BULLETIN. Mid March Join IWA from 2.55/month - Chesterfield Canal Trust to Host 2016 IWA Trailboat Festival.

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1 BULLETIN Mid March 2015 Photo: Illuminated boat parade, IWA National Trailboat Festival 2014, Grand Western Canal (photo by Geoff Roberts) Chesterfield Canal Trust to Host 2016 IWA Trailboat Festival The Chesterfield Canal Trust is to host IWA s National Trailboat Festival in 2016 at Staveley Town Basin on the Chesterfield Canal. The programme for the Festival, which is planned for the 2016 Spring Bank Holiday, is already being developed and currently includes an illuminated parade of boats on the Saturday night and a convoy up to the River Rother at St Helena s on the Monday. There are also plans for boat rides, canoeing, children s rides, dozens of stalls and a Real Ale bar. The Trust has run previous IWA Trailboat Festivals at Tapton Lock in 2002 and 2005, which were both successful, as was the IWA Campaign Rally held at Kiveton Park in Robin Stonebridge Chair of the Trust said: We are delighted that IWA has chosen to return to the Chesterfield for its 2016 Trailboat Festival. The boaters who came here in 2002 or 2005 will see a great change, both on the canal and in the surrounding area. Canals get restored by continuously making the case, by hard graft and by spreading the word and building support from across the country. Although we still have eight miles to restore, the Festival will be a good way to celebrate the Trust s efforts thus far and for visitors to have a really good time here in North East Derbyshire. IWA national chairman Les Etheridge said: Our 2016 Trailboat Festival will help to demonstrate the community benefits that flow from the revival of functioning waterways. As well as providing a great day out, we hope the festival will stimulate renewed support from the public and local interest groups for the Trust s sterling restoration work. Contents IWA News Other News IWA Work Parties Waterway Events Join IWA from 2.55/month - 1

2 The Chesterfield Canal in Derbyshire is currently cut off from the rest of the network as the section between Staveley and Kiveton Park has not yet been restored; the section is owned by Derbyshire County Council. The Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Infrastructure Councillor Dean Collins, Derbyshire Council, said: The newly developed Staveley Basin has made Chesterfield Canal an attractive area for boats and we re delighted to be hosting the National Trailboat Festival in Derbyshire next year. We re committed to helping to improve Derbyshire s economy and tourism has a massive role to play. We re looking forward to welcoming the boating community to Derbyshire to enjoy our beautiful county and all it has to offer. Find out more about IWA s 2015 Trailboat Festival at www. waterways.org.uk/events_festivals/ iwa_trailboat_festival_2015, which is to be hosted and organised by Lancaster Canal Trust. IWA News Essex Lockkeeper to Leave Heybridge Basin After Years of Service Photo: Martin Maudsley at Heybridge The lockkeeper responsible for Heybridge Sea Lock in Essex is leaving his post after seven years of service. Martin Maudsley has been employed by Essex Waterways Ltd to operate the sea lock where the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation connects to the tidal estuary of the River Blackwater, but is now moving on to a new challenge with his family in the Lake District. The tradition of a lockkeeper at Heybridge Basin dates back to Martin has played an important role in this tradition and the Essex waterside community as he is only the 14th lockkeeper to hold the post. He has helped over five thousand vessels through the sea lock and met many interesting people from all walks of life. During his tenure Martin has saved a number of lives, rescuing people who fell into the water, usually from their boat. Martin s daughter, Maya, also added to the history of the role when she was born at Heybridge Basin in 2013, as she is believed to be the first lock house baby since it was built. Having joined Essex Waterways less than three years after the company took over management of the Navigation, Martin believes Essex Waterways has gone from strength to strength and has said I am proud to have been a part of developing a very strong base which will help Essex Waterways operate successfully in the future. I wish the new lock keeper every success and happiness in their time here. It can be a challenging role and sometimes not as idyllic as it sounds, but on balance is a wonderful way of life that holds a great responsibility to keep the traditions and character of Heybridge Basin alive. Essex Waterways is now looking for a new lockkeeper at Heybridge basin. This is a rare opportunity for a unique way of life. The role, which benefits from waterside accommodation in the lock cottage with spectacular views over the Blackwater Estuary, includes operating the sea lock, site maintenance, crane operations and other varied duties. More information about the vacancy is available at Essex Waterways Ltd s website at essex_waterways/vacancies. PLA and BMF Agree Requirements for Hired Narrowboats on Tidal Thames Following a Port of London Authority (PLA) investigation into an accident that involved a hired narrowboat on the tidal Thames, Find out about volunteering - 2

3 PLA and representatives from British Marine Federation (BMF) and Association of Pleasure Craft Operators (APCO) have together addressed the safety issues related to hire narrowboats on the tidal Thames. Photo: Tidal Thames, Woolwich (photo by Tim Lewis) The group intends to agree clear and practical rules and guidelines for hire narrowboats that wish to transit the tidal Thames. To date, PLA and BMF have agreed a set of requirements for narrowboats that want to transit the tidal Thames between Brentford and Teddington Lock. Guidance documents for boat operators that will outline these requirements are expected to be published by the end of April. This follows IWA s enquiry, at the end of 2014, that asked PLA to explain why it believed its request that hire companies ceased operations on the tidal Thames was appropriate, and in what way it would contribute to better safety on the tidal Thames. PLA and BMF have stated that requirements will be based on existing safety certification with additional measures introduced to reduce the likelihood of hire narrowboats flooding on the tidal Thames. There are also plans for the documentation provided and existing handover procedures between the operator and the hirer or charterer to be improved. Potential requirements for hire narrowboats that want to navigate the more complex tideway conditions between Limehouse and Brentford are still under discussion. More information is available at British Marine Federation s website. IWA Publishes New Vegetation Management Briefing Note Photo: Offside vegetation work being carried out by contractors this winter on the Caldon Canal IWA has recently updated its policy on vegetation management and has also produced a briefing note to provide an overview of the subject. IWA has been actively campaigning about vegetation management and particularly excessive offside vegetation at both a local branch level and nationally for many years, and is pleased to note the increase in offside tree and vegetation cutting that has taken place this winter on Canal & River Trust waterways. In some areas, volunteers have been involved in this work and IWA encourages the continuation and growth of such involvement. IWA Warwickshire Branch s offside vegetation project is an example of how volunteers can contribute to offside vegetation management. The Branch has successfully cleared vegetation from the offside lock landings along the Hatton lock flight of the Grand Union Canal, which has improved access. IWA and WRG volunteers have also supported recent work led by the Macclesfield Canal Society on the Macclesfield and Upper Peak Forest canals, which has seen substantial cost savings through volunteers carrying out this type of project. IWA s London Marathon Runner Needs Your Help Photo: David Edwards-May training for the 2015 London Marathon There are less than six weeks to go before David Edwards- May undertakes the challenge of running the 2015 London Marathon for IWA. David has been hard at work training for the event, which takes place on Sunday 26th April, and aims to raise 5,000 for IWA. He hopes that with your support he will be able to reach this target. More about IWA - 3

4 David explained that he wanted to support IWA by running the London Marathon because of his passion for waterways. He said, I have always believed that inland waterways are priceless assets, to be preserved and enjoyed by all. If you would like to support David in his efforts to raise funds for IWA s campaign and restoration work, you can sponsor him: Online - visit David Edwards- May s Virgin Money Giving fundraising page By phone call ext. 611 By post send a cheque payable to The Inland Waterways Association to Toby Gomm, IWA Head Office, Island House, Moor Road, Chesham, HP5 1WA IWA South Wales Branch Announces Name of Proposed Waterway After consultation with interested parties, IWA South Wales Branch has announced that the proposed integrated waterway, which would link the Swansea Canal to the Neath and Tennant Canals via a new route through Swansea Vale, the River Tawe and the Docks, is to be called the Swansea Bay Integrated Waterway. The proposed waterway would provide a 37-mile navigation from close to the Brecon Beacons National Park, via the Tawe and Neath valleys, to the South Wales coast at Swansea and Neath. More information about the proposals area available at IWA South Wales Branch s website pages at southwales. IWA Chester & Merseyside Branch Donates 200 to Local Small Tasks Team Photo: IWA Chester & Merseyside Branch Chairman, Peter Bolt and Paul Mills from the Small Tasks Team (photo by Gillian Bolt) IWA Chester & Merseyside Branch has donated 200 to local volunteer group, Small Tasks Team. Small Tasks Team is a group of volunteers that makes a real difference to the local waterways through work on specific projects that utilises the engineering skills of the Team. An example of the projects undertaken by the Team is the work carried out at the water points above Hurleston Locks. Here, Small Tasks Team has installed proper drainage and sets around the water points so that boaters no longer have to stand in deep muddy puddles to fill up with water. The volunteers also plan to relay the towpath in the area in the near future. Branch Chairman, Peter Bolt welcomed Paul Mills, who started Small Tasks Team, to the Branch AGM on 10th March, where Paul was presented with the cheque for 200. The Team plans to use the donation to help fund the purchase of equipment, which is much needed as the Team s numbers continue to grow with twenty-four volunteers signed up for the next project. Volunteer Needed to Review IWA s Guides for Branches Trustees have recently created a working group to look at the present structure of branches and regions to see how they can be better suited to the modern IWA. An important part of this is to review the various guides for branches on IWA s website to see how they could be improved, primarily to shift the emphasis from regulation to support. Rather than a review of the various handbooks and guides being undertaken by one of the members of the working group, who are mainly trustees, it has been suggested that it would be positive if the exercise was undertaken by an active branch member or members with practical experience of branch engagement. If any branch members are interested in this task could they please contact the group s chairman, Alan Platt at alan. platt@waterways.org.uk or contact him by telephone on Find out about volunteering - 4

5 Waterway Restoration Workshop 2015 There is still time to sign up to IWA and Canal & River Trust s (CRT) 2015 Waterway Restoraition Workshop. The workshop, titled Getting it on the Map, will focus on how to safeguard the line of canals under restoration and aims to ensure that local waterways societies and trusts have more support and information to assist in the development of their schemes. The free workshop is scheduled to take place at The Bond in Birmingham on Saturday 25th April Full details and booking information are available at IWA s website at uk/events_festivals/waterway_ restoration_workshop/waterway_ restoration_workshop_2015. About People Stanley Holland Photo: Stanley Holland, as featured in Navvies edition 193 (June-July 2002) with a letter from Stanley talking of his involvement with WRG, national festivals and Navvies Jerusalem. IWA is saddened to report the death of Stanley Holland, who passed away peacefully at his home on 6th March aged 93. Stanley had supported WRG, and the waterways, as an active volunteer for many years. He took part in WRG s restoration work, was involved with IWA s National Festivals and shared his enthusiasm for the waterways via talks to other groups. As well as being a staunch supporter of the waterways, Stanley was also an authority on canal coins, a subject that he wrote on in his book Canal Coins: An Illustrated History of the Coins, Tokens and Medals of the Inland Waterways. Other News New Canal Moorings in Macclesfield Canal & River Trust (CRT) has announced plans to install new moorings close to Macclesfield town centre on the Macclesfield Canal. A new 84 metre pontoon is due to be fixed to the side of the canal bank, near to the A6 Buxton Road Bridge (Bridge 37), in order to create visitor moorings for up to six boats. Work on the project is due to start in mid-march and should be finished before Easter. After the installation of the moorings, volunteers plan to work on a complementary project to improve the local towpath and access to the Canal from Buxton Road. Wilts & Berks Canal Trust Launches Match Funding Appeal Wilts & Berks Canal Trust has launched an appeal to raise funds for a project at Royal Wootton Bassett, which plans to restore a 1.25 kilometre section of the Wilts & Berks Canal and create a wildlife trail alongside a former landfill site. Over 600,000 is needed in total, some of which has already been secured in the form of grants. Costs for preliminary work are estimated at 50,000 and include site clearance, ground investigation, land drainage consent and confirmation of the methodology for the works. One funder has agreed to release part of their grant for this initial work. However, it will only match fund what the Trust can raise. The Trust has launched this appeal to raise as every pound raised will release another pound of funding, bringing the overall total to as needed for initial work. More information on the project and appeal, including how to donate, is available at Wilts & Berks Canal Trust s website at trust-news/1340-urgent-fundingappeal-for-the-studley-grangeproject IWA Campaigns Page - 5

6 Celebrations Planned to Mark Completion of New Slipway & Bridge Restoration On 29th March 2015, Thames & Medway Canal Association plans to celebrate the completion of a new slipway, which has recently been built to enable boats to cruise around a mile of the Thames & Medway Canal, and works on the Swing Bridge, which the Association has been able to restore thanks to a donation from Gravesham Borough Council. The celebration will take the form of an open day with a number of attractions planned, including the launching of a narrowboat and a static photo display of the almost 200 year old Canal. More information about the open day is available at the Thames & Medway Canal Association s website at Work to Further Restoration of the Lichfield Canal Begins On 6th March, Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust (LHCRT) held a ceremony to mark the start of work on its project to reinstate a culvert and aqueduct of the Lichfield Canal, which were demolished when the M6 Toll motorway was built. The ceremony was attended by Local MP Michael Fabricant who cut the first sod. More information on the project and the ceremony is available at LHCRT s website at Caledonian Canal Stoppage at Cullochy Weir At the beginning of March a major breach of the Caledonian Canal occured at Cullochy Weir. The breach requires a major civil engineering response and has resulted in the closure of the Canal to sea to sea navigation. The breach was caused when unusually high water levels on Loch Oich significantly undermined the weir at Cullochy and partially washed it away. Work has begun to repair the breach, with access created next to Aberchalder Bridge to allow excavators to get close to the water s edge and install blocks to stem the flow of water near to the Bridge. Repairs can then be carried out on the weir. Scottish Canals has said that the Caledonian Canal, which was due to open for the season on March 23rd, will potentially be closed to sea navigation until the end of April. It then plans to manage further works around boat movements so that the canal can be operational from the end of April. It could, however, be some time in June before works are completed fully. Worcester & Birmingham Canal Re-opened Canal & River Trust announced on 12th March, that repairs to a leak between Bridge 88 and Worcester Bar Stop Lock on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal have been completed and the navigation is now open. This stretch of the Canal was closed in February after concerns of a leak at the Aqueduct were raised. Further investigation revealed a large hole in the canal bed that has now been filled. CRT Appoints New Head of Museums Canal & River Trust (CRT) has announced that Graham Boxer has been appointed as Head of Museums. Graham will be responsible for the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port, the Gloucester Waterways Museum and all of the designated museum and archive collections. IWA & WRG Work Party Reports This section contains volunteer reports from IWA branches and IWA s Waterway Recovery Group (WRG). IWA branch reports contain information from their latest work parties where volunteers have worked to help maintain their local canals. WRG reports on its Canal Camps and weekend digs to keep readers up More about IWA - 6

7 to date with the restoration work the group has been undertaking. Busy Winter on the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation IWA Northampton Branch Uncovers Buried Mile Post huge amount of rubbish. Volunteers at the first litter pick filled around 50 bags, and around 40 were filled at the second. Sixty Volunteers at IWA Warwickshire Branch s Latest Spring Cleanup Photo: Volunteers hard at work at Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation Work Party Essex Waterways Ltd. hosted a WRG Canal Camp in February as well as several weekend work parties, with Essex WRG and IWA Chelmsford Branch, at the end of 2014 and beginning of The volunteers carried out vegetation management work on the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation during the winter period to help maintain the Navigation. The towpaths along the Navigation are becoming busier each year and clearance work is much appreciated by the many users. The work has also enabled Essex County Council to carry out informal surfacing between Barnes Lock and Sandford and will assist with future access for Essex Waterways Ltd. s Avant cutter. Work in the Elms Farm Heybridge area was also completed on 7th - 8th March when Essex WRG was joined by IWA Chelmsford Branch and the Sandford Boating Club, with twenty-six volunteers on site on the Saturday and Sunday. Photo: Northampton Arm Mile Post 3 buried IWA Northampton Branch held four work parties in February, two of which focused on reinstating one of the historic mile markers on the Northampton Arm of the Grand Union Canal. The marker, which had become buried over the years, needed digging out and re-setting. After the first day, the volunteers reached the 12 diameter plate concreted in with broken bricks and it became clear a second day s work would be needed as well as a jackhammer. With the right tools for the job on the second day, the post came out and was reinstated at a proper height, before being given a good lick of paint. Photo: IWA Northampton Branch volunteer paints reinstated Mile Post 3, (photo by John Bannister) The group also had two litter picks during the month that collected a Photo: IWA Warwickshire volunteers help boat arrive to pick up rubbish at Leamington Spa Cleanup IWA Warwickshire Branch held its latest spring cleanup of the Grand Union Canal and the adjoining towpath between Tachbrook Road and St. Mary s road in Leamington. A diverse group of sixty volunteers used grappling hooks to haul a variety of items from the canal bed. These included the usual selection of shopping trolleys and bicycles, plus two van doors and axles, a wheelie bin, a water butt, three motorcycles, lots of pipe and a mixture of metal and plastic. In addition, a litter pick produced over 30 black sacks of rubbish. The volunteers were made up of IWA members, Warwick University students, St Mary s Road residents, Love Leamington members and local residents; all supported by Canal & River Trust (CRT) staff and work boat Waterway Events - 7

8 As well as filling the CRT boat with rubbish, two large trailer loads of metal were carted away to be recycled. Local MP, Chris White made a visit and was very impressed by the volume and variety of the collection. It is planned to continue the cleanup of the canal and newly laid towpath in Leamington in the autumn with a further event concentrating on the section from St. Mary s Road towards Radford Semele. If you would like to help or would like details of other, similar events please info. warwickshire@waterways.org.uk. Waterway Events Major IWA events in nd - 4th May IWA Canalway Cavalcade, London 30th - 31st May IWA Trailboat Festival, Cumbria 29th - 31st August Festival of Water, Northampton IWA Branch Events in rd - 5th July Ware Boat Festival, Hertfordshire 4th - 5th July Welsh Waterways Festival, Welshpool, Mid-Wales Have you got a waterway event or activity to promote? - Anyone can add details of a waterways event or activity to this area on the website. You don t even need to register with the website or provide any sort of password. Simply use the upload event form. See IWA s Events Calendar for a full list of waterway events. You can also search by event type or find out what s going in on your area with the map search. Upcoming Volunteer/ Cleanup Events March 18th March Work Party - River 19th March Work Party - Trent & Mersey Canal (IWA North Staffordshire & South Cheshire 20th-23rd March Work Party - Rugeley (IWA Lichfield 21st March Work Party - Greater Manchester (IWA Manchester 22nd March Work Party - Hatton (IWA Warwickshire 22nd March Work Party - Northampton (IWA Northampton 24th March Work Party - Burslem Arm (supported by IWA North Staffordshire & South Cheshire 25th March Work Party - River 27th March Work Party - Congleton (IWA North Staffordshire & South Cheshire 27th March Work Party - Erewash Canal (supported by IWA Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire 28th March Work Party - Erewash Canal (IWA Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire 28th March Work Party - Chester (IWA Chester & Merseyside 28th March Work Party - Bridgwater & Taunton Canal (IWA West Country 29th March Work Party - Sheffield & Tinsley Canal (IWA South Yorkshire & Dukeries) April 1st April Work Party - River 7th April Work Party - Northampton (IWA Northampton 8th April Work Party - River Gipping (IWA 8th April Work Party - Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal (IWA Birmingham, Black Country & Worcestershire Shop with us - 8

9 9th April Work Party - Uttoxeter Canal (IWA North Staffordshire & South Cheshire 15th April Work Party - River 16th April Work Party - Trent & Mersey Canal (IWA North Staffordshire & South Cheshire 17th-18th April Work Party - Milton Keynes (IWA Milton Keynes 18th-19th April BCN Cleanup th April Work Party - Greater Manchester (IWA Manchester 22nd April Work Party - River 24th April Work Party - Congleton (IWA North Staffordshire & South Cheshire 25th April Work Party - Chester (IWA Chester & Merseyside 26th April Work Party - Northampton (IWA Northampton 28th April Work Party - Burslem Arm (supported by IWA North Staffordshire & South Cheshire 29th April Work Party - River To advertise your restoration/ cleanup events in the bulletin please add details to IWA s events calendar. Upcoming Towpath Walks March 18th March Waterside Walk - Stratford Canal (IWA Warwickshire April 5th April Waterside Walk - Llanthony Lock & Over Basin (IWA Gloucestershire & Herefordshire 5th April Waterside Walk - Regent s Canal, King s Cross to Hitchcock s Hackney (IWA Towpath Walks Society) 7th April Waterside Walk - River Foss (River Foss Society) 19th April Waterside Walk - Thames & Severn Towpath (IWA Gloucestershire & Herefordshire 19th April London Towpath Waterside Walk - Regent s Canal, King s Cross to Granary Square (IWA Towpath Walks Society) 26th April Waterside Walk - The Olympics to the Bow Back Rivers (IWA Towpath Walks Society) To advertise your towpath walks in the Bulletin, please add details to IWA s events calendar IWA Member Discounts and Special Offers The following special offers are now available exclusively for IWA members: ABC Boat Hire - 15% discount Airedale Cruising - 10% Discount off skippered day cruises Boatshed Grand Union - 10% discount on brokerage Calcutt Boats - 5% Discount Canal Boat Magazine - Annual subscription for just 15 CanalCruising.co.uk - 10% discount Channel Glaze - 10% discount on double glazing for boats Cotswold Outdoor - 10% discount Europcar - Special hire rates to IWA members Frangipani SUP Ltd - 10% discount Forge Studio - 10% discount Grand Union Diesel Services - 5% discount IceGripper - 20% discount King s Lock Chandlery - 5% discount Lee Sanitation Ltd. - 10% on orders over 100 Marine Megastore Ltd. - 15% discount Midland Chandlers - 5% discount Paper Wizard - 15% discount River Canal Rescue - up to 15% discount Join IWA from 2.55/month - 9

10 RoadPro - 5% discount The Three Locks Pub, Grand Union Canal nr. Milton Keynes - 10% discount on food UltimateBerths.com - Free Listing Willowbridge Marina - 10% discount on chandlery purchases and services in the yard Worcester Marine Windows Ltd - 5% discount Wyvern Shipping Co. Ltd - 10% discount on published prices Zead - Free postage and accessories Please note: All discounts and offers are entirely at the organisers discretion. rescue service for boat owners, with the added benefit that every policy taken out and subsequently renewed helps IWA, and thus furthers our charitable work for the waterways. See more information about the IWA insurance scheme for boaters Contact Us IWA Head Office, Island House, Moor Road, Chesham, HP5 1WA Bulletin is edited by Stefanie Preston To see details of how to take advantage of these offers, please go to support_us/members_area/ member_discounts_special_offers_ public For IWA members who receive a printed copy of this bulletin in the post, please contact the membership team on for the details of the offers. Members can also support IWA with a Narrow Boat magazine subscription Boat Insurance IWA has an arrangement with insurers Navigators & General and River Canal Rescue that provides top quality boat insurance and access to the basic waterway Published by: The Inland Waterways Association. Registered Office: Island House, Moor Road, Chesham, HP5 1WA. Tel: The Inland Waterways Association is a non-profit distributing company limited by guarantee. Registered in England no Registered as a charity no More about IWA