Navvies news ...including a list of canals that nobody loves... Coming soon... ...Canalway Cavalcade at Little Venice. Once again, KESCRG will be providing site services support for this popular and colourful event held annually in London on the May Day bank holiday weekend. See last issue of Navvies for full details and contact Eddie Jones on email eddiejones@tiscali.co.uk or phone him on mobile 07850 889 249 if you want to help.
What do these waterways have in common? These canals being: Bentley Canal / Neachells Branch / Anson Branch, Beverley Beck, Bourne Eau, Bradford Canal, Bradley Locks Branch, Bungay Navigation, Cann Quarry Canal, Carlisle Canal, Charnwood Forest Canal, Dartford & Crayford Navigation, river Foss, Guilsfield Branch, Halesworth (Blyth) Navigation, Hampshire Avon, Hollinwood Branch Canal, Hulme Lock Branch, river Idle, river Itchen, river Ivel, Leven Canal, Liskeard & Looe Canal, Newdigate (Arbury) system, Newport Pagnell Canal, Nottingham Canal (above Lenton), Nutbrook Canal, Penshurst Navigation, Portsmouth & Arundel Canal (Ford to Hunston), river Rother, Royal Military Canal, Shropshire / Coalbrookedale / Donnington Wood / Ketley canals, Sow Navigation, Stamford Canal, Tavistock Canal, Ulverston Canal, Walton Lock Branch, Walton Summit Branch, Weston Branch, Western Rother and Worsley Underground Canals. Well, you might think that the above is a list of all the no-hope canals that are never going to be restored. Alternatively you might reckon that they comprise the next generation that we’re going to get stuck into restoring once we’ve finished the current ones. And you might be right either way. Because what they have in common is that are all derelict, they all might just conceivably be worth restoring, but none of them have a canal society promoting their restoration or preservation, and so there’s a danger that if nobody adopts them soon they might be lost forever.
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Well actually that’s not true of all of them: since The Inland Waterways Association came up with this list as a way of trying to highlight waterways whose potential ought to be considered but which didn’t seem to be being looked after by anyone, at least one new society has sprung into existence (on the Hollinwood Branch) and another looks imminent (on the Bradley Locks Branch). IWA is looking for some of its currently less-active members to take an interest in the waterways on this list, with a view to representing the interests of the waterway in local forums, and looking to set up local groups for these waterways where possible. Could you form a local group to support one of these ‘unloved canals’?
Want a BIG generator? Two large standby diesel generators may be available as a donation to a canal restoration group. They are static plant room generators but could be mounted on a trailer for mobile use. One is rated at 90kVA and the other is believed to be 110kVA. They are both in good condition and have done very few working hours. They would need to be removed from the present location in the south east. Even if they are not of direct use they may be a possible source of funds if sold. If you are interested, contact IWA member Geoff Thorne on 01784 458708 and he should be able to tell you if they are still available and put you in touch with the owners.
WRG Boat Club News Not much club news for this issue. The AWCC AGM is in March so a full report next time. Here is a news flash for members, especially those with wrgNW: Middlewich Boat & Folk Festival 1820 June. The festival directors assure me that there will be NO CHARGE for boats attending the festival this year. It is an event worth visiting, well wrgNW have their stall there, so it must be good. Club members can endear themselves by offering to help them, especially at packing away time. Some members will be boating to Saul Junction for the Cotswold Canals festival, however the increase in charges for boats attending, from £10 to £25, is a bit off-putting. Others are hoping to boat to the Clean Up but this will arrive on your doorstep after the event, making it history rather than news. xxx Sadie Dean