Navigation Magasine 2011/1

Edition 2011/1

Navigation

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West Midlands Region

Navigation –– Contents Page Page Page

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Page Page

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Region Chairman’s Report Lichfield Branch Report Birmingham, Black Country & Worcestershire Chairman’s Report Stoke-on-Trent Branch Chairman’s Report Warwickshire Branch Chairman’s Report

Regular Features Page 29 Future Social Events Page 23 Small ads Page 31 Committee Contacts and details for submissions / deadlines.

Notices Page 28

Notice of AGM’s

News Stories, Gossip and Articles Page 18 Navcom Page 25 Articles

I WA N a t i o n a l F e s t i v a l 2 0 11 The location of the 2011 National Festival has been announced and it is to be within our Region yet again. The site is to be at Shobnall Fields, Burton on Trent, as in 2004.

In a break with tradition, the Festival will not be over the August Bank Holiday weekend. Instead, it will take place from 29th to 31st July.

The Festivals Team will be holding local meetings each month for the next eight months in preparation for next year’s Festival.

If anyone would like to be involved in the event, please contact Sandy Jones, IWAF Admin Director, e-mail : sandra.jones@waterways.org.uk More than 500 miles of canals and navigable rivers have been re-opened to public use since the Association was founded in 1946. Currently another 500 miles of derelict inland waterways including many locks, bridges and aqueducts are the subject of restoration schemes.

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is the quarterly publication of the West Midlands Region of The Inland Waterways Association.

The IWA is a national organisation and campaigns for the conservation, use, maintenance, restoration and development of the Inland Waterways. „Navigation‟ has been in continuous publication for over 50 years.

We aim to bring readers a variety of items of local interest, news of forthcoming events and provide a contact with IWA. Primarily for the benefit of our members, Navigation is also distributed in a limited way for non-members to pick up and gain an insight into the news in the Region and the aims and activities of the Association.

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The IWA West Midlands Region

IWA Website

One of just eight Regions, this region covers the geographic „Heart of England‟. centred on Birmingham, it stretches to include Stoke on Trent in the north, to Warwick in the east and Worcester in the south.

This is where the great network of 18th century canals, from London in the south east, Bristol in the south west, Merseyside in the north west and Humberside in the north east; all come together.

Navigation magazine is available in PDF format on the IWA website: www.waterways.org.uk W h e r e v e r p o ssi b l e , o n t h e internet, pictures and graphics a r e f u l l co l o u r a n d o t h e r enhance ments, such as live links to website locations and email addresses, are active.

So even if you have a paper copy, it is still worth having a look on-line if you have access to the internet.

The IWA may not agree with opinions expressed in this magazine but encourages publication as a matter of interest.

Nothing printed may be construed as policy, or as an official pronouncement, unless specifically identified as such.

The Association accepts no liability for any matter published in this magazine, including adverts. No reproduction is permitted without acknowledgement.

Unless otherwise acknow ledged, most photographs were taken by the Editor.

The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) is a registered charity No. 212342.

WA Registered Office: Island House, Moor Road, Chesham HP5 1WA. Tel 01494 783453 3 Printed by Aldine Print Ltd, Barnards Green Road, Malvern WR14 3NB

IWA West Midlands

Navigation The restoration project that involved me the most was the Lower Avon. The IWA purchased the Navigation rights and set up the Lower Avon Navigation Trust. The restoration of this Navigation has been well publicised and I need say no more.

JohnTaplin Editor

I took up civil engineering as a profession with a bias towards water engineering and having worked both the Consulting and contracting side of the business I eventually started my own consultancy in 1989. I was retained as Consultant Engineer to the Lower Avon Navigation Trust in 1996 and retired from that position when Lower and Upper Avon Trusts merged in 2009.

I am John Taplin and I have got volunteered to stand in as Editor for this Edition. I am a committee member of the Birmingham, Black Country and Worcestershire Branch and Planning Officer for parts of the BCN. I was brought up with boats and canals rather than becoming interested in later life. It was my fatherâ€&#x;s fault!

He along with Tom Rolt, Peter Scott, et al who all had converted narrow boats in the 1940,s got involved with Robert Aickman and became founder members of the IWA. My childhood involved the now familiar things like rallies and trying to reopen or navigate canals that were becoming disused.

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Navigation sure that whatever changes that do take place as a result of John taking over they will be gradual.

This change is of course relatively minor compared with what we expect to happen nationally with the future management of our Inland Waterways. On April st 1 (ironic that I hear some of you say) if everything goes to plan we should see the New Waterways Charity launched, it doesn‟t have a name yet (although it might do by the time you read this) and as far as I know nobody‟s yet come up with a suitable acronym that can be converted into something that is both meaningful and suitable for a waterways charity. Prior to its launch the Government, through DEFRA, will hold a public consultation, originally planned for January it is now more likely to take place in February (i.e. possibly at the very same time that you read this).

Here is a unique opportunity for each and everyone of you to make your own views known about the future of our waterways and I would urge you all (even if you‟ve never done so before)

Navigation - Feb Edition Region Chairman’s Notes As you may have spotted with this edition we welcome John Taplin as our new editor of Navigation and doubtless he will use his editorial pages to tell you something about himself. Perhaps therefore I should start by thanking Alan Gilbert for all the hard work that he‟s done during the last few years, at times under some very difficult circumstances, to ensure that we not only had Navigation but that the content was both interesting and relevant.

Sometime in the future he might even write a short article for you about his experiences as an editor of an inland waterways magazine.

To ensure continuity he has however agreed to help John get his feet under the table and I‟m

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to grasp the nettle and make a response.

The total number of responses will demonstrate to Government the strength of support there is for our Inland Waterways so even if you agree with everything in the proposals paper please respond by saying so. IWA will of course be submitting a detained response and much of our thoughts will come from your local elected representatives.

that we all enjoy.

Just mention it to your Branch (or Region) Secretary or, if you donâ€&#x;t know who he or she is, just come along to the AGM and put your hand up at the appropriate time during the meeting proceedings

Now at the beginning of another new year we are about to enter the AGM season and like last year I would urge you all to consider if you could perhaps spare a few hours each week to help our branches tackle the work that they do to ensure that the waterways are retained and are only developed in a sympathetic way. Through the democratic process you will also be in a more influencing position when the major national changes mentioned above take place.

By volunteering you will help to take the load off those who already devote many hours of their own time working hard for the Association and ultimately for the waterways

The formal opening of the Droitwich Canal is expected to take place in July and this event will be a significant milestone as it will be the last waterway to be reopened whilst still under direct state control. Details are yet to be announced but rumour has it that it will be an event to remember. More next time.

2011 will I suspect, as time progresses, become as historically important for the inland waterways as 1947 and 1968 were before it.

Happy New Year to you all.

K V Welch

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Stoke Branch Chairman Roger Savage

High Sheriff’s Challenge

sweeping up tree bark chippings…. Pauline and I both carried out a stint in the IWA Marquee, with Pauline discovering a talent for helping fit clothes to variously-shaped IWA bodies.

Roger Evans and Margaret English shared these duties too.

Canal

Cheshire Locks

The High Sheriff of Staffordshire has completed the Canal Challenge, has walked all the towpaths in the County and raised £10,000 for the Staffordshire Community charity in the process. We hope we can feature his walks as part of our display at the National Waterway Festival next July.

National Park.

Festival,

With the dual uncertainties of the future of British Waterways and the Comprehensive Spending Review, we have made little progress since the last meeting with BW where we identified potential tasks for volunteers. We have a meeting with Katy Statham, recently appointed volunteer co-ordinator for the Manchester & Pennine Waterway. We are not far from completing a bid for improving the Cheshire Locks involving the local communities and all the people who said they would be interested in getting involved.

Beale

This reminds me that several branch members visited this year‟s Festival at Beale Park.

The Smedleys were there, wearing HNBOC and Waterways World hats.

Alison‟s WRG background was put to good use supervising the toddlers using toy JCBs and dumpers – she is now accomplished at

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On Dec 7 , Steve and I met with Nicola Lewis-Smith and Kate Statham. We brought

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Navigation that the work of Renew will be taken on as part of the Local Economic Partnership.

Fortunately, too, the funding for the Engineering Feasibility Study which Renew are commissioning is still available, although it is essential that the study is completed before the end of the financial year.

Kate up to speed with the project and the latest development - having 12 people recruited via email willing to take part in working parties on the flight. Steve and Nicola need to write up the tasks already identified as possible for volunteers and cross-reference these with Andrew Teague to ensure that listed structure permissions are obtained and account taken of maintenance schedules. Kate will do all the risk assessments and paperwork.

We need to widen our net to gather in more volunteers, not only from the waterway enthusiasts but also local community contacts. We also need to up-date the parish councillors whom we met last year and Fiona Bruce MP.

We have recently pursued the idea to create a new formal body to take over the work of the Project. A group of influential local people has agreed to take part in an informal Steering Group which will pave the way for the establishment of a formal trust body within the next year. The first meeting is 9th Dec. On a practical level, Andy Whitehouse and the local BW team have installed removable mooring rings at the junction of the Burslem Arm with the Trent & Mersey Canal. The rings have been removed in order to discourage permanent moorers but can be installed by us when there is a need.

We have now received a detailed report of the findings

Burslem Port We received a shock to our systems when we learned of the Governmentâ€&#x;s decision to wind up all the Housing Pathfinder organisations, including our local housing regeneration body, Renew.

Our first panic has been somewhat offset as we have since learned that it is likely

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Navigation Industrial Museum aboard Beatrice. Also on board were Joanna Tyzzer, Renew Head of Programmes, and other City Officers. Cllr. Tolley and his wife joined us aboard Beatrice for a photocall beneath the Etruria footbridge, on which were assembled representatives from various waterway bodies including the Beatrice Charity, the Caldon & Uttoxeter Canals Trust and Stoke-onTrent Boat Club.

At the moment the thoughts are to improve communication and co-ordination between the various groups with an interest in the City's canals, in order to promote and improve them for locals and tourists.

The partnership will be talking about the environment around the canals (i.e. adjacent land, businesses and homes) as much as the canal itself, as this is where the City Council has influence and about enhancing the "visitor experience". Local businesses and residents as key stakeholders will be engaged with over the coming months to see what they want from their canals.

This would all lead to some sort of event in the spring

of the University of Keele Ground Radar Group.

Unfortunately, they have been unable to confirm the presence of the buried coal boat. Their full report can be found on the Burslem Port website, www.burslemport.org .

Also on a practical level, Steve Wood spent a day out with members of the Regeneration Directorate of Stoke-on-Trent City Council looking at the T&M from Harecastle to Stoke Station.

This was a very productive trip, at which Steve managed to persuade them to extend the conservation area to include some of the Burslem Branch Canal buildings in the proposed revision.

The process will be followed by a formal consultation after Christmas.

Stoke-on-Trent Partnership

Canal

Following an initiative by the Lord Mayor, Denver Tolley, who is a member of Stoke-onTrent Boat Club, and Cllr.

Peter Kent-Baguley, I took part in a cruise from Ivy House Bridge to the Etruria

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where a strategy can be announced. It was felt important that this needs to happen whilst the current Lord Mayor is in office, i.e. before May, as he was key in getting everyone around the table. We welcome this initiative.

The Waterway Community day at Canal Cruising Co Ltd went well, although not as successful financially as when we have been in the High Street.

The event hopefully went some way to supporting Canal Cruising as corporate members

National Festival 2011.

Waterways

Caldon Canal dewatered in Stoke.

Following the announcement that in 2011 the festival will be at Burton on Trent from th st 29 to 31 July, the idea of a “Staffordshire Waterways� marquee has been suggested, with displays from Staffordshire waterways organisations: CUCT, T&M, Stafford Riverway Link, Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust, IWA Stokeon-Trent Branch, IWA Lichfield Branch, Burslem Port Project, and perhaps Staffordshire boatyards and hire fleets. We are currently following this idea up with Staffordshire County Council and through the Churnet Valley Living Landscapes project.

There was nearly a major breach on the Caldon below Planet Lock on November 11th. Construction workers on a development site on the towpath side just below the lock were excavating and went below the foundation of the wall retaining the towpath, which at that point is effectively on an embankment.

The wall collapsed without warning, taking a large piece of the towpath with it. Fortunately, the washwall remained intact.

British Waterways had to drain the pound as an emergency measure, although the flow of water feeding the Trent & Mersey Canal was maintained by cascading through Bedford Street Locks. A narrowboat, on which the workmen were

Stone Food Festival

and

Drinks

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Navigation After the talk, ten branch members drew out the winning tickets from the lottery which the Branch launched earlier in the year.

Ann Chetwyn who, with her husband Alan, the Branch Treasurer, was responsible for drawing the winner of the first prize, a painting depicting the Anderton Lift and the Falkirk wheel by well-known artist ………………… Tickets were sent out in Waterways, Knobsticks, Grand Trunk, and Navvies. A total of over 5000 tickets were sold which, after expenses for printing etc were deducted, raised a total of £4480 pounds. The sum will be used to fund local canal restoration schemes.

„unofficially‟ living, was caught in the pound.

The developer‟s contractor is making good the damage with deep piling and British Waterways hope that the work will be completed by the end of the year. We understand that the planning permission for this development was fast tracked during August with the result that neither the Branch nor BW noticed it.

The requirement for the developer to consult BW was omitted at that stage. It is extremely fortunate that the washwall held as otherwise a major breach would have occurred in a busy part of the City.

IWA Stoke-on-Trent Branch announces raffle winners.

Membership Secretary John Watson has regretfully decided to resign as branch membership secretary. We have advertised for a volunteer to replace him.

Meanwhile, Alison Smedley will fill the gap left by John‟s departure.

At the December Social meeting held at the Stoke-onTrent Boat Club, a number of members enjoyed a talk by Malcolm Bower from the Macclesfield Canal Society.

He talked about the work they have done to restore the railings opposite Ramsdell Hall, as well as the restoration of one of the side ponds on the Bosley flight.

Roger Savage

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Navigation Wolverhampton I have met with even less success resulting in an e mail to the Divisional Commander which has bought no response. My next move is to write formally and if we get no response to contact the three local MPs to see if they can help. All we want is for some police presence at Broad Street on the lock flight to hopefully deter the rowdy activities late at night. If you have experienced problems with anti-social activities please let me know so that we can build up a further detail of what happens. In no way do we want to say “Don‟t moor at place A or B” as what is perfectly peaceful and safe one day is not the next.

Hopefully if we keep an eye on the situation we will build up an accurate picture.

Several individuals have expressed concern about the anti-social behaviour encountered on the BCN in Wolverhampton and Birmingham.

With the agreement of BCNS, CCT, & S&WCS I tried to make contact with W Mids police.

Having had no success by phone I visited W Mids Police HQ at Lloyd House to try and find a contact to discuss these matters with. I was referred to Steelhouse Lane Police Station and had a good chat with an officer who promised to visit the Gas Street area with me on my th boat on 15 Oct. I arranged for Jin Shead to accompany me but the meeting was cancelled at the last minute and despite several telephone discussions as yet have not been able to rearrange a date.

In

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Oct 19 I attended the six monthly meeting with BW at Perry Barr Lock offices.

Updates on various subjects were given by Dean Davies BW Waterways Manager. Of particular interest to the branch was the current spot dredging programme, & since the meeting the site of the June Pelsall rally has been

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Navigation Several members helped on the BCNS bonfire clean-up at Smethwick & I represented the IWA at the official opening th on Nov 6 & was able to discuss canals with the officials present. With the forthcoming proposed changes coming shortly we need to “spread the news that Waterways are good for all the community”

added which is good news. At this meeting BW confirmed that they would support the idea of 2012 BCNS clean up being based in the Walsall Town Wharf area. (2011 clean-up is at Salford Junction 9/10April) Also if the idea of restoring Bradley locks becomes a reality BW would not object to this being done as long as long term ongoing maintenance could be funded.

nd

The 2 of November saw attendance at a breakfast presentation of the “Big City” plan for Birmingham; again contacts were made that will hopefully be useful. All the canals were shown on the plans but no specific details of any work being incorporated in the document.

At the invitation of BCF a visit was made to Bradley workshops at the end of Oct & in an informal chat it was confirmed that they would have the capacity to make lock gates for Bradley Locks but on the subject of fitting them for free voluntarily I didn‟t get a firm commitment!!! A brief history of the canal is currently being produced on the branches behalf which will be used to distribute to local authorities & possible funding bodies.

Compared with some current restoration schemes this is a simple job: if you are interested in getting involved contact me please.

The evening saw attendance at the BWB user group meeting at the Bonded Warehouse nd

22 was the AGM of Stourport Forward where the IWA was again represented.

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present. Maybe we will convert some to supporters!!

One has promised to join us but as yet I have not got a signature on the dotted line.

On 27 Nov was the BCNS Titford Locks clean-up in which several members participated & two BCNS boats were almost overloaded with bricks recovered from the canal bed.

The structure was in very good condition a tribute to the engineers who designed & built it.

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Our Oct 15 meeting was a presentation by BWs Dean Davies who answered his critics very ably & having said he must go early was one of the last to leave the room!

There is a programme about to start entitled “The Heartlands Partnership” covering re-generation of the area around the GU Salford Junction to Bordesley th Junction area. On the 30 Nov we went and signed up as one of the partnership members which should ensure that the canal interest is listened to in what will be a “Mega” scheme. Many bodies are represented so it will be important that the Canal will not be forgotten in all of this.

Our Christmas Buffet & slides had to be cancelled due to the weather. Not only were all the boats frozen in but the roads were not so good either.

Planning matters continue to be dealt with by the new team who are settling down to the task well. We still need more help in this area. If you are able to help let me know.

We also need a willing volunteer to look after the Branches entries onto the IWA website.

Our new season of social th meeting began on Oct 18 with a talk by National Chairman Clive Henderson on the proposed changes to the Waterways. We had a very good attendance & it was particularly nice to see some non IWA people

An article promoting the IWA is about to appear in several local publications along with membership application forms that will hopefully recruit some new members.

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Navigation friends as a means of recruiting more members in line with IWAâ€&#x;s national campaign. Given the size of Warwickshire Branch, which includes the southern outskirts of the Birmingham Metropolis and much of Worcestershire part of the Avon navigation, we ought to have a larger membership and I ask all branch members to do all they can in 2011 to recruit more members. Our membership secretary Greta Russell will happily provide membership forms and other literature to any member on request.

Our Winter 2010/11 talks programme has got off to a good start with three very well presented talks in what is proving to be an excellent venue in terms of accessibility, comfort and facilities. It is doubtless good value for money but despite good attendances in historical terms we are struggling to match attendeesâ€&#x; donations and raffle income with expenses when speakersâ€&#x; expenses are included - as they must be. For years our best attendances have wavered around 40 members and friends against a total branch membership (inclusive of families) of some 400 plus.

One way of improving the financial viability of our meetings is to persuade a higher proportion of our members to come along and enjoy our events, better still to bring along like-minded

Waterway Recovery Group (WRG) is an important volunteering subsidiary of IWA and our April 2011 meeting is devoted to their activities.

For unemployed young people WRG activities are an excellent forum for doing things that are very worthwhile and at the same time acquiring skills and experience that can make good reading on a job application CV, so please members make a special effort to attend our April meeting along with as many guests as you can muster

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Navigation e-mails being treated as “junk mail” because they are being sent to a number of people. If this happens please let our newsletter editor Sue Roy know.

particularly from the younger elements of our society, as usual there will be no mandatory charge for coming.

This brings me onto our branch Newsletter “Bear Essentials”. IWA head office currently funds “Navigation”.

We neither have the inbranch funds nor the manpower to be able to produce a branch magazine as well. However, to ensure our branch members are up to date with the latest events taking place (and any which have to be unavoidably rearranged such as our annual dinner in January) our committee do need a mechanism for contacting our membership. This started by posting a single A4 size sheet of paper to all members.

Increasingly this is going over to e-mail where possible to minimise printing and postage costs.

Having e-mail addresses also enables us to advise of events organised or cancelled at short notice.

Members of neighbouring IWA branches can access „Bear‟ through our Branch Website.

On word of warning, we are aware of a problem with some legitimate

Our AGM is going to be held th on 9 March at 7.30 at the Sports Connection Leisure Centre, Ryton on Dunsmore.

Ian Jackson Stratford River Festival On the Recreation Ground and Riverfront in Stratfordupon-Avon. nd rd on: July 2 & 3 2011.

Details, and boat entry forms, are available from : ww.stratfordriverfestival.co.uk or e-mail: info@stratforward.co.uk

Entrants are also entitled to a range of: ‘half price’ licences for the River Avon: Concessionary licenses range from:- „Festival Only‟, up to „30 day‟ – the latter of which enables attendance at the Evesham River Festival the following weekend, and / or a leisurely throughpassage before or after the event.

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Lichfield Branch

themselves, which are not only unsightly, but also very difficult to use. Please will anyone wishing to show their support, or wishing further information email Margaret Beardsmore on margaret.beardsmore@water ways.org.uk .

Co-ordinator Lottery Bid Sought Improve 'Bloody Steps'

to

The area around the Aqueduct on the Trent and Mersey Canal, and so called „Bloody Stepsâ€&#x; which form part of the access from the canal to the town, have become both an eyesore and a place which attracts anti social behaviour and drug abuse.

Thursday 10th March 2011 BCN Walk on the Daw End Canal.

A return walk of about 3.5 miles along the canal towpath to Longwood Junction, Hay Head Wood and Park Lime Pits nature reserve. 10.15 for 10.30 am start at The Manor Arms, Park Road, Rushall, Walsall, WS4 1LG. Optional lunch at the pub afterwards.

The Canalside Action Group in Rugeley, which have been so hardworking throughout the year doing improvements along the towpath throughout Rugeley, plan to tackle this notorious area in the Spring of Next Year.

The Action Group, which is made up of Inland Waterways Association volunteers and public-spirited residents has the backing of the Town Council, Police, County Councillors and British Waterways. They are putting together a Lottery Bid in the hope of getting funds to help improve the access and steps

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Navigation each of IWA‟s 8 Regions, and as West Midlands „rep‟ I represent you on this committee.

Navcom

As I cruise around the system - whether in the West Midlands or further afield - I find that when talking to fellow boaters the issues that excite us are always the same. In no particular order they always seem to include.

Licence evasion: overstaying on moorings: lack of dredging: excessive vegetation: lack of, or excessive cruising times between, basic service facilities. Licence evasion has certainly decreased over the last couple of years, but the others just seem to get worse, and with waterway finances in the state that they are, and likely to be for the foreseeable future, prioritisation of outstanding work and other contentious issues becomes ever-more important.

Helping to determine these priorities is something that not just committee members, but all members, can do. Whether boaters or towpath walkers, here in the West Midlands we have more „eyes and ears‟

Unlike IWA‟s Restoration Committee (Rescom) – which as its name suggests concerns itself primarily with waterways being considered for, or in the process of being, restored; Navigation Committee, or „Navcom‟, has a national brief that is both wider, and harder to „pin down‟. Fuller details of this committee‟s roles and responsibilities can be found on the Association‟s web-site, but they can be best summed up as: - to ensure the protection and promotion of navigation and its related issues on our inland waterways, including the conservation of their natural and built environment.

Navcom does this through consultation and liaison with navigation authorities, local and national government, statutory bodies, and other waterway organisations and interests.

Committee members are drawn from

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Navigation with at a local level, and in this context it is pleasing to note that both BW-WM and BW-CS are embarking on a rolling programme of bridgehole and winding-hole improvements. But in both cases prioritisation is important.

out on the track than any other relevant organisation – including ten times as many as BW itself ! Let‟s use them!

Below are listed four areas in which we would like your help. If we can quantify and prioritise some of what we perceive as problem areas, then this will help not just BW and its successor, but more important ourselves - as users. These are (in no particular order):- Dredging, Vegetation, Service Facilities, and Accommodation Bridges.

Vegetation: „Veg Pledge‟ has become a bit of a joke over the last year or two – with wide variations, not just from Unit to Unit but from location to location within Waterway Units. Problems are usually caused by off-side vegetation, but earlier this summer I came across „blindspots‟ caused by sapling growth on a North Staffs towpath. I‟m pleased to say that after reporting it to BW (via Stoke Branch) the offending growth was removed within days.

Dredging: We are pleased to note that BW has recently announced the placing of a £5m dredging contract. Excellent news and appreciated as this is, no way will it fully address some of the problems caused by decades of neglect of this vital requirement. Priorities therefore must be chosen, and who better to determine these than thousands of boaters (rather than the small teams who regularly inspect their patch by viewing it from the towpath). Note that this contract is for the on-line dredging of long sections.

Spot-dredging is to be dealt

Thank you Stoke Branch, and thank you BW – but we need more of this.

As with dredging, the problems caused to navigation by overgrown vegetation cannot always be seen by BW personnel „walking the patch‟ - blind spots can usually only be seen from a boat.

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Service Facilities:

farmers land to another. Their use maybe minimal; however, when used they are often subjected to loads far greater than those for which they were designed.

But sometimes their damage is caused by badly aimed boats, and this is probably the case on the North Oxford, where three such bridges are „at risk‟.

With their present financial problems BW can only afford to replace the two that carry public footpaths, and then only replace them with footbridges. The third one will probably have to be dismantled - for the safety of boaters and towpath walkers who pass under it. We understand BW‟s predicament. In the present and foreseeable financial climate who pays, and what price heritage? Of course some will need defending to the end, but some may have to be sacrificed – but which ones?

Where are the locations of the most precious, and most at-risk, of these iconic structures?

Water-points and Sanitary Stations have long been essentials for boaters.

Cruising time between them can be critical. The locations, and free, 24/7, availability of such things as water-points and „Elsan‟-disposal are of particular concern to those with older and historic boats.

Their importance is rarely understood by a gongoozling BW management – who actually deleted „maximum cruising time between sanitary stations‟ from their draft, before issuing their „Waterway Standards‟ in 2007. We urgently need to know where you consider that there are unacceptable gaps.

Accommodation Bridges: The word „Iconic‟ has become one of the most over-used words of the last decade – but how else can we describe those little hump-backed bridges that cover much of the midlands rural canalscape.

When considering such problems, please don‟t just moan about them to fellow boaters in bars or beer-tents,

Many are just „accommodation bridges‟ – simply linking one part of a

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let us know what concerns you - so that through aggregation we can hopefully add more „clout‟ to these concerns. In all the four categories above we would like your input: and, as Navcom is concerned with national problems, please don‟t just confine your priorities to the West Midlands. Through Navcom, BW are already aware of many problems (e.g. Elsan disposal on the middle T&M and northern S&W - following the loss of the Gt. Haywood facility).. But if this and other known problems affect you please continue to say so, because the larger the number of comments about specific problems automatically helps with prioritisation. Please let us have your listings either by emailing them to me – but with a copy to your branch Chairman or secretary; or alternatively to someone in your branch – but with a copy to me at < ian.fletcher@waterways.org.u k >.

The Rhodes Thomas Slide Collection – Update.

The huge collection of photographic slides, kindly donated to IWA by the family of the late Rhodes Thomas (see Autumn Edition – 2010/3), are now safely in store at the Warwickshire County Records Office. A small team – comprising Warwickshire Branch members and members of Coventry Canal Society, Stratford Canal Society and BCNS - has now been formed to start the monumental task of cataloguing them. Initially the size of the collection could only be assessed in cubic metres. However, a slightly more detailed early analysis indicates that there are at least 20,000 waterway slides to be viewed and sorted. The task will obviously take the six volunteers involved some time to achieve, but should prove well worthwhile, not just as a record of the inland waterways of the midlands – but England and Wales as a whole.

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Navigation contract for the BW successor charity. On funding for BW, Defra‟s formal public position is that “the reduction in BW‟s grant will not be any greater because BW is becoming a charity than it would otherwise have been…”.

IWA Meeting with Defra: Friday 12 November 2010 IWA met with Defra officials on Friday 12 November to discuss a range of issues.

The main topics covered were The New Waterways Charity, Funding and the Environment Agency.

The Environment Agency Defra speculated that the settlement for EA would mean that it would have to take tough decisions for the navigation services it would be able to provide after 31 March 2011 reflecting affordability with reduced budgets. Whether the EA navigations might transfer to the charity remained under discussion in Government.

There were complex issues and it was difficult to speculate on what decision might be made by Ministers.

The Waterways Charity Defra envisaged a period of transition for BW which would span the period of one year before the charity comes into being on 1 April and one year after; with Defra closely involved in developing and monitoring the charity to ensure its success. The charity would have the benefit of a long term contract from central government.

Funding - The full implications for Defra of the recent spending review would be realised in December, including the implications for Grant-in-Aid for BW and the EA. It would cover the period 2011/12 to 2014/15, so after 1 April 2012 the finance for BW would represent the early years of the long term

For more information please go to http://www.waterways.org.uk/ campaigns/news/campaign_n ews/iwa_meeting_with_defra

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IWA West Midlands

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Honoured in the New Year list is 91-year-old Sonia Rolt, from Winchcombe, who receives the OBE for her services to industrial archaeology and to heritage. She said she was "thrilled" with the accolade and paid tribute to her late husband Lionel Thomas Caswell Rolt. "I wouldn't have been interested in industrial archaeology if not for Tom," she said. "He was a writer and engineer and he played an important role in the Newcomen Society, which studies history of engineering and technology.

I was involved with the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, started by William Morris, in connection with Tewkesbury." Mr Rolt jointly founded the Inland Waterways Association and started the popular Prescott HillClimb.'

PCM 1200 Gearbox 650hrs from new ÂŁ250 Dave Pearson 07527 197842 01299 404273

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IWA West Midlands

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IWA West Midlands

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The Early Days of the IWA Promoting the IWA to the public and members of Parliament was one of the original objectives. These are some photographs taken in 1949 showing a trip from Hayward‟s Wharf Halesowen to Tividale and back.

Leaving Gorsty Hill Tunnel

The boat was Primrose belonging to C H Taplin Chairman of the Midlands branch of the IWA with Robert Aickman National Chairman and Mr Harold Soref Conservative candidate for Stourbridge and Dudley

For some reason the boat was “legged” through, probably as a demonstration.

Leaving Hayward’s Wharf

Leaving Netherton Tunnel

I believe the background shows the original Stewards and Lloyds works

The boat travelled under power through the tunnel and seem to pick up a few extras.

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IWA West Midlands

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Mr Soref commented he had seen parts of the countryside he would have normally missed and noted the number of factories working on Sunday.

His other observation was the were a number of unused wooden narrow boats. He felt these could be cut up and the timber used for fuel. This would have restricted some enthusiasts early boating days.

Netherton Tunnel in the Background Passing under the Old Main Line prior to winding for the return journey

Coombeswood Canal Trust Hawne Basin, Hereward Rise, Halesowen, West Midlands B62 8AW Tel 0121 550 1355 email coombeswood@tiscali.co.uk www.hawnebasin.co.uk

Open weekend th Saturday 30 April and Sunday 1st May 2011

Netherton Tunnel in the Background Cover picture showing C H Taplin and family with Mr Soref posing for the press.

BCN Marathon Challenge May 28th/29th For details - Roy Kenn, 14 Hollemeadow Avenue, Walsall, WS3 1JQ. Telephone: 019224286M For an entry form: - Roy Kenn or email: boundarypost@gmail.com

John Taplin provided Photographs.

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Notice of Annual General Meetings Notice Notice of of Annual Annual General General Meetings Meetings

Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meetings of the West Midlands Region Notice is given the General of West Midlands of the Inland Waterways Association, of its Meetings four Branches take place at Region the Notice is hereby hereby given that that the Annual Annualand General Meetings of the thewill West Midlands Region of the Waterways Association, following places and times: of the Inland Inland Waterways Association, and and of of its its four four Branches Branches will will take take place place at at the the following following places places and and times: times: West Midlands Region, Wednesday 16th March 2011 West Midlands Region, Wednesday 16th March 2011 West Region, 16th WS13 March 7LD 2011 at theMidlands College Hall, TheWednesday Close, Lichfield at the College Hall, The Close, Lichfield WS13 7LD at the College Hall,the The Close,Branch Lichfield WS13 7LD (following Lichfield AGM). (following (following the the Lichfield Lichfield Branch Branch AGM).

AGM).

Warwickshire Branch, Warwickshire Branch, Warwickshire Branch, 7.30pm 7.30pm 7.30pm on Wednesday 9th March 2011 at Sports Connection Leisure on on Wednesday Wednesday 9th 9th March March 2011 2011 at at Sports Sports Connection Connection Leisure Leisure Centre, Ryton on Dunsmore.

Centre, Centre, Ryton Ryton on on Dunsmore.

Dunsmore.

Birmingham Black Black Country & & Worcestershire Branch, Branch, Birmingham Birmingham Black Country Country & Worcestershire Worcestershire Branch, 7.30pm 7.30pm 7.30pm on on Monday Monday 21st 21st March March 2011 2011 at at the the Social Social Club, Club, Ashwood Ashwood Marina, Marina, Lower Lane, Ashwood, Kingswinford DY6 Lower Lane, Ashwood, Kingswinford DY6 0AQ. 0AQ. Stoke Stoke on on Trent Trent Branch, Branch, 7.45pm 7.45pm for for 8.00pm 8.00pm on on Friday11th Friday11th March March 2011 2011 at at the the Stoke-on-Trent Stoke-on-Trent Boat Boat Club, Endon Wharf, Post Lane, Endon, Club, Endon Wharf, Post Lane, Endon, Stoke-on-Trent Stoke-on-Trent ST9 ST9 9DT 9DT Lichfield Lichfield Branch, Branch, 7.30pm 7.30pm for for 7.45pm 7.45pm on on Wednesday Wednesday 16th 16th March March 2011 2011 at at the the College College Hall, Hall, The The Close, Close, Lichfield Lichfield WS13 WS13 7LD 7LD The Close encircles the Cathedral, The Close encircles theStreet Cathedral, accessed off Bird accessed accessed off off Bird Bird Street Street

_______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ AGENDA (Region AGM) following Lichfield AGM AGENDA (Region AGM) Lichfield Branch Branch AGM AGENDA (Region AGM) following following Lichfield Branch AGM 1. Apologies for absence 1.

1.

2.

2.

2.

3.

3.

3.

4.

4.

4.

5.

5.

5.

6.

6.

6.

Apologies for absence Apologies for absence Minutes the 2010 AGM and any Extraordinary General Meetings Minutes the 2010 AGM and General Minutes the 2010 AGM and any any Extraordinary Extraordinary General Meetings Meetings held subsequently; subsequently; and held and matters matters arising arising from from these these minutes minutes held subsequently; and matters arising from these minutes Report from the Region Chairman Report from the Region Chairman Report from the Region Chairman Financial Financial Report Report Financial Report Elections Elections to to the the Committee Committee Elections to therequested Committee Any resolutions by Any resolutions requested by members members of of the the Region Region and and notified notified to to the the Any resolutions requested byweeks members of the Region and notified to the Region Chairman at least 6 prior to the AGM Region Chairman at least 6 weeks prior to the AGM Region Chairman at least 6 weeks prior to the AGM

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Branch and Region Committee Elections Candidates for election to a Branch or Region committee must be members of the relevant Branch or Region and the candidate must indicate his/her willingness to stand.

All elected members of a Region or Branch committee who have held office for a term of three years have to retire, as does any member co-opted during the committee meetings since the last AGM. Members in either category are eligible for re-election.

There shall be at least 3 elected members of each Branch and Region committee but there is no upper limit to the number of members.

In addition to the elected members, each Branch chairman is ex officio a member of the Region Committee.

The committee officers (Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary) shall be elected by the committee from its membership at their first meeting following each AGM. ______________________________________________________________________________

Region

Members completing 3 years in post Alison Smedley Brian Kingshott Members co-opted since previous AGM John Taplin ==================================================================

Birmingham Branch

Members

completing 3 years

Members co-opted since AGM

Stoke on Trent Warwickshire Branch Branch

Chris Osbourne Roger Savage

-

Mike/Becky

Smith-Kearney

John Taplin Philip Green Freddie Cook Nicky Schiessel -

Lichfield Branch

Mike Moorse, Patricia Humphries.

Tina Jackson -

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The Agenda for each meeting will be as follows: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Apologies for absence Minutes the 2010 AGM and any Extraordinary General Meetings held subsequently, and matters arising from these minutes Report from Branch Chairman Financial Report Elections to the Committee Any resolutions requested by members of the Branch and notified to the Branch Chairman at least 6 weeks prior to the AGM Address by Region Chairman (or his representative)

28 event Branch meetings to be followed by a social

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Diary of Social Events of our Branches and other local Societies All the events below are open to non-members and member‟s guests.

Those with internet access are well advised to keep fully up to date from the IWA website, www.waterways.org.uk, which has pages dedicated to each Region and Branch.

It should also be remembered that Lichfield and Warwickshire Branches have their own newsletters, “Lichfield Lines” and “Bear Essentials” respectively, available its branch members in various formats; and Stoke on Trent Branch has “Knobsticks”.

Birmingham, Black Country and Worcestershire Branch

Meetings details from Chris Osborn 01299 832593 jcosborn@btinternet.com

Birmingham, Black Country and Worcestershire Branch meetings are held at the Social Club, Ashwood Marina, Ashwood Lower Lane, Ashwood DY6 0AQ (near Kingswinford) at 19.30. This venue is accessible to the disabled.

Mon 21st Feb Mon 21st Mar Mon 18th Apr Mon 16th May

Talk : The Tom Rolt Cressy Cruise by Ron & Mary Heritage AGM and slide show Talk : Wild Life on the River Severn by Brian Draper Talk : The Droitwich Canal by Jason Leach

Lichfield Branch

Meetings details from Phil Sharpe 01889 583330 lichfield@waterways.org.uk

Lichfield Branch meetings are in the College Hall, Cathedral Close, Lichfield WS13 7LD. This is on the ground floor. Parking just off Bird St. (see website map).

Meetings start at 7.30 for 7.45 pm Wed 16th Feb Sat 5th Mar Wed 16th Mar

DVD Presentation: Canal Transport in the 1950s by Peter Freakley Jumble Sale at Penkridge. 10am to noon at Peace Hall, Pinfold Lane, ST19 5AP. Branch & Region AGMs followed by illustrated talk: The Stafford Riverway Link by Ivor Hind _____________________________________________________________________________________

Stoke on Trent Branch

Meetings details from Alison Smedley

01538 385388 alison@hazelhurstcottage.co.uk Stoke on Trent Branch meetings are in the Stoke on Trent Boat Club, Endon Wharf, Post Lane, Endon, Stoke on Trent ST9 9DT Meetings start at 7.45 for 8.00 pm

11th Mar 8th Apr

AGM, then Historic Narrow Boats by Alison Smedley Talk : Volunteers Restoring Canals by Tim Lewis, London WRG

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Warwickshire Branch Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of the month, and start at 7.30 pm.

Location : Sports Connexion Leisure Club, Ryton- onDunsmore, CV8 3FL, just off the A45 as shown in plan. Contact : Richard Sanders Wed 9th Mar

AGM

Stratford Canal Society Meetings are held on the third Friday of the month, except in December, and start at 7.45 pm.

Location : Wootton Wawen Village Hall, Wootton Wawen off A3400 Program Secretary : Clive Henderson 01564 783672 www.stratfordcanalsociety.org.uk/meetings.html

Worcester & Birmingham Canal Society Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of the month, and start at 8.00 pm. Location : Boat & Railway pub, Shaw Lane, Stoke Prior, nr Bromsgrove; upstairs. Program Secretary : Denis Pike, 07870 939121, programme@wbcs.org.uk

_____________________________________________________________________ BCNS Social Meetings

Social Meetings first Thursday in the month start at 7-30 Titford Pumphouse, Engine Street, Oldbury B69 4NL March 3rd – Roy Kenn – Before and Now of Waterways th April 7 – Geoff Pursglove – Ashby Canal, Past. Present and Future

BCN Marathon Challenge th th May 28 /29 For details - Roy Kenn, 14 Hollemeadow Avenue, Walsall, WS3 1JQ. Telephone: 019224286M For an entry form: - Roy Kenn or email: boundarypost@gmail.com BCN Explorer Cruise June 4th - 10th Starting at Curdworth and finishing at PelsallCanalFestival email for details and entry form:- bcns.explorercruise@gmail.com or phone -Marie 07709265073. Stuart 07510167288 BCN Pelsall Canal Festival th June 11 /l2th For details and entry form email:- boundarypost@gmail.com or phone:- 01213556

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Contacts The next issue, No. 2011-2 is due to be published in April 2011.

Your contributions and comments should be sent to the Editor by 7th March 2011. Please submit your news, comments, letters, photographs and articles to : navigation.editor@waterways.org.uk W E S T MID L AN D S R E G I O N Chairman

Vaughan Welch, 3 Beach Close, N orthf ield , Birmingham B31 3DB Tel. 0121 477 9782 Mob : 07971 202406 e-mail : vaughan.welch@waterways.org.uk

Secretary

Brian Kingshott, Park Cottage, Hopton Castle, Craven Arms, Shropshire SY7 0QF Tel: 01547 530457 Mob: 07831 572642 e.mail : brian@park-cottage.fsnet.co.uk

Treasurer

Anthony Davies, 17 Elm Row, Stockton, Warwickshire CV47 8JY Mob: 07775 912486 e-mail : Anthony.Davies@dennis-eagle.co.uk

The Region is made up of these four branches : L IC H F IE L D BR AN C H

B IR MIN GH AM,B LAC K C OUN TRY AN D W ORCE STERS H IRE BR AN C H

Chairman Philip Sharpe 34 Old Eaton Road, Rugeley, Staffordshire WS15 2EZ Tel. 01889 583330 philip.g.sharpe@ntlworld.com

Chairman

Dave A Pearson Netherton Cottage 2 Netherton Lane, Bewdley DY12 1PT Tel 01299 404273 Mobile 0752 7197842 davepearson@talktalk.net

Secretary

Secretary

Beckie Smith-Kearny

STOKE ON TRENT B R AN C H

Vacant

WA R W IC KS H IR E B R AN C H

Chairman Roger Savage 19 High Street, Eccleshall Staffordshire ST21 6BW Tel. 01785 850967 roger.savage@homecall.co.uk

Chairman Ian Jackson 209 Daventry Road, Barby, Rugby, CV23 8TR

Secretary Alison Smedley Hazelhurst Cottage, Denford, Leek ST13 7JT Tel. 01538 385388 alison@hazelhurstcottage.co.uk

Secretary Sue Roy 46, The Butts, Warwick. CV34 4ST Tel. 01926 497645 roy154@btinternet.com

01788 891545 Ian.jackson@mypostoffice.co.uk

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