MilePost

Drama on Whiton Sands (p10), Chairman’s Thoughts (p3) The year 2012 (p4), 2013 AGM (p7), and more……..

January 2013 West Riding Branch

People who help run the Branch 2012 / 2013 Chairman (CM) Elaine Scott 3 Moorbank Drive Sheffield S10 5TH 0114 230 1870 07980 953880 elaine.scott@waterways.org.uk

Secretary (CM) Ian Moore 2 Eric Street, Bramley Leeds LS13 1ET 07989 112581 westriding@waterways.org.uk

Treasurer (CM) William Jowitt 35, Lowfield Crescent Silsden BD20 0QE 01535 657256

Membership Secretary (CM) Chris Pinder 152 High Street Yeadon Leeds LS19 7AB 01132 509371

NE&Yorks Region (CM) Peter Scott 3 Moorbank Drive Sheffield S10 5TH 0114 230 1870 peter.scott@waterways.org.uk

Minutes Secretary (CM) Liz Pinder 152 High Street Yeadon Leeds LS19 7AB 01132 509371

Committee Member Mike Tucknott 4 Royds Avenue Birkenshaw Bradford BD11 2LD 07885 951099

Speaker Finders Katie & Alastair Sayles 32 Pymont Drive, Woodlesford, Leeds LS26 8WA. 0113 393 4517 kandal@btinternet.com

Telephone Contact Alastair Furniss 0113 253 9401

Badges, Stamps & Raffle Ellen & Ailsa Sayles

The views expressed in this publication are published as being of interest to our members and readers and are not necessarily those of The Inland Waterways Association or of its West Riding Branch.

The Inland Waterways Association Registered in England no 612245 Registered as a Charity No 212342 Registered Office: Island House, Moor Road, Chesham, HP5 1WA Tel: 01494 783453 http://www.waterways.org.uk 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.

Front cover picture: Boat approaching River Lock Leeds, Peter Scott 2

Chairman’s thoughts We are at the beginning of a new year, and I am certain I am not alone in wondering where 2012 went to. I hope that you had a good festive season and are now full of enthusiasm for the year ahead.

This year we are hoping to organise some working parties on the canals.

The Branch has in the past painted some of the mileposts on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. With the weathering of a dozen or more winters, they are now in need of repainting. Other branches around the country have combined painting with a selection of work such as clearing weeds, cutting undergrowth, removing litter and other small jobs. This will make the canal a more pleasant place for all our users to spend their time, as well as being a good way to meet fellow members, persuade others to join us and show the public that we care for our local canals.

Working with Alison Smedley, the national IWA branch projects officer and Matt Taylor, the Volunteer Co-ordinator for CRT, we will work out exactly what we can do and when we can do it. If you would be interested in joining the fun, please let me know. Details will be on the website and emailed to those who receive our monthly reminder of our Open meetings. If you would prefer a printed version please tell me – we are trying to avoid postage costs where we can.

Nationally we need to find ways to increase IWA’s income over the next few years and a working group is being formed in the Spring to review options and opportunities: if you have some business or fundraising experience that you could offer us, I would be pleased to put you in contact with Gordon Harrower, our national Treasurer.

Elsewhere we have the venues for the Branch Stall for the summer. All help and donations would be gratefully received.

And if none of those tasks fit in, and you aren't able to join us for our meetings, you can still collect used postage stamps and send them to us or deliver them to the Branch stand. Our stamp collectors, Ellen and Ailsa, are always pleased to get more.

Elaine Scott, Branch Chairman

Closing date for contributions for the next issue 15 May 2013 3

TheYear Of … … Market Harborough (1950; IWA's first National Festival) persuaded the public that the canals existed; The Year Of the Stratford Opening (1964) showed that derelict canals could be brought back to life and TYO The (Transport) Act (1968) brought from the Government some practical protection of what remained of the system. Others come to mind: TYO Drought (1976), S&SYN improvements (1983), Sheffield Rally and World Student Games (1991), Standedge (2001), Sheffield floods (2007).

2012 seemed likely to join the list as maybe TYO Olympics when we had the waterways in the centre of the Olympic Park, but without any boat movements allowed. Or maybe TYO the Diamond Jubilee Pageant and the thousand boats on the Thames on a wet afternoon in June. Or even TYO the Titanic centenary.

But one event overshadowed the others heralding the longterm change in direction of the Waterways: 2012 will be The Year Of …

The Cake which on 12th July celebrated the launch of the Canal and River Trust to take over the responsibilities of British Waterways, and the Government tells us, the Environment Agency navigations in 2015.

As the year turned 2011 to 2012, I was standing in an election for the Council of the new body: boaters in the end chose some other people for the boating positions – that's the way of elections - and there was such excellent support for those with IWA background and experience to show us that we remain an important independent force in the waterways scene. One of 4

those election debates – and it continues on page 25 of the February 2013 Canal Boat - is the claim that IWA “isn't a boaters' organisation”. To which challenge we all need to patiently explain what we are. We support the Waterways: the unique element, which distinguishes us from a series of disconnected duckponds, is the vibrancy, the colour, the movement that comes through navigation of the connected system. We need that to continue, and we need all our energies, our subscription money, the time we spend in muddy fields raising more money – to continue to support the retention, full use and expansion of that system of navigable waterways.

And we need the support of the Government and the public for those Waterways and our navigation on them. That includes seeking support of those who use, who gongoozle at, who fish in, walk along, appreciate the wildlife on and in, cycle alongside, live on boats on, … our Waterways. So of course we are a boaters' organisation: how could we be otherwise?

It was that understanding of the needs of the Waterways that was so successful in arguing for that (metaphorical) Cherry On The Cake – the fifteen year funding contract with Government, that secures public funding for those fifteen years. Let's blow our own trumpet, and tell those who nod us their support but still need to sign their membership form, that this change in our Waterways' fortunes could only have happened with IWA's active support and advocacy.

And for that relentless lobbying of IWA policy into Government at all levels, let's offer our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Jo Gilbertson who worked tirelessly from our Head Office in making sure that the Government knew what they had to do to secure our support, and that MPs had the information they needed to best express the needs of the Waterways.

With that stage of our campaign now concluded, Jo is leaving Head Office in February for a new job based in Peterborough, and there's all those slices of cake above to wish him every success in that new job.

Thank You Jo. Time for valedictions, then: Robin Evans is retiring as Chief Executive of BW/CRT in May. He, too, has put the Waterways cause to Government and to the public with clarity, vision and good grace. Appointing a successor will be an important challenge for the Charity's Trustees: let's wish them well and nudge them toward a long-term appointment of someone who values the whole scope of Waterways-heritage and can use knowledge and experience 5

of what has gone before to lead the new CRT into its new co-operative relationship with its users, its customers and its volunteers.... … which it sorely needs, to overcome the initial perceptions that it wants to hide away from its primary purpose as a navigation authority. One current example of the change from a public corporation is that budgets don't have to be in such ringfenced silos any more: saving money on marketing can easily help the dredging programme or the repairs to the Trent and Mersey.

Of the £100,000 to install this artwork on Hillmorton locks, (and a couple of others around the country) CRT contributed £60,000 – at the same time as launching a public appeal to help with the million-and-a-half for the Trent and Mersey Breach, which has raised only £18,000 so far. If only they had launched the appeal for the artwork, they could have gauged its scope to the support it attracted: while I happen to think it's disrespectful to the heritage, and that the simplicity of a lock's design makes an artistic statement of its own, I support others’ right to a different view. But it's still a poor use of dredging money.

Having begun the year with the election I ended it having been appointed as a member of the North East Waterways Partnership, which can advise on making the best of our region's waterways. Everyone has been very supportive so far, and there's every reason to expect a productive contribution to our waterways. I hope to help by, as I said at an interview for the job, continuing to say what I think.

Here's to a droughtless, floodless 2013 Peter Scott 6

West Riding Branch AGM 2013 7.30pm to 8pm Tea / Coffee / Conversation all available •

• •

8.00pm Jon Horsfall and colleagues of CRT will tell us about the first few months of CRT and something about the work being done at Coopers Bridge Weir, one of the biggest jobs on the 2012-13 national winter works programme.

8.40pm A short break. Tea and light refreshments will be available 9pm to 9.45pm The West Riding Branch Annual General Meeting

Coopers Bridge Weir in the Rain

AGENDA

1. Apologies for absence 2. Approval of minutes of the previous AGM and any matters arising from these minutes. See p10 of the May 2012 Milepost (available on the website) 3. Report from Branch Chairman (Elaine Scott.)

4. Financial Report (William Jowitt) 5. Election of members of the Branch committee.

6. Nominations to North East Region committee.

7. Report from Region Chairman and National trustee (Peter Scott) 8. Resolutions (notified to the Chairman before 28th February 2013) Elaine Scott t: 0114 2301870 e: elaine@homescott.free-online.co.uk

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Latest on Historic Pumphouse Cottage Earlier this year, the West Riding Branch of the Inland Waterways Association objected to the proposed demolition of the Halifax Canal pumphouse cottage on Phoebe Lane, Halifax.

Calderdale Council have granted permission to demolish the cottage on the grounds that it was in a poor state of repair and was not suitable for renovation to modern standards. And that English Heritage had not considered it suitable for listing.

The one consolation is that the pumphouse itself will be retained and have a long term future as residential accommodation.

Dowley Gap Lock & Aqueduct, Leeds & Liverpool Canal Sunday 27 January, 2013 (10-4pm) No booking required – last entry strictly 3.15pm (site closes at 3:45pm).

Please wear sensible sturdy footwear or wellies. No pets allowed.

Parking is kindly provided by Emerald Group Publishing Ltd, Wagon Lane, Bingley, BD16 1WA – (off Bradford Road near to the Fisherman’s Pub).

We hope to have an IWA West Riding Display stand on site.

Come and see us there

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Mikron Theatre Co 2013 sees Mikron Theatre Co. embark on its 42nd year of touring! Mikron are back on the cut (and road) nationwide throughout 2013 with 2 brand new shows. Full of music, humour and tension, both shows are a real treat…

Dark deeds in Thistledale…

DCI Mark Starkey thinks he’s got a quiet patch in sleepy Thistledale, but all that is about to change dramatically when there’s a sudden, unnatural death on the local allotment……

The grisly discovery down by the beehives is only the beginning for Detective Starkey. To unmask the murderer he must first uncover an altogether less savoury side of life in Thistledale; the bitter grudges, thwarted passions and murky pasts……

And then there are the bees…

The life of the honeybee might be described as one of great sweetness and harmony, punctuated by sudden, desperate, acts of violence.

The same could be said for Thistledale.

Detective Starkey soon realises that the more he knows about bees, the closer he gets to the killer!

When a gun toting hoodlum holds up a village post office, the Postmasters want justice...of the restorative kind...by any means necessary. But can a comical journey through five centuries of postal history rehabilitate the rascally rogue?

And what of the Postmasters’ own motives – a noble act of public service or the desperation of the doomed? Will they get closure or just get closed?

A story of deliveries and deliverance.

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DRAMA ON WHITTON SANDS.

I had loaded Ennerdale H, a tanker owned by John Harkers of Knottingley, with 250 tons of gas oil at Esso’s outside jetty at Saltend. By outside jetty I mean one that stretches from the shore installation out into the river, far enough for big ships that may be moored there to stay afloat no matter what state of the tide. The alternative for us boatmen was to save water into Saltend Haven, just a creek really were both Esso and Shell had jetties where smaller craft could be loaded. The trouble with this was as the tide went out all the boats in the haven settled onto the muddy bottom, and there they stayed until the next tide floated them.

Now, as we waited for the tide to return, I fished for eels whilst keeping my eye on a mark on the jetty, which, when the tide reached would tell us it was time to be on our way. When that time came, still eel-less our lines were reeled in, the 120 horse power Kelvin diesel was started, and we were off on our run up to Goole. When we passed Barton ness, which is quite close to where the Humber Bridge now stands, there was 7feet showing on the depth board. This told me that we must keep to the channel around Whitton ness, and provided we did this we would find water right around. We were going nicely up Reads Island side, when the engineer came into the wheelhouse and said he would take me off until I had my tea. Now this man Johny Nunns, had not been with us for long, now in his sixties he had spent his entire working life on the boats. So, even though we were approaching a dodgy part of the river, even the worst part of the river, I thought that a man with his experience wouldn’t do us a mischief. How wrong I was. I saw the sun shining down the cabin hatch onto the cabin bulkhead, slide around the cabin and knew we had turned at right angles round Lower Whitton light ship to head for the next light buoy on the Yorkshire side of the river. The engine was still not running at full revs, but had enough on to give her steerage way.

I had barely sat down when the first sickening lurch came, I was up the cabin ladder and onto the deck in even time closely followed by the mate. I took in the situation in a second or two, and could not believe the dangerous position the engineer had let Ennerdale drift into. On rounding Lower Whitton he should have put the next buoy, almost directly across the river, onto our starboard bow to make up in a way for the tide now hitting us broadside. The steerer must also keep looking astern keeping an eye on the Light/buoy we 10

had just left to see how hard we were being driven up athwart. I dashed into the wheelbox to find the engineer, his hands cupped over a spoke of the wheel and his chin resting on his hands, completely unaware of the fix he had got us into. I asked him to move then took the wheel, increased the engine revs to full ahead, and started to spin the wheel from hard over to hard over, in the hope that if I could keep her moving just a little it may help.

If there was any movement during this exercise I failed to see it.

By now there was a huge whirlpool on the opposite side of the boat to what the tide was hitting. I handed the wheel to the mate went out onto the deck and got our sounding pole, this was a sturdy length of wood perhaps 12 feet long, the foot lengths it was divided into, being painted alternatively in black and white. What I found when I put the pole into the water on the side that the tide was hitting us, I could have found using a foot ruler. The ever strengthening tide had built up a wall of sand against Ennerdales side, against which she had remarkedly remained on an even keel. There must have been several hundred tons of side held against her side, with probably more being added to it with every passing minute. Returning to the wheelhouse, I decided to try a different tack, that of changing from ahead gear to astern gear just as fast as the engine would allow it. All the time watching for the sand that I thought at any minute would get onto our deck.

Then taking us all by complete surprise she was up and off, what a feeling of relief and pure joy flooded through me. There was lots of water in the river now allowing me to manoeuvre Ennerdale to stop her falling athwart Middle Whitton light ship.

As we romped up the river now on the best of the tide, the mate handed me a very welcome pot of tea and I vowed that never again would the engineer be allowed to steer in tidal waters whatever the state of the tide or the boat being loaded or light.

When I was a sixteen year old trainee on the training boat The Lincoln, I remember the skipper one Tom Pearson telling me what the boatmen of yesteryear would have done if caught in a similar situation to the one we had just escaped from. Having solid fuel stoves they would probably have had a decent supply of coal aboard. Pieces of this coal along with any bottles they had to hand, would be thrown onto the build up sand in the hope 11

that they would be forced down by sand and water and eventually would roll under the boats bottom, forming a tunnel through which the build up of sand could pass.

We had neither coal or bottles but I could have used the engineers pint pot.

Or his head.

I hope my words convey to the reader, the feeing of real peril we were in when Ennerdale went aground, with the wall of sand plus the tide pushing at her on the one side and the large hole that must have been scooped from the river bed on the other she was in very real danger of rolling over. You must imagine my relief when she came off unscathed.

Kenneth Burden.

In case you missed it – our last three meetings Peter Scott presented a Richard Bird Medal, an IWA national award, to Stephen Scholes in recognition of his work with IWA Festivals; Stephen Scholes joined the IWA in 1990 into the West Riding Branch being one of our more northerly volunteers. He quickly joined the Festival Team and has for many years worked as Campsite Manager, keeping all the visitors happy, organising extremely professional and pleasant places to be. His on site work and and layouts are always much admired by those attending Festivals under canvas or by caravan, and he is always supported and accompanied by an extremely capable crew.

October Canal science, engineering and the Great Egg Race part 2 Can you make a narrowboat out of some basic equipment? One capable of carrying cream eggs. That was the challenge Geoff gave us. He brought a canal with lock gates and a wooden horse. The challenge was to build a boat out of the material that could be “bought”, cardboard, sellotape, cling film, foil.

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The attempts were scored for material used, time taken, number of eggs carried, and if the boat fitted in the lock. Several teams competed, and some boats competed the course.

The winning team was Trish and Bob Laing with Ian Moore, but it was a close finish. It was nothing like our usual meetings, and we enjoyed the different format.

November River Foss Society In November Peter Hopwood and John Millet gave a talk on the history of the River Foss Society and then a look at the River both the currently navigable section and the remains of the previous navigable bits.

There are several guided walks each year exploring the river :- see the Society website. http://www.riverfosssociety.co.uk/

December Christmas Social At our select gathering in December we entertained ourselves with some gentle quizzes some good food, and comparing our boating exploits of a full year. And some entertaining recitations from Eric, who came dressed for the occasion. Tim produced a quiz based on the first lines of Christmas songs and carols which was surprisingly difficult. Peter produced a photographic quiz (to test your knowledge of the waterways in 2012 try the link http:tinyurl.com/pjs-pub78). Several people had brought some craft items for us to try, but we ran out of time. A good time was had by all.

We had several items donated for the sales table, but more are always welcome, along with donations for the raffle.

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Stand outings 2013 Help would be very welcome.

If you can’t come and help. Do come and say hello.

May Day Bank Holiday Weekend 3 May to 6 May South Pennine Boat Club Rally On Saturday 4th May 2013 there will be a Pirates themed open day from 11am - 5pm for the people of Mirfield and the surrounding areas. You will be able to enjoy our facilities and have a good 'old fashioned' day out. FREE entry From Friday 3rd - Sunday 5th visiting boaters are welcome to book and to join in activities organised for the club members.

For details try the web site http://www.southpennineboatclub.co.uk If anyone has a boat they would be interested in showing the public round at this event please contact the organisers through the web site.

And Skipton Waterway Festival, Skipton It attracts hundreds of boaters to Yorkshire and last year it was estimated that around 10,000 visitors came to enjoy the stalls and the varied family entertainment which took place on the canal side during the day.

The Skipton event is on for three days, Saturday, Sunday and Monday so it is possible to visit both events.

And of course the stand will be at Thwaite Mills, 29 and 30 June.

This year we will have a small marquee for Wow activities, so any help, even the odd half hour, would be gratefully received.

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Directions to South Pennine Boat Club – information from the web site http://www.southpennineboatclub.co.uk/

By Road: Follow the A644 from Junction 25 of the M62 towards Dewsbury and Wakefield. Just before the Pear Tree Inn, turn right over the bridge labelled Battyford Toll bridge. The SPBC is on the left, through the gates before the second Bridge Buses: The 278 from Wakefield, Dewsbury and Mirfield for Brighouse & Halifax, stops outside the Pear Tree Inn. The 278 Bus from Halifax and Brighouse for Mirfield, Dewsbury & Wakefield stops across the road from the Pear Tree Inn. Buses to Leeds & Huddersfield (203) or Bradford (253) run from Mirfield town centre.

Trains: Mirfield Station is about 1 mile from the club on the Huddersfield Line. It provides direct connections to Manchester, Huddersfield, Brighouse, Sowerby Bridge, Hebden Bridge, Leeds, Dewsbury and Wakefield.

By Water: The SPBC is on the Calder & Hebble navigation by Battyeford Lock Taxi: Station Cars Tel 01924 490 444 Mirfield Cars Tel 01924 490 999 Central Cars Tel 01924 490 000 15

Programme of Events for 2012- 2013 All meetings take place at 8pm on the second Friday of the month in the clubhouse of the South Pennine Boat Club, Wood Lane, Mirfield WF14 0ED.

2013

Friday 8th February

BOCM barge traffic on the Yorkshire Ouse 1937-87 by David Lewis and Laurie Dews

Friday 8th March

World War II – boatwomen Mike Constable

Friday 12th April

CRTs’ first year and Branch AGM Agenda p 7

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. We are delighted to welcome any member of the general public and members are encouraged to bring their friends. To find out more about the waterways or the IWA come and join us at one of our meetings or visit the website http://www.waterways.org.uk

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