AEGRE November
2009
No.124
Journal from the East Midlands Region of
Aegre November 2009 Page 1
Aegre is published Š 2009 by the East Midlands Region Committee of the Inland Waterways Association for members of Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Branches. Northamptonshire members receive their own publication.
Chairman
John Pomfret, db Drijfhuis, Braunston Boats Ltd, Bottom Lock, Dark Lane, Braunston, Daventry NN11 7HJ Tel 01788 891027
Vice-Chairman
Dave Carnell, Conifer Cottage, North End, Goxhill DN19 7JX Tel: 01469 530138
Leicestershire Branch Acting Chairman
John Evans, Highfields Farm, Woodhouse Road, Quorn, Loughborough LE12 8AL Tel 1509 416647
Lincolnshire Branch Chairman
Dave Carnell (as above)
Notts. & Derbys Branch Chairman
Vacant
Northamptonshire Branch Chairman
Bill Joyce, 20 Shakespeare Drive, Kettering NN15 5QT Tel: 01536 724337
Region Planning Officer & Notts & Derbys Branch
Mike Snaith, Hawthorne Cottage, 70 Main St, Gunthorpe, Nottingham NG14 7EU
Secretary & WRG
John Baylis, 215 Clipstone Rd West, Forest Town, Mansfield NG19 0HJ Tel: 01623 621208
Member
Ian MacDonald, 30 Lutterworth Rd, Leicester LE2 8PF Mobile: 07932 156539
Editor for Aegre: Peter Hill, 7 Lock Keeper’s Way, Louth, Lincolnshire LN11 0GQ Tel: 01507 602713; email: aegre@humbhony.demon.co.uk Printing: This is the web version. Picture credits: See page 24. Cover pictures: A Redhill Collage Inland Waterways Association: Registered Office; Island House, Moor Road, Chesham HP5 1WA. Registered as a Charity No: 212342. Tel: 0845 4501146 Website: http://www.waterways.org.uk The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Inland Waterways Association or of the East Midlands Region. They are published as being of interest to our members and other readers.
Aegre November 2009 Page 2
AEGRE November
2009
No. 124
Contents The Editor’s Bow Button......................................................4 From the retiring Region Chairman .....................................5 From your new Region Chairman.........................................7 IWA National Awards..........................................................8 Lionel Munk Award..............................................................9 British Waterways User Groups ........................................10 Red Hill Festival – the Background Work .........................11 Derby Canal........................................................................16 News from Lincolnshire Branch.........................................17 Maud Foster Becomes more Boater Friendly.....................19 News from Leicestershire Branch.......................................20 News from Northampton Branch........................................22 Picture Credits.....................................................................24 News from Melton and Oakham.........................................24 Redhill Ramblings..............................................................25 News from Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Branch.........26 Annual General Meetings...................................................28 Regional Diary Dates 2009/10............................................29 Canal Societies and Trusts in the new EM Region.............33
Next issue probably to be published in March 2010. Contributions to the editor by the end of January 2010 please. The space on the right is for local contact information.
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The Editor’s Bow Button I have a confession to make. I don’t usually read all the various waterway journals and magazines every month. Quite apart from being expensive, I don’t have time, and I would get a bit bored seeing the same adverts for the same marinas repeated over and over again. However I made an exception last month for issues variously called September or October, following the event at Redhill, because I was interested to see the reactions of the various journalists. No doubt experts will have made careful statistical analyses of the references, but my impression was that it had a very good press. Everyone commented on the absence of mud, the parachute team had good coverage, and the “green” emphasis on the boat design award seemed to get equal coverage to the big appeal SOS 2010. But one aspect seemed to be taken for granted, as the reports concentrated on the three days when the festival was actually open to the public. Nobody seemed to wonder about how it all happened. In fact of course many hours and days of effort go into the organisation of such a week-end, probably 95% of them by volunteers in this case, so it seemed right to give an idea of the background in this edition of Aegre. We have several articles by those who took part, and you will find pictures of the various stages of work and the workers scattered around this edition. We don’t always have names to go with the pictures - I plead “health and safety” and the photographer not having a hard hat - but thanks to Sandy Jones, Gillian Bolt and Dave Pullen for “facilitation”. A few random observations of the kind that add a special and unconventional character to events of this kind: the beautifully painted narrow boat in traditional style, with a satellite dish on top also painted with elegant roses and castles, moving up and down in search of a signal; the man from the Environment Agency taking samples from the river at Redhill Lock on the Friday - did they also take one after the event?; the guy (not a WRG member) standing right underneath several tons of boat suspended from a crane and being told by his colleague to put on his hard hat; the showers of rain on Friday and on Saturday evening being enough to lay any dust but not create mud; the volunteers wiping down tables and picking up litter as a continuous process, and the field by the following Friday, a bit brown in places but otherwise clear of rubbish. The old camping rule was well respected - what do you leave behind on site? Nothing but your thanks. Thank you everyone. Peter Aegre November 2009 Page 4
From the retiring Region Chairman First of all I must thank all members of the East Midlands Region, officers of other organizations, boat clubs and canal societies for the help and co-operation I have received over my past years as Region Chairman. Secondly, I must introduce and welcome John Pomfret who was elected under the new national franchise and took over from me at the IWA National Annual General Meeting on September 26th. John is no stranger to the River Trent having been chairman of the IWA Freight Waterways Group for many years. He is resident in Northampton Branch, the recent addition to East Midlands Region. As John is still in gainful employment I shall continue to be the IWA representative on some canal societies and attend day-time meetings with British Waterways and others in the North. For a number of years the East Midlands Region Treasurer, Dave Carnell, has had little to do but pay the printing and postage costs of Aegre. IWA Head Office was concerned at the costs of running regional current and deposit accounts and the costs of audit of such smaller accounts. Now, instead of paying a per capita sum to the region for the magazine, they have offered to pay the costs of printing and postage direct. Dave has now closed the accounts and distributed the residue to the original branches in the East Midlands Region in proportion to their memberships, a total of over ÂŁ1,000; about ÂŁ1 per member. In the last Aegre I mentioned that we had hoped to fit some new mooring rings by the Packet Steps on Maud Foster Drain in Boston, but had not received permissions when down there by boat in April. Permission finally came through and Dave Carnell and myself installed rings at the Packet Steps and for mooring at Cowbridge Lock (see page 18). These were paid for by the Lincolnshire Waterways Partnership. On the River Trent Dave Turner, Ernie Boddy and myself completed the fitting of another forty-five galvanised mooring rings on the River Trent Embankment outside County Hall for Nottingham City Council. In addition to fitting the new rings we cut off all the broken and bent rings, some of which were installed for the IWA National Rally in 1974.
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The camping and water-space admin area The IWA National Festival at Red Hill on the River Soar has been and gone and seems to have been welcomed by boaters, campers and visitors judging by the comments I have heard. The event was blessed with reasonably fine weather for a change. The site behind the Soar flood banks was well drained and of more than adequate area.
First campers arrive BW staff were very complimentary on the professionalism of the IWA in mounting and running the event and my thanks go to all those individuals and canal societies who took part during the build-up, running the event and the clearance afterwards.
More campers arrive
My thanks for the compliments I have received on my retirement and I hope that Christine and I will be seeing you around for many years to come. John Baylis Aegre November 2009 Page 6
From your new Region Chairman John Pomfret At the recent IWA AGM, I became your new Region Chairman. In coming in, I would like to pay tribute to the sterling work put in by John Baylis as Region Chairman over many years, and I am very conscious his will be a hard act to follow. For those of you who don’t know me, I have been involved in IWA since the late 1960s as a working party participant and as a member of the North East Branch Committee (no Regions in those days) and subsequently various committees over many years. I have had a long association with Braunston (through operating a boat in a hire fleet there) and with the Humber-based waterways (including the Trent) through my interests in freight and through keeping my boat at Goole for a number of years. I now live on my boats (a narrow boat and a 104 year old Dutch barge) at Braunston and work as an environmental consultant. I have navigated and am familiar with most of the Region’s navigable waterways, exceptions being the Ancholme (why didn’t I get round to it when I was at Goole?), the Glen and Welland, Black Sluice and some bits of the Witham Drains. I believe strongly that the Branches should be the main centres of activity for local members and campaigning on local issues, with the main roles of the Region Committee and Chairman being coordination of views from Branches and dealing with regional external bodies (or regional sections of national bodies), as well as passing up to the IWA Board strategic matters that need consideration. One strategic issue that concerns me greatly is the fact that IWA consistently fails to attract significant numbers of members from the river cruising fraternity (who comprise at least half of the inland waterway boaters in the UK). This is a particular issue in our Region, where well over half of our currently navigable waterways are river navigations heavily used by cruiser owners, while canals mainly associated with narrow boats (i.e. not including navigable drains) account for only a quarter of our mileage. I would be pleased to hear from any river cruising members who have ideas as to how we might rectify this, so we can genuinely claim to be an association concerned with all inland waterways and their users. I am Chairman of IWA’s Inland Waterways Freight Group and sit on NavCom along with John Baylis. This provides a channel through which our Branches can raise any navigation and technical matters with implications beyond their local area for discussion at a national level. Aegre November 2009 Page 7
You can be sure that, with my IWFG hat on, I will be pushing to see some follow-on action from the EMDA sponsored report on freight on the Trent that was launched earlier this year. This reminds me that we did a map of the Trent (which you may have seen on the IWA display at Redhill), as well as some briefing notes with proposed future actions, for a parliamentary presentation in July. If any member would like electronic copies, email me (at pomfret@btinternet.com) and I can send them to you. Similar notes were done for other Region waterways and should be available from Head Office.
IWA National Awards At the IWA Annual General Meeting at Milton Keynes on September 26th the National Awards were presented. This year was of special interest to East Midlands Region. Nancy and David Johnson and Malcolm Fielding were all awarded the Richard Bird Medal for their efforts for the Inland Waterways Association over many years. Malcolm joined the South Yorkshire & Dukeries Branch committee in 1986 and soon took over as Branch Chairman, a post which he held until a severe illness in 2001 forced him to resign. After recovering he continued on the committee as secretary and the main representative to British Waterways on the Chesterfield Canal and the Sheffield & South Yorkshire Navigation. During the whole of the past 22 years Malcolm was an ex-officio or elected member of East Midlands Region committee. Malcolm has now moved to North East Region following the IWA reorganisation. Before his retirement Malcolm worked with the under-privileged and formed the Adsetts Project on the Tinsley section of the S&SYN. This celebrated its 21st Birthday in 2009, and was covered in earlier issues of Aegre. Malcolm obtained two old boats on loan from BW and, using these, the group has done environmental work and regular litter collection on the canal. Nancy and David Johnson joined Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Branch committee in the mid 1990s and Nancy became Branch Chairman and Secretary in 1999, whilst David served on the committee in various roles. For over 12 years Nancy and David were the main volunteer organisers for boats and moorings at the annual Nottingham River Festival in August. Nancy and David were both members of the East Midlands Region Committee for the past ten years, during which time they organised the enveloping and posting of Aegre. Nancy was the IWA representative on the Derby & Sandiacre Canal Trust and the Grantham Canal Partnership and David acted as chauffeur to get to the Aegre November 2009 Page 8
evening meetings. They were also very active on restoration work through the Grantham Canal Restoration Society. They regularly boat on the river Trent and adjacent waterways on their small cruiser Fusilier. The Cyril Styring Trophy was purchased by the old Sheffield Branch in 1958 with money collected to make an old narrow boat into the IWA club room in Sheffield Basin. The boat was sunk after collision with a working barge, and the solid silver trophy in the shape of a narrow boat was named after Cyril Styring, the Branch Chairman who had died suddenly. It is now the IWA’s national premier trophy, worth several thousand pounds, and presented to the member who has done most for the IWA cause. Roy David Sutton has advised Waterway Recovery Group on civil engineering matters for over twenty years. Additionally, since 1991 he has been an IWA Honorary Engineering Consultant. It would be invidious to try to list all the waterways that Roy has worked on, as he has probably worked on them all, but he has been involved locally on the Cromford, Chesterfield and Grantham producing carefully calculated designs for repair work and supervising engineering and other studies. During 2008 Roy designed a number of methods for re-building Woolsthorpe Top Lock on the Grantham Canal, where the off-side wall suffered catastrophic cracking. In addition Roy led for the IWA on requests for quotations and technical discussions with contractors and British Waterways. As the work was carried out, he continued to monitor progress and ensure that his final design was strictly followed.
Lionel Munk Award IWA’s prestigious Lionel Munk Award, which is presented each year to the best commercially built boat, introduced a new ‘Green Criterion’ to its judging process this year in association with The Green Blue Environmental Boating Scheme. Alongside the existing IWA criteria which look for innovative features, workmanship and boat handling, this year’s judges also looked for environmental measures that boat builders had incorporated into their designs. NB ‘Fiddlesticks Free’ built by Caulden Boats won the award. Features on board ‘Fiddlesticks Free’ included: adding connectors for solar panels and wind turbines so that customers can retro-fit these if desired; fitting recycling bins in the galley; and providing gas-filled double glazed windows. In addition water based paints, FSC accredited wood, energy efficient radiators and natural stone products were used in the construction. Aegre November 2009 Page 9
British Waterways User Groups The first meeting of the autumn session was the “East Midlands South User Group” which took place at the Soar Boating Club. Sean McGinley introduced himself as the new manager of East Midlands Navigations. He outlined his new staff placings and noted the southern limits of his new area. In the south he will lose the River Soar and lower Trent & Mersey Canal but retain the Rivers Trent, and Witham and the Erewash, Chesterfield and Grantham Canals. The T&M and the River Soar and Grand Union to Kilby Bridge will become part of a re-formed Central Shires area, and beyond Kilby Bridge will remain as South East area. Both anglers and boaters expressed concern about the poor removal of floating pennywort from the back-waters of the River Soar by the Environment Agency this summer. BW seemed to be doing reasonably well but there were reports of pennywort on the Erewash Canal and River Trent. The Erewash Canal P&DA were still not happy about the ease of use of the lock gates at Eastwood and Langley Mill, and Sean promised to look at them again. The Erewash Culvert at Long Eaton started in January. It will need more work but not until the money is available.
Bridge where they prefer to go upstream in the slack water on the West Bridgford side. There have been some near misses, with visiting narrow boats not being aware of small boats coming round the bend and under the bridge. The damaged Bridge 20 on the Trent & Mersey Canal will be rebuilt from January 11 to February 19 with a complete canal closure. The re-gating of Sawley Flood Lock has been delayed a week to November 1627, and Cranfleet Flood Gates will be replaced from February 1-12. There was discussion on the Small Hydro Company’s revised proposals for a hydro-electric scheme on Sawley weir. This will be similar to that installed some years ago at Beeston Weir. The main concern was that the proposed water levels would bring Sawley Flood Lock into use for most of the time. The SHC said the proposed new height of the weir in the planning application was “badly expressed”, and though there will be a small increase of the water level, Sawley Flood Lock will not be required more than at present. Similar schemes at Holme Lock have been withdrawn. At Gunthorpe the planning application was turned down.
Other items discussed were the use of un-named and probably unlicensed There was a brief discussion, to be con- small speeding boats on the River Trent; tinued outside the meeting, on signs dredging on the River Soar; the replacedenoting which arch to use on Lady Bay ment of Long Horse Bridge (still awaitand Trent Bridges in Nottingham. I had ing a decision from the Public Inquiry); never had any problems with Trent and the difficult access generated by the Bridge but I am aware of problems with new foot-bridge over Thurmaston Lock. rowers and canoeists at Lady Bay John Baylis
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Red Hill Festival – the Background Work The IWA National Waterway Festival at Red Hill Marina over August Bank Holiday caused some concern among local boaters at the time of selection but the weather and precautions taken produced a successful event. It has been suggested that a report on the background of the event would be useful not only for this festival but also for future events.
Grass cut beforehand The site of the National Festival is selected by the Festivals Committee over twelve months before the event taking into account the site area, moorings, invitation by local landowner and the possible support or otherwise of the navigation and local authorities. In the case of Red Hill these all looked promising with the exception of the acceptability of the moorings in the case of heavy rainfall. In order to quantify the river level and flow problems a risk assessment was acquired from a professional engineer taking into account Environment Agency water flow data for the last ten years.
Basically, the National Waterways Festival, in addition to mooring for around 2-300 boats, requires a flattish site area of around 15 acres, incorporating a mobilisation site for storage, plant and vehicles and workers accommodation, a caravan/camping area of around 12 acres for around 300 units, and about 16 acres of car parking. Although the moorings raised some queries, the total land area was more than adequate, with good road access and a very local railway station. So for almost twelve months the managers for site, waterspace and camping had walked and measured the site many times, tried out varying site layouts and met with all the local utility providers in addition to the regular suppliers of site accommodation, fencing, rubbish disposal, etc.
Don’t moor here? Although most visitors only see the Festival as a three day event, and boaters see four or five days, there is a regular group of three week workers (the bods) who put the site together for two weeks before the event and Aegre November 2009 Page 11
three or four days of taking down. On the Friday two weeks before the event the plant starts arriving along with Heras fencing (this year 1500 metres was used), Portacabins for site offices and the Tardis. This latter is a forty foot articulated trailer which contains about a mile of water pipe, taps etc, signs, 100 fire extinguishers, tools, safety equipment, loads of timber, screws, paint and much more, and is supervised by the Quarter-Master. After fencing the main mobilisation area for storage etc., the Tardis is partly unloaded and a tent set up as
The cabinet-makers Aegre November 2009 Page 12
workshop for the joiners team of about six, and a mess tent for tea, coffee etc. In addition several PolyJohn single toilets appear and small electricity generators for power on site. At about the same time a professional security firm makes camp by the main entrance to police the site 24 hours a day and control the entrance and movement of traffic. In addition to the joiners, there are 3 plumbers, 3 people in communications setting up telephones and control over 60 VHF personal radios, a team of six to cover administration, supplies, and personnel matters, with three site managers in overall charge. At the start the radios operate on one or two channels but by the time the site opens eight or nine channels will be used for site, waterspace, commercial, traffic, emergency etc. Over the first weekend of the Festival run-up,
with erection of over a mile of hired steel scaffolding tube. This was to ensure that the moorings were safe in case of a summer flash flood. During the first two weeks pipes and cables are laid, Portacabins located and fitted The guardians with steps, furniture etc, marquees start arriving and are erected by contractors, and a team Waterway Recovery Group holds a of professional electricians start to weekend work camp to set up more fencing around the main site and the mobilisation Food for the workers area. This will also contain the WRG Work Camp, which starts on the second weekend, and camping sites for WRG and other “three week workers� who camp rather than coming by boat. This year, in addition to the regular team of harbour-masters, the Sleaford Navigation Trust and install large generators and wiring to the Erewash Canal Preservation & the trade events, bar, lighting towers, Development Association provided toilets etc. The joiners make and fit plant and scaffolding fittings, along steps, ramps, handrails and footbridges; erect signs and prepare shelving for harbour-masters and campsite. One of their biggest jobs is to extend the Portacabin for the WRG work camp kitchen which will need to cook for over 100 volunteers. When the work camp starts several lady boaters make lunch-time sandwiches for a peak of 150 volunteers. In addition to the kitchen, the WRG Aegre November 2009 Page 13
Refreshment for the workers
But!
camp has washing up room, toilets, showers and two marquees, one for eating and one for sleeping.
the event the land-based boats arrive by lorry, with an During the second week site toilets, 80 ton crane to tables, chairs, and crowd barriers unload and arrive, along with rolls of aluminium position them road for the main access routes for on site. And vehicles into the main site, the bar and then on the Frithe WRG camp. Problems at St Ives day the exhibiand Wolverhampton, caused by the tors appear, all heavy rain in 2007 and 2008, have arriving at the given us the technique of laying and same time and wanting a fork lift to moving temporary roads before the unload. main routes are churned to mud by heavy vehicles and the attempts to Normally, the site teams work 0800 tow them out. On Wednesday before -1900, but on the final Friday the site
Facilities for the workers Aegre November 2009 Page 14
and removal of the mooring scaffolding begins. The WRG Camp closes on Wednesday and then the joiners can finally remove the kitchen extension and other additions. On Wednesday afternoon we start to repack Tardis. The heavier stuff like steel, Water pipes away fire extinguishers and timber goes low down is open until 2000 to allow the exhibi- and lighter material on the shelves. tors time to finish setting up. Even so The water pipe is packed in the front the Saturday involves a 0700 start to and on the back deck is loaded an make sure everything is ready for the eight by four pallet of plywood sheets, public opening at 1000. Watching the WRG kitchen, and topped off with from the safety of Tardis at 0930 I whatever turns up at the last minute. wonder if there is a prize, or cheap The back door was finally shut and entry, for the first in the queue of visi- locked on Friday morning ready for tors. the lorry to tow Tardis back to Barton Turns for the winter. With a bit of luck things then quieten down and apart from emergencies or John Baylis, Quarter-Master urgent requests for something lost or forgotten, the Quartermaster has three peaceful days but could have some frantic activity before 1000 and after 1800. Then after about 1730 on the Monday the strip down starts. If the weather is dry the IWA tents and banners are stripped down and packed away, followed by chairs, tables etc. etc. Then on Tuesday the taking out of water pipe
Marquee down finally Aegre November 2009 Page 15
Derby Canal The Derby and Sandiacre Canal Trust wants to build a new cycleway at a cost of between £700,000 and £1m, along the route of the former waterway. The plan is for it to run for seven-and-a-half miles from the Erewash Canal junction at Sandiacre to Pride Park, via Breaston, Draycott and Borrowash. The Trust wants the track to be the first step towards rebuilding the Derby and Sandiacre Canal and making it navigable again. There is already a path along the one-and-a-half miles between Draycott and Breaston. If planning permission is granted for the £40m-£60m canal project, it would become the waterway's towpath. However, the trust is struggling for initial cash to help it unlock a £42,500 grant from Derby City Partnership to cost and design the path. Chairman Rob Hartley said the trust needed to show its intent by raising, or "match-funding", £17,000 towards the project itself. Two property developers planning to build on intact parts of the canal, at Draycott and Spondon, had been expected to provide some cash but the current downturn in the real estate markets meant this promise of support had been withdrawn. A planning application for the track is to be submitted to South Derbyshire District Council, Erewash Borough Council and Derby City Council if the three authorities grant outline planning permission for the trust to develop the canal corridor. It is expected that an application would be registered with the councils next month. The trust hope that planning permission could be granted by the end of this year and the path built by June next year. The trust would apply for money to build the path from, among other groups, the three councils and East Midlands Development Agency. The plans have been backed in principle by urban regeneration company Derby Cityscape. Anyone or any business wishing to help should e-mail rob.hartley@derbycanal.org.uk.
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News from Lincolnshire Branch With this being my last report for 2009 you will find details of our AGM later in this edition, page 28.
ing possible sources of funding. At Lincolnshire Waterways Partnership’s joint stand at Redhill, contact was made with a family whose relatives On the Louth and Horncastle Canals owned property in the Hub area. Can the EA`s suggestions of preventing we can expect an interesting article at repeats of last years flooding has been a later date? the construction of water storage areas upstream of both towns. In the case of Horncastle this is nothing new. Such a scheme was mooted in 1999 but due to a lack of government funding nothing was done. Each scheme is estimated to cost £14 million and has been referred to Defra for funding. With the current financial situation things don`t look too promising for the near future. To try and make progress with the protection of the flood damaged locks on the Louth Canal the Trust have sought the views of Roy Sutton, one of IWA`s honorary consulting engineers. His report makes interesting reading as to the design and weaknesses of the structures. Getting funding for these unique structures is going to prove problematic. EA, although responsible for the water course, disclaim any responsibility for making good the damage their water caused. At Sleaford the programme for the installation of a slipway and winding hole continues to make steady headway through the “Planning Process”. Further presentations have been given to organisations within the town, resulting in much interest in identify-
Lincolnshire strimmers at Redhill On the Billingay Skirth further evidence has come to light regarding its use as a navigation in 1848. This has been passed to the Solicitor at the EA who has been instructed to ascertain such rights. The joint campaign by IWA and the BCU to gain greater access to water has obtained support from the Scottish and Welsh Parliaments. However Defra in its wisdom has not supported the issue. The Secretary of State’s guidance is as follows; “While access to land includes access to land covered by water this is not the same as a right to access water for a purpose other than to access the land the water Aegre November 2009 Page 17
Anchors for riding posts at Redhill
while I was away at the National Waterways Festival. I have asked to be kept informed of developments, to enable IWA members’ views to be represented.
In support of the Lincolnshire Waterways Partnership and Tastes of Lincolnshire event at the covers. Further, access under Part 1 of Epic Centre, Lincolnshire Showthe CROW Act does not extend to th and 29th , ground on November 28 access using a vessel or sailboard on any non-tidal water and a public right Slea Navigation Trust and the IWA have been asked to again have a presof way is not the same as a public right of navigation”. Confused? So am ence. Come along for a good day out and chat to us. I. To read the whole guidance go to www.defra.gov.uk/wildlifeLincolnshire Branch AGM 2010. The countryside/access/local-accessmeeting will take place at St. Mary-leforums.htm. Wigford Church Hall, next to Lincoln Following British Waterway meetings Rail Station,that 7.30pm on Monday to consult on their 2020 vision the EA February 15 . Members wishing to learn more about the IWA and its held a stakeholders meeting in Sepactivities are invited to join the comtember, ”Waterways Focus for the next 5 years.” Unfortunately my invi- mittee and sit in at future committee meetings. tation and the meeting date occurred
Will that post hold?
Following the AGM there will be a presentation of waterways developments to date and those planned for the future. From Dave Carnell
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Maud Foster Becomes more Boater Friendly. With funding from the Lincolnshire Waterways Partnership, volunteers from IWA Lincs Branch and East Midlands Waterway Recovery Group have installed mooring rings on the historic “Packet Boat Landing” steps on the Maud Foster Drain in Boston.
members, effectively reduced the length of the chamber by 12”. This prevented full length narrow boats using it, and has now been removed. Following design proposals from Dave Carnell of Lincs. IWA and John Baylis of East Midlands WRG, Andy
Previously, extra long ropes were required to secure boats to the fence at the roadside, some 14 feet above the boats. At the head of the steps security is provided by a locked gate opened with a BW “water-mate” key.
Carrott, who is Engineer for the IDB, installed deflector plates below the cross members to push boats away from the descending guillotine plate, once the mitre gates had been closed.
Similar rings have been installed alongside Cow Bridge Lock, allowing crew to step onto the lock side prior to operating the guillotine. On the guillotine itself a safety grill, placed there by the Witham 4th District Internal Drainage Board (IDB) to prevent boats becoming trapped under cross
To overcome the restricted and difficult access to the lock from the Frith Bank Drain, mooring rings have been fitted to the concrete plinth of the adjacent road bridge. This now allows crews to secure the boat, cross the road and prepare the lock for entry. From Dave Carnell Aegre November 2009 Page 19
News from Leicestershire Branch There is very little news this month that will not be covered elsewhere in this issue. The National Festival is behind us now, but not forgotten! Although the weather (and site) was dry, it was very windy and that took its toll on both my own, and the Branch’s ‘gazebo’. We have been thinking for some time that we should obtain a better quality tent in which to mount our display and fund raising equipment at out-door events; a decision now has to be made and if anyone has any contacts or suggestions in this respect we’d be pleased to hear from you. Having said that, I was disappointed that, in spite of multiple requests, so few volunteers came forward to help at this major event, almost on our doorstep. There will be little point in investing in an up-market marquee if there will be no one to man it. We are already missing opportunities . . . Is there anybody out there who cares?
‘to do his own thing’. Best wishes from Leicestershire, John. After much debate, drafting and redrafting, the River Soar / Grand Union Strategy has at last been finalised. It is now being considered by all the Local Authorities through whose territory the navigation passes and will be officially launched in November. In the words of The Waterways Trust “ . . . . This strategy provides an assessment of the current position, issues and future opportunities for the River Soar and Grand Union Canal and proposes a series of actions based around the themes of a Green Waterway, a Visible Waterway and an Accessible Waterway”. A summary is given later in these pages
The floating pennywort menace, although still very much with us, has not caused so many problems to anglers and boaters this year, thanks largely to the predominantly miserable weather. BW has again been Someone who does care, fervently, is active in spraying the weed when conour former Region Chairman, John ditions have allowed and there is no Baylis. Following his retirement from doubt that this is having an effect. The this position at the Association’s EA insist that they are also taking AGM, I’m sure there will be tributes steps to prevent the spread and regenpaid by those better qualified than me, eration of the weed in the backwaters but I would like to add my personal and tributaries, but I have seen no evithanks for all his tireless efforts whilst dence of this. wearing this particular IWA ‘hat’. I As I write, our season of social events know that he wears several others so is about to get under way at the new we’ve not seen the last of him, but hopefully he’ll have a little more time venue of The Wheatsheaf in Thurcaston. Our Christmas dinner on DecemAegre November 2009 Page 20
ber 10th will also be held here. If you have not received our social programme (or even if you have) but would like more information don’t hesitate to contact me (details on page 2)
would be close to small scale hydroelectric power schemes which could be built there and on weirs in the Belgrave area.
The River Soar and Grand Union Canal Strategy aims to regenerate key areas along a 23-mile stretch from Kilby Bridge, near Wigston, to Loughborough. Although no money is as yet committed, bids are intended to be made to the East Midlands Development Agency, the lottery, the landfill tax credit scheme and other sources. Private investors will also be invited to contribute.
Council, and the councils of Charnwood, Oadby and Wigston and Blaby are all involved in the waterways scheme.
A marina is proposed near the Birstall Redhill roundabout, while cycle Finally, a couple of dates for next routes may run along the river at Baryear’s diary to help your forward row. A new waterfront development planning. Loughborough Canal Festi- and public art is envisaged for Windval will be on May 1st/2nd , and mill Lane, Loughborough. Near BarLeicester Riverside Festival on June row, a former gravel pit has already 5th/6th. been turned into Pilling's Lock Marina. This 314-berth marina and cafe John Evans opened just over a year ago. The new strategy The County Council, Leicester City
Seven areas – Kilby Bridge, Aylestone Park, Leicester city centre, Belgrave, Watermead Park, Barrow-upon-Soar, and Loughborough – have been earmarked as possible sites to attract tourists. Among the ideas outlined is a £1m visitor centre at Watermead Park, near Birstall, which will be built into a lake and accessed by bridge. Also suggested is the regeneration of Glen Parva Wharf and a white water canoe park at St Mary's Wharf near Aylestone. This
The pennywort fight continues Waterways volunteers held a concerted attempt to remove invasive weed from the River Soar in Leicester following the success of a similar event in 2008. Volunteers from several agencies took part in an organised event on September 8th and 9th to physically remove floating pennywort from the river. The volunteers worked in the Birstall area to remove the weed from the main body of the river as well as adjacent backwaters. If people do want to contribute to the removal of the weed from Leicester’s waterways in the future they can contact the Leicester Riverside Park Rangers on 0116 255 3333. Aegre November 2009 Page 21
News from Northampton Branch
Our members tend to be using the waterways during the summer, boating, walking and some even fishing rather than talking about them. Several of our members, along with our friends at Milton Keynes Branch, supported one of our pet restorations. They helped raise funds for The Buckingham Canal Society at their annual lock ransom, making it also a rally for those prepared to wind a windlass. The end result was £1,200 raised from donations from passing boaters, sale of cakes, the bric-a-brac stall and our ever popular Pluck-aDuck. Visitors to the local Cosgrove Park helped to swell the coffers. We have since learnt that Restoration Committee have allocated them £1,000 towards their feasibility study. August 22nd / 23rd saw the 25th anniversary of the re-opening of the BlisAegre November 2009 Page 22
worth Tunnel on the Grand Union Canal, a celebration jointly organised by Northampton Branch and British Waterways at both the Stoke Bruerne and Blisworth ends of the tunnel. Several of the original tunnellers were contacted and were invited to join the VIP boat to traverse the tunnel. As a haulage contractor I hired trucks to cart spoil away from the site, and I was disappointed not to be able to attend. The reason I was unable to attend the Blisworth celebration was as my wife and I were involved, as we have been in the past years, in the setting up the National Festival at Redhill. I found this very useful as a new boy on the region committee, meeting and working with other members and getting to know them. Over the weekend of October 3rd / 4th Friends of the Stoke Bruerne Canal Museum (another one of our pet projects, all of the committee are members of IWA and most on the branch committee) held a repeat of a “Village at War” weekend. This was a chance to sort out those wartime
clothes, and the weather was kind to us. The highlight was a fly-past of a Hurricane. It was both enjoyable and raised much-needed funds for the museum, the only one of the National Waterway Museums that remains in the black. We cracked off the winter season of meetings with a talk on the Prescott Channel being built to take construction materials to the Olympics, by Patrick Moss. He also spoke on his
But how does a gas-mask work, Gran-pa?
company’s efforts to survey and increase commercial river traffic on the River Trent Bill Joyce, Chairman Northampton Branch Aegre November 2009 Page 23
News from Melton and Oakham The date of the AGM will be Saturday November 14th 2009. It will be held at Sysonby Knoll Hotel, Asfordby Road, Melton Mowbray, commencing at 10:30 am. The guest speaker will be IWA’s Beryl McDowall. The topic of her slide presentation will be “The River Soar - Past, Present and Future”. Tea and coffee will be provided and for those who wish to stay after the meeting, there will be light refreshments. All welcome – please feel free to bring along family and friends who may be interested in our society. The following dates are planned for work parties in and around the Melton ring. Volunteers should meet at The Leicester Road Sports Ground at 10:00 am. Sunday November 22nd and Sunday December 27th. Come and work off your Christmas dinner!! Hard hats and some tools are provided but please ensure you wear sturdy footwear and gloves. Further information can be found on our web-site nearer the dates concerned. A new work boat, “Badger”, joins “Ratty” and “Mole” in Melton. The boat was obtained from Bugsworth Basin and stationed on the grass adjacent to the slipway in Melton, where members fettled the craft and applied fresh bitumen prior to her launch and installation of an electric motor and weed-cutter. She will be used around the ring on forthcoming work parties.
Picture Credits We are most grateful to all of the following, who have contributed photographs or other illustrations to enhance this or earlier editions of Aegre: Paul King; Paul Birtles; Tony Pitman; John Lower; Peter Stone; Ian McDonald; Dave Carnell; Brian Dominic; Beryl McDowall; Nancy Johnson; Norman Osborne; David Pullen; Dave Scott; Mike Snaith; John Baylis; Bill Joyce and Lynda Payton.
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Redhill Ramblings
Pictures from the top: How do we get that foot-bridge fixed? The social programme. Radio support. Aegre November 2009 Page 25
News from Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Branch Since the last Aegre many will have been taking advantage of the summer sun and enjoyment of the waterways where vacations and time permit. I hope everyone has had a good summer as we now see the nights drawing in for winter.
wiches, nibbles and cakes etc) and a presentation from John Wilkinson on the delights of a boating holiday on the River Rhone. (Dec 18th). We then have a New Year’s day walk planned to reduce some of those calories taken on over the festive season. The January Social will be a presentation from We remain short of active committee Roger Clay on the work being done to members so if anyone is keen to get promote the (Warwickshire) River involved and make a difference please Avon link to the Grand Union canal don’t be shy about coming forward. (Jan 15th). Which then takes us to our However, in order to try to boost AGM on February 19th. involvement we have put together an interesting programme of social meet- As many will be aware the recent ings (more later) and been active at National Waterways festival was on the recent National Waterways festiour patch at Redhill, over August val at Redhill. We also remain active Bank Holiday weekend. What a great in the field of Planning applications. event and at last the weather was kind to us. Although we were unable to set There is more detail about the Social up a branch exhibition stand, as we Calendar in the Region Diary at the lack the manpower, Brian and I were back of this magazine, so please put both active on site and it was great to those dates in your diary and do come see so many members all doing their along to some lively and entertaining bit towards making it such a success. evenings of fun and learning. At the Brian was active as a “chippy” with November 20th meeting we have the the WRG as well as a volunteer harintrepid Chris Coburn showing films bour master and recruiter. I was one and narrating anecdotes about his sea- of the volunteers recruiting in the going adventures on NB Progress main IWA marquee – so if we have whilst fundraising for various waternew members reading this magazine way projects. There can’t be many for the first time you will probably who have taken a narrow boat around have met me at the National and I will the North Wales coast through the be a friendly face when you come Menai Straits, as well as crossing the along to the Socials – (do come along, Channel to lobby our European repre- they are great fun). sentatives in Brussels. The remaining main activity of the In December we have our Christmas branch has been keeping a watching Social (appetising cold buffet of sandAegre November 2009 Page 26
brief on planning applications. In our area at the moment there are concerns about the effect of the A46 road widening scheme and its potential impact on the restoration of the Grantham Canal where a new Bridge 16 (Joshua Mann’s Bridge) would need to be built, where the Stragglethorpe Road crosses the canal (at GR665362) to allow navigation. We are supporting the Grantham Canal Partnership and Grantham Canal Society in endeavours to obtain a satisfactory resolution.
public rights of way or the Town and Country Planning Association’s Waterways Development Advice. At the same time there are three hydro-electric power schemes proposed for the River Trent, in our area; latest details are in the BW User Groups report in this issue. On a final note I would like to say a big thank you to members Shelagh Dunning and Mavis White, IWA Promotions and Communications Committee members Helen Whitehouse
A temporary “bridge” 17a on Grantham Canal At this late stage it has become apparent that a slip-road design will impact on the future restoration of the canal and a multi-user trail. It appears that the Highways Agency failed to follow government guidelines in consulting on its design and effects on the waterway. Neither did they take into account guidelines from Natural England regarding road works affecting
and Jerry Sanders, as well as our Region Chairman, John Baylis, for their support of Brian and myself. Without their help the programme would not have come together. Thank you, your support is both very much appreciated and recognised. Mike Snaith
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Annual General Meetings Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meetings of the East Midlands Region of the Inland Waterways Association and its constituent Branches will be held as follows: Leicestershire Branch. At the Wheatsheaf Inn, Thurcaston. Leicester, on Thursday, February 11th. 2010 at 7.30 pm. Followed by an address by the National Chairman Clive Henderson Lincolnshire Branch. At St. Mary-le-Wigford Church Hall, Lincoln, on Monday, February 15th 2010 at 7.30 pm. Northampton Branch. Please contact the branch chairman. Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Branch. At Rushcliffe Arena, Rugby Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham, on Friday, February 19th 2010 at 7.30 pm. East Midlands Region. At the Wheatsheaf Inn, Thurcaston. Leicester, on Thursday, February 11th. 2010 following the conclusion of the Leicestershire Branch AGM. AGENDA 1. Apologies for absence 2. Minutes of the last Annual General Meeting 3. Matters arising. 4. Report of the Chairman. 5. Report of the Treasurer and presentation of accounts. 6. Statement of committee size 7. Election of Committee members. 8. Address by Member of Council. 9. Any other business. Nominations for election to the committees must be in writing, signed by the proposer and the seconder and containing the consent of the nominee. They should reach the relevant Branch Secretary or, in the case of East Midlands Region, the Region Chairman not less than 14 days before that meeting. John Baylis Aegre November 2009 Page 28
Regional Diary Dates 2009/10 All members of any branch, visitors, and non-members are all welcome to attend
For more information on events: For Nottinghamshire events contact Mavis White on 01636 671726 For Leicester meetings contact the Social Secretary, Beryl McDowall, on 07710 029247 or email beryl@nbwasp.co.uk. For Lincolnshire events contact Dave Carnell (see inside front cover) or Steve Hayes on 01522 689460 or email sleaford.navigation@ntlworld.com. For Northampton events contact Graham Treagus on 01604 870515
The Notts and Derby branch of the IWA is recommencing its public meetings after a break of 18 months. We are hoping to attract lots of new faces to the meetings and have arranged a very interesting and varied group of speakers. Non IWA members will be very welcome to attend. You will find us a friendly bunch! We meet on the third Friday of the month throughout most of the year, and meetings are held at 7.30 pm at Rushcliffe Arena, Rugby Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham - about 20 minutes from M1 junction 24 up the A453.
Friday, 20th November 2009 Film presentation of the incredible Sea voyages of narrow boat Progress by Chris Coburn, intrepid navigator and IWA vice president. Find out about narrow boating away from canals, across the sea. Find out why you would want to narrow boat across the sea and why there is a steel trough in the air above the M6 Toll road!
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Friday, 18th December 2009 Christmas Social meeting. This is your chance to get to know people better. Mini presentation - “A continental boating holiday on the River Rhone in France” by John Wilkinson. Followed by refreshments. Contact Mavis White to volunteer food!
Friday, 1st January 2010 New Year’s Day Walk: Venue to be confirmed but starts 10.15 am prompt. Walk off the Christmas excesses. Friends and well-behaved dogs very welcome.
Friday, 15th January 2010 Illustrated talk by Roger Clay, Director of the Stratford and Warwick Navigation Trust, “The unseen River Avon – Stratford to Warwick”. Your chance to find out about the hoped for navigation link between the River Avon and the Grand Union canal.
Friday, 19th February 2010 Annual General Meeting of the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire branch, followed by an illustrated talk about the River Witham and associated waterways, by Mick Golds, stalwart of the Erewash Canal Preservation and Development Association. Further information about meetings can be obtained from Mavis White on 01636 671726 ******************************** Leicestershire’s season of social events is about to get under way at the new venue of The Wheatsheaf in Thurcaston. If you are coming to hear a specific speaker, you are advised to ring Beryl (Mobile: 07710 029247) nearer the time to confirm the details, as occasionally, changes have to be made.
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Thursday, 12th November, 2009 Beryl McDowall will give an illustrated talk entitled “The River Soar - Past, Present, and Future?” This will include images of the time when Beryl worked on commercial boats on the Soar in the 1970s and 80s, and recent changes.
Thursday, 10th December, 2009 Our Christmas Meal has proved very popular over recent years. The meal will be held at The Wheatsheaf Inn, Thurcaston, and will cost £20 per head. Pre-booking will be essential to guarantee a place. Contact Beryl for more details.
Thursday, 14th January, 2010 Mary Matts will give an illustrated talk entitled “Wild Flowers and Waterways.” Although she is based at Foxton, Mary’s talk will include flowers from a wider area, as well as local specimens.
Thursday, 11th February, 2010 Branch Annual General Meeting, which will be attended by National Chairman Clive Henderson. Following the business part of the meeting, Clive will give a talk - “Personal Reflections.”
Thursday, 11th March, 2010 David Stevenson will give an illustrated talk on “The South Pennine Ring” based on a recent boat trip. Venue: Coalville area. Details later.
Thursday, 15th April, 2010 Skittles Night at The Royal Oak pub, 105 Main Street, Cossington. £2 per person (No food). Prior booking desirable. Aegre November 2009 Page 31
Thursday, 13th May, 2010 Explore Mountsorrel by walking round the village to take part in our Treasure Hunt, organised by Beryl McDowall (With thanks to members Ian & Ann Baker for their input). Further details nearer the time.
Saturday / Sunday, 5th / 6th June, 2010 Riverside Festival and Boat Rally on the Mile Straight, in Leicester. Many attractions, both on and off the water, with something for everyone.
Where to find us: Meetings will normally be held at The Wheatsheaf Pub, Leicester Road, Thurcaston, LE7 7JN, in the Function Room/Skittle Alley, unless otherwise stated. The Wheatsheaf is on the Anstey to Birstall road. There is plenty of parking at the pub. We start our meetings at 7.30 p.m., unless specified otherwise. Further details of meetings will be given in “Winding Ways�. Alternatively, contact the Social Secretary, Beryl McDowall, phone mobile 07710-029247 or e-mail beryl@nbwasp.co.uk. Also note the date of the Loughborough Festival on 1st and 2nd May 2010. ******************************* Lincolnshire Waterways Partnership, with the Slea Navigation Trust, look forward to seeing you at the EPIC Centre on the Lincolnshire Show-ground on November 28th or 29th.
Footnote: After the campers have gone
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Canal Societies and Trusts in the new EM Region Buckingham Canal Society
Helen Preston, 16 Mallard Drive, Buckingham MK18 1GJ Tel: 01280 821232 www.buckinghamcanal.org.uk
Derby & Sandiacre Canal Trust
C/o Jeffery Jones Partnership, 43 St Peter’s Churchyard, Derby DE1 1NN Tel: 01332 576037
Derby & Sandiacre Canal Society
Lesley Reaney, 318 Osmaston Park Road, Allenton, Derby DE24 8FB Tel: 01332 601699 www.derbycanal.org.uk
Erewash Canal P & D
Howard Smith, 1 Millfield, Kimberley, Nottingham NG16 2LJ Tel: 0115 9384129
Association Foxton Inclined Plane Trust
Foxton Canal Museum, Middle Lock, Gumley Road, Market Harborough LE16 7RA Tel: 0116 2792657 www.fipt.org.uk
Friends of the Canal Museum
C/o The Canal Museum, Stoke Bruerne, Towcester NN12 7SE www.friendsofcanalmuseum.org.uk
Friends of the Cromford Canal
Patrick Morriss, The Shieling, Dukes Road, Lower Hartshay, Ripley, Derby DE5 3RP Tel: 01773 742895 www.cromfordcanal.org.uk
Friends of Raymond
c/o Braunston Marina, Braunston, Daventry, NN11 7JH www.thefriendsofraymond.org.uk
Grantham Canal Society
Mike Stone, 7, Crow Park Drive, Burton Joyce, Nottingham NG14 5AS; Tel: 0115 931 3375 www.granthamcanal.com
Louth Navigation Trust
John MacDonald, Navigation Warehouse, Riverhead, Louth LN11 0DA Tel: 01507 610539 www.louthcanal.org.uk
Melton & Oakham Waterways Society
Richard Booth, Sysonby Knoll, Asfordby Road, Melton Mowbray LE13 0HP Tel: 01664 503330 beehive.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/mows/
Old Union Canals Society
36 The Ridings, Desborough, Kettering NN14 2LP Tel: 07010 705103. www.fipt.org.uk/Local.htm
Sleaford Navigation Trust
Steve Hayes, 10 Chelmer Close, N Hykeham, Lincoln LN6 8TH Tel: 01522 689460 www.sleafordnavigation.co.uk
Trent and Mersey Canal Society
1 Pinfold Cottages, Back Lane, Little Haywood, Stafford ST 18 0UL. Tel: 01889 882770 www.trentandmersey.btinternet.co.uk
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