Shroppie Fly Paper June 2009

Shroppie Fly Paper

WATERWAY IMAGES

The Newsletter of the Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch Summer 2009

Ready Steady GO!

What’s a Dinghy Dawdle?

You may just like to know It’s a fun event for boaters – The Montgomery Canal on show This year it’s near to Newtown As far as you can go Highlighting the problems of access As long as you can row!

Negotiating Brynderwen Lock

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Dinghy Dawdle

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laming June? Well it was last week-end and probably will be next week and the one after when Wimbledon gets underway. But unfortunately the dinghy dawdlers had to set off in the rain on Sunday 7th June (at least no-one suffered from heat or sun stroke). However the weather did not daunt many staunch canal enthusiasts and around 50 craft set forth from the picturesque Penllwyn Lodges complex near Garthmyl. The owners Phil and Daphne Jones officially started the event sending the dawdlers (and sprinters) paddling their way towards Newtown.

With two road crossings over the busy A483, three locks at Brynderwen, Byles and Newhouse, and several family groups of aggressive swans to negotiate the dawdlers were helped and cheered on their way by volunteers from the Friends and SUCS. Our thanks and admiration go to both organisations, Terry Wain in particular, and British Waterways staff, for another well organised well attended event.

And just in case you are still confused as to the nature of the event the two verses opposite, by Freda Davies from the Friends of the Montgomery Canal, might just help.

And finally ….

The views along this section of the Montgomery Canal over to the River Severn are stunning and well worth a second or third visit. So a few questions to the planners, movers and shakers: Why are you not capitalising on this asset? Why don’t you help to restore such a fantastic tourist attraction? Why not commit to the full restoration of the canal? The volunteers are doing a great job but where are the professionals, town planners and officials? I know the country is in a deep recession – but think of the money the tourists will bring to the area. An expensive restoration project but so achievable and so economically viable.

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The Branch Committee President

Vice-Chairman

Michael Limbrey, Greenfields, Weston Lane, Oswestry SY11 2BD 01691 654081 email michael@limbrey.net David Aylwin, Wyndcliff, Pen y Garreg Lane, Pant, Oswestry SY10 8JS 01691 830403 email shrewsandnwales@waterways.org.uk Position vacant

Region Chairman

Alan Platt, Argoed, Pen y Cefn Road, Caerwys, Flintshire CH7 5BH

Chairman

01352 720649 Secretary

email alanplatt@hotmail.co.uk]

Position vacant

Treasurer

Denis Farmer, 8 Kingbur Place, Moseley’s Yard Audlem CW3 0DL 01270 811157 email janden1@btinternet.com Heritage and Planning Officer Peter Brown, 34 Waterside Drive, Market Drayton TF9 1HU 01630 652567 email iwa@peter-quita.demon.co.uk Social Secretary Janet Farmer, 8 Kingbur Place, Moseley’s Yard Audlem, CW3 0DL 01270 811157 email janden1@btinternet.com Membership Secretary Dawn Aylwin, Wyndcliff, Pen y Garreg Lane, Pant, Oswestry SY10 8JS 01691 830403 email shrewsandnwales@waterways.org.uk Newsletter Editor David Aylwin, Wyndcliff, Pen y Garreg Lane, Pant, Oswestry SY10 8JS 01691 830403 email shrewsandnwales@waterways.org.uk Committee Members Gerallt Hughes (General Secretary Committee for Wales) Ty’n y Coed, Arthog, Gwynedd LL39 1YS 01341 250631 email gerallt.hughes@waterways.org.uk

Shroppie Fly Paper The Shroppie Fly Paper is the newsletter of the Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch of The Inland Waterways Association with a membership of about 390. Nationally the IWA has about 18,000 members and campaigns for the conservation, use, maintenance, restoration and development of the inland waterways. For further information contact any committee member.

Copy for the Shroppie Fly Paper is welcome in manuscript form, on disc or by email. Photographs may be in any common computer format or as prints. Please supply a stamped addressed envelope if you require photographs to be returned. ‘Letters to the Editor’ intended for publication are invited, as are comments for the Editor’s private guidance.

The Inland Waterways Association may not agree with the opinions expressed in this Branch newsletter but encourages publicity as a matter of interest. Nothing printed may be construed as official policy unless stated otherwise. The Association accepts no liability for any matter in this newsletter. Any reproduction must be acknowledged.

The Inland Waterways Association is registered as a charity No 212342.

Next Copy Date: 1st November 2009 for the Winter Edition

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Editorial

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ith government reshuffles, British Waterways restructuring and IWA reorganising it is getting difficult to keep track of who is who, so pay attention and I will explain.

The old BW Wales and Border Counties area will be replaced by North Wales and Borders which will operate from the Chester office. The Northwich office will be looking after the Peak and Pennine area. The General Manager, Julie Sharman, is to become Head of Regeneration North but we still do not know who will be responsible for regeneration in this area. The general maintenance work in our area will come under operational unit 4. Are you still with me?

The IWA Western Region, of which we were part, has gone; it is no more. The Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch together with Chester Branch is now part of the North West Region. Stoke on Trent Branch is now part of the West Midlands region. Our former branch chairman, Alan Platt, is now chairman of the new enlarged North West Region. Our vice-chairman, Michael Limbrey, has been elevated to the lofty role of branch president. The new vice-chairman was Carolyn Theobold but she has now moved to Norfolk and resigned. Please keep up!

David Aylwin (yours truly), former ne’er do well and general dogsbody is now branch chairman. Dawn Aylwin, branch secretary for the past seven years, has resigned and so….when the music stops….be very careful where you sit!

Were you part of the ‘Big Dig’ in 1969? The next edition will feature this historic event so why not send in your memories and photographs? The 40th anniversary celebrations (see pages 6 and 28) take place on 17th and 18th October and we would be delighted to see members over the weekend, particularly if you are able to help, or indeed if you were there in 1969.

The search for unusual stories with a waterways theme literally takes us across the North Sea this time. Not so much ‘narrow dog to Carcassonne’ as ‘broad beam to Bermondsey’. The son of long standing friends recently purchased a Dutch barge in Holland and his experiences are recorded on page 14. Whether it was an exciting adventure or downright recklessness is for you to decide.

As already mentioned, Alan Platt, our chairman for the past four years has moved on to greater things. On behalf of all members I would like to express thanks to Alan for his hard work for the branch and particularly the sometimes difficult Monty08 meetings.

David Aylwin Cover Picture: May Day Festival, Norbury Junction Acknowledgements: photographs by Denis Farmer, David Aylwin, Alan Platt Paul Widdecombe, Chris Keane, Waterways Images (page 19) Thank you to all who contributed articles.

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From the Steerer

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or the last few editions, my comments in ‘From the Steerer’ seem to have been full of doom and gloom, inspired mainly by the weather or the economic situation; so I am making a firm resolution to be more upbeat for this magazine.

The economy gives little cause for optimism, although there are some signs of what has been called the first green shoots of wishful thinking, indicating that possibly the worst is over.

The restoration of the Montgomery has taken strides over the last few years, the restored canal that is in water slowly inches its way towards Llanymynech, and hopefully will carry on beyond that to link up with the navigable length at Welshpool. Our friends of the Shropshire Union Canal Society are working IWA Trusty away and the WRG branch of the IWA plan two Alan Platt weeks of canal camp in July. They will also return in force in October to mount a major ‘bonfire bash’ in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Welshpool ‘Big Dig’ when volunteers descended on the town in force to show the authorities what can be done by the voluntary sector, although a replay of that famous event is difficult to envisage in these days of risk assessments and Health and Safety.

Anniversary celebrations are being considered, but are not yet planned in detail.

Trustee

The Shrewsbury and Newport Canals Trust have obtained a lease from an enlightened council on the historic warehouse at Wappenshall Junction near Telford. They have great plans to restore and refurbish the buildings and the adjacent canal basin; a project I had a chance to visit at a recent Northern Canals Conference held there.

Nearer to home, well mine anyway, the summer will see the final decision of the adjudicators as to whether the application for the granting of World Heritage status to the Pontcysyllte area of the Llangollen canal has been successful. This would indeed be a major triumph both for the region and the canal system as a whole.

We are also supposed to be cheered up by the recent announcement of the new 20/20 vision for British Waterways, although there is a tendency for my natural cynicism to assert itself in this instance. There are two sides to the proposal.

BW have announced their intention of taking themselves into the ‘Third Sector’ over the next decade; for the uninitiated this falls between the Public and the

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Private sectors, a territory previously inhabited by charities and bodies such as the National Trust, a role model BW is thought to aspire to. They seem to think this can be achieved by getting a firm commitment from the Treasury of fixed funding as against the variable year on year funding via DEFRA they currently enjoy. I am not the only one who thinks this may be wishful thinking, and the legal and political framework that this new entity will be clothed in remains unspecified.

Also somewhat undefined at the time of writing is their proposed new structure.

The aim of this is to achieve cost savings to reduce the shortfall of £30m a year they currently have on maintaining the system in a fit and serviceable state. This inevitably means redundancies, but BW are hoping to leave the operational maintenance staff at current levels and make savings on certain sectors such as property management, moorings etc by centralising these functions. The old regions are to be replaced by 11 operational areas, concerned with maintenance and waterway management, but not with such issues as restoration, moorings and estates. In our area the old ‘Wales and Border Counties’ area based at Northwich will be replaced by a ‘North Wales and Borders’ area based at Chester and covering the Shropshire Union, Llangollen and Montgomery Canals, and the Weaver. The exact areas and further details are to be discussed at open consultations, details to be on BW’s website, to which all interested persons are invited. Changeover is planned for October.

If all this sounds a little vague, that is because it is. Details and names to go against these positions are not known at present, and there are more questions than answers; what is certain is that there are major changes ahead.

There are also changes on our domestic front; after more than 4 years as Branch Chairman it was nearly time for me to go anyway, to allow a new style of chairman and also to permit our esteemed editor to have a new set of photos to put rude captions to at the top of this piece. As we started the process of joining ourselves to the new North West Region, it became apparent that their existing chairman wanted to resign and someone thought I could take over.

Again either vanity or poor reflexes meant I didn’t duck fast enough, and so I got the job. With this new role to play, and the Trustee position that goes with it, being Branch Chairman as well is impossible and so I will shortly be handing over. The new chairman is at the moment unknown but arms are being twisted even as I write. (Guess who got the Job! Ed) Which leaves me with a big thank you to say to everyone who has helped make the last four years or so a pleasure. I hope we have achieved something, and if so, it is thanks to the committee and other helpers. The role of a chairman is to delegate all the hard work if possible. Anyway I have no intention of straying too far away.

Alan Platt

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Our New President

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t the Branch AGM in April it was unanimously decided to appoint Michael Limbrey to be the first President of the Branch. It could not have been a better choice. For him the canals and the waterways in general have been a lifetime interest.

He came to this area to join a firm of solicitors in Shrewsbury in 1970 after a law degree at Birmingham University and finishing his legal training in London. From that date Michael Limbrey MBE onwards, despite a busy work schedule as a practicing solicitor and the demands on a father of a growing family, he has made the time to play an active part in the voluntary organisations dedicated to the restoration and conservation of the waterways in this area.

The role of the IWA in the change from the dereliction of the waterways in the 1950s to the thriving network we have today has been well publicised. Our Branch was formed in 1975 and Michael was its first secretary. He is the only founder member still actively serving on the Committee 34 years later. During that time he has always occupied one office or another, chairman, vice chairman, sales officer, press officer or secretary, doing whatever was needed of him. His enthusiasm has inspired others to help. More widely he has represented the Branch at most of the IWA's national festivals and AGMs. Apart from the IWA Michael is a founder member of the Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust which was formed more than 30 years ago to coordinate the work of voluntary groups, local authorities, wild life organisations and others with an interest in the restoration of the Montgomery Canal. He became chairman in the absence of another willing candidate after the death of the previous chairman around 10 years ago. Since then he has used his skills to help balance the widely divergent views that arise from the differing interests in the canal. He also initiated and worked to create the "Friends of the Montgomery Canal" as a membership branch of the Trust that represents and informs the local communities about matters relating to the Canal.

Apart from the voluntary organisations with which he has been actively involved he contributes in many other ways. For example he has spoken about canals

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to groups locally and further afield. He is also a waterways contact for the Shropshire press and can often be heard on the regions radio stations, he attends meetings and liaises with many other groups such as SUCS and WRG. Those are the bare facts. Many of you will know him as the person who is nearly always there, cheerfully welcoming them at events, full of ideas at meetings and pressing for progress wherever it can be achieved.

His dedication was recognised nationally with the award of the MBE in 2003.

Without his contribution the waterways in this area, particularly the Montgomery Canal, would not be as they are today. And it is ongoing. In these times of financial crisis when BW are forced to reorganise and cut back on all their operations, particularly restoration work, his expertise and ability will be one of the keys to future progress.

Denis Farmer

Membership

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e extend a warm welcome to the following members who have joined the branch between March and May 09: Mr Browne from Newport, Mr & Mrs Chapman from Trelawnyd, Mr Crawford from Penybontfawr, Mr Dibble from Pant, Mrs Evans from Pwllheli, Mr & Mrs Fitch from Y Felinheli, Mr & Mrs Haig from Woore, Mr & Mrs Howard from Penysarn, Mrs Jeffries from Lockerbie, Mr O’Brien from Bala, Mr Purvis from Ripon, Mr Smalley from Lyneal, Mr & Mrs Stratton from Llanfair Caereinion and The Iron Bridge Scenic River Cruisers.

It is good to see new people interested in the waterways. Some of you have already joined us at local events and helped out on the branch stall and with the WOW children’s activities. If any of our other members would like to take an active role why not join us at one of the events advertised in this magazine? It’s an enjoyable way to spend a few hours and we look forward to meeting you.

So far this year we have positive proof that some of you read the Shroppie Fly Paper because we have had a great response to some of the adverts and requests for help. Several branch members turned up early on a damp morning at Welshpool to support the Friends of the Montgomery Canal with their litter pick. Your help was very much appreciated, so thank you. The Manchester Ship Canal Cruise has also generated a lot of interest with a flurry of last minute bookings just before the deadline, so I hope we all have a fantastic day out as promised.

Dawn Aylwin

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A trip on the Shropshire Union, 1894

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udolph de Salis accompanied his cousin, Henry, on the latter’s boat DRAGONFLY on a month’s cruise on the English canals in the summer of 1894. From 30th May until 4th June they were on the Shropshire Union system — 134 miles in just over four days. Henry de Salis went on to compile ‘Bradshaw’s Canals & Navigable Rivers’, based in part on this and other trips.

Rudolph, a director of the Grand Junction Canal Company, prepared a note for private circulation. The following extract has many points of particular interest, including how the Newtown line was regarded as the principal branch, the main surviving traffics, and the way that tugs were used between Tyrley and Autherley.

“From Barnton we ran to Middlewich, where a branch of the Shropshire Union Canal connects the Trent and Mersey Canal with the main line of the former at Barbridge. Crossing the main line we entered, at Hurleston, the Ellesmere branch, which terminates at Newtown, and also branches off to Llantisilio, our destination. This branch passes through a most picturesque country. The rich, undulating, grazing lands of Cheshire are succeeded by the fir woods and lonely tarns of Ellesmere; then, as the Welsh mountains are approached, the country grows more hilly; the canal touches Ruabon — from which, however, it draws but little trade — Llangollen, with its stone quarries high up on the mountain sides, and crosses on the way two magnificent aqueducts, at Chirk and Pontcysyllte. The former of these is carried on stone piers and arches, the latter on stone piers and iron arches; both compare favourably with the modern railway viaducts alongside, and are fine examples of early canal enterprise. At Llantisilio the Canal receives a beautiful natural supply of water from Lake Bala.

This arm of the Canal is in excellent order; its water supply is so pure that but little silt can be deposited. The principal trade on it is road stone from Llangollen, carried by the Company in 20-ton boats.

“Returning from Llantisilio to Hurleston, we turned up the main line for Birmingham. I was much struck with the bold design of this canal, which is carried in almost a straight line from point to point. It forms a through route, connecting Wolverhampton and Birmingham with Chester, and with Liverpool, via Ellesmere Port and the Mersey; and, excepting that its locks are narrow, is well suited for carrying a heavy trade. It is the property of the Shropshire Union Railway and Canal Company, and the principal trade on it appears to be iron, raw and manufactured, from the Midlands, and return cargoes of grain. This is carried almost entirely in the Company’s boats. The traction employed is horse-power, excepting on the section of the Canal between Tyrley top lock and Autherley. From Tyrley top lock to Wheaton Aston there is a seventeen-mile pound, then one lock, then a seven-mile pound to Autherley; between these points two tugs ply, one running each way daily, and taking the Company’s boats in train. The Company have stables at Tyrley top lock and Autherley.

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“At Autherley the Shropshire Union Canal connects with the Stafford and Worcester Canal, by means of a stop lock. A half-mile length of the latter connects the former with the Birmingham Canal Navigations. It is needless to dwell on the inconvenience to trade caused by this short link in a great through route.”

Peter Brown

Tugboat Ted

S

ometimes we bears overhear conversations the humans have with people from other countries. It makes us realise how lucky we are to have our canals and even our climate! A man who had lived in Cape Town, which we understand to be very beautiful, said how much he would rather be here. He especially enjoyed the mornings and evenings and the changing seasons. He made all the crew on LEO think.

The chat reminded us of some of the things we had enjoyed en route. Even though Ethelted and myself are not from deepest Peru, we have gathered a fair knowledge of wildlife and the flowers near canals. Our trip to Norbury at the beginning of May was a joy with bluebells,primroses and cowslips – particularly at Adderley Bottom Lock. Herons were in abundance and we followed one though Grubstreet Cutting for what seemed miles – he even found time to fish while we caught up with him in his flight from side to side. Together with the sunshine through the new foliage, the scene was quite magical. This was our first trip since the move to Audlem and we all needed reminding of the pleasures of boating.

The Rally at Norbury had been fun and although LEO was the only committee member’s boat attending this time there was help on both days making the occasion more enjoyable. Although a quieter event than in the past, there was quite a lot going on and people came. We felt that the biting wind on Sunday probably discouraged some but we came away remembering some enjoyable moments with the sand game. It had been an opportunity to lighten the load of “treasure” sorted from the recent house move - a relief! There seems to be a mood of “clearance” after the big sort out. We overheard comments such as “Do we really need three duvets” and “wouldn’t this make a dog blanket for the game”? LEO does feel a bit lighter!

There are always supplies on the boat to keep everyone fed but humans also enjoy using the local pubs. Leaving Norbury on Sunday evening, they decided to explore the Wharf Inn at Shebdon Bank. Perhaps Sunday evening was a tall order, whatever, in spite of numerous notices advertising meals there wasn’t a soul in sight. There were several boats moored with us who we felt sure would have been glad to visit. The next experience was equally disheartening and

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more difficult to understand. We had managed to push ahead to avoid a stoppage at Baddiley next day and found ourselves with time to visit the Swan at Marbury. In all our travelling up and down the Llangollen the time had never been right before so it was looked forward to. It’s a pleasant enough walk and the pub was nicely furbished. However, the humans returned to the boat disgruntled. An hour was too long to wait for a sandwich from the board. The excuses given were that they needed to serve the walkers who came in half an hour after and they had a very busy weekend ahead; it was Wednesday! What a shame, these apologies didn’t improve the flavour of the food and eating on LEO seemed a favoured option for the time being. We are all conscious of pub closures in the present climate and we felt sad that this should happen.

On a cheerful, even jubilant note, we are still basking in our success at the regional skittles match (see last issue) and carry the trophy aboard LEO for all to see. Do call and admire if you see us out and about.

Here’s to a good summer’s boating be it in canoes, dinghies or narrowboats and general enjoyment of the canals for everyone.

Tugboat Ted

Song Carriers

T

he social evening which followed the Branch Annual General Meeting was a great success. Barry Skinner and Anne Henry who call themselves ‘Song Carriers’ entertained those members who were brave enough to venture forth on a dark March evening and sit through an AGM (which can’t be many people’s favourite evening entertainment). The audience was even boosted by non-members who turned up just to hear the mixture of amusing and contemporary canal orientated folk songs. In fact we just managed to squeeze into the back room at the Narrow Boat Inn. If word gets out that our AGM and social evenings are well worth attending we will have to find a larger venue.

Barry Skinner and Anne Henry

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IWA SHREWSBURY DISTRICT & NORTH WALES BRANCH and SHROPSHIRE UNION CANAL SOCIETY ANNUAL DINNER At the Tern Hill Hall Hotel near Market Drayton On Saturday 21st November 2009 at 7.00 for 7.30pm SPEAKER (to be announced) MENU Chef’s own cream of mushroom soup Chilled melon and seasonal fruit cocktail ..............................................................

Braised beef in a rich red wine sauce Roast turkey served with traditional accompaniments Medley of fresh market fish with white wine & dill cream sauce Caramelised leek tart topped with grilled goats cheese ..............................................................

Pavlova nest with Chantilly cream and fresh fruit Bramley apple pie with custard or fresh cream Selection of ice creams Trio of farmhouse cheeses and savoury biscuits ..............................................................

Fresh filtered coffee and chocolate mints The cost is £17 per person and members should reserve places by early November stating choice of starter, main and dessert course. When ordering please enclose a SAE. Cheques should be made payable to ‘The Inland Waterways Association’ and sent to Janet Farmer 8 Kingbur Place, Moseley’s Yard, Audlem CW3 0DL. Telephone 01270 811157 Apologies for the slight increase in cost again but we hope the menu and occasion will compensate.

Please contact the Hotel on 01630 638310 if you wish to stay the night: Double rooms £80 and singles £45.

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“If you don’t mind me asking....”

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o the towpath talk invariably begins. I expect that I hear it more than most, having chosen a hundred year old Dutch Katwijker, which at almost 75 feet by 14 feet looks to defy geometry. (Yes she does fit into the locks is the answer to one question, which I have yet to think of an amusing answer to.) The problem is not that I mind, as much as where to begin. "How much did it cost?"

I dread to think... "What made you want to get a boat?" Who knows?

I suppose it started with leaving London. A job came up in Leighton Buzzard out in the Shires and I fancied a change of pace. I was quickly drawn to the idea of owning a barge as the Grand Union canal brought back memories of wandering around the abandoned docks and wharves in Bermondsey where I had worked some years before. Internet searches led me to narrowboats, then widebeams, then Dutch Barges. I discovered that there are companies that import these vessels from the continent. If they are doing it, then why shouldn’t I, went my reasoning. Fill up with diesel, hire a skipper, save a fortune. With that, I was onto www.livingonwater.nl, run by a highly charismatic Dutchman, Maurits Horst, who arranged for a number of viewings over in Amsterdam.

Having looked at various boats here and there, we were taken out on a speedboat tour of the city. Almost as an afterthought, we went to see DE LACHENDE MOOR. She was a lot cheaper than the others at 45k Euros. We went over to have a look and immediately the vast size and elegant lines struck a chord. It was a particularly bohemian affair inside, having been used as an artist’s DE LACHENDE MOOR studio home. Some of the basics were there; water pump, petrol generator. This led to three further fairly anxiety filled working holidays over in the North Western town of Zaandam, having her dragged out, surveyed, plated, anoded and painted. The final shipyard’s

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"rekening" included a new prop shaft and rudder bearings but fortunately the cost was mostly swallowed by the vendor.

On the final visit, I stayed with Maurits's oldest friend Andre known as "Steen" (stone - from his days as a jeweller) Steen had lived on a barge for most of his life and could bring me up to speed in no time. He had a mooring on the Amstel, where he lived with his partner Els and their kids. I was made to feel very welcome in a very short time. The two best friends were polar opposites.

Maurits was a never-ending blur of nervous energy, always dashing from one place to another, whether it be his flat in the trendy Niewekerk area of the city or his office in Laagte Kadijk, whilst Steen could not be more relaxed.

"Tomorrow, I go to do a suicide" Maurits would exasperatedly claim. "Here's a knife. Do it now, so that we all get some peace and quiet" - was Steens reply.

Having escaped from the ordeal of making the biggest purchase of my life so far, in a foreign land, Steen and I set forth to begin a voyage through the inland waterways, down towards Belgium, where the crossing would be easiest. I later found out that I could equally have sailed directly out of Amsterdam which would have taken just 24 hours, but the four days cruising gave me a real feel for the boat and its origins, which I wouldn’t have missed, sailing through fog and even at night on one occasion; watching enormous vessels glide past in the dark mist was truly magic.

On arrival at Niewpoort Belgium, I had booked an English pilot skipper and a friend to bring me across the North Sea and into the Thames. The insurance company required that sea crossings be in flat sea conditions with the wind at force 4 or below, forecast and actual. Unfortunately, the forecast was for 5-6 and so the plan was cancelled. I locked the boat up, waved goodbye to Steen and boarded a train for Oostende, where I was told I could board a ferry home.

Unfortunately, there was no passenger terminal to be found there any more and so I managed to get a last train back to the boat to sleep. Over the next couple of days, I had the weekend to mooch around chandlery shops and boatyards and prepare her for the epic voyage. My credit cards had not been totally exhausted by this point and so I splashed out on GPS, VHF radio, charts, distress flares, lifejackets, etc. It was only on the Saturday night that a crazy idea dawned on me. Why not just give it a go? I was so excited that I could hardly sleep and when I did, it was such a deep sleep that I missed the early tide. Even so, I decided to head into the sea lock and have a go on my own.

The forecast had been force 1-2 and it was indeed very calm, but being October, was cold enough not to be foggy. Unfortunately, leaving at four o'clock meant that it was dark for much of the journey, although the clear air and the full moon gave surprisingly good visibility.

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I was quite alert during the crossing, being aware that I was in the busiest shipping lane in the world. I was armed with just a few snippets of information, with which to figure out the best way forward. A little red port left in the bottle, give way to starboard, pass port to port and cross the separation zones at 90 degrees, quick as you can. In the end, I crossed the shipping lanes without any close encounters. However, shortly after, I gradually began to observe a block of lights which grew over the next half hour to become the size of a small town.

Aware that I should best pass port to port, I changed heading to go north, but I felt like such a blip that it didn’t seem to make any difference. I stopped and waited for a while and it seemed as if she would pass on my starboard side. I tried hailing them on the VHF, but they either weren’t listening or didn’t hear, so I eventually resumed my original course. She then turned hard to starboard, right across my path, either into Calais, or Dunkerque, in what seemed to be both slow motion and fast forward at the same time. Although there was probably 500 metres between, the sheer size and the uncertainty got my blood pumping. I finally began to near my destination of Broadstairs, where a Dutch sailor had told me it may be possible to moor up. Having finally got to grips with the GPS, I compared my position with the charts and the compass heading corresponded with a flashing light. I grew increasingly nervous as I neared the shore and rocks became visible, realising that the danger was not so much the sea as the land. I came to the realisation that I was probably heading towards a lighthouse and so got on the VHF and asked the coastguard, to advise suitable berthing for a 23m Dutch barge. I did detect a certain element of surprise in his voice as he directed me to Ramsgate. Luckily there was a ferry heading in there for me to follow, a la Del Boy Trotter...

The next day saw me up to pop round the corner. "Don’t go out today" said the tattooed harbourmaster. "I worked the lifeboats for 16 years and I wouldn’t".

Only a short hop round the corner into the estuary, I thought. Emboldened by the previous night’s adventure, I recklessly headed out into what became a force 6 North Sea swell, coming down from the North. The waves were bigger than me and I was convinced that she was going to break up; I could see the bow flexing by a foot or more. A bit of Divine intervention got me through, after promising to be a good boy from now on. A welcoming committee was planned to wave me through Tower Bridge. Unfortunately a ‘fathers for justice’ guy dressed as Spiderman held up the traffic, so I arrived there before they did. It was getting late and so I made an attempt at mooring up, but the tide was at full rip, making it almost impossible. By this time, the fire brigade had come out, to tell me to put out the celebratory flaming diesel braziers which I had improvised.

The Police also came out and then the Harbourmaster who helped me to moor her near Butlers Wharf, back in Bermondsey. I had a great time there, where I met my girlfriend Sara, but now we're back on the move again.

Paul Widdecombe

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Cut on the cut?

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e are all on tenterhooks. Will they, won’t they? Earlier this year the Government were consulting on imposing drink driving rules on canal boaters, to be policed by “a new army of 'marine officials'”, said the Daily Mail.

Cynics may say that “consultation” means “foregone conclusion”, but you and I would not think that, would we?

What do we think about the risk to life and property from drunken boaters charging recklessly down the cut? Do we agree that the risk only comes with boats over 23 feet? As part of their inheritance from an easier age our waterways are much less regulated than highways. Roads are decorated with notices warning, commanding and advertising, humps to slow, cameras to catch. In some areas a driver can feel that so much concentration is needed for road signs, bumps, speed-limits and cameras that there is little time to watch for pedestrians, cyclists and other cars. Soon the speed of our cars will be controlled and the journeys we take mapped and charged for.

Should boaters escape all this? Already we have speed limit signs on the Montgomery, and safety notices on locks. Could a sat-nav be adapted to control the speed of a boat? Only the speed bumps will be missing! Following the ban on motorists using mobile phones, Sky News recently reported that listening to live football matches whilst driving can be dangerous. So should boaters be banned from this too?

A local council recently proposed a by-law that all dogs should be on the lead in its area. How do you, as a visitor to that area, know what the local by-laws are?

More notices?

Are we moving from a world where you can do anything that is not forbidden, to a world where you cannot do anything unless it is allowed? Even if we are far from that and George Orwell was miles out in his vision of the future, there is a problem, and it is not limited to our waterways. If there are so many laws that they are not all enforced, do we boaters, anglers, cyclists, motorists and dogwalkers then think there are laws that can be ignored? And if one law can be ignored, and another cannot, which is which?

So next time you go out on your boat, remember that you could face by-laws from British Waterways, and the local council, as well as national regulations, and these could be different in Wales and England! Watch out too for the 'army of marine officials' who think you may be drinking, or listening to the football! And you thought boating was “get-away-from-it-all”!

Michael Limbrey

PS: Of course some people just think that laws are made to keep lawyers busy!

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Montgomery Canal Forum

A

n audience of about 30 took part in a stimulating meeting of the Montgomery Canal Forum in Welshpool on June 1st which discussed the way forward for restoration of the canal, and whether this should be with the emphasis on preserving the authenticity of the canal as it was when a working canal or on developing a customer friendly waterway for the visitor, whether they be by foot, bicycle or boat.

The meeting was chaired by Michael Limbrey, Chairman of the Montgomery Trust, and a panel included Tony Lewery, the well known artist and one of the stalwarts of the Saturn Trust and John Yates of English Heritage who both argued for the retention of its historical integrity when restoration took place.

Peter Birch and Stephen Lees of British Waterways argued for a more pragmatic approach where a balance of competing issues needed to be considered. They argued that the Conservation Management Strategy acknowledged that the economic aspects of the proposed regeneration had to be balanced with the historic and ecological aspects.

Much of the discussion centred round the original profile of the canal, which however was designed with horse drawn boats in mind, whereas the modern motor boat’s propeller needed a more robust canal bed. The point was also made that there was a current requirement by British Waterways for a restored canal where breaches or major repairs would not occur for some time. From the floor Alan Jervis argued for a lower cost approach where maybe it would be accepted that ongoing repair might be needed.

There was general agreement that wherever possible the built heritage should be retained, but that in some cases sympathetic improvements in mechanisms were needed, eg to make lift bridges user friendly or safer. Apart from the water channel there could also be conflicts between making a towpath accessible for all, including wheelchairs and bicycles, and preserving the spirit and look of the original towpath. The desirability of off line nature reserves in preserving the special ecology of the canal was agreed.

Last but not least the past, present and future value of the local and canal community was vital to the canal.

Alan Platt

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A Tribute to Tony Lewery

A

t the final meeting of the IWA Western Region the Titania Salver was awarded to Tony Lewery in recognition of his on-going contribution to the inland waterways.

Tony Lewery comes from Brighton and trained at the local Art College. He then travelled north and lived with Romany Tony Lewery families before ending up at accepts the award from Harry Arnold Norton Canes where he did some work for Jim Yates. This is when he became fascinated with traditional ‘folk’ art and discovered the decoration on narrow boats.

WATERWAY IMAGES

In 1965 Tony met John Stothert who had the idea of having a horse-drawn passenger boat at Norbury. Tony agreed to convert the IONA and work it for Shropshire Union Cruisers. He and his wife Mary moved to Norbury Junction, then one of the pioneering centres of pleasure narrow boat building and the hire boat industry. The majority of traditional painting and sign writing at Norbury was done by Bunny Bunford, Tony became involved in this work and practiced his growing skill in traditional decorative painting.

During this time Harry Arnold and his wife, Beryl, worked at Norbury and lived on the STAR. Tony and Mary were their next door neighbours, living on IONA. After a year Tony left and went working on a Rodeo Show for horse dealer Tom Bowdler, living in a rented cottage by the Shrewsbury & Newport Canal before returning a year later to work at Norbury for a short while.

Tony then bought the butty PRINCESS and converted it to live on before bow-hauling it up to the Bridgewater Canal. He worked a number of carrying boats for Jack Taylor and the Anderton Canal Carrying Company and repainted the fleet in Anderton colours.

Tony later moved with his growing family to a canal side cottage just north of Preston Brook Tunnel. He undertook much boat repair and decorative work at the nearby base of Peter Froud including operating the trip boat LAPWING and keeping the fleet of hotel boats looking very traditional.

His passion for and knowledge of the old working ways, the skills and decoration grew to the extent that he became the leading authority on the subject. By the

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late 60s Preston Brook had become a centre of traditional skills and enthusiasm for the rapidly disappearing carrying trade on both the narrow and wide canals.

At this time Tony started writing his first book ‘Narrow Boat Painting’ which was to become the definitive book on the subject and is still in print today.

In the early 1970s a group comprising Tony, David Wain, Harry Machin, Edward Paget Tomlinson and Harry Arnold set up the wonderful ‘tardis’ like museum in the wharf side building at Llangollen. This won the very first British Tourist Authority ‘Come to Britain Award’ – presented to David by HRH The Prince of Wales.

Tony along with Peter Froud, Harry Arnold, David Owen and Edward Paget Tomlinson conceived the idea of a small mainly volunteer operated museum which they hoped would eventually become a major museum to conserve a modest collection of boats in working condition to be based at Preston Brook. A public meeting was held in Manchester where others were persuaded to join them and so the North-Western Museum of Inland Navigation was formed, this evolved into The Boat Museum. Due to a fire at Preston Brook various sites were investigated and work started at Ellesmere Port in December 1974. Tony’s vision, wise counsel, design skills and painting expertise were all put to good use during the setting up of the Boat Museum.

He contributed significantly to early displays and later to the main display on the first floor of the Island warehouse through the decoration of FRIENDSHIP and of the sectioned cabin known as the ‘el Barlow’ case. The volunteers involved in exhibiting the artefacts and designing the museum found Tony was often their conscience when it came to a decision on what to include or leave out. Even so from time to time his passion for accuracy led to differences, but even if they did not agree he continued his support and friendship. The hull of tar boat GIFFORD donated to the museum by Edward Paget Tomlinson had been re-built by Ken Keays. Tony has been involved with re-painting GIFFORD at least three times over the last 35 years, which included the magnificent decoration both outside and within the two cabins.

In 1999, Sue Day and her crew arrived at Preston Brook to leg through the three tunnels. Tony lent them a decorated legging plank assuring them it'd be just the right length. They jammed tight between the walls in Preston Brook Tunnel, and took a saw to the plank to shorten it. They got stuck in the next tunnel. Sawed off a bit more! Passed through the 3rd tunnel OK. What had happened was that repairs to the tunnels had involved lining them with concrete, thereby narrowing the width. On returning the plank, Sue was most apologetic about having sawn parts off. Tony cheerfully responded, "At least it will fit now". In 2000, as Sue made her way horse drawn from Manchester to London, Tony joined her for the day on the Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union. They took Bonny into the Church Minshull stables for photos. This was the last horse ever to go in the

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stables before it was converted to housing. In 2002, they worked together on the production of the documentary video, "A Tanner A Night" when Sue provided 3 boat horses to tell the story of a day in the life of the stables at Wheelock.

A small group of people including Harry Arnold got together with the idea of preserving, renovating and running a Shropshire Union Fly-boat and so SYMBOL was acquired and the SYMBOL Restoration Society was formed.

Tony soon joined this group. However SYMBOL deteriorated to the extent it had to be broken up. Then with the help of BW SATURN was acquired and the group became the Shropshire Union Fly-Boat Restoration Society Limited, under their stewardship SATURN continues to demonstrate many of the skills used in such transportation.

Although many members have researched the Shropshire Union Fly-boats and raised £80,000 Tony has managed SATURN throughout her restoration. He was responsible for developing the specification and working with Malcolm Webster to ensure that SATURN was restored using the correct materials and techniques. He also managed the volunteer labour to make best use of the society membership and their skills.

Tony's work didn't finish with the restoration, he is very involved and still manages SATURN 'the boat' making sure that she is run and maintained correctly, organising all the maintenance and dockings. He is actively involved with the education programme showing SATURN as a living moving museum; Tony is also an active member of the committee and an important advisor on boating and horse boating issues.

A major ‘national’ item that should be mentioned is that Tony won the competition to design the first and probably the only set of British postage stamps featuring waterways. This was against a number of established ‘stamp design’ artists. He has also designed USA First Day Covers.

He has given a number of inspirational talks on narrow boat painting and sign writing, horse-boating and other topics to many Societies over the years. His presentations to the knowledgeable and new comer to the traditions of the canals are not just informative but a joy to listen too. His passion and skills kindled 50 or more years ago seem to be as strong today as ever, campaigning for the conservation of the unique time warp of the Montgomery canal, Taylor’s Boat Yard and the maintenance of canal side stables.

The canals today owe a considerable debt to Tony, without his convictions and skills, even more of the history and traditions of the transport system that facilitated the industrial revolution would have disappeared and been lost forever.

Brian Phillips

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The Victoria Cup

T

he Victoria Cup is awarded to an IWA member and this year the recipient, Julie Arnold, is someone who has made a tremendous impact on the canals of North Staffordshire since moving to the area ten years ago.

On joining IWA Stoke on Trent branch committee she first served as social secretary until becoming branch chairman in 2001. She was branch chairman for 5 years, and since then has continued on the committee as publicity officer and WoW co-ordinator. During the same time she was Secretary of the Caldon Canal Society, as it was then, and more recently has become chairman of, as it is now, the Caldon & Uttoxeter Canals Trust.

During her time in this area she has been instrumental in bringing about an impressive list of achievements including helping Rudyard Sailability get planning permission for a boat house building which will be fully accessible to disabled sailors. Julie gave evidence at the Public Inquiry which must have gone some way to convincing the Planning Inspector to find in Sailability's favour.

In 2002, during Julie’s chairmanship of the Stoke on Trent Branch, the branch was awarded the IWA Branch Achievement Award “for outstanding work in 2001”, in no small part down to Julie’s energy and commitment in seeing ideas and projects through. However much work she has already taken on, Julie is always able to look at new projects enthusiastically and to come up with imaginative ideas as to how they can be taken forward.

She is always ready with a new idea and always sees a positive side to any turn of events and will come up with a vision of the way forward to maximise the benefit to the waterways cause. Taking after her father, Julie never misses a photo opportunity which has significantly raised the profile of local waterways in the national waterway press. This ties in well with her role as branch publicity officer and Julie ensures that branch events do not go unnoticed in local press and radio.

Another area where Julie excels is in working in partnership with other organisations, such as with the Etruria Industrial Museum to bring about the WoW activities at the annual canal festival there, and with The Beatrice Charity, for children with a need to get afloat.

Julie has initiated and maintained a good working relationship with British Waterways employees at all levels in the hierarchy and through various

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changes in senior management. In addition to this she has developed good contacts with local councillors and senior regeneration executives and has represented the waterways for funding for waterway projects, for example the Leek Market Towns Initiative.

Another important relationship that Julie has developed is with our local MPs, and particularly with Charlotte Atkins, MP for the Staffordshire Moorlands.

Charlotte has been very supportive of the IWA and you will recall last year was the first MP to receive the IWA Parliamentarian of the Year Award, and the year before that we awarded her the Titania Salver. Julie provided much of the background information used by Charlotte in the Adjournment Debate which she secured and led last year, which resulted in numerous references to waterway issues in Staffordshire and Cheshire being mentioned in the debate.

Nationally, Julie was very much involved two years ago as one of the coordinators for the IWA’s campaign against the waterway funding cuts and she is currently on IWA Promotions and Communications Committee. Julie has also served on the Western Region committee for most of her time in the area.

During Julie’s chairmanship, in 2004 the Stoke on Trent Branch celebrated its 30th anniversary with numerous events. In this, the branch’s 35th year, it seems more than appropriate to be awarding the Victoria Cup, for its final time as a Western Region Award, to Julie Arnold for all she does, and has done over the last ten years, for the IWA Stoke on Trent Branch and the canals of North Staffordshire.

Alison Smedley

MONTGOMERY CANAL THE FIRST 50 YEARS An illustrated talk by branch historian Peter Brown Monday 9th November 2009 At the Narrow Boat Inn Whittington, near Ellesmere 8pm till 9pm

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Maesbury Canal Festival 2010 An early warning!

F

ollowing on from the success of Monty 08, the Maesbury team have all agreed (with a bit of arm twisting) to organise another canal festival over the first weekend in September 2010. We aim to maintain the profile of the Montgomery Canal to make sure the restoration is not forgotten. The ball must be kept rolling until the canal at Llanymynech and beyond is part of the national system and not just an unconnected piece of waterway.

I know we said never again but the sleepless nights, rain and mud are now a dim memory and nature has erased the evidence. The grass has grown and the orchard now looks like it should! There is just one tell-tale corner where the deep ruts caused by van wheels can still be seen beneath the grass.

It’s early days but we have already had a lot of enquiries from stall holders (old and new), trading boats and private boaters. Unfortunately we will have to limit the numbers of boats again so to avoid disappointment don’t leave it to the last minute. Application Forms will be available towards the end of this year. Just to whet your appetite the following is a glimpse of some of our plans: A Montgomery Canal 2010 Calendar (Available from August this year)

An Art/Photography Competition (To be displayed in Oswestry library prior to the festival)

Saturday Night Entertainment (Yes we have learnt from last year and you won’t have to queue in the rain for your food!)

Brain of Monty 2010 Quiz (Using the tie-breaker questions from Monty 08)

Exciting WOW Children’s Activities (We promise that the balloons on the foghorns will perish with a little help)

So to enjoy another fun weekend for the whole family book the date in your diaries now and contact David Aylwin for further information.

Maesbury Canal Festival Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th September 2010

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Lock Wind at Quoisley 1st and 2nd August

O

nce again we have planned a lock wind at Quoisley Lock on the Llangollen Canal; this time it will be during the first week-end in August. Why not join us? It’s a good way to meet new people and raise much needed funds for the branch from the sale of books and donations from much relieved first time hirers who are still reeling from their efforts of getting through Marbury Lock. And yes late Saturday afternoon is the busiest time when holiday makers have just left Wrenbury on their way to Llangollen. Many of them even offer to pay us to follow them up the canal!!

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Quoisley Lock it is down stream from Willey Moor Lock and accessible from the A49 by bridge 25 (well it was 25, but the last time we were cruising down that part of the canal we passed BW replacing the bridge numbers). The branch committee will be out in force and welcome helpers, volunteers and other boat owners to join us for the whole week-end, or for a day or just a few hours. If you come by car you have the added advantage of being able to nip off mid-day for a pub lunch at Wrenbury or the hostelry at Willey Moor.

When travelling from Whitchurch, there is convenient off road parking on the far side of the bridge on the other side of the road and BW have requested that all volunteers who arrive by car, cross the road to the tow path on the brow of the bridge where visibility is not impeded.

For more information or just to let us know you plan to join us please contact Dawn Aylwin 01691 830403

Friends of the Montgomery Canal Lock wind Disappointed that you can’t join us at Quoisley because of a prior commitment?

Well you have a second opportunity to get your winding muscles moving because the Friends of the Montgomery Canal are organising a similar event on the 22nd and 23rd August at New Marton Locks on the Llangollen Canal. For more information please contact Judy Richards 01691 831455.

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Llanymynech Discovery Day

T

he branch was there and several other local societies including the Friends of the Montgomery, SUCS, the Llimeys, and the Duchess Countess Trust. Where were you?

Put off by the weather? Or was it the ‘Road Closed at Llanymynech’ signs along the A483.

Once again the branch was asked to organise and run the popular WOW children’s activities at the annual Discovery Day at Llanymynech Heritage Centre. Normally we would pack the car the night before an event but the weather forecast was so dire we decided to wait until morning to judge for ourselves. Sunday dawned bright, calm and rain free so we opted for the lightweight but larger branch gazebo so we could run several of the activities under one roof. A big mistake!

Erecting the gazebo went smoothly enough with lots of help from other stall holders. We unloaded and parked the car then started to set up the various activities making several comments about the unreliability of weather forecasters (we still have memories of the ’89 storm which devastated our garden and local park when we were living in Brighton). But without warning the promised wind and rain suddenly swept along the path taking our gazebo with it! It was quite a struggle to get the frame back in situ, tethered and the canvas back in place but not before everything was soaking wet! Fortunately the wind died down but it continued to rain throughout the day and we ended up with our own little paddling pool inside and a waterfall pouring off the roof outside.

The few families who braved the weather thoroughly enjoyed the event and the children had a great time splashing in puddles and getting muddy. They also enjoyed making and blowing foghorns and willow whistles, pond dipping with Shropshire Wildlife Trust, fossil casting with the Geological Society, helping to make a wattle and daub house (getting even more muddy), colouring and creating paper replicas of ribbon plates, brass rubbing and last but not least collecting names on the Duck Trail.

A big thank you to all the branch volunteers who turned up to help; it gave us an opportunity to wander round the site and enjoy the other exhibits and stalls. We also sampled the delicious sausage and bacon baps, the traditional English beer from the local Stonehouse Brewery and Fox’s ice cream. The best way to spend a lunch hour and made the event very enjoyable.

A good day out. See you all next year.

Dawn Aylwin

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Melingriffith Pump, Glamorganshire Canal

T

ymawr Road is a typical estate road in the Whitchurch suburb of Cardiff. Part way along is a white-painted house much older than the others, in fact a former canal cottage — and opposite it a gaunt wooden structure which is a Wonder of the British canals.

This is the Melingriffith Pump, which used water power to raise water 12ft from the tail race of the Melingriffith tinplate works to the The Melingriffith Pump Glamorganshire Canal. The easier solution of having a gravity feed from higher up the Taff Valley was prohibited by a requirement in the Canal Company’s Act to protect the water needed to power the tinplate works.

Although many sources state that the pump dates from 1806 and was designed

by John Rennie (or by Rennie and William Jessop), it is more likely that it dates from the opening of the canal in 1795 and was designed by Watkin George, the former carpenter who had risen to be foundry manager and later partner at Crawshay’s great Cyfartha ironworks at Merthyr. Rennie and Jessop certainly inspected the pump, and Rennie went on to design something similar at Claverton on the Kennet & Avon Canal.

The undershot paddle wheel was 18ft 6in in diameter and 12ft 6in wide, with thirty blades and a solid oak axle. The 22ft long rocking beams of American oak were connected to twin pumps, each with a 2ft 8in bore and 5ft stroke. The pump was used until the 1920s, after which it lay derelict until it was restored by the local industrial archaeology society (1974–88), the main visual difference being that the new axle was made of steel. Melingriffith Pump is now isolated and unloved, but well worth visiting.

Peter Brown

[Map reference ST143800. For further information see volume 2 of Stephen Rowson & Ian Wright’s excellent The Glamorganshire &Aberdare Canals, pages 117 to 160.]

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The BIG DIG anniversary 17th - 18th October

T

he Big Dig first took place at Welshpool in 1969, when canal enthusiasts and local residents got together to clean out the canal, when it was threatened by a new road scheme. Over 300 people were involved that weekend, and it formed the starting point for a long campaign and active programme to restore and reopen the Montgomery Canal. Volunteers both from the local community and from afar have continued to play a crucial role in that restoration since.

Over the last three years the Shropshire Union Canal Society have been working to restore the old wharf just north of Crickheath, and rewater a further 400 metres of channel south of Redwith. This summer the Waterway Recovery Group are starting work on the restoration of the wharf to the south of Crickheath. Both groups have a long history of active involvement in the restoration, with many of the locks being restored by volunteer labour.

To mark the 40th anniversary of the “Big Dig”, the Waterway Recovery Group are holding their annual reunion weekend on the Montgomery on 17th and 18th October, when they expect over 100 volunteers. The main work for this weekend will be the clearance of young trees and scrub from the canal bed, between Crickheath and Waen Wen basin. The works include passing over a badger sett, so is timed to miss the sensitive breeding season.

The same weekend as the WRG reunion will also feature an extra Shropshire Union Canal Society work party at Redwith.

In Welshpool the IWA and the Friends of Montgomery Canal are planning to mark the anniversary, with a flotilla of boats to mark the fact that the first boat went through the town at the end of the Big Dig itself.

Progress on the restoration has been slower in the last year, with the completion of the last project funded by Heritage Lottery Fund and the European Interreg programme.

However, British Waterways and the Montgomery Canal Partnership continue to investigate further funding for the restoration, and have been seeking support from HLF, Advantage West Midlands and Shropshire Council for further phases of work. A major bid to Europe, for £300,000 over three years, has been submitted to Europe, to support the volunteer work, and a decision is expected in July on this application. Beyond that, options are to get the canal to Crickheath Basin (around £1,000,000), Waen Wen Basin (£4,000,000 including extending the nature reserve at Aston), or Llanymynech (£10,000,000, including the development of a new basin and destination just into Wales).

To succeed, any scheme will need to work with other businesses and tourist attractions in the area, so partnerships will continue to develop, as worked so successfully for the recent restoration works at Llanymynech Heritage Area.

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Shropshire Council are keen to extend a branch of the Shropshire Way down the canal towpath, and the towpath is also included in the developing Wat’s Dyke Trail. Links with the Cambrian Railway and other local projects will be important.

Although public finances are very difficult at present, cross border projects are particularly flavour of the political year, so we remain optimistic that progress will continue and that we will fully restore the dry section to Llanymynech. If you are interested in getting involved in the canal there are a number of groups who would love to hear from you, or feel free to call in during the reunion weekend, when we would be happy to discuss works, or offer you a pair of gloves and the opportunity to join in!

Stephen Lees, British Waterways

The BIG DIG, Welshpool 1969

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Norbury Rally 2009

I

n something of a departure from previous years, the May Day event at Norbury Junction this year was termed a boat rally, rather than a festival. To visitors the difference would have been invisible though. The Shrewsbury & Newport Canals Trust, which has gradually taken over responsibility for organising the event from IWA, decided this year to concentrate less upon the sideshows and stalls and more on recruiting new members and on promoting the restoration of the link between Shrewsbury and Newport.

To achieve this, the event was effectively split into three separate locations.

Boaters will hopefully have noticed little difference overall, as the moorings were organised by the same couple who have managed the last few years, Chris & Sharon Keane. One subtle difference for this year was that Chris quietly ticked the ‘Yes’ box on the forms with BW for trading from boats, thereby enabling various stalls and sales to be run from boats. The effect of this was twofold; firstly, there was no wasted effort in lugging everything up to the pub grounds and back – twice. And second, it made for a much more festive atmosphere along the towpath south of the actual junction, effectively enlarging the footprint of the event. This was adjudged as successful by those attending, so will hopefully be built upon for next year.

The pub hosted the remaining stallholders themselves, effectively cutting one link from the chain and simplifying administration, with no real loss to anyone.

Judging by the numbers passing through the field, that area was also a success.

The welcome return of The Cheese Boat and The Fudge Boat outside the pub completed that side of the event.

The last piece of the jigsaw was the day boat. This was, as in previous years, hired from Norbury Wharf Limited on the other side from the pub. It ran all day on both Saturday and Sunday with a steady stream of trippers. The Trust set out their stall alongside the departure point, within the Norbury Wharf grounds, providing both a focal point for trippers and a good display of the current work of the Trust. So popular was the trip boat with visitors that Simon Jenkins, the owner of Norbury Wharf, generously donated the use of a second day boat on the Sunday to cope with the demand. Despite that, the voluntary donations from trippers fell a long way short of covering the cost of hiring the boat – probably a sign of the times with the credit crunch hitting everyone to some degree.

The number and mix of boats attending this year was only slightly down on last year, with 25 attending, mostly returning boaters from previous years. The ‘distance travelled’ prize went to a first-timer at the event, who had cruised down from Sheffield! The event always attracts an eclectic mix of boaters, with a number of heritage boats, some lovely working boats with under-cloth conversions and an assortment of more modern craft.

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Until there is a canal to moor on in the Shrewsbury direction, the Norbury event has probably grown as much as it can. The problem is moorings. With everything to the north of the bridge and the offside along Shelmore Bank to the south of the bridge taken up with long-term moorings, the only space left is towpath side on Shelmore Bank. Once that 340-yard stretch has been Nb ASTRA with Nb LILLIAN alongside filled – and then breasted up with a second row – the only space further south has a very shallow, shelving bank making mooring difficult and uncomfortable. Thirty boats is about as many as can fit, and that is with the whole visitor mooring stretch allocated to the festival by BW. This is a cause of some grumbling from other boats wishing to moor there who, despite the publicity, seem unaware of what has become a well-established event in the waterways calendar. Still, you will never please everyone.

The event will take place at Norbury again next May Day Bank Holiday weekend. If you want to reserve your piece of 340 yards of Staffordshire heaven, please feel free to e-mail Chris on ckeaneuk@aol.com , as he has already committed to next year. That is, of course, as long as he doesn’t break down on the way as he did this year. But that, oh my best beloved, is another story…

Chris Keane

Mike and Yvonne tow the harbourmaster’s boat to the rally OH the indignity!

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Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch Diary of Events 20th & 21st June

Welshpool Transport Festival www.welshpoolfestivaloftransport.co.uk

11th July

Manchester Ship Canal Cruise (fully booked)

1st & 2nd August

Lock Wind, Quoisley Lock Contact Dawn Aylwin

01691 830403

Ellesmere Festival Contact Paul Mills

01513 361049

Whitchurch Boat Rally Contact Mike Parsonage

01948 830837

12th & 13th September 19th & 20th September 17th & 18th October

Big Dig anniversary celebrations See page 28

9th November

‘The first 50 years of the Montgomery Canal’ A talk by Peter Brown 01630 652567

21st November

Joint IWA - SUCS Annual Dinner Contact Janet Farmer 01270 811157

December

Tree planting and dedication (date to be confirmed)

2nd January

New Year Walk at Whitchurch Contact Peter Brown

01630 652567

Annual Skittles Challenge Contact Janet Farmer

01270 811157

26th February

More details of some of these events can be found inside this newsletter.

Committee meetings are usually held at 7.30pm on the second Monday of each month at the Narrow Boat Inn (Maestermyn Marina), Whittington. Members are very welcome to join us and will not be pressured into any of our vacant jobs unwillingly. Please confirm with a committee member before attending.