirley Hobson who was a well loved and valued member of the West Riding Branch of the I W A .Shirley and Lawrence were regular attendees at branch meetings, that is when they were not globe trotting or out on their narrow boat “Pegasus”. Shirley was a keen photographer and gave some brilliant slide shows of their world travels.

Together with her husband Lawrence, a professional plumber, for many years they would cruise for the summer months in their boat “Pegasus’ ending up at the National Festival to spend three weeks helping run the Festival. Lawrence and his team would set up the plumbing services on site, while Shirley set up the telecommunications. She was responsible for developing and leading this department at IWA National Festivals for many years.

My first recollection of Shirley at the National was when a fridge was taken out of the ‘Tardis’ and carried some 150 yards to the com’s office by two volunteers, both of whom could give me a few years. This had to be done immediately as Shirley needed this to keep the milk in for brewing up. If it was for Shirley, nothing was too much trouble. The com’s office was the centre around which the team revolved. It was the brew hut, and the news desk. It was the first thing set up and the last thing dismantled and Shirley would be there all day every day for the whole three weeks, dispensing cheerfulness help and a brew. It was like having your mum on hand to look after you and cheer you up.

May God bless you Shirley, for you brightened our lives while you were here and you will be greatly missed and fondly remembered; Ken Nelson.

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AGM WITH A DIFFERENCE Friday, 13th April 2009 defied superstition by being a fortunate meeting. Those members who attended were well entertained throughout the evening.

To open proceedings after Chairman Peter’s welcome, one of our youngest and most enthusiastic members, Ellen, gave a delightful presentation with illustrations describing a recent family narrow boat trip from Braunston, which had obviously been much enjoyed. Highlights were seeing ice on the canal and being allowed to help with steering and closing lock gates. The accompanying slides were all explained in detail so that everyone could share in the fun.

Chairman’s report, referring to a colourful agenda on the screen, dealt lightheartedly with items ranging from news from Standedge Tunnel arrangements to the new bollards provided at some narrow locks as well as information about rearranged regional IWA boundaries.

Committee members were thanked for their services and for agreeing to continue for the ensuing year.

In the absence of new nominations they were re-elected en bloc.

Treasurer, William Jowitt, presented the balance sheet in graphic form on the screen so that finance news became much more interesting and clear to everyone.

After the interval, members enjoyed slides from a walk taken along the Leeds & Liverpool canal some years ago by Liz and Chris Pinder with very interesting commentary on their adventures.

By Peggy Furniss 6

AGM INLAND WATERWAYS ASSOCIATION WEST RIDING BRANCH Minutes of the 2009 AGM held at Centenary House, Leeds. Friday 13th March.

Present: 22 adults, 2 children.

1. APOLOGIES: Iain Scott.

2. MINUTES OF THE 2008 AGM held at Centenary House, Leeds on Friday 14th March, as published in May 08 Mile Post, are accepted as a true and correct record of the meeting.

Proposed by Alistair Furniss. Seconded by Tim Field.

3. MATTERS ARISING: Non 4. CHAIRMAN’S REPORT The Chairman introduced the committee members and thanked them for their work over the last year.

The steps at Diggle end of Standedge Tunnel have been amended so there is now room for a horse on the towing path. Chairman has enjoyed meeting with BW to discuss the working of Standedge Tunnel. This year there will be passages on 3 days a week. The chairman commented on bollards and signs at locks.

A Leeds councillor has suggested having a boat (perhaps a Leeds and Liverpool boat) to be kept and restored at Thwaites Mills museum as a visitor attraction.

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5. REGION CHAIRMAN John Reeve reported on some of the activities of the Navigation Committee.

Navigation policies –Towing Paths and Tree, Locks and Bridges have been updated.

Follow up on what was happening with Licence fees and Mooring fees.

WRG are running a scheme for small boat operators.

Wooden bollards to have sharp edges evened off and tops painted white.

Position of cill markers looked into.

British Standard for solid fuel stoves is now being looked into.

6. TREASURERS’ REPORT The accounts were presented to the floor.

7. ELECTION OF COMMITTEE William Jowitt, Chris Pinder and Elaine Scott up for re-election to be reappointed until 2012.

Proposed by Alistair Furniss. Seconded by Trevor Hall. Unanimously elected.

John Reeve volunteered to join the committee to represent the Tees area. Proposed Peggy Furniss. Seconded Chris Pinder.

Unanimously elected.

The meeting closed at 8.45pm.

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Income and Expenditure Account 2008 Income Expenditure Capitation Donations

2007 Income Expenditure

1,552.60 345.00

0.00 784.99

472.20 251.40

0.00 350.00

0.00

345.00

0.00

260.00

333.91

65.99

0.00

57.00

120.00 84.64

1,150.40 57.00

0.00 325.36

883.23 72.00

Lotteries & 95.50 raffles Bank interest & 79.99 charges Officers’ 0.00 expenses Other 0.00 TOTAL 2,611.64 Surplus/(deficit) For the year Balance at 31st December

0.00

77.00

0.00

0.00

87.73

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00 2,403.38 208.26

0.00 1,213.69

6.10 1628.33 -414.64

Social meetings & working parties Events and FundRaising activities Magazine Trading

£2526.10

£2317.84

Notes Capitation – the monies we receive from IWA to fund the magazine. Some of the monies payable for 2007 were received in 2008 hence the big year on year variation.

Donations Expenditure- main donations to Skipton Waterway Festival, Barge Lock Appeal and New Mileposts (Shipley to Bingley).

Fundraising – was all booked to trading in 2007.

Magazine - increase number being produced in 2008 to include members in former Northumbria Branch.

William Jowitt Treasurer 9

Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme Consultation There is to be a period of public consultation on the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme from the 8th of May to the 26th of June. There will be public exhibitions as follows:Wednesday 27th May to Saturday 30th May at Leeds Town Hall.

Thursday 4th June to Saturday 6th June at Swillington Social Club, Swillington.

Sunday 7th June to Tuesday 9th June at Milford Sports Centre, Kirkstall.

In addition a static exhibition will remain at Leeds Civic Hall or the Town Hall from 10th June until Mid September 2009.

The scheme is at the outline design stage with no approvals or funding. So the public exhibitions will be of outline rather than final detailed design solutions. Commenting at this stage offers the opportunity to suggest or support enhancements such as mooring or footpath improvements that could be built at the same time as the scheme. There will be a small part of the overall budget to allow for this.

See website http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/106693.aspx

Ian Moore.

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Walking The Caledonian Canal.

We recently received this letter and article for inclusion in the Mile Post.

We have decided to publish the letter in its entirety, as it gives a good introduction to the article which follows . (Ed.).

Dear Editors, As a member of the recently folded Northumbria Branch of the Inland Waterways, I opted to join your branch, and my husband and I have enjoyed reading your magazine, particularly as our boat used to be based with Pennine Marine at Skipton. Having cruised the Leeds Liverpool several times, including when we sailed the boat from Birmingham, where it began its boating life, we decided a couple of years ago to move down to the Kennet and Avon, where it is more conveniently placed for extended family use. We also now have a second boat there, and they both work as hire boats with Reading Marine at Aldermaston.

We note from your last issue that your minute secretary, Liz Pinder would like to walk the Caledonian Canal. We did this in 2007 with Caledonian Canal Holidays and, since you have asked for items to include in Mile Post, I have sent you a few words about our experiences.

Please feel free to edit as necessary - I have edited a few small publications like Mile Post myself and know very well the pressures on editorial space and layout.

We never managed to get to meetings of Northumbria Branch or to meet the group there, and I suspect the same will apply to West Riding, due to the unexpectedly busy life of two retired pensioners, but we will take great interest in your activities.

Yours sincerely,

Sheila F. Smith

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Not Sailing but Walking , With the Barge Fingal!

My husband, Alan, and I are committed walkers, having done the Pennine Way, the Cumberland Way, several progressive walks in France, Spain and Italy and many others too numerous to mention. However, I have also been fascinated by canals ever since living for a short time near Kendal during the Second World War, and watching the barge which took coal up to the gasworks. Thus I pestered my long suffering husband until he bought me a narrow boat.

We always wondered about the Caledonian Canal but felt that at our age, and in a boat on our own, we would be hard pressed to cope with the big lochs and the big locks, so apprehension discouraged us from taking the step until we read about the barge Fingal, which offered the opportunity to combine cruising with walking. It was a great decision!

We joined Fingal on June 9, 2007, at Banavie, near Fort William, after a wonderful night's B& B with Mr and Mrs. Gretton at the side of the ladder locks, opposite where Fingal was berthed. We met our fellow guests at 3.30pm and unloaded our gear into our miniscule cabins - with bunk beds! - and set off for our first taste of the walk, down to the sea to dabble our toes. This is apparently a must on this coast to coast walk.

While we were away, our barge moved on to the next lock. Our guide told us that there was a short walk to catch it up. Seven miles of short walk!

On reaching the barge we unpacked, showered and enjoyed the first of many excellent meals prepared by Theresa - or Tree as she was always known. Our days consisted of a hearty breakfast, collecting our packed lunches, wonderful walks guided by a very knowledgeable young man, then showers, pre-dinner drinks and dinner, which was always riotous with laughter, as we all sat round one huge table including the staff, and, though our party consisted of a group of eight who had come together, plus ourselves and one younger couple, we all got on amazingly well.

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The walk offered a few challenges when we got to Loch Ness, not because we spotted the monster, but because Fingal was unable to sail near to the shore. Thus on a couple of occasions we had to disembark and embark by means of a RIB or rigid inflatable boat. I am not as agile as I used to be, having two artificial hips, but my fellow travellers were very helpful and there were no mishaps. The actual walking involved climbing a little way up the hillside, through woods or fields, or on minor roads, then level walking with fabulous views down to the loch or across the hills. Fingal looked like a toy boat from above Loch Ness!

A couple of the guests had believed that they would have the chance to do a little dinghy sailing while on the trip, as Fingal also arranges other activity based holidays. Even though this was not the case on the walking trip, our skipper, Martin, found a place on a beautiful calm, sunny evening when he lowered the boats for them. This is a clear example of how helpful and accommodating the crew were.

We finally reached our destination at Inverness on June 15, where we were once again to dabble our toes - this time in the North Sea. It was a freezing cold, very windy day, so I disobligingly declined. To tell the truth, after so much wonderful walking I could hardly bend down to take off my boots and socks!

I cannot recommend this holiday too highly. We enjoyed every minute of it, even on the rare occasions when it rained a bit. Though on our trip on Fingal we had to share three showers and three toilets with the other guests, we know that now every cabin has private facilities. We saw other, posher boats doing the trip, but we cannot believe that they would have been as friendly or as much fun as Fingal and they certainly were not full of walkers!

By Sheila F. Smith.

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Feedback on Talks We are in the process of booking up Branch talks for the 2010 – 2011 season and would be interested to get members’ feedback on the range of talks we have arranged over the last couple of years so we can continue to, hopefully, cover a range of subjects that are of interest to members.

We would like therefore to receive feedback from you on what you have heard already and what you would like to hear in the future. Perhaps you could give some thought to the following questions and let us have your views either by email, post, telephone or in person at one of the meetings.

Do we cover a wide enough range of subjects?

Are there organisations that we have missed which you think would be willing to give a talk?

Should we cover issues about non waterway issues but in a related area ie. Historic railways and their effect on the waterways?

Would members like to show some of their slides as we do at the Christmas social?

Would you be interested in speakers returning such, as Helen and Chris Davey doing another wine and waterways evening?

Is the format of the evening right?

Are people interested in walks?

In order to jog memories we have listed below the talks from the last 3 years including those booked for this season Development of Leeds Waterfront Chris Furniss of Leeds Civic Trust The 60s & 70s – Looking Back John Greenway Sustrans and The National cycle Network in relation to waterways David Stevens 14

A Russian Voyage Tom Barkley A year in the life of the National Chairman John Fletcher Humber Keel and Sloop Preservation Society Brian Peeps French Waterways & Wine Helen and Chris Davey The Waterways Museum and Adventure Centre – Goole Bob Watson Bugsworth Basin Ian Edgar The Life of Donald Bailey and his Bridge Pablo Haworth The Canal Card Collectors Circle Trevor Ellis The Horseboating Society Sue Day Restoration of the Chesterfield Canal John Lower Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal John Fletcher Waterway Engineering Laurence Morgan Alastair and Katy Sayles 32 Pymont Drive Woodlesford Leeds LS26 8WA 0113 393 4517 kandal@btinternet.com

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FIRST YEAR’S TRAINING? TO BE A BOATMAN. You may remember dear reader, that at the end of the last article the tanker Lincoln had arrived at York and the crew was preparing to swing her at a fork in the River Fosse, prior to backing her almost a mile around three sharp corners and under a long, low bridge, to her loading berth at the gasworks. You may also remember that the writer was aboard her as a sixteen year old trainee.

Why, you may well ask, had Lincoln to be backed back so far? The answer is that there was no nearer spot to her loading berth where she could be swung. To go up end on, the normal way, and after loading try to back her back would have been an almost impossible task.

The skipper would ease Lincoln slowly up to the warehouse wall, into which stout iron hooks were set. My job was to hang a rope onto one of these hooks and then hold all to the boat’s bollards. This allowed the boat to be swung using the ahead gear, without her moving physically forward. Woe be-tide me if I missed with the rope. Once she was going back I had to stand on the forward deck wielding a huge stower, which is an extremely long pole, for want of a better word, with a two pronged metal attachment at one end and a big wooden pommel at the other. My job standing forward was to try and stop the boat’s head from swinging one particular way caused by the torque of the propeller shoving the boat’s stern the opposite way when astern gear is engaged. The thinking behind this exercise was if I could keep her head steady, then the Lincoln could be backed back smoother and quicker. Whilst this task was being under-taken, I would be told quite often by the skipper to get my tit behind it and shove. Bruising to my shoulder was mute evidence to my ability to shove. To myself, I often questioned the validity of having to do this for we seemed to gain so very little out of it. Oft times I had to set the stower into the river bottom where it would slide into the soft mud and the harder I then shoved at it the deeper it would bury itself in the mud.

Then if I had managed to push her head over, I'm sure I would have pulled it back as I struggled to pull the stower free.

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On reaching our loading berth we had to tie up to the metal fence that ran alongside the River Fosse and was the only thing to tie up to. Loading would be completed in about two hours and even if it was late, depending on what time we had to leave Naburn next morning, we sometimes had to leave and go there. On very rare occasions and always when we were coming down loaded, I would be allowed to stay in bed for some extra time. It would still be quite early when I looked out of the cabin to see where we were, to be greeted by a voice from the wheelhouse informing me that, and I quote, “ Yu'll lig I’ bed till yu cock’s as thick as ya neck”, unquote.

The quite small cabin was forward and this, along with everything else that had to be cleaned, other than the engine room, was cleaned by the lad.

The hessian sack that served as a hearth rug had to be scrubbed white and the carpet shaken every day. With a little thought, this job would not have had to be done so often, but the skipper for example, would sit sideways to the table and cut his bread with his loaf on his lap. No sliced bread in those days of course. Standing up he would then seem to make the effort to brush the crumbs off his lap into the hearth, but in reality they were scattered all over the cabin floor.

The only form of heating for the cabin was a coal burning stove incorporating an oven which was useful inasmuch that I could bring from home meat and potato pies, made by my mother, to warm up in the oven. Other than this type of meal I had to learn to fry and prepare a simple meal quickly or go hungry.

On the other hand the stove could be a nightmare especially during the winter months when obviously it was most needed. At this time of year with its short daylight hours, Lincoln would be under way several hours before daybreak and often several hours after darkness fell. During these times the fire could not be mended normally, as to do so would have sent thick smoke billowing back at the wheelhouse, making the job of the steerer, already steering in almost total darkness, all the more difficult. To try and overcome this hazard, coal had to be introduced onto the fire a bit at a time keeping one’s fingers crossed as you did so. The same difficulty 17

could be experienced during misty or foggy daylight hours, if it was thought worth while to get under way.

And what a job it was with it in summer time. The smallest fire turned the tiny cabin into a sauna , so the size of the fire had to be kept to a minimum. But how to keep enough fire in so the kettle could be kept close to boiling to meet the regular demands for pots of tea? The task was left to me and I can tell you, that it was with a great deal of difficulty. I remember the hot summer’s day clearly, even though it was all those years ago, as we ran up the Ouse light approaching Selby. I was doing something aft when the order came from the wheelhouse for tea. I remember going forward thinking to myself, "I'm bloody sick of you and your bloody tea”. I was also pretty sure that the fire would be almost out and there would be no hot water. "Oh hell, I’m for it now," I thought, as I put some tea in the tea-pot and poured the at best, aired water onto it.

We were passing the BOCM wharves when I opened the wheelhouse door and handed the skipper his pot of tea. I was perhaps half-way forward again when the pot trailing a stream of its ghastly contents whizzed over my right shoulder accompanied by some very choice words. The skipper had stepped out of the wheelhouse onto the deck and shied the pot at my departing figure. 'The doomed pot carried on for a few more feet before falling to the deck and smashing. Looking back on the episode perhaps it would have been better to tell of the situation re. the fire and water and faced the captains wrath.

By Ken Burden

The entrance to the River Fosse at York

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Letters Dear Editors, Further to the recent correspondence in the Mile Post about the canal side area of Knottingley named the Bendles. As the skipper of Fusedale H writes, the Bendles extends from Jacksons bridge to the next downstream bridge of Cow Lane. The Ropewalk that he mentions, runs almost parallel with the Bendles about 100 yards to the north. My wife and I live at the eastern end of Ropewalk. The house that he mentions which can be seen in the enclosed photo was swallowed up by the glass works. If my memory serves me right, as a lad, a chap named Raymond Branford, later to become a skipper in John Harkers, lived there.

When John Harkers (Tankers) had a fleet running to Leeds and less often Wakefield, six of the crews lived at Knottingley. The Bendles provided the only mooring in the town available to them. It must be said how-ever that a tanker loaded with petrol or one lying light (empty) having had petrol in, and was therefore full of gas, were not supposed to tie up in Knottingley, but moor at Ferrybridge.

The enclosed photo is courtesy of Ron Gosney a well known local historian, living in Knottingley, with a special interest in Harkers tankers.

Regards, Ken Burden.

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News From Yorkshire Ouse and Ure Section Open Meeting: On Tuesday 3rd March an IWA Open Meeting was held at St Olave's Church Hall in York. The speaker for the evening was Adrian Lovett of the Horsedrawn Boat Society who gave a fascinating talk on the history of transport and the beginnings of the horse drawn traffic on the early Bridgewater Canals. This was illustrated with some archive photographs.

After this Adrian talked about the three trips he did with the society.

Stand Pipes at Marygate Landing: Tony Martin (the Chair) opened the meeting by bringing the audience and members up to date with what was happening in and around York and its two Rivers, the Ouse and the Foss. Unfortunately, the restaurant project has been put on hold and the pump station is up for sale and rent. At his recent meeting with David Meigh, the lead York City Council officer for the rivers,Tony enquired about the status of a standpipe, which was to be installed near the edge of the footpath by Lendal Bridge. David said that the installation of the standpipe was to be paid for by the developer.

Tony asked those present at the meeting what they could recall about the arrangements made between the IWA and the local authority about the paying for the installation of the standpipe. Roger Brook, Tony's predecessor, had organised for the pipe to be installed and part paid for by the IWA. It had nothing to do with the developer.

Tony asked Mel Brand (Ripon Motor Boat Club) to bring the audience up to date on the status of Linton Lock. He said that there still was no overnight mooring, and that the broadbeam boat, used by Mr Benson as a workshop, was still moored in the wrong place. The toilet block was still on a coded lock, as was the main gate to the site. They should both be on BW keys. Tony said that he would raise the matters with BW again.

Marina: The marina project at Bishopthorpe had been withdrawn from the planning process by the developer, Peter Mandy. Tony had not spoken to him 20

recently, so as to find out why.

Castle Mills Lock Basin: There had been two boats through during 2008 that were owned by members of the public. A training day had been held,and another one was planned for Saturday 25th April 2009. An Open Day has been planned, during which new recruits would be trained and the lock demonstrated to the public. Local boaters are being encouraged to explore the River Foss during the day.

Life Jackets Two rechargeable life-jackets have been obtained from Mel Bland with the help of a small grant from the City of York Council.

Flood Warnings David Meigh has agreed that metal tags be placed on the mooring rings along Marygate Landing,alerting boaters to the possibility of the River Ouse flooding. An emergency telephone number will be given.

Barges, The topic of barges being moored permanently in the Castle Mills Lock Basin was discussed at length. Tony said that he would keep an eye on the situation.

Tony Martin, Chair of Ouse/Ure Corridor Section of the Inland Waterways Association (IWA) in North Yorkshire.

Please use this e-mail address if interested in booking a passage through Castle Mills Lock, York. amartin_assoc@yahoo.co.uk Two days' notice is needed. OR telephone: 07588-236-597. 24 hour voice messaging service.

Please leave your name, mobile number, name of boat and proposed date of passage. Thank you.

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EVENTS This listing only covers events that we were aware of when it was compiled. If further details are required on an event please refer to the contact information below.

Saturday and Sunday 27th & 28th June Dragon Boat Racing on River Aire in Leeds at Clarence Dock starting at 10.30am.

See website www.leedscommunityfoundation.org.uk Thursday 9th July Joint evening walk organised by Leeds & Liverpool Canal Society with Upper Wharfdale Historical Society, from Anchor Lock, Gargrave at 7.30pm to Bank Newton, returning for refreshment at the Anchor Inn. Contact is Mike Hustler on 01282 816476. See website: www.llcs.org.uk Saturday and Sunday 11th & 12th July Leeds Waterfront Festival. Events at Brewery Wharf, Clarence Dock and Thwaite Mills.

Contact Rachel Clunas on 0113 281 6804 or email rachel.clunas@aireactionleeds.org.uk See website www.visitleeds.co.uk Saturday 11th July Kirkstall Festival at Kirkstall Abbey.

See website www.kirkstall.org.uk Sunday 12th July Dragon Boat Racing on River Ouse at York between Scarborough and Lendal Bridges starting at 10am.

See website www.yorkrotary.co.uk/dragonboat.htm Sunday 26th July Dewsbury Canal Festival at Dewsbury Canal Basin, Mill Street East, Dewsbury WF12 9BD. 11-13th September 2009 National Heritage Open Days Weekend See website www.heritageopendays.org.uk

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The Mile Post.

Is there anyone out there who could help the branch by writing something for inclusion in the Milepost. Have you been on an interesting boating trip? Tell us about it.. Is there something waterways related you feel strongly about? Write us a letter about it..

Any amusing stories? Tell us all! E-mail us at boblaing@blueyonder.co.uk , hand it to one of us, or post it to any committee member before the end of August. We look forward to hearing from you.

We would like to give a big thank-you to all the people who have already sent us articles for inclusion in the Mile Post.

You have made our job much easier and our magazine more interesting.

Bridge Number!

All bridges on the Leeds and Liverpool now have bridge numbers, particularly to help boaters communicate to boatyards or the emergency services their exact position:. Is this the longest number? If you know any differently send your pictures to the editors.

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Wharf Services “Complete Boat Services”

Based on the River Ure near Ripon Crane out and Hard Standing Power Washing, Hull Blacking Painting Facilities Sign Writing and Vinyl Lettering Electrical Installations 12v – 240v Plumbing Installation and Repairs Engineering Works For further details see website www.wharfservices.co.uk or e-mail enquiries@wharfservices.co.uk or telephone 01765 609777

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Map showing location of meeting venue Centenary House, North Street, Leeds LS2 8AY 26

Committee Members 2008 / 2009 Chairman Peter Scott 3 Moorbank Drive Sheffield S10 5TH Home 0114 230 1870

Mile Post Editor Tricia Laing 25 Bankfield Road Shipley BD18 4AJ Home 01274 581800

Secretary Ian Moore 2 Eric Street, Bramley Leeds. LS13 1ET Mobile 07989 112581 E-mail westriding@waterways.org.uk

Committee member Elliott Mosley 23 Glenholm Road Baildon Shipley BD17 5QB Home 01274 581413

Treasurer William Jowitt Oak Lodge 1 Oakridge Court Bingley BD16 4 TA Home 01274 567950 Membership Secretary Chris Pinder 152 High Street Yeadon Leeds LS19 7AB Home 01132 509371 Minutes Secretary Liz Pinder 152 High Street Yeadon Leeds LS19 7AB Home 01132 509371 Mile Post Editor Bob Laing 25 Bankfield Road Shipley BD18 4AJ Home 01274 581800 E-mail boblaing@blueyonder.co.uk

Web Editor Elaine Scott 3 Moorbank Drive Sheffield S10 5TH Home 0114 230 1870 Non Committee Posts Meeting Co-ordinators Katie & Alastair Sayles Home 0113 393 4517 E-mail: kandal@btinternet.com Telephone contact Alistair Furniss Home 0113 253 9401 Regional Chairman John Reeve 10 Perth Grove Stockton-on-Tees Cleveland TS18 5BF Home 01642 580350

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Programme of Events for 2009/10.

All meetings take place at 8.00pm on the second Friday of the month, in the top floor Social Club, Centenary House, North Street, Leeds, LS2 8AY. 11th September 09 ‘Get Outdoors and Dirty!’ by Helen Gardner .

9th October 09

‘The Traditional Boat Decoration of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.’ by Mike Clarke.

13th November 09

‘The Training Of a Dogs body, My First Year As A Boatman.’ by Ken Burden.

11th December 09

Christmas Social and Members’ slides.

8th January 10

Talk by the New Chairman Clive Henderson .

12th February 10

‘Canalside Pubs.’ by Mike Lucas.

12th March 10

AGM

9th April 10

‘30 years of Jubilee Venture, introducing young people to the waterways through the scout move ment.’ by Geoff Auty.

Talks arranged by Alastair and Katy Sayles, 32 Pymont Drive, Woodlesford, Leeds LS26 8WA. Tel 0113 393 4517 Email: kandal@btinternet.com All the meetings organised by the West Riding Branch are open and everyone is invited. Any member of the general public is allowed to attend and members are invited to bring friends.

The Inland Waterways Association campaigns for the Conservation, Use, Maintenance, Restoration and Development of the Inland Waterways, which are part of our heritage, and are there for the benefit of everyone.

For further information please contact 01274-581413 28