Milepost201409

September 2014 West Riding Branch

Contents Chairman’s Thoughts Region Chairman's Thoughts It’s good to talk Outings of the Stand 1 A visitor’s view The Answer to Paul Jowitt’s Quiz ...And a few interesting bridge numbers Outings of the Stand 2 Short (wide) cabin cruiser to Carcassonne National Waterways Restoration Raffle Latest /news People who help run the Branch 2014 / 2015 Directions and Location map List of Open Meetings

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Front Cover — the Calder Navigation Society Trip Boat Savile in operation at Brighouse

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Chairman’s Thoughts Greetings everyone,.

I hope you all have had a good summer to build you up for the colder times to come.

We managed to navigate a large portion of the waters within the Branch boundaries during June and July incorporating the gathering at Thwaite Mills (report page 8) and several car trips back to Sheffield to indulge in our other hobby of bell ringing. The trip made the basis for the boaters quiz at Thwaite Mills—if you weren’t there you can try the quiz for yourself at the December meeting.

Talking of which, there is a change of date for the Christmas Social, it will be held on the First Friday, December 5 at Mirfield. We will have some entertainment to go with the bring-and-share Christmas fare as usual. If you have any ideas let me know.

As part of our trip we took note of several points to discuss with CRT and had good assistance from the various CRT personnel that we met along the way.

(The story of one of these discussions is on page 6) You will also see that we are still in need of a speaker finder. As part of this we have had an offer of a talk on the North Walsham and Dillham Canal. The speaker is happy to come but would require a bed for the night. Is there anyone who could put him up for the night, please?

Elaine Scott, Branch Chairman

The latest volunteer at Sykehouse Lock 3

Your mission, should you choose to accept it .@

is to spot the odd-sign-out, work out what it's trying to achieve, and find where it is.

The easy answer is the sign that CRT inherited and relabelled with a CRT logo: the words are above a River Calder lock, lowering boats to a river section. It makes sense to have a simple system based on the depth of water in the river: the more water in the river, the faster it flows and the greater the hazard to navigation. The words are not perfect: 'strong stream' doesn't immediately convey the idea that there is danger caused by fastflowing water.

There is some argument for a new version of the notice, and we can see it was put up after July2012 because it has the CRT logo directly on the notice. Green (“Safe to proceed.

Normal river levels”) has become “Navigation condtions normal” which gives information and leaves the master of the vessel to decide if it is safe or not for their boat: that's sensible.

Amber: to “Proceed with caution” has been added “Navigation conditions liable to change” - which begs the question “when are they not?“. It gives a nod to the Thames warning scheme of “Strong Sream Increasing/Decreasing” amber boards, but without the extra information of whether it's becoming worse or better.

Red still says “Do not proceed” - better would be “STOP and wait above the lock” - and “Strong stream conditions” has become “Hazardous conditions exist” - better would be “Dangerously fast river” - if that's what it is trying to convey.

The third sign is an upside-down version of the second: more water gives a green reading and less water is red. Maybe it's trying to tell us the river is liable to dry out? Maybe all the river signs should be red-amber-green-amber-red to recognise that rivers can be too shallow as well as too fast? Then again, not all 4

boats are the same depth, and rivers have deeper channels as well as shallower ones.

But no – there is no river hereabouts – just a lock leading to a short pound, above which is another lock. And that's an essential clue: the lock and the signs are directed at uphill boats – that have just filled the lock and wish to proceed across that short pound to the next lock. Which might be about to be emptied for a downhill boat (maybe that's why the navigation conditions are “likely to change”) and if there's a problem with crossing the cill, then the next lock can be emptied to provide enough water to float over the cill.

Perhaps a problem at Johnson's Hillock (on the Leeds and Liverpool) had happened here too: an ascending boat was half-out of the lock when a temporary repair to a bottompaddle failed – water flooded out of the lock leaving boat stuck and teetering on the cill, likely to overbalance backwards and sink into the lock.

Maybe it's a prototype sign for each of the two thousand of CRT's locks – any of which might have this same problem.

Remember the signmaker's motto “Everywhere, however remote, however historic, however attractive, will be even better with a six foot square sign”.

We could quibble the wording: for an uphill boat the indicator board is on the lock's exit (not “approach”) wall: but the basic problem is that the whole thing is a completely daft idea. Maybe the sign was suggested by someone untutored in practical navigation of the cut. And designed, and constructed, and installed by other similarly untutored people, none of whom questioned whether they were wasting our time energy and money. Sigh.

We don't need nannying signs to tell us how to operate the lock, in the same way we don't need 'uneven ground' signs or 'water is wet' signs or railings around the edges of locks or under bridges: there are risks but these signs can only make the waterways a bit safer if we work out what they are meant to do before spending our money on them.

Peter Scott 5

It’s good to talk 1 — Boating Buddies Understanding canal traditions and normal ways-of-working ought to be essential for everyone working for the waterways – essential experience required in every advertisement for volunteers and paid workers alike. And we need to recruit people with excellent skills in their specialist subject (management, marketing, accountancy, engineering, @) as well: we ought to do both at the same time,: currently we seem to give too much emphasis to being fair to candidates who know nothing about the business they are joining. So we have permanent paid people who would be better at their jobs when shown what to the customers navigating the network is second nature: they need more time actually using the waterways to experience the delights and frustrations that we all see every day on-the-water.

There is a scheme to help this happen – called “Boating Buddies” boaters can say when they have space for a visitor and this is collected together and made available to CRT's permanent staff – who then contact their potential hosts to make detailed arrangements. Using the scheme we spent a most enjoyable day from Braunston to Norton and back with a recently-recruited environmental engineer, who hadn't before been aboard a narrowboat, or through a lock or a tunnel.

Our Boating Buddy, Keith Boswell

For more information contact Damian Kemp at damian.kemp@canalrivertrust.org.uk.

It’s good to talk 2 — Fall Ings Lock During our long summer trip we had the dubious pleasure of working through Fall Ings lock. The last time we worked this lock I found it hard but not too bad, even with a short windlass, and I had been quite surprised at the numbers of complaints that have been raised at 6

User Group meetings singling out this lock for complaints. However this time the problems were obvious.

The lock was completely empty when we arrived. This was a surprise, as all the previous locks had been set against us. As it was after lunch, I was working the locks (we take it in turns). Opening the gate was hard, but the final straw came when I tried to open the top paddles. There were two oldish gentlemen sitting on a nearby seat. They said the towpath side paddle had been “done” so should be easier to operate, and apologised for not helping due to their heart problems.

With great difficulty I managed to raise the paddle four clicks of the ratchet..

This was enough for the water to start entering the lock, so I went to the other top paddle to give that a try. No movement there at all. Back to the first paddle, with the audience looking on with pity in their eyes, and with the rise of the water to relieve the pressure, I managed another few clicks. Working like this I did eventually manage to fill the lock and open the other paddle, needed because the lock leaked badly. The final straw, was the notice on the first paddle that told me not to open it too quickly!

On getting home I thought to let Jon Horsfall know of the joys of working this lock. His response was to arrange a meeting between myself and Graham Shuttleworth at the lock so I could give “a full and rich customer perspective of other operability issues with the head and bottom gates. We can then develop a clear plan to make any further improvements. ” His words.

I met Graham Shuttleworth, together with Charlotte Burnett-Wood, who is the engineer responsible for work in this area, and another colleague. The lock was, of course, empty due to the leaks. Even with a long handled windlass the male CRT people had difficulty with the “improved” paddle and even more difficulties with the other paddle. We agreed they are hard work. The gates opened, but then the water started to leak out . On inspection it was clear that there were problems with the bottom sill. We emptied the lock, with CRT doing the work, and opened the gates.

We then entered into a long discussion as to what the problems were and what, given the money, could sensibly be done. It appears that the bottom gates are made of Ekki. This hard wood is long lasting but does not float. The gates were therefore made with flotation tanks. There was some speculation that the tanks might have sprung a leak.

The outcome of the site visit was that they would go away, produce a report as to what could be done, and see if funding could be found.

Elaine Scott 7

Outings of the Stand 1 — Thwaite Mills and the Leeds Waterfront Festival This year the organisation for the waterfront festival was a bit slow in starting, partially due to a change in organisation and the appointment of a consortium including Canal Connections to co-ordinate the event rather late in the day. However it worked in the end. The festival went well both in Leeds and at Thwaite Mills.

There was a well attended launch event—the highlight of which was the awarding of prizes for a photograph competition (they were very good pictures) and a red cow (here doubling as a hatstand) One of the attractions of both Leeds and Thwaite Mills were the dancing mermaids, though one mermaid-withtail was stranded on her plinth in New Dock when her friends wandered off leaving her looking very decorative but ...have you ever tried walking with a tail instead of legs?

There are now many more boats mooring at the Mills, so we didn’t get many visiting boats, but together with people from the moorings we had an enjoyable barbeque and quiz.

This year the event was enlivened b y the Leeds StreetPunk market (a genre of science fiction that typically features steam-powered machinery rather than advanced technology ).

We had two marquees, one which we shared with the Guild of Knots Tyers and one for children's activities.

The Knot Tyers did a great trade in getting passers by to spin skipping ropes and Chris spent the time making fenders—a popular attraction. Liz made several of her popular key rings for sale.

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This year we did not have any Explorers from CRT to assist with the children's activities; instead, on Saturday we were joined by Alison Moore, (Ian’s mother) and Peggy Furniss (my mother) as well as by a cat. All did good service entertaining the visitors to the tent.

A visitor’s view In the past few weeks, we have had excellent weather except on most Saturdays. Today is promised to be the same, and of course we know what happened at Thwaite Mills. By the middle of Sunday, I was frustrated that I had not brought the Crazy Golf, but it was too late then.

However the situation did give me the opportunity to come with my family (wife, 2 daughters and 3 grandsons) and see the event as a visitor. My chance to look around has been restricted when supervising the golf, but I had the impression 9

that there was more to do than in previous years. That is what people need, and it keeps the event alive.

Going back into the nineties, we used to bring the scout boat Jubilee Venture to Thwaite Mills and Clarence Dock events, to run trips alongside the CNS boat Savile and the Safe Anchor Trust boats. The team I had then thought it was good publicity for scouting, but the team now in charge of the boat will not set aside a weekend in the “high season” when scout groups want to use it.

I was surprised that Safe Anchor was missing this year. Calder Navigation Society can’t find enough people in the high season to bring the boat from Mirfield to Leeds and back in addition to running the trips on the weekend. I can’t do boating and crazy golf at the same time.

Boat trips are always popular and I was pleased to see that other community boats were there to do the job.

Like many others, the 7 of us waited a long time in a queue. Understandably with family groups, the children get bored and they often wander off or get taken out of the queue by one adult while another saves the place. So those joining the queue don’t realise that this is a token queue and the real queue is significantly longer, with people returning to the queue as a boat arrives.

Thankfully, there was no anger or frustration expressed. British patience!

However I know from long experience that members of the public do not understand the “not more than 12” rule on community boats which appear large enough for more.

Whilst queuing, my grandsons were kept busy by Chris Pinder and David Pearson. The rope making demonstration was just in the right place.

The queuing experience left me thinking about our recent holiday in France.—go to page 16 Geoff Auty

The Answer to Paul Jowitt’s Quiz Dear Elaine Many thanks for the latest edition of Milepost. I was tickled pink!

As I think I mentioned earlier, Brian Hutchinson – who I worked for with Husband & Co on the Waterways Bridge survey – thought he knew where the photo was taken. So he went on a photo recce to confirm it!

Brian got back to me as follows: “I am confident that, in your photograph, you were indeed 'perched' on the east corner of the south abutment of Battyeford Toll Bridge 10

(certainly not taking tolls then or now) which spans the River Calder on Wood Lane as I suggested before. The canal is immediately south of the river here.

Unsurprisingly the badly corroded wrought iron bridge we worked on was replaced by the concrete one shown. There are a number of relatively modern houses on the opposite side of the main road but I do believe that the house that can faintly be seen on your photo is the one that be seen in new photo, this being noticeably older than its newer neighbours.�

And then I saw from the recent edition of Milepost (p31, directions to the South Pennine Boat Club) that is exactly where you are based! What an amazing coincidence!

Paul

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...And a few interesting bridge numbers During “The Impossible Restoration”, the Huddersfield Canal Society researched the documentation on the bridge numbers on both Narrow and Broad canals, agreed a joint design with BW and installed an attractive set of dual-branded bridge plates, which start from Bridge 1 at Coopers Bridge and continue in ascending sequence westwards across the Pennines to Bridge 108 beyond Stalybridge.

A rival set of numbers for the Broad were installed by BW, first as laminated paper in 2009/10, followed by permanent metal signs on their own posts. These had numbers starting at Huddersfield, (usually) ascending eastwards to Coopers Bridge. HNC's Bridge 2 is BW's Bridge 15, while HNC's Bridge 11 is BW's Bridge 2. Not all bridges have both s e ts of num ber s ; occasionally BW defer to the earlier set, and sometimes they don't use all the available numbers.

What bridge would you walk past next in this sequence? “15”, “3”, “14”, “11”, “5”?

Easy, it's “Vernons”. An amusing way to waste our money, but the declared purpose of bridge numbers is to give a definitive location for a call to the Emergency Services. Best then not to develop severe chest pains on the Broad.

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Nor a good idea to worry about the speed of the river over Coopers W eir, because there is no Navigation Warning System river-level board to warn that the river is flowing too fast.

There's bridge naming difficulty on the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigations too. Within two miles around Doncaster there are two separate bridges both imaginatively named “Railway Bridge”, and there is another one above Ickles Lock (pictured) closer to Sheffield.

And from a heritage viewpoint, the Calder and Hebble Navigation has a few remaining bridge numbers inside distinctive triangular bridgeplates, while the recent black-and-white-signs make no reference to these earlier numbers.

You couldn't make it up!

Our thousand was early this year: @ that's the thousand miles of canalling done each calendar-year this century (slightly fiddling 2001year-boundary) with an average of over 1000mls/yr for the last 25 years. That's about 500 hours on the move (including locks) usually spread over about a hundred days. And it's centred on the Midlands canals with an occasional foray to London, Bristol, Liverpool, or the North East. But 2014 concentrated a 600-mile trip into forty days from Streethay including Birmingham Wigan Leeds Sheffield Keadby Goole Selby Huddersfield Buxworth and places in between. With the clue of 'no tides', the full route is @ (answers on a postcard or join us for the Christmas social) Standing on the counter (or sitting on the front in the rain, in solidarity with a wet steerer) gives time to wonder about the issues facing the waterways, “Write a list; classify; prioritise; do” says the management guru. Most of these solitary thoughts need some more collective brainstorming and lots of time to write-up . Maybe during the winter @?

Peter S 13

Outings of the Stand 2 — Brighouse Canal Festival As a follow up to their highly successful 1940’s week end, Brighouse decided to have a Canal and Music weekend. The roads and car parks in the town centre were closed to vehicle traffic and a street market, music stages and stands were installed. We had our stand in the car park next to the canal., next to the CRT stands and the RSPB stand.

As the CRT explorers were there we decided not to run any children's activities other than our duck and swan game that had been very successful at Thwaite Mills.

The ground being hard, we used the “feet” that Liz and Chris found for the gazebo. As it was windy and rainy on Saturday morning when we arrived, we put up three sides of the gazebo. This was a mistake. The rain stopped, indeed both days were fine and warm, but the wind didn’t. Despite having tied the CRT gazebo to ours, a gust of wind moved our gazebo three feet toward the canal! At this point we decided to remove the back and one of the side panels and put up with the draught. As it turned out, this was a good move as visitors to the stand could walk through and see the canal and the boats going past.

The sound stage opposite was good on Saturday, not too loud, though by late Sunday afternoon the noise levels were growing and it was a bit difficult to hear yourself speak.

Overall it was a very successful event. We sold Christmas cards, ran out of copies of the free canal map and talked to lots of the many people who came to the event. It was good to be next to CRT as well—we passed people between us to answer the question “what is the difference between the two charities?” and it worked well.

Many thanks to Mike Tucknott and Ian Moore who helped out on Saturday and Sunday respectively.

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I think it will be an annual event, so if you could help next year , please let me know. I’ll pass on the dates as soon as they are confirmed—probably the first weekend in September.

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Short (wide) cabin cruiser to Carcassonne For some years we had been tempted by the idea of a holiday on the French Canals. Brochures thrust into our hands at the London Boat show always looked attractive, but with no package holidays available, the problem of getting there and back (and the time needed to do so) had always seemed to be an obstacle. “When we retire, we’ll have more time . . .” So we continued with our almost annual hire-boat holidays in England, not to mention frequent use of the Calder & Hebble. But in 2009, we finally made it!

‘Getting there’ was still to be solved. Advice from the boat company was that a flight was available with Ryanair from East Midlands to Carcassonne. We were quite apprehensive about booking on the Internet and printing our own tickets, but it worked. So we boarded our plane about lunchtime on a Saturday in early May at the start of the promised “barbecue summer”. Landing in Carcassonne, the weather was equally hot and sunny, and a taxi awaited us as arranged.

With a one hour time difference, the boatyard was ready for closing by the time we arrived, so it was just a case of settling on board, having our first attempt at shopping before the small supermarket closed, finding an evening meal and contemplating the need to order in French.

Next morning was cloudy and by the time we had been shown the controls for the boat, it was raining. However the LeBoat consortium had offered a one way trip. We picked up the boat in a small village called Homps and we had to finish 7 days later in Castelnaudary. Not wishing to slip behind our rather vague schedule, it seemed there was no real choice but to get started despite the English feel to the weather - the sun drenched Riviera image of “The South of France” suddenly seeming rather remote.

By lunchtime, the clouds cleared and we had 6 days of unbroken sunshine.

Sunday afternoon was quite busy with local boaters added to holiday makers. A few locks developed queues, especially the staircase locks, and a little bit of “race you to the next lock” crept in. But canal holidays are not about rushing, so we had to learn to be content to be overtaken. For the remainder of the week, things were pleasantly quiet and there was no significant queuing after Monday lunchtime.

Taking a one way ride meant that all our lock passages were uphill. But there was no heavy work to do as all the locks were manned (in several cases “womanned” - in fact some looked so young they were possibly girl students 16

doing a summer job, but I did not ask although it was rather early in the summer).

All the mechanisms seemed to be radio-controlled so that the operators could wander around the lock side with just a small transmitter console on a neck strap if they so wished. Everything seems large scale, more like the Aire and Calder than our own Calder & Hebble Canal, but one thing which seems odd at first sight is that the lock chambers are oval. Although we saw a few very large dutch barge style boats, we only encountered one narrowboat, all the others were motor cruisers. So it makes some sense to have curved hulls sitting against curved walls. However the logic goes a step further. The oval shape means that at its widest, the lock chamber about twice the width of the gate opening.

This makes it possible to pack in several boats of varying sizes. Of course this can involve some contorted steering to leave a pontoon, get through a gate and then tuck tightly into a corner. No wonder some drivers were very keen to use bow thrusters on every occasion. We did find a diamond shaped lock on the Lower Avon during a previous holiday, Lock-keepers don’t take it gently but I never understood the reason for this.

A feature of the Canal du Midi which is certainly different from the Calder and Hebble is that it is lined with poplar trees, stout tree trunks spaced at equal intervals almost like streetlamps. They stand back about 6ft from the water and in places there is a good footpath behind them used by walkers and cyclists. In fact when we booked the boat we were also offered cycle hire - handy where the village shops are some distance from the canal - but we declined. It seems certain that when boats were horse-drawn, the horses would have to walk between the bank and the row of trees, and some of the paths are still in that position. The reason for such precise tree planting seems to be that the roots stabilise the canal bank. Hence at the edges of the water, there is live twisted timber providing a firm edge - no need for Yorkshire stone walling or concrete kerbs.

We kept going on the first couple of days because we wanted to give ourselves a free day to look around the medieval city of Carcassonne. It was worth it. A day away from boating did not seem to matter. The whole of the old city is like a fairy-tale castle and on a hill on the opposite side of the river to the more modern 17

city (which is where the canal goes).

Late afternoon, we returned to the canal and strolling along the bank saw a boat positioned across the water. Yes, it was ours. Being a busy location, there had been no mooring bollards available when we arrived early morning, as many staying overnight had not yet departed. So we had used mooring pins, but a day’s passing traffic had had its effect (not everybody slows down past moored boats). Thankfully the pins were correctly tied and still attached to the ropes, and one submerged pin was still reachable without swimming.

If I counted correctly, our uphill route required passage through 19 single locks, 5 double, 3 triple and the last one had 4. The multiples are not like Thornhill double lock with an intermediate pound, they are all staircase style like Bingley 5 rise. There is a disadvantage to having lockkeeper operation. They close for lunch. Hence if you arrive at a staircase of three with boats already in after about 11-15am you might as well go shopping and organise a long lazy lunch, because the boat will be going nowhere until they reopen at 2pm.

On our final day, we had decided on an early start reach our final destination aware that the journey finished with three staircase flights. We got to the first of these (a three rise) by about 11-30 am and we were first in the queue for the next opening to go up. Boats came down, and we were In the morning sun, moored at Bram called in. We have to assume the lockkeeper was in a hurry because ahead of us, only the top gates were closed. The intermediate gates were wide open and leakage water was cascading over the sills (labelled cills on the C & H) - an imposing sight. In fact Aysgarth falls came to mind. So clearly this was the quick fill method in anticipation of lunchtime. Once 4 boats were in the bottom chamber, top paddles were opened and a rush of water came bouncing down towards us. Hold tight onto the ropes! With the bottom chamber full, we had to move forward to the middle chamber and the second gates were closed behind us. I assume that the water-flow was reduced for us to manoeuvre (remember the gate openings are narrower than the chambers), but I didn’t have time to notice. Then the process was repeated to fill the middle chamber and move to the top one. So after all that excitement, it wasn’t just the lockkeeper who was ready for a lunch break.

By mid afternoon, we were at the foot of the final flight, a 4 rise. It finishes with a bridge and a bend at the top, and the view on emerging is amazing as the water 18

opens out into the 7 acre Grand Basin with the town of Castelnaudary as an imposing backdrop (easily a match for Brayford Pool in Lincoln). On the side nearer to the lock was a very long row of hire boats moored stern-on. Probably many had not been used that week, but for any those that had, the hirers must have made an early start. A check along the line showed no available mooring spaces, so it was back to the end and with no bollards available, mooring pins had to be brought out of the locker.

Within half an hour, we were treated to the most vicious thunderstorm which included a vigorous swirling wind. In such an exposed location, mooring pins (especially holding a stern-on position) revealed their limitations again. Boat after boat began to move like dominoes and the only ones occupied were ours and the next one. This was a German couple who had shared most locks with us that day. However on arrival, the husband had gone to catch a train to fetch their car from the departure point. So it was down to me and a German lady to haul the boats back into place and try to raft them together. Believing the heavy work was done, my own trusty crew was inside taking a hot shower unaware that there were two people having a cold shower outside. Other boaters who had walked into town stayed there. The boatyard operators also stayed indoors, whilst two of us finished as wet as if we had jumped into the basin. Such are the joys!

Would we do it again? Yes ASAP. In fact our end point was only 3 locks from the summit pound so perhaps our next target will be up to the top and start the long descent towards the Atlantic.

Geoff Auty

Lock Keepers Cottage 19

National Waterways Restoration Raffle Have you bought your tickets yet?

The raffle aims to raise £10,000 to support waterway restoration and development by donating 100% of the profit to restoration projects run by IWA corporate members and to a moorings improvement project on the Cheshire Ring to be carried out by IWA volunteers.

The raffle provides every person that purchases a ticket the option to nominate an eligible project of their choice on every ticket purchased. After the raffle has been drawn the number of nominations for each project will be calculated and the money each restoration project receives will be in direct proportion to their total nominations. For example a project receiving 10% of the total nominations would receive 10% of the money raised.

The nomination system means that waterway restoration across the country can benefit. Waterway restoration can bring social, economic and environmental benefits to an area and the National Waterways Restoration Raffle will support this nationwide effort.

The raffle will run until 12 January2015 and the draw will take place on 16 January 2015 so there is still time to enter. A ticket might make a good Christmas stocking filler!

Tickets cost £2 each They can be bought online via the IWA shop web site or by phone from Tony Gomm 01494 783453 ext. 611

The Top Prizes 1st Prize: Two week boating holiday (or one week in school holidays) on up to a ten berth boat in 2015, worth up to £1,700 donated by Middlewich Narrowboats.

2nd Prize: One week boating holiday on a six berth narrowboat during June, September or October 2015, worth £800 - £1,500, donated by The Wyvern Shipping Co Ltd. 3rd Prize: Two night boating break for at least two people in March/April 2015, worth £559, donated by Cambrian Cruisers.

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Latest News Please help reopen Elvington/Sutton Lock on the River Derwent The Environment Agency closed Elvington (aka Sutton) lock on the River Derwent for a structural survey.

We are now all invited to a drop-in session at Elvington Village Hall Main Street Elvington YO41 4AG between 4.30pm and 8pm on Tuesday 14 October 2014 to see and discuss their findings.

IWA is keen to see boats continue to use this stunning river, and to see as many members as possible go to the presentation to support our campaign.

Please see the website for some of the history of this Waterway and the campaign http://tinyurl.com/mp-sutton

Extract from the CRT Winter Stoppage Notices Notice Details From 3rd November 2014 at 08:00 To 28th November 2014 at 17:00 Type: Navigation Closure Reason: Maintenance Description: Both pairs of gates will be lifted out and improvement work will be undertaken to ease the operation of the gates.

The works will include new lightweight oak planking and improved flotation tanks to the bottom gates. Repairs to cills, paddles and gearing will also be undertaken.

These works will run concurrently with the Thornes lock stoppage to minimise disruption to users.

I think that’s good customer service!

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People who help run the Branch 2014/ 2015

Chairman *

Secretary *

Treasurer *

Elaine Scott 3 Moorbank Drive Sheffield S10 5TH 0114 230 1870 07980 953880 elaine.scott@ waterways.org.uk

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

William Jowitt 35, Lowfield Crescent Silsden BD20 0QE 01535 657256

Membership Secretary *

NE&Yorks Region *

Minutes Secretary*

Chris Pinder 152 High Street Yeadon Leeds LS19 7AB 01132 509371

Peter Scott 3 Moorbank Drive Sheffield S10 5TH 0114 230 1870 peter.scott@ waterways.org.uk

Peter Scott (temporarily)

Committee Member*

Committee Member*

Telephone Contact

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

Liz Pinder 152 High Street Yeadon Leeds LS19 7AB 01132 509371

Volunteer needed

Speaker Finder

Badges, Stamps & Raffle

Website

Volunteer needed

David Mack

Ellen & Ailsa Sayles

Committee member indicated by *

Other things to do—choose yourself a task/challenge and let us know!

Navigation issues Arrange adverts for MilePost Check Planning Applications Welcome new members by phone Attend Open Meetings Liaise with Canal Societies and Trusts

Assemble MilePost Find Speakers Publicity Organise working parties Write for MilePost Create and run a facebook page Etc.

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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

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Programme of Open Meetings for 2014/15 All meetings take place at 8pm (usually) on the second Friday of the month In the clubhouse of the South Pennine Boat Club, Wood Lane, Mirfield WF14 0ED. 2014 Friday 10 October

River waterways of north-east England

By John Pomfret

Friday 14 November

Community Boats

Friday 5 December

Christmas Social 2015

Friday 10 April

AGM

Any other meetings in 2015 needs a volunteer to organise them.

See page 3 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

Closing date for contributions for the next issue 15 December 2014 Contributions can be hand written, typed or in electronic format.

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

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