IWA Chester & Merseyside Packet Boat Jan 2019

Chester & Merseyside Branch

February 2019

Breach Repaired ~ Middlewich Branch

1 Editors Musing’s January 2019 Happy New Year to one and all, I hope you are fully recovered from your Xmas and New Year celebrations and are ready to start planning your 2019 adventures.

It’s been a drier winter than last year but all the reports I have heard suggest that reservoirs are almost back to normal levels; so for the boaters among us, fingers crossed that there will be less closures due to water shortages than we had last year."

The Middlewich Branch has now re-opened for cruising as you can see from the front page photo; this should make planning a lot easier in our area. Personally our plans, as usual, start in mid-May with the Moira Canal Festival on the northern reaches of the Ashby Canal; and then continue with the IWA National Trailboat Festival which will be on the northern reaches of the Lancaster Canal. This year it will be held at Crooklands in conjunction with the Westmorland Food Festival on the week end after the May Bank Holiday.

After that, depending on the weather, we may try the Thames again as we have not been there for some time.

We will launch at Lechlade and leave the vehicle & trailer there for a few weeks, while we cruise down to Brentford and then return via the Grand Union and Dukes cut to our starting point. We are also hoping to take part in the Salt Towns Rally this year as we missed it last year due to other commitments. If all goes to plan, then it should be a good summer, but what is they say about best laid plans?

Our branch meetings are continue to be in the café at the Boat Museum where we had an interesting talk in January by Malcolm Bridge about his year in Ireland with his electric boat ‘Ampere’. The next talk is on the 12th Feb, when Phil Clayton will give us information on the history of the Caledonian Canal.

The last 2 meetings for the season are the Branch AGM on the 12th March followed by a talk from Martin Buck Chaplain on ‘Workplace Matters’. The final meeting is on the 9th April when Ken Pye will provide us with some history of Liverpool Port, Docks and Dockers. Details of these talks can be found on the IWA branch web site; or on our Chester & Merseyside Facebook Page along with information on our branch walks.

Jeanne Smith It should be noted that the views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the IWA. They are published as being of interest to our members and readers. The IWA is a registered charity No 212342

2 Chester & Merseyside Branch Chairman’s Report A busy autumn 2018 I am writing this report in advance of Christmas but you will be reading it in January so I trust that you all had a wonderful Christmas and wish you a Happy and Prosperous New Year. Let’s hope that the winter weather isn’t too cold and that we can look forward to warmer times as spring arrives and the nights start drawing out again.

Talking of Christmas our monthly meetings are now held again at the National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port, and we had a great turnout for the festive get together with sherry, mince pies, (gingerbread trees courtesy of Dorothy Sumner) and the Bumper Christmas Raffle where nearly everyone went away with a prize.

The event actually took place in the Cafe which was more convenient and accessible for our less able bodied members as previous talks were marred by lift failures within the Rolt Centre. We hope to make the Cafe our permanent venue for the rest of the season talks and I welcome more members to attend these functions as they are organised for your enjoyment and social interaction.

Another terrific turnout was the unveiling of the plaque at the top of Northgate Locks, Chester, in memory of Mike Carter, our Volunteer Extrordinaire, who passed away in 2017. Nearly 100 people attended and included Samantha Dixon, leader of Chester City Council; Ivor Caplan, national chairman of the IWA; also senior representatives from the Canal and River Trust (CRT).

From networking with the above contacts the branch has finally got Cheshire West & Chester (CWAC) and CRT to agree a shared approach to undertake the initial works needed to get the towpath open as soon as possible above the Northgate Locks where it transits below the City Walls round to King Charles’ Tower. This has been in dispute between the two organisations for a number of years regarding ownership of the rock face and hopefully we will see the route reinstated in the New Year. An IWA Canal Clean Up in that area will then be organised for the Spring 2019 so get your wellies & gloves out ready for a day of action.

More good news for the New Year is that the long term closure of the Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal was opened again on 21st December to allow boating between Barbridge & Middlewich. With water levels returning to normal in the reservoirs we can all look forward to another year of boating, walking, cycling and other pursuits along our fabulous waterways so after we’ve all over indulged over Christmas & the New Year it’ll be time to go out & enjoy some exercise.

Derek & Jeanne Smith are busy organising our waterways walks to promote that exercise but unfortunately they have not seen the attendances as in previous years so please support their endeavours and join them for a short stroll down a local waterway. Details are available in the waterways press and on our website at www.waterways.org.uk/chester/walks I look forward to seeing you all in the New Year at our Social Gathering so until then again please accept my wishes for a happy & prosperous 2019 Jim Forkin Branch Chairman.

3 Tribute to a Volunteer Extraordinair Nearly a hundred people turned out at the top of Northgate Locks, Chester on Wednesday 24th October to hear tributes and witness the unveiling of a plaque to honour Mike Carter. Mike, who sadly passed away in February 2017, was a stalwart of the northwest waterways. The unveiling was conducted by his widow Christine and his daughters Jenny & Katy The event was organised by the Inland Waterways Association, Chester & Merseyside Branch where Mike had been a member since 1987 and one of the most active members in recent years. Dignitaries who attended included Samantha Dixon, leader of Cheshire West & Chester Council; Ivor Caplan, National Chairman of the IWA; also senior representatives from the Canal & River Trust.

Mike was a visionary and was always enthusiastic in expanding the knowledge of the general public, and in promoting the waterways in the Chester & Merseyside area. He undertook numerous tasks within the IWA Branch area, without ever thinking that a challenge could not be overcome. His was the driving force behind the organising of many events and festivals over the years. In his spare time he organised the Manchester Ship Canal and River Mersey Crossings for boaters who came from all over the country to attend local waterways events.

Mike took on the Branch CRT Liaison and Volunteer Co-ordinators job and organised monthly work parties, mostly round the Chester area, but also at Ellesmere Port. He was a core member of the team that organised the Chester Canal Festival in 2014, which then received the title of the National IWA Campaign Festival for that year. It was an event which culminated in the Branch receiving IWA’s annual Branch Achievement Award later that year.

Christine & Jenny Carter

4 In 2016 he was the driving force behind the Eldonian Village Canal Festival in Liverpool, which also received the title of the National IWA Campaign Festival for that year. The Branch was later presented with a CRT National Living Waterways Award for Community & Volunteering. In September that year Mike was invited to address an audience at the World Canal Conference in Scotland, where spoke on his favourite subject, “Waterways as a driver of Community Engagement and Social Regeneration”.

Since his death in February 2017, the IWA has posthumously awarded Mike with the Richard Bird Medal for services to the waterways. Also CRT North Westlaunched the ‘Mike Carter Award’ to recognise the North West’s young volunteers in 2018. He was well liked and respected throughout the Northwest and is sadly missed.

Photo - from L to R, Jim Forkin, Chairman, IWA Chester & Merseyside Branch, Samantha Dixon, Leader of Cheshire West & Chester Council, Jenny & Katy Carter (daughters), Christine Carter, ~ Ivor Caplan, IWA National Chairman.

5 Voyage to the Deep South Last summer I cruised with my 40’ NB ‘Ena May’ from Nantwich to Godalming in Surrey. Godalming is as far south as boats can travel on the interconnected inland waterways. After repairing the boat (new keel tank) it was plain sailing: wonderful warm weather, excellent crews, and, most important of all, we were heading south with no breaches, no stoppages and no water shortages to get in the way, despite the drought.

I took the route with least locks, both there and back: Shroppie, Staffs & Worcs to Great Haywood, Coventry and Oxford Canals. I expected the south Oxford to be busy – but, other than plenty of boats moored at honeypot sites, there were few boats on the move, no lock queues and many lovely rural spots to stop well ‘away from it all’.

At Oxford we joined the Thames. There are excellent moorings at East St just above Osney Lock. You can stay for 24hrs without charge, having bought your Thames licence. It’s a good spot to explore the city from, and ‘The Punter’ is close by which does great beer and food. There is no shortage of things to do in Oxford. You can visit many of the colleges, the Bodleian Library and the Ashmolean Museum. There’s an excellent indoor market, a fine Botanic Garden and nice walks through the Meadows. The Alice in Wonderland shop is full of curiosities.

Leaving Oxford, a new crew was keen to start early. The locks can be operated by boaters out of hours but the control buttons at Osney didn’t respond. The power was off. The lock keeper emerged to say that the police had closed the river – he had never known this to happen in all the years that he had been there!

Surely, I reminded him, Inspector Morse had frequently to solve mysteries involving bodies found in the river – he replied that he hoped that he was ‘on the case’ this time. We finally got moving around noon; a body had been recovered but police were still collecting evidence.

The Thames between Oxford and Shepperton (where we joined the Wey) is a very scenic river with lots of interest. We cruised through Henley on the day before the Regatta started; confined to a narrow lane, we weaved through the small craft practising for the following day. Mooring at the towns eg Wallingford, Henley, Marlow, Windsor, can be difficult but not impossible as long as you don’t leave it too late in the day. There is usually a charge. Abingdon, a very interesting town, is an exception where you can stay for three days on extensive moorings without charge.

6 However there are also many idyllic spots to stop like Runnymede, Beale Park and Cliveden Reach. You can walk uphill from the latter to the house – now a very posh hotel.

Services are expensive on the Thames. Water points for hoses are few and far between. And you get fed up with the proliferation of ‘No Mooring’ signs. A ‘Mooring Welcome’ sign, and space, outside a pub at Shepperton was a real surprise – of course we stopped for the night!

Once on the Wey you leave behind the ‘gin palaces’ that cruise the Thames and are back in a canal like setting with just a few narrowboats plying up and down through the distinctive broad locks. No lock keepers here! It’s a beautiful, peaceful river, almost entirely rural save for the stretch through Guildford. Dapdune Wharf (National Trust) is a great place to stop close to the city. The Anchor at Pyrford has good moorings and excellent food. We eventually reached Godalming after 24 days cruising – and then spent another 28 getting back to Nantwich.

Total mileage 545 Ann Farrell

Number of locks 678

River Cherwell Lock

Thames - Old Windsor Lock

River Wey – Dapdune Wharf, Guildford

Sign at Abbingdon Lock -

7 Harry Arnold MBE We are saddened to hear of the death of Harry Arnold MBE on 1st November, following a stroke almost three weeks earlier. As a friend and stalwart supporter, advocate, restorer and chronicler of the inland waterways, As a volunteer he energetically supported many other waterway projects and campaigns to promote and protect canals, their craft and heritage – also inspiring, enthusing and assisting many individuals on their own conservation and restoration projects.

Harry was well known as a waterways journalist, author and photographer who had been instrumental in many waterway campaigns since the late 1950s.

Harry was awarded an MBE in the 2010 Queen's Birthday Honours List for the significant role he played in Britain's inland waterways scene for almost 50 years. This included being a founder member of Waterway Recovery Group and editing IWA's Waterways magazine from 1990 to 2007; Harry carried out many other voluntary roles within IWA and in 2008 was appointed a national Vice President.

As a professional journalist, editor and photographer Harry was a regular contributor to boating magazines. In 1972 he was one of the founder owners of best-selling Waterways World; most recently Harry was retained to write for the free distribution newspaper Towpath Talk – the largest circulation waterway publication.

Harry's WATERWAY IMAGES archive and digital photographs have appeared in countless publications and also TV programmes. Harry himself appeared on screen in programmes such as BBC's Golden Age of Canal and spent he the summer of 2018 filming along the Montgomery Canal relating stories from the campaign and "Big Dig" that started its restoration for a forthcoming video. Harry was central to setting up the Boat Museum at Ellesmere Port, now the National Waterways Museum. (Photo below)

8 At the 2015 Canal & River Trust 'Living Waterway Awards' – which "seek to recognise themost inspiring and exciting waterway–based improvement projects across the UK" – Harry was presented with the first 'Outstanding Personal Achievement Award'. Tony Hales, then Chairman of CRT, said: "Harry was awarded an MBE for the significant role he has played in recording, conserving and promoting the country's rich waterway heritage. This Outstanding Achievement award further recognises the enormous contribution he has made to helping make the waterways what they are today."

This is the last review that Harry Arnold did for us so I though it fitting to include it in this magazine as a tribute to him (BOOK REVIEW – The Sankey Canal Story.)

Reviewer: Harry Arnold PERHAPS it is best to quote part of the welcome to this publication, by Colin Greenall the chair of the Sankey Canal Restoration Society (SCARS) and its compiler to describe it. ‘to promote the value of an historic waterway and to encourage people to get involved with its interesting past’.

Sound like a leaflet? And indeed, it is just 12 pages.

But it qualifies as a book, in my opinion, in that it is a large format (A4 size), full-colour production on very heavy paper (almost board-like). Telling, as its title states, the story of the Sankey Canal to date. Apart from the informative and tightly written text, the beauty is the illustrations and their placing within the absolutely superb layout.

The account of one of Britain’s earliest waterways (pre. Bridgewater Canal) is clearly, concisely and beautifully told, mainly in historic maps, and photographs, through to modern colour photographs. It is perhaps not exaggerating to describe the appearance as ‘lavish’.

Certainly, one of the best publications I have seen from a waterway society.

As a reviewer, I have to admit bias. I am a Warringtonian and various branches of my family crewed the Mersey Flats that traded on the Sankey Canal and were born and lived by it in Sankey Bridges. Also, I have been a member of SCARS since it started. But despite this, I cannot recommend this book too much. Even before opening, you will like the look and feel of it. Other restoration societies should perhaps take note.

The Sankey Canal Story by Colin Greenall is published by the Sankey Canal Restoration Society (SCARS) in softback, priced £6.00 (inc. p&p - cheques made payable to the Society) from Mike Harrison, SCARS, 4 Darvel Avenue, Garswood, ASHTON-IN-MAKERFIELD, WN4 0VA

9 River Welland Sept 2018 After the IWA Festival over the August Bank Holiday, we were asked by David Pullen and Chris Howes – the local Regional Chairmen; to take our boat over to the River Welland, to try out the slipway at Crowland and talk to local dignitaries with a view to having a trailboat Festival on the river in support of constructing a link to the Nene at Petersborough.

We pulled the boat out on Thursday 30th and trailed Olive over to the slipway. Crowland is an interesting village and the slipway is quite close. It was a lovely sunny afternoon and there were several people in smaller craft enjoying the river. We launched Olive with no problems and enjoyed the rest of the evening. The local IWA branch had arranged a get together with various local representatives on the Saturday morning 1st Sept, so we had a day spare to do a cruise to Spalding and back.

There are no facilities for water, but fortunately we had brought a small supply with us and were able to manage until the next morning. Then we set off for Spalding with in front of us a large group of swans. They were obviously used to having the river to themselves as they started to panic and kept trying to outrun the boat.

It’s a long straight run relieved only by the 4 mile bridge and the A16 road bridge. Once we had passed those we looked out for the Sailing Club, as we had been told we could fill up with water there, and despite there being no-one around, we were able to access water from an outside tap.

We then continued the journey into Spalding, where we met the local Water Taxi and the driver told us of the best places to moor, however we wanted to get as close to the lock as possible before stopping for lunch.

We nearly made it, but there was so much weed around that it was like cruising through thick soup and eventually we came to a stop. We turned round with great difficulty and crept back upstream. As soon as we cleared the weed we found a nice mooring spot in Spalding.

10 After lunch we had a look round the town, which is very pretty.

Our return journey back to Crowland Bridge and the slipway was completed before nightfall. The following morning the local IWA set up a gazebo and quite a few interested locals and parish councillors turned up to speak with us, to find out what was going on, so hopefully this will lead to a festival being held here in the future.

The gazebo was packed up by lunchtime, and we had enough time to cruise to the end of navigation at Peakirk pumping station before returning to our mooring site. Next day we pulled Olive out of the water and made the long trek home by road.

Jeanne & Derek Smith

Moored In Spalding

Crowland Bridge & slipway

11 Review of ‘THE SHROPSHIRE UNION CANAL’ by Peter Brown The recent canal books that I have read, by no means an exhaustive list, have tended to be written by keen amateurs and designed for the ‘general reader’; Peter Brown’s book is written by a canal enthusiast, but both in the quality of writing and the production values it is highly professional. At £35 and running to some 280 pages of double column text plus bibliography and index, it is not a light read and seems designed for an audience with a slightly longer attention span than that targeted by the variety of TV canal documentaries gracing our screens.

The book is divided up into two basic sections, the first of which contains an introduction and then considers the history of the various constituents of what came to constitute the Shropshire Union system, most of which had separate origins and progenitors and have only achieved any sort of centralisation in relatively modern times. In the very first Chapter the author is not afraid to reveal that for example the Chinese built the first pound lock in AD984 and the even the Italians were at it a good two centuries before a sod was cut on the Bridgewater or the Sankey. In fact I suspect he takes a delight in challenging our preconceptions which is no bad thing.

He does admit that it may be confusing to deal with the Chester Canal and then later the Ellesmere Canal for example, but I think it does have the advantage in that most readers will in fact want to refer back to individual chapters, rather than the whole book. This is a book which will act as a reference for many years to come, and for some a source of many quiz questions and answers.

The book is profusely and well-illustrated and there are useful maps at the beginning of many chapters. Despite this the profusion of place names may cause confusion and I found it useful to read some chapters with ‘google maps’ open on my laptop. Those who know Peter will not be surprised to learn that various shibboleths are challenged, including as regards Telford. He accepts him as a master architect but points out that Telford was the ‘General Agent’ whereas Jessup was the engineer for the Ellesmere canal, for example it was Jessup who put the scaffolding on the Pontcysyllte on the inside of the hollow piers and in the process was one of the first to consider Health and Safety. There is an emphasis throughout, not on the engineering but on the establishment and funding of the various canal companies, and their subsequent profitability or lack of it. He even spots the fact that depreciation was not charged on the fixed assets in early accounts, a technical but important detail, at least to an accountant.

12 The facts are in the detail, and Peter appears to have read every company minute and public report available on the history of the original canal companies and every available source on the later history and it is ironic that in some respects there is more available on the early canal companies than on the various nationalised governing bodies of recent years.

The last three chapters cover ‘The Second Canal Age’ covering the years since 1914, and this is right up to date, including the Middlewich breach of this spring.

This inevitably will mean that this section of the book will be outdated, but this is inevitable. It is to be expected from the secretary of the Railway & Canal Historical Society that he declines to blame the Railway for the canals ceasing to be viable commercially, but instead posits the view that modern road transport has done for freight haulage on both the canals and the railways, as that is the only method that can deliver door to door with no transhipment, and my experience in the haulage industry supports that thesis.

In his final chapter Peter does relax the objective historical stance slightly to comment on the present and the future, and again this is done reasonably, especially as regards the major restorations on the Montgomery and Shrewsbury & Newport, where he argues cogently that a desire for something to be achieved should not blind us to the realities of achieving it.

As is obvious I liked this book, and I was determined to give an honest opinion, and not just a paean of praise as for a school concert. This has not proved to be a problem as this is a fine and excellently produced book, not an easy or light read, but all the better for that.

Alan Platt

The SHROPSHIRE UNION CANAL From the Mersey to the MIdlands and Mid Wales.

Peter Brown Railway & Canal Historical Society ÂŁ35

Available post free on www.rchs.org.uk or at Audlem Mill shop.

13 IWA Chester & Merseyside Branch Walks - Spring 2019 Sunday 17th February Featuring , the Bridgewater Canal, please arrive at 10.45 am for 11.00 starting from the Ring O Bells, Daresbury, 4 miles southwest of Warrington, alongside the A56. Grid ref: SJ 579 829. SatNav. postcode WA4 4AJ co-ordinates: 53.34107, 002.63302 .The walk will end with an optional pub lunch, to book a table for1.15pm tel. 01925 740256.

Sunday 17th March This walk features the Trent & Mersey canal. Please arrive at 10.45 am for 11.00 starting from the Farmers Arms pub in Marsh Lane Ravensmoor.about 2 miles south west of Nantwich Grid Ref: SJ 621 506. SatNav, post code CW5 8PN or the co-ordinates: 53.05124, 002.56749 and the walk will end with an optional pub lunch. If you wish to stay for lunch please phone 01270 623522 and book your own table for 1.15.

Sunday 14th April This walk features the Llangollen Canal and the Hurleston Locks. Please arrive at 10.45 am for 11.00 Starting from the Barbridge Inn car park, in Old Chester Road. Grid Ref: SJ 615 567. Sat Nav, post code CW5 6AY, or co-ordinates: 53.10658, 002.57599. If you wish to stay for lunch please phone 01270 528327 and book your own table for 1.15 pm.

Sunday 12th May This walk features the Appleton Reservoir and the Bridgewater Canal. Please arrive at 10.45 am for 11.00 starting from the Walton Arms Old Chester Rd, 2.5 miles south and slightly east of Warrington at Higher Walton on the A56. Grid ref: SJ 596 851. SatNav, WA4 6TG or the coordinates: 53.36128, 002.60717. If you wish to stay for lunch tel. 01925 262659 and book a table for 1.15pm.

Toilet facilities should be available at the beginning of each walk and there will be a break for ‘Bring your own refreshments’ Please wear suitable foot wear and bring waterproofs, All walks are under 5 miles and easy walking as they feature towpaths and footpaths. They are open to members and non-members alike so please bring along your friends and relatives.

For further information Telephone 07500 300347 or Email derek.smith@waterways.org.uk Walking along the ‘Shroppie’ 20th Jan.

14 Forthcoming Events 2019 IWA Festivals & Boat Rallies 4th - 6th May 2019 1st - 2nd June 2019 5th - 7th July 2019 24th - 26th August 2019

IWA Canalway Cavalcade (London) IWA Trailboat Festival (Cumbria) Ware Boat Festival (Hertfordshire) IWA Festival of Water, Waltham Abbey (Essex)

Saturday 16th March.

We are having a local clean up along the towpath in Chester Further details will be announced at our meetings or posted on the web site and Facebook. Please come along and help us to keep the canal tidy.

Saturday 4th May

We are having a lockwind at the Middlewich Big Lock further details to be announced at meetings.

Friday May 24th

Bridgewater Boat Club will be holding their annual rally over the late May bank holiday. Please contact them for further details and entry form.

Some more dates for your diary Northwich River Festival

13th -14th July

Salt Towns Rally

13th-15th September Entry forms available from Bob Osborne Email bob.osborne@hotmail.co.uk Mob: - 07837 976680

The Liverpool Waterways Restoration Showcase Event 21st - 22nd September

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OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE

President.

Ron Evans

Branch Chairman

Jim Forkin jim.forkin@team.waterways.org.uk

Minute Secretary

Ann Farrell annfarrell77@outlook.com

H. 01270 650054 M. 07803 928929

Treasurer, Social Sec & Assist Planning Jim Mole 16-elizabethan@tiscali.co.uk Officer H. 01606 40955 M. 07580 162355 Publicity Officer

Jim Forkin

Editor Packet Boat

Jeanne Smith jeanne.smith32@btinternet.com H. 01244 382058 M. 07746 955931

Planning & Navigation Officer

Geoff Gittus geoff.boatman@btinternet.com

Membership Secretary

Lesley Taylor lesleytaylor22@btinternet.com

Merseyside Liaison

Vacancy

Scars Liaison

H. 0151 605 1094 M. 07808 859751

H. 0151 342 6651

Colin Greenall colingreenall@btinternet.com

H. 01744 731746

M. 07944 101162

Chester Liaison

John Herson hersonjohn@gmail.com

Bridgewater Canal Liaison

Ian & Vera Short veinarde1@btinternet.com

Committee Member Margaret Pitney margaret.pitney@talktalk.net H. 0151 608 6487

Committee Members Vacancies