Towing Path Topics September 2017

Towing Path Topics Newsletter of the Inland Waterways Association Lancashire & Cumbria Branch

September 2017

DISCLAIMER The views expressed in Towing Path Topics are not necessarily those of The Inland Waterways Association or of its North West Region or of the Lancs and Cumbria Branch. They are, however, published as being of interest to our members and readers. Nothing printed may be construed as policy or an official announcement unless so stated. The Association accepts no liability for any matter in this newsletter.

No reproduction is permitted without acknowledgment.

Cover Photograph: Er.., a yellow flower

Photograph acknowledgements: Page 11 LCRP Page 13 Wendy Humphreys Page 20 John Hewerdine Page 28 Frank Sanderson All others by the editor

The editor retains the right to edit any article or letter submitted for publication.

Editor: David Faulkner 22 Moorland Road, Langho, Blackburn BB6 8EX Tel. 01254 249265 Email david.faulkner@waterways.org.uk

Copy date for next edition 12th December 2017 2

Contents 5

Report from the Branch Chairman

8

Report from the Region Chairman

10

Lancaster Canal Regeneration Partnership news

12

Branch trip to the Anderton Lift

15

Balsam bashing

17

Branch walk on the Northern Reaches

18

L&LCS birthday celebration

19

Smith/Smith wedding

20

Historic Structures review

22

Ulverston Canal

26

Proposed TV programme

28

Old Lanky Boaters at Tewitfield locks

30

Branch committee

26&32 Branch social meetings

Forthcoming dates 19 Sept 20 Sept 23 Sept 28 Sept 30 Sept 26 Oct 30 Nov 14 Dec

Meeting re Lancaster Canal Bicentenary M’side & Chester Branch anniversary meal Branch walk on Lancaster Canal Northern Reaches Branch social meeting at Wheelton, first of the season IWA National AGM, Langley Mill, Nottingham Branch social meeting at Wheelton Branch social meeting at Wheelton Christmas Social at Wheelton

Details of the above events are elsewhere in this edition.

3

Editorial Welcome to our September edition. We try to publish in this month to give you details of our winter social programme although Wendy was so organised this year that the dates were in our May edition.

Quite an achievement given all she does as branch chairman. If you have any ideas for future speakers please let her know.

Our new Region Chairman tells us something about himself and his excellent credentials for the post. I suspect that he will shake us up a bit and his political experience will be extremely useful. He is in my good books; he sent his report well before my copy deadline.

I have managed to get out onto the towpath a bit this year, mainly on the Lancaster Canal as I try to walk most of it before the bicentenary in 2019. I am ashamed to say that until this year I had never seen the Ribble Link (don’t tell the Region Chairman). I managed to get to the Ulverston Canal which proved an interesting trip, helped by choosing a sunny day (remember them?).

Talking of trips we had a good one to the Anderton Lift. Again I am ashamed to say it was my first visit since it had been restored.

Years ago I had gone up and down it during a canal holiday and also saw it in that very sad state with all the top gears removed before it was restored. It is certainly a good visitor attraction now; I liked the visitor centre. Any suggestions for future branch outings would be very welcome. We did think about the Falkirk Wheel and/or the Kelpies but it would mean an overnight stay.

It is a year for more anniversaries. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal Society is 20 (is that all, I thought) and their exhibition boat ‘Kennet’ is 70. The Canal and River Trust was 5 years old in July. If they had a party I wasn’t invited, unlike the L&LCS (see page 18). The Merseyside and Chester Branch of the IWA is celebrating 30 years, I’m not sure how old we are but with boundary changes it is not always easy to say.

4

In her report as branch chairman Wendy refers to the committee looking at planning applications. Most do not give us cause for concern but a recent one proposing a new marina in Burnley had us a bit worried about the knowledge of the architects. Toe path?!

Plus illustrations showing yachts under full sail in the marina basin – interesting.

I will finish with my usual plea – please send me any news, photographs, comments, moans, groans, plaudits; email is best if you have it. Oh, if you can identify any of the flowers let me know.

David Faulkner

Members new to our branch Welcome to the following people who have recently joined the IWA or transferred to our branch.

Miss B Bowcott, Preston Mr M Endersby, Stranraer Mrs J Groombridge, Dundee Mr R Courtney, Blackburn Mr P Weaver, Ormskirk

If you have joined recently you will be included in our next edition. If you joined months ago and you haven’t seen your name in print please contact the editor - something has gone wrong.

Branch Chairman’s report As I write it feels like the summer is nearly over and autumn is approaching fast, some of the trees in my garden have started to shed their leaves, probably fooled by the weather. We didn’t really have much of a summer, some sunshine and plenty of rain to fill up the canals. I hope you all made the most of what sunshine we had and managed to spend some time enjoying the waterways.

5

Your committee kept busy during the months since I last reported.

We had two Balsam Bashes, one with Lancaster Canal Trust and one with Friends of Haslam Park, there is more about them in this magazine.

We also had a very successful trip on the Anderton Boat Lift, again this is reported in the magazine but I would like to say how pleased I was with the day. My thanks to everyone who came and if anyone has any ideas for other trips please let me know.

We also had a branch stand for 2 days at Country Fest at the Westmorland Show Ground in early June that was a really good event. We were near the Lancaster Canal Trust stand and we attracted lots of interest. And we were lucky with the weather.

Unfortunately we didn’t get to the Holme Howler this year; we just didn’t have enough people to run the stand. We had been looking forward to going but maybe next year.

Our final outing for the branch stand is the Botany Bay Festival on the 27th and 28th August, we will be there with sales items, activities for the children and information on the canals and membership of the IWA. This year we will also be selling IWA Restoration Raffle tickets on the stand, all to help IWA with restoration projects.

Looking a bit further ahead the branch has made an application to hold the 2019 National Trail Boat Festival on the Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal in conjunction with Country Fest at the Westmorland Show Ground. 2019 is an important year for the Lancaster Canal, it will be 200 years since it opened and if we are successful in our bid the Trail Boat Festival will be one of the highlights of the year. We hope to find out if can hold it later on this year.

On September 23rd we will be having a walk along the Lancaster Canal and a trip on Waterwitch, the Lancaster Canal Trusts trip boat; I hope you will be able to come to that.

6

As well as all those fun things the branch committee has continued to meet every two months to carry out the business of the branch.

At our last meeting we were joined by our new Region Chairman, Sir Robert Atkins who made a useful contribution to the meeting and has some good ideas for the future.

Branch committee members also attended other meetings, we go to regional meetings with Canal and River Trust; I attend the Lancaster Canal Restoration Partnership meetings and Lancaster Canal Trust meetings where I represent the branch and the IWA. We have also looked at planning applications which impact on the canals in our area.

I couldn’t finish my report without giving my thanks to all the committee members who give up their time to help run the branch, without them my job would be impossible.

I would also like to thank all the members and volunteers who have turned up at events to help, it is much appreciated and makes running events possible.

Starting in September we have a full programme of Social meetings planned, and I hope as many of you as possible will be able to attend. We have interesting speakers, a raffle, an opportunity to find out what is happening with the branch and IWA and time to catch up socially. Please try to come along.

And if it’s not too early to talk about Christmas we are planning to have a Christmas Social and meal on Thursday the 14th of December, last year’s was well attended, a lovely meal and a fun event, put the date in your diaries.

Wendy Humphreys (Wendy mentions our stand at Country Fest; on the Sunday Celia Briar and her arts and crafts group had a stand next to ours. She very kindly gave the donations she received to us for branch funds, thanks again Celia. Ed) 7

Region Chairman’s Report I have now been in post as North West Chairman since the end of April and had cleared the diary for meetings, discussions and visits throughout the region when the wholly unexpected happened - a General Election.

You will understand that my former political connections required my involvement, not least in the constituency of Louth & Horncastle where my daughter, Victoria, was seeking re-election (successfully). But that has passed (I think!) for the time being and I can concentrate on waterways.

A little about me: I have been fascinated by narrowboats and canals since the late 1960’s, using then a 72ft former Ovaltine workboat called “Almighty” with friends. I became a Lancashire MP in 1979 and eventually became Minister for the Waterways at DOE in 1994.

I had also responsibility for the Erne & Shannon waterway in Northern Ireland when a Minister of State in the Province.

I lost my seat in 1997 and was an MEP for the North West from 1999-2014, acting as Transport & Inland Waterways spokesman for much of that time.

In 1999, I was invited to become President of the putative Ribble Link campaign to connect the Lancaster Canal with the national network and, after that success and the completion of the Link, decided that it was about time to acquire my own boat. Brayzel Boats at Nateby Marina - in my wife’s council ward - was approached and, in due course, “RATTY” was built and launched.

Named after the character in “Wind in the Willows”, it also happens to be my political nickname, and she has given Dulcie and me much fun and pleasure.

So I know a little about the “cut”, narrowboats and the history & management of the waterways. What I know less about are the volunteers, users and members who make such an important contribution to this much-loved resource.

8

That’s where you come in. I want to hear from you about the achievements and problems so that I can highlight them with the people who make the decisions that affect us all - whether CRT, HMG or the IWA hierarchy. I am happy to visit wherever and whenever the diary permits and there is always e-mail and the telephone. The ball, as they say, is in your court.

I attended my first National Trustees meeting in Warwickshire last month and, midst all the administrative discussions, there was an item on the future of the IWA to which I contributed. Should it be just a members’ club with social events and constructive ideaswapping? Or should it be a professional, informed lobby organisation with “supporters” rather than “members”, fighting the corner for all waterways users, not just boaters?

Thoughts?

Rt Hon Sir Robert Atkins Chairman, North West Region ratsmep@sir-robertatkins.org

01995 602225/07770 254444

Lancaster Canal Trust The Lancaster Canal Trust continues to meet every month and Wendy Humphreys attends most meetings to represent the branch.

LCT have been carrying on with works along the canal, volunteers are working most weekends, they are focussing on the area around the Hincaster Tunnel and the first furlong. They are making progress with planning for relining the first furlong.

They had a successful AGM in July that was well attended. The speakers were Bob Pointing and Tony Entwistle. Tony has been appointed by C&RT to oversee the 200th anniversary celebrations of the opening of the canal in 2019. There were some interesting questions and three new trustees were elected to the Trust.

9

LCT has had 2 Balsam Bashes, one with IWA. These were both held on the banks of the Peasey Beck and progress was made in removing a lot of the Balsam, so preventing the seeds from getting into the Lancaster Canal.

The guide to the Lancaster Canal has been reprinted and updated, copies can be ordered via the Trust’s website.

LCT has a good website and a face book page if you want to find out more up to date information about what is happening.

Lancaster Canal Regeneration Partnership

Canal & River Trust, Cumbria County Council, IWA, Kendal Town Council, Lancs County Council, Lancaster Canal Trust, Lancaster City Council and S Lakeland District Council

The following is taken from the LCRP newsletter Bringing 'The Lanky' to life LCRP have commissioned Manchester artist Oliver East to reinterpret the heritage of Lancaster Canal in his unique comic art style. Oliver has uncovered amazing stories of family life on the canal after in depth research with local historians and canal enthusiasts. Appropriately titled ‘The Lanky’, the 40-page book will delight readers with tales of the unpopular navies, skinny dipping antics, secret Sunday sails and hardy canal characters.

Oliver will be sharing ‘The Lanky’ at school workshops in Lancaster, Kendal and Holme throughout September. Pupils will learn Oliver’s ‘walking whilst drawing’ technique and have a go at interpreting the canal in their new found comic style. ‘The Lanky’ will be launched at The Lakes International Comic Festival on the 13th-15th of October.

10

Kendal to Natland Towpath Improvements Thanks to funding from South Lakeland District Council and LCRP members, LCRP are currently planning staged improvements to the towpath between Kendal and Natland in partnership with Cumbria County Council. Two small-scale improvements in Kendal, near Parkside Road and Dunmail Road, will be completed this year thanks to funding from Kendal Town Council. The major works identified include creating a chicane at Burton Road in Kendal to decrease the steep gradient and create easier access for pushchairs, wheelchairs and cyclists.

Access Strategy Update LCRP, with support from Lancaster BID and Kendal BID, have commissioned Coles and Baxter Associates to create a step-wise strategy to improve access and welcome visitors through events and participation. Proposed improvements include a marketing drive to promote Lancaster Canal by developing a Towpath Trail Brand and visitor welcome hubs. Public realm improvements and large-scale challenge events are recommended. A presentation from the author, Geraint Coles, will follow at October’s Executive Meeting when LCRP will begin to prioritise projects and plan the delivery of the strategy.

Heritage Lottery Funding Success!

The Canal & River Trust, on behalf of LCRP, has secured initial funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to develop plans to

restore and reopen the Grade II listed Stainton Aqueduct on the Lancaster Canal near Sedgwick, in Cumbria. HLF’s initial development funding award of £41,000 will enable the Canal & River Trust, together with LCRP, to develop a second stage application to be submitted in November. If successful, the bid will unlock £1.5m from HLF and match funding from additional partners to create a £2.2m project. The project will fund repairs to Stainton Aqueduct, which was badly damaged during storms Desmond and Eva in December 2015, and develop the key heritage sites at Hincaster Tunnel and Sedgwick Aqueduct to link the three listed structures.

Lancaster Canal Bicentenary 2019 The Canal and River Trust and LCRP are hosting a Bicentenary evening at Lancaster's The Storey Institute on the 19th of September from 6pm to explore celebration ideas for the Bicentenary year. To share your project ideas at the event, email lcrp.helen@outlook.com to receive invite details.

Trip to the Anderton Boat Lift On June 27th Branch members paid a group visit to the Anderton Boat Lift for a descent of the lift and a river cruise.

This is the first trip organised by the branch for some time but not our first on the boat lift. We did have a group visit there shortly after it reopened in 2002 and some of us could remember that!

19 of us arrived at the visitor centre to take part in the trip and it was good to see many members who don’t always manage to get to Branch events, to meet them and chat to them. It was also good to see members who do get the Branch events as well of course!

We had time for a look around the site and it was pleasing to see so many boats on the Trent and Mersey Canal and the River Weaver Navigation. We had the chance to look around the visitor centre that certainly wasn’t there 15 years ago. As it was lunchtime most of us sampled refreshments in the cafe.

Some of our members had memories of seeing the Boat Lift while it was out of use and were very impressed by the improvements.

12

Patiently waiting

Trip boat emerging from the RH caisson.

It wasn’t all good news though, there was a problem with the gears on one of the caissons and a very expensive part had recently arrived from Italy so there was only one caisson working with lots of activity from Canal and River Trust engineers and others who were doing the repair work.

13

The problems caused a half hour delay to our ride but I don’t think anyone was too concerned as it meant more time to watch the lift and trip boat in operation.

Once we got on the trip boat we had a really interesting and amusing talk from Ian, the CRT boat master. We went down the 50 foot decent in the lift and admired the wonderful engineering work.

We then had a cruise along the River Weaver again with a good commentary by Ian, an IWA member and boat owner with a fund of stories. We saw some interesting sights, including a sunken concrete boat, a heron and the remains of old jetties. There were also a couple of boats waiting patiently for the lift to take them up to the canal. It had been a damp day but the sun broke out for us and made the trip even better.

Plenty of room on board, we had it to ourselves once on the river.

The boat lift was built in 1875 and if you want more information about it you can look it up on the Canal and River Trust website.

We all had a very enjoyable day out and hope to have more such days.

Wendy Humphreys 14

Merseyside & Chester Branch is 30 The IWA Chester & Merseyside Branch is celebrating its 30th Anniversary this year. The Branch Committee have decided to mark this special occasion by organising an event on the recently restored Daniel Adamson which will be moored at Ellesmere Port, adjacent to the Boat Museum and would like to extend an invitation to members of other local IWA branches.

This will take place on Wednesday 20th September from 7pm onwards and a supper of Scouse with bottle of Danny Beer will be provided. The cost will be £15.00 per head. The bar will also be open. Tours of “The Danny” will take place during the evening and will be a wonderful opportunity for you to see the beautiful restoration which has taken place over the last few years.

Please let Ivor Caplan know if you wish to attend at ivor.caplan@waterways.org.uk

Himalayan Balsam Bash x 2 In early June 2017 IWA Lancs. and Cumbria branch were invited to join a Himalayan Balsam Bash in partnership with members of the Lancaster Canal Trust.

The Balsam Bash was held in the grounds of a caravan site next to Peasey Beck which is the main feeder for the Lancaster Canal.

Balsam is growing on the sides of the beck and seeds are getting onto the Lancaster Canal banks.

It was an extremely wet day; in amongst all the lovely days we had in June we just happened to pick one of the worst weather days for the bash. Anyway nothing daunted we carried on with our plans.

We met at Millness Wharf on the Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal. Maybe the weather put people off as there were not many of us there but those who were there worked really hard despite the rain.

The Balsam was growing along both sides of the beck, some of it was only small but some was very well developed. We removed the Balsam along a large stretch of one side of the beck and quite a lot

along the other side. We couldn’t reach all of the far side of the beck as for most of it there was no access except by standing in the water! So that is a job for another day with the correct safety equipment. However one of the volunteers was able to don his waders and get into a part of the beck where it was safe to do so and remove a lot of flowering Balsam.

In total we removed 8 dumpy bags of Balsam, but there is still more to remove. We must have looked a sorry sight in the wet as one of the people from the caravans offered to make us a warm drink which was very welcome.

It was hard work but fun and very worthwhile.

On 29th July volunteers from our branch and Friends of Haslam Park met to have a joint Balsam Bash. IWA and Friends of Haslam Park have been holding a Balsam Bash at Haslam Park for several years and although there is plenty of Balsam to be seen the Friends did say we are making a difference and in a lot of places the natural wild flowers and plants are starting to recover. Other Balsam Bashes held at the park by the Friends and by Canal and River Trust volunteers have also helped of course.

We met at 10am at the park and had good weather which was helpful as this summer has not been good so far. We worked near Savick Brook which leads into the canal and our hope is to reduce the number of seeds going into the canal.

There were about 12 volunteers including those from IWA and we worked hard until 2pm with a short lunch break. We were joined at the lunch break by someone from Preston Parks department who helped us in the afternoon. We left the Balsam in piles to rot after breaking off the roots and tops and we made a big difference.

We also had a chance for a chat and the event was hard work but fun as well. I hope more volunteers will join us next year when we organise more Balsam Bashes.

Wendy Humphreys 16

Himalayan Balsam – pretty, but an unwelcome alien invader. It crowds out native plants and its shallow roots lead to bank erosion when it dies back in winter. At least those shallow roots make it easy to pull up.

23rd September: Branch walk on the Northern Reaches We have arranged a walk along the Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal to be followed by a trip on the Lancaster Canal Trust trip boat Waterwitch. The walk will be about 2 hours but there are shortcuts for people who cannot manage that. We will meet at 2pm at the Crooklands Hotel and there will be a small cost of ÂŁ5 per person which you can pay on the day and that will go to the Lancaster Canal Trust.

Please let Wendy Humphreys know by 16th September if you are planning to attend, either by email or phone (07763 561572).

17

Leeds & Liverpool Canal Society celebration afternoon tea Members of the L&LCS gathered at Gargrave village hall on July 1st to celebrate the joint birthdays of the Society (20 years) and ‘Kennet’ (70 years). There were displays chronicling the past 20 years and we enjoyed a splendid afternoon tea which included loads of cake.

So much cake, scones etc that many of us went home with a ‘goody bag’ after pleas from the organisers (I’m always willing to help).

The birthday cake It was a very happy occasion, including very short speeches (always a blessing) and a splendid birthday cake. The event was well supported by people from a wide area, reflecting the nature of the Society for a canal that is 127 miles long.

David Faulkner

18

Wedding of branch members, Gillian and Richard Smith.

IWA members who attend the Chorley based meetings will have probably met Richard (Rich) Smith on more than one occasion.

Gillian Smith needs no introduction, having held many positions within different regions of the IWA and someone who has helped us organise ourselves in a large number of events in numerous places, and in so many different ways, over the years.

In this edition of Towing Path Topics, we are happy to announce the wedding of this happy couple at Walmsley Unitarian Chapel on 21st July. Gill’s father, David Smith, has been a resident of the Corn Mill Care home in Garstang for some time now and was determined to give his daughter away. On the happy day, David was there and walked Gillian down the aisle as he had planned. He was also present for the Reception at Shaw Hill Golf Club in Chorley and made a good speech after the meal. David was ably helped by grandson James throughout the proceedings and was of course accompanied by his wife Audrey. Gillian’s bridesmaid was niece Rhianon, who avoided stealing the limelight from the bride by having her hair bright purple to complement a very attractive lilac dress.

Partying continued the following day at Brewery Wharf, at the bottom of Johnson’s Hillock, on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. Our picture shows Gillian and Rich arriving at Brewery Wharf, by suitable transport (for a couple with such strong connections with our region’s waterways). Much of this second day of the wedding celebration took place outdoors by the canal. David Smith, who over the years has served his time working on many outdoor waterways events, kept an eye on the catering, which included a very tasty hog-roast.

Brides, these days, often like to keep their maiden name after they get married. This particular bride has no problem as her surname remains Smith, whether she likes it or not. As David remarked in his speech, “I won’t have any difficulty in remembering the surname of my new son-in-law!”

John Hewerdine 19

Historic Structures and Buildings Review This is part of a recent letter received from Ivor Caplan,Deputy National Chairman, can you help?

As part of the IWA’s primary objective to protect the inland waterways, Navigation Committee has been considering how we can work better with Branches to ensure that the heritage is retained and conserved. To assist with this I have been looking at major waterways heritage buildings in the West Midlands, which are at risk in various ways, primarily because they do not have either a sustainable plan or effective statutory protection.

The following examples, taken from this region, may help to explain our concerns. They are not managed as CRT assets, have no conservation plans in place to ensure their future and where they are listed this does not appear affective.

The Langley Maltings is one of the finest buildings on the BCN, it is not owned by CRT and since a major fire, is in danger of being lost.

As a listed building the local authority could take enforcement action

but are reluctant to do so and the likely success of such action is questionable.

The Tipton Gauging House is vital to an understanding of the history of commercial carrying. It was disposed of by BW to a developer and although his planning approval for the site requires some remedial work, this building is at risk unless a viable future can be found for it.

Chillington Basin, Wolverhampton is one of the best examples of a canal/ railway transhipment facility, currently in the possession of a holding company with no plans for its future. Moorings may be possible but a sustainable use for the remainder of the site is needed.

I am sure that there are similar heritage buildings or structures in other areas and the purpose of this survey is to identify and record these on a database. This will enable Navigation Committee to determine the extent of the risk to our waterways heritage and to work with branches to try to ensure that they are protected . We are well aware that finding a viable future for these buildings is not easy and even listing does not always ensure their retention. Identifying them will be an important start in demonstrating that IWA does care about protecting our heritage and will enable us to look into national and local initiatives that may help to ensure their security for the future.

Please note that we are also contacting restoration organisations so that heritage buildings or structures relevant to their projects are included in the survey and where possible considered in their plans.

There may also be significant structures or buildings related to original waterways that are neither navigable nor under restoration and it would be good to include these. Your branch may be aware of these in your area.

We have already notified Ivor of Tewitfield Locks and Horse Park bridge on the Lancaster Canal. If you can think of other buildings or structures p[lease notify Wendy Humphreys, Branch Chairman.

21

Editor’s long distance walk Can you claim to have walked the full length of a canal (and back again) in one day? Well I managed it on a hot, sunny day in July.

OK it’s only 1.3 miles long, dead straight and flat.

I refer to the Ulverston Canal which links the town of Ulverston to Morecambe Bay. Since mentioning it in the January edition I was keen to see it for myself. It’s an interesting stretch of water, very attractive at the sea end, not so much at the town end. There is a large pharmaceutical factory on one side and nearer the town they are currently building a large Premier Inn on the same side.

There is a broad track running along the opposite side, I’m not sure it was ever a towpath as the canal was designed for sea-going craft.

It is popular with walkers, especially dog walkers.

Half-way along is an unusual rolling railway bridge. Opened to rail traffic in 1883 the hydraulically powered bridge withdrew into a recess on the west (factory) side of the canal leaving a navigable channel in the centre. Rail traffic to Glaxo ceased in 1994. It is now fixed and carries a pipeline and public pedestrian walkway. It was granted listed building status in 2012. .

The sea lock and the pub

Sea lock, the bottom gates holding back the water.

Yes I did climb up to the lighthouse.

23

Flotilla on Ulverston Canal

Some pink flowers

and some blue ones ‌

“Back In Time For Tea” A TV programme to look out for - this is part of an enquiry received

by The Leeds and Liverpool Canal Society: I’m a producer from a television production company called Wall To Wall and we are making a new ‘living history’ series for BBC2 called Back In Time For Tea. Following the success of previous series Back in Time for Dinner, Back in Time for the Weekend and Back in Time for Brixton, this new programme will see a modern family have their home, clothes and diet transported back in time from 1918 right through to the Millennium. Across 5 episodes, our Bradford-based family will experience what life was like for working families in the North as they wear the clothes, eat the food and experience the lifestyle of a different era or decade each week. The focus will be on food but the series will also explore the social and economic changes of each era.

I am working on episode 4 which transports our family back to the 1970s, and I’m in the process of trying to find a canal boat which we can use as a location for some filming in late August.

Our family will be enjoying a taste of the canal boat holidays which became popular during the decade and so we are looking for a boat that is typical of the types that would have been available to hire between the early-mid 1970s, retaining as much of its original 1970s décor and appearance both inside and out.

We would like to take our family on a short trip through Bingley Five Rise Locks near Saltaire, and if possible to let them have a go at operating the boat and the locks so they will need some instruction before they set off, much the same as families of the era who were trying out canal holidays for the first time!

(Might be worth keeping an eye on BBC2 schedules to see the proposed episode 4. Ed) 25

Branch social programme 2017/18 See page 31 for venue and times.

28/9/17 Richard Trevitt was the chair of the Lancaster Canal Trust for many years and still plays an active part. He will talk to us about the Lancaster Canal and tell us all the latest news about the restoration.

26/10/17 Andrew Cummings ‘From Lancashire to Yorkshire by canal – a journey in 1958’. Andrew is an author and researcher, he has written a book with David Swidenbank and his talk will be based on this book.

30/11/17 Jonathan Smith, most of you will know of Jonathan, he is an IWA trustee and the son of Audrey Smith. He gave a very interesting talk about WRG vans at the 2016 IWA AGM and has agreed to repeat the talk for our members.

14/12/17 Christmas Social - this will be held at St Chad’s and we will have a meal and a social evening, if anyone wants to find out more please let Wendy Humphreys know. More details will be emailed out later on in the year.

18/1/18 (NB Not the 25th) Helen Morriarty, Project worker Lancaster Canal Regeneration Partnership. Helen was appointed as Project Officer for LCRP just over a year ago; she works part time but has worked wonders since her appointment. She is enthusiastic about the Lancaster Canal and will tell us all about what is happening with the Restoration Partnership.

Note this meeting will be held on Thursday 18th January not the last Thursday in the month as St Chad’s is already booked up for the last Thursday.

22/2/18 Speaker to be advised. Annual General Meeting. We haven’t got a speaker yet but we will make sure we have someone interesting and topical to talk to us after the AGM. 26

29/3/18 Malcolm and Barbara Bridge - Ampere in Ireland, or “Mummy is that a submarine?” Malcolm and Barbara are long time members of IWA and also do a lot for WRG North West. They are known to many of us and have helped at our trail boat festivals in the past. Apparently the reason for the second title will become clear during the talk!

26/4/18 Bob Pointing - Lancaster bi-centenary, events, activities and celebrations planned. Bob is the chair of the North West Partnership and has spoken to us previously; plans for the celebrating the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Lancaster Canal should be well advanced by April 2018 and Bob will keep us up to date with all the latest ideas.

IWA National AGM Aldercar High School, Langley Mill, Nottingham will be the venue for this year’s Annual General Meeting on 30th September. There will be a selection of speakers in the morning followed by the formal AGM and then lunch. The school has plenty of parking and is a short walk from Langley Mill where in the afternoon we hope to have a tour of restoration and development works achieved over the years around Great Northern Basin, the junction of the Erewash, Cromford and Nottingham Canals. An optional boat trip on the Cromford Canal may also be arranged.

This year trustees have asked that the event be live streamed or similar so that members could participate or view proceedings without having to travel to the venue.

27

Colin Ogden and The Owd Lanky Boaters have taken Tewitfield locks under their wing in co-operation with CRT. On Saturday 5th August they started clearing out lock 8 by-wash in preparation for emptying the lock and pointing and repairing the stonework; before further work can be attempted.

Ben of CRT giving the safety briefing before work started.

Some of the 14 volunteers on with the job

Ribble Link

A view of the staircase locks at the Eastern end of the Ribble Link.

A surprise to your editor

29

L&C Branch Committee 2017/18 Chairman

Wendy Humphreys Darwen

07763 561572 01254 703553

Vice chairman

Tony Dunning Egremont

07730 113894 01946 820875

Secretary & Membership Secretary

Les Fragle Thistleton, Preston

07946 702274 01995 672230

Treasurer & Newsletter Editor

David Faulkner Blackburn

07912 249265 01254 249265

Environment and Planning

Shared by Secretary and Chairman

Publicity

Audrey Smith

Sales

Janet & Tony Dunning

Social Secretary

See Chairman

Lancaster Canal Regeneration Part’ship

Audrey Smith & Wendy Humphreys

Leeds and Liverpool Canal

Audrey Smith Wheelton

Lancaster Canal Trust

Peter Jones

Region Chairman (ex officio)

Robert Atkins

Wild over Water & Web Master

Janet Dunning Egremont

01257 274440

01257 274440

01946 820875

NB Email addresses are firstname.surname@waterways.org.uk We no longer publish addresses.

If you want to write to us please use the editor’s address (p 2).

30

Venue for branch meetings St Chad’s Parish Centre, 235 Town Lane, Whittle-le-Woods, Chorley PR6 8AJ. It is behind the former Red Cat pub, easily accessible from Junction 8 of the M61 (take the first left turn for Wheelton off the A674 then first left); junction 3 of the M65 (take 2nd right turn for Wheelton off the A674 then first left) or take Town Lane from Whittle-le-Woods (From A6 turn onto Shaw Brow or School Brow, a few yards along Chorley Old Road turn right onto Town Lane, St Chad’s is about a mile on the left).

(My satnav finds it without problem, Ed) There is ample parking in the car park

31

Branch social programme 2017/18 We usually meet on the last Thursday of the month (except January, see below), at St Chad’s parish centre which has a very pleasant meeting room and a bar.

You are welcome from 7.00pm for a drink and a chat, the meetings start at 7.30pm Date

Speaker

Topic

28/9/17

Richard Trevitt

Lancaster Canal

26/10/17

Andrew Cummings

From Yorkshire to Lancashire by boat

30/11/17

Jonathan Smith

WRG Vans

14/12/17

none

Christmas Social

Now 18/1/18 Not 25/1/18

Helen Moriarty, Project worker

Lancaster Canal Regeneration Partnership

22/2/18

Speaker to be advised

Annual General Meeting

29/3/18

Malcolm and Barbara Bridge

Ampere in Ireland, or “Mummy is that a submarine?”

26/4/18

Bob Pointing

Lancaster bi centenary, events, activities and celebrations planned

32