East Yorkshire Branch
WOLDS WATERS The newsletter of the East Yorkshire Branch
AUGUST 2014
A full length narrowboat seen moored at Tickton on 2nd July with cargo of diesel. bagged coal and calor gas.
From Beverley Barge Preservation Society
Sun comes out. The Beverley Barge Preservation vessel Sun has finally emerged from the tarpaulin covering it and entered service with the Society taking groups of up to twelve people on trips on the upper River Hull / Driffield Navigation. The vessel, originally a British Waterway's mud hopper built in 1960 by Camplings of Goole, was part of the Heritage Fleet donated to Societies after withdrawal from auction in 2007. Following a period when the vessel was repaired and rebottomed but not converted, conversion work started in earnest in July 2013 when Mobile Marine Services of Alexandra Dock in Hull supplied a steel superstructure for the barge. Windows were installed the following month with steady progress made by the volunteer workforce during the following months. Donations of seating and tables were made by East Yorkshire Motor Services and Northern Rail respectively and financial support was received from Beverley Town Council and Hull and East Riding Charitable Trust. By Easter 2014 the vessel made a test trip with the Society Members who have carried out the work and the vessel entered full service in June 2014. Trips lasting about 6 hours take passengers from Beverley to Hempholme (Stuncheon Hill ) Lock on the River Hull and return.
Sun on Test Voyage 2
The Society also has its restored Humber Barge "Syntan" open to the public each Sunday during the summer from 11 am. to 3 pm. when the Society also aims to run its trip boat Mermaid. The Society is currently seeking recognition by the RYA as a training centre. Further information about the Society can be found on their website, www.syntanbarge.org.uk.
Interior Editor's Note. The Beverley Barge Preservation Society, a Registered Charity, was formed in 2001 with the express aim of repairing and converting the historic barge "Syntan" formerly owned by Hodgsons of Beverley from a burnt out and derelict condition. She attended various Waterways Festivals from 2004, and is fitted out as a Museum and Community Space entering service in 2006. A second operating vessel "Mermaid", was donated in working order to the Society in 2011 by Gardline,
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Elvington Lock (also known as Sutton Lock) The Environment Agency (EA) closed the above lock on the River Derwent (Yorkshire) in February. They are concerned about the condition of the upper guillotine gate and its supporting structure. It was hoped that an early inspection would have been carried out but unfortunately this is not the case. The delay may be for a number of reasons, one of which is that the lower wooden mitre gates are also in a very poor condition. This set of gates was installed in the early seventies, funded by the Yorkshire Derwent Trust (YDT) so they are now around forty years old, a remarkable achievement!
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Many of you will know of the court case in the eighties about the right of navigation of the upper Derwent up to Malton. For reasons I do not intend to go into here, navigation was only retained up to Stamford Bridge and the assets of the YDT were passed to the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust (YWT) This included the lower wooden gates. Since then the lock has been operable with EA controlling the top guillotine gate and with the bottom gates operated by the boaters. The IWA wishes to see navigation to Stamford Bridge re-instated urgently and is pressing the EA for an urgent meeting to discuss the situation. IWA is willing to work with any organisation in order for the lock to be reopened and to ensure its long term use. We will keep you updated in further issues of Wolds Waters and by the IWA website https://www.waterways.org.uk/
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June 2014 Meeting of the East Yorkshire Branch of the IWA On a short length of the River Hull in Beverley there are remnants of Marime history whose importance range on a far wider scale than just locally. On two sides of the river there were shipyards, one, the original yard of Henry Scarr later moved to Hessle and became Richard Dunstan's whilst the other developed into the yard of Cook Welton and Gemmell, whose products included barges and particularly trawlers and other vessels which traded around the world. Below the lifting bridge on what was originally a public staithe lie an assortment of vessels in varying condition including some which will never float again. The length finishes with Beverley Lock and the site of two further barge builders and the Dry Dock where the Hodgson fleet of barges was maintained.
The Branch Summer walk explored this length of river with the remaining features identified with discussion of the relevance of this to the local Inland Waterways.The walk starts by the slipway on the east bank, all that remains of the shipyard of Henry Scarr. This moved to Hessle early in the 20th century and the yard was taken over by Woodwards who specialised in fitting Elwe diesel engines.
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Moving up to the boundaries of the shipyards on the other side of the river is the barge Cuba. This is now largely reduced to a shell but at one time carried a caravan on its deck. Although advertised as for sale, it has basically been abandoned. The next vessel of note is the submarine replica. Built using a farm tank with a stern and conning tower built on.
Next in line is Selby Judith, being converted to a luxury liveaboard. She was built in the early 1950s for BOCM by Dunstons at Thorne. Phoenix built at the yard within last 5 years as a liveaboard. 7
Waterdeer BW was a Trent carrier converted about 40 years ago and now derelict.
Sun in final stages of conversion for Beverley Barge Preservation Society. Built for BW in 1960 as a mud hopper.
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Robert P Rishworth - built 1955 by Scarrs at Howdendyke sister to Anne M Rishworth which were latterly operated by Holgates with connections to the Beverley Boatman families. The Cook Welton and Gemmels yard specialised in the production of trawlers but also built tanker and general cargo barges The former office building is now cafe and gym. Some of the original equipment e.g. rollers, guillotine etc can be seen on the yard apron and are still used by subsequent occupiers. Grovehill Bridge replaced a ferry. The existing bridge was built in 1952 (funded and designed by Cook Welton and Gemmell) replacing a floating bridge which in turn replaced an earlier ferry. Sequona converted to a liveaboard around 30 years ago.
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Greendale is another Trent Barge built in 1932 By Warrens of New Holland as the first barge for Trent Carriers and featured in the advert for Petter Diesels (P18 Trent Nav by Mike Taylor) Middle Whitton - Originally the Middle Whitton light vessel on the Humber and a sister to the Audrey converted by the Goole Museum and subsequently sold. Madelaine (Miss Madelaine) - there is some dispute about whether this is the Earl's Barge Miss Madelaine subsequently lengthened and sold to Waddingtons to become Madelaine. Recently sold and on third owner since coming to this berth (She was originally taken to Wilfholme) with little progress made to convert. Lighter conversion - this was started by a local character based on his success in converting Onissimus. Like that vessel when financial pressures mounted she was stripped and fittings sold, in this case allowing water in which rose to the point where the waterline reached the missing windows and the vessel sunk.
The derelict fishing boat originally had another fellow, removed so that the mooring could be re-used. These are the vessels that are the subject of recent press reports concerning their contribution to flood risk due to constriction of the river. Alan Gillyon's Friends of Beverley carries an important trading vessel name associated with the town. Beverley Lock was refurbished in the 1960s when the current operating gear was installed and again within the last ten years. The aquaduct by the lock carries the Beck over the Barmston Drain. The creation of this drain was one of the reasons for canalising the Beck and building the lock. Beyond Beverley Lock is the Dry Dock around which was the Harrisons yard, later taken over by Hodgson for the maintenance of its barge fleet ( and the Chairman's yacht) The current boatyard was Hunters yard with its own dry dock now flooded 10
Outside the lock on the river was a public staithe used to unload vessels too big for Beverley Lock. There is also the Flood Prevention Barrier which seals the lock against high tides, a cheaper solution than the extra gates used for example at Keadby or Torksey on the Trent.
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BACK COPIES OF WATERWAYS WORLD I have been given a large number of copies of Waterways World dating from 1972 through to 2012 Many are in yearly folders with some also loose. There are a few hundred in total. If anyone would like these, and make a donation to the IWA, please let me know. Roger Bromley
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PROGRAMME Sept to Dec 2014 Venue (unless stated otherwise) Cottingham Methodist Church Hall, Hallgate, Cottingham HU16 4BD 8.00-10.00 pm. Use entrance down side of church.
Friday 19th Sept
Amy Howson centenary The Keels and Sloops Society
Friday 17th Oct
Becks, Banks, Drains & Brains Colin Walker
Friday 21st Nov
Trip Boating
Sunday 7th Dec
Xmas meal Details available from Chris Stones and at social meetings
Meetings in 1985 are 16th Jan, 20th Feb, 20th March, 17th April, 15th May. Details will be in the next issue of Wolds Waters. For more information about the Inland Waterways Association use the website www.waterways.org.uk or contact Barry Robins on 01482 658254 or 07885941983. For more information on the above meetings contact Roger Bromley on 01482 845099. Please note the new Branch email address is roger.bromley@waterways.org.uk This newsletter is edited by Barry Robins, 90 Carr Lane, Willerby, Hull HU10 6JU.
Note: The views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of the Association and should not be construed as such unless so stated.
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