navvies 264
DESCRIPTION
Waterway Recovery Group's magazine for volunteers restoring the canals of England and Wales.TRANSCRIPT
volunteers restoring waterwaysvolunteers restoring waterways
Issue No 264April-May
2014
Issue No 264April-May
2014
navviesnavvies
Spotlight on South Wales
Come to East Yorkshire!
Spotlight on South Wales
Come to East Yorkshire!
waterwayrecoverygroup
waterwayrecoverygroup
page 2
Visit our web site www.wrg.org.uk for
NavviesProductionEditor: Martin Ludgate, 35 Silvester Road,East Dulwich London SE22 9PB020-8693 3266 [email protected]
Subscriptions: Sue Watts, 15 Eleanor Rd.,Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester M21 9FZ
Printing and assembly: John & TessHawkins, 4 Links Way, Croxley Green,Rickmansworth, Herts WD3 3RQ01923 448559 [email protected]
Navvies is published by Waterway RecoveryGroup, Island House, Moor Rd., CheshamHP5 1WA and is available to all interested inpromoting the restoration and conservationof inland waterways by voluntary effort inGreat Britain. Articles may be reproduced inallied magazines provided that the source isacknowledged. WRG may not agree withopinions expressed in this magazine, butencourages publication as a matter of inter-est. Nothing printed may be construed aspolicy or an official announcement unless sostated - otherwise WRG and IWA accept noliability for any matter in this magazine.
Waterway Recovery Group is part of TheInland Waterways Association, (registeredoffice: Island House, Moor Road, CheshamHP5 1WA). The Inland Waterways Associa-tion is a non-profit distributing companylimited by guarantee, registered in Englandno 612245, and registered as a charity no212342. VAT registration no 342 0715 89.
Directors of WRG: Rick Barnes, JohnBaylis, Mick Beattie, James Butler, ChrisDavey, George Eycott, Helen Gardner, JohnHawkins, Dave Hearnden, Jude Palmer, MikePalmer, Jonathan Smith, Harry Watts.
ISSN: 0953-6655
© 2014 WRG Devon C
ounci
lM
art
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page 3
all the latest news of WRG's activities
Camps Preview summer camps part 2:mid July to mid August camps 4-6Coming soon Leader Training, BonfireBash, Training Weekend, Little Venice 7Dig report NW on the Pocklington(with a bit of Driffield thrown in) 8-9Directory WRG and canal socieites 10-13Restoration feature a 6-page special onthe South Wales canals 14-19Diary canal camps and weekend digs 20-23WRG BC news from our boat club 24Letters Shropshire Tub Boat Canal, andwhat exactly does WRG stand for? 25Progress our regular roundup from aroundthe country’s canal restorations 26-32WRG NW a year in the life 33-35Navvies News including some very importantinfo for plant and machine operators 36Infill including Dear Deirdre - and whatexactly is the meaning of Inglesham? 37-39
Contributions...
...are always welcome, whether handwritten,typed, on CD, DVD or by email.
Photos welcome: digital, slides,prints. Please say if you want prints back.Digital pics are welcome as email attach-ments, preferably JPG, but if you have a lotof large files it’s best to send them on CD orDVD or to contact the editor first.
Contributions by post to the editorMartin Ludgate, 35, Silvester Road,London SE22 9PB, or by email [email protected].
Press date for issue 265: 1 May.
Subscriptions
A year's subscription (6 issues) is availablefor a minimum of £3.00 to Sue Watts, 15Eleanor Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy,Manchester M21 9FZ. Cheques payable to"Waterway Recovery Group" please.
This is a minimum subscription, thateveryone can afford. Please add a donation.
ContentsIn this issue...
Above: Cotswold Canals: London WRG concrete thetop cill at Griffin Mill Lock. Below left: Grand Westernreopens after breach repairs, just in time for trailboatfestival in May. Below: WRG Forestry on the Cotswoldnear Wallbridge Lower Lock, Stroud. Front cover: WRGNW on the Pocklington, which hosts the first CanalCamp for many years this summer - see p8. (photo:Alistair Anderson). Back cover, top: Mr Mac’s 90thbirthday cake (Chris Griffiths). Back cover, bottom:Forestry go to work on the Wey & Arun (John Hawkins)
Cots
wold
Canals
Tru
st
page 4
Camps previewSummer camps 2014: part 2
In the second part of our
annual Canal Camps
preview, we bring you
details of camps from
late July to mid August
Camps Preview Part 2: late summer 2014
This time we’re going to give you the latest updates from the leaders of the camps in thesecond half of the summer camps programme. But before we do, we’d just like to remindyou of three camps that we covered last time - Camp 2014-04 on 12-19 July on the Mon-mouthshire Canal, and Camps 2014-06 on 19-26 July and 2014-08 on 26 July to 2August on the Swansea Canal. Why? Because they’re in South Wales, and we’ve got aNavvies special feature on South Wales restoration in this issue - see pages 14-19 to find outmore about what’s happening on the canals in this area, and how you can help.
Another camp we mentioned last time but didn’t tell you much about was Camp 2014-05 on the Uttoxeter Canal on 19-26 July. Now you may have heard rumours aboutWRG Forestry finishing off this canal last year: well it’s not quite true, thankfully there’s stillloads of work to get stuck into, and here’s camp leader Emma Greenall to tell us about it…
I’ll be leading a classic ‘something for everyone’ camp on the Uttoxeter Canal. Whetheryou’re a dab hand with a heritage pointing tool or just want to go mad with a machetethere’s plenty to do at Bridge 70 including lime mortar repairs, regrading the bridge ap-proaches, towpath improvements and installing wooden fencing. And to top it all off we’vegot Harri Barnes cooking!
Meanwhile also on 19-26 July we have Camp 2014-07, the first of two weeks on theCromford Canal. Let’s hear about it from leader Gavin Darby...
Eager Beavers Required! The main task of our the week will be to prepare Lock 3 onthe Ironville flight for surveying. Currently the old canal is a flood relief channel so we willneed to dam each end of the lock and pipe the water through. Anything not part of the lockchamber will be removed in readiness for scaffolding to enable the survey to go ahead. Weexpect the week to be wet and muddy with lots making/moving sandbags, dam building,shovelling and carrying out the ‘silt’.
I’ll be running the camp with assistance from Martin Forster, and food by AndyRamsey. Our accommodation will beThe Wharf Shed Bunkhouse, HighPeak Junction, Cromford, completewith bunk beds, two lounges, diningarea and a drying room. It is quitepossibly the only site you could stepout of bed into the trip boat! *
*Statement used for illustrativepurposes only. You’ll need to leavethe building by the door. Please.
Then Gavin hands over toSteve Harmes and Chris Colbornefor the second week at Cromford,Camp 2014-10 on 26 July - 2August. Tell us about it, Steve...
The Cromford camp this year isa new site for us, we will be investi-gating the first of the locks at Ironvilleto assess the state of the chamberand canal channel. Work will includeclearing the lock and canal channel, Cromford: last year’s campers check out this year’s site
Mart
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(plenty of mud for those wholike getting down and dirty),scaffolding the lock and expos-ing the walls and base tosurvey for future work. Thisshould keep us busy and besomething a bit different asthese locks have not beenexposed for some considerabletime. Come and spend a weekin the spectacular Derbyshirecountryside, help restore partof this once impressive canal,and have a ride on the newtrip-boat!
Now you may have heardof a place down on the Cots-wold Canals called Ingle-sham Lock and be wonderingwhen we’re going to getaround to doing some morework on it. Well, the answer is9-16 August when Camp2014-09 run by our friends inKESCRG will be starting things off again. Ed Walker’s leading, so let’s hear from him...
The KESCRG camp this year will be at Inglesham lock on the Thames and Severn Canal- ‘Mk2’ and I will be leading it and it’s shaping up to be a good one. We’re the first of threeweek camps on the lock and we will be doing the initial dewatering, inspection and stop-plank fitting tasks at the bottom end of the chamber, and continuing the brickwork at thetop. We have a crack team of cooks to support us and I’m sure a few pints will be drunk inthe George in the evening as well.
Assistant leader Mark ‘Mk2’ Richardson adds:Experience has shown me that the Cotswold Canals Trust don’t invite us down to work
unless they’ve got everything in place for a really worthwhile project; I’m looking forward tothe usual great local support on this one. Oh and that bit about going down The Georgesounds nice, too...
...while ‘RAF Martin’ Thompson, WRG contact for Inglesham, explains how it fits inwith Camp 2014-12 on 26 July - 2 August and Camp 2014-15 on 2-9 August:
It’s more of an “Starship Enterprise Camp” - a voyage of discovery, pioneering the way
This year at Ingleshan: dam it, drain it, check it, brick it!
John H
aw
kin
s
Staveley Town Lock takes shape. This year’s Chesterfield Camp job: link it to last year’s wall
Chic
hest
er
Canal
Tru
st
page 6
for those camps to follow! Invertclearance to Lower lock entranceand condition inspection includ-ing lower wing walls, repairingas necessary, preparing andinstalling stop plank grooves,stop plank seals, installing utilityducts. Brickwork as described,and much, much more.
Meanwhile at the oppositeend of the canal system, way upon the Lancaster Canal,Camp 2014-11 on 26 July - 2August is led by Paul Shaw.Tell us about it, Paul...
This summer we’ll be re-turning to a 225 metre section ofthe canal at Stainton to completeearthworks, bank support(gabions), drainage and re-liningworks. Once complete, this newsection will be re-watered andreconnected to a part of thecanal that the Trust uses for itstrip boats. Volunteers will alsobe involved in towpath improve-ment work and vegetation clear-ance on a further section of thecanal at Hincaster Tunnel.
Next our attention turns tothe Chesterfield Canal inDerbyshire for Camps 2014-13on 2-9 August and 2014-16 on 9-16 August. Over to leader George Rogers...
Dust off your trowels, knock off that old mortar from your spirit level and brush offyour spot board - it’s time to lay blocks. This year we are going to be continuing the work atStaveley Town Basin and hope to able to link the wall built last year with the lock. Curvedwalls, straight walls, blocks and bricks - there are plenty of challenges for everyone. We’llalso be doing some earth moving, concreting and painting so there’s plenty for all. Oh, andwe’ll be having a half day on Wednesday - what more could you ask for?
Meanwhile down south, we’re still busy on the Cotswold Canals but on a different sitefor three Camps - 2014-17, 2014-20 and 2014-21 on 9-16 August, 16-23 August and 23-30 August. Let’s hear what Sophie Smith, co-leader for the middle week, has to say...
Martin Danks and I are looking forward to another fun camp at Brimscombe - we’reboth Cotswolds veterans by now! We expect to be working on either Ham Mill or Bowbridgelocks. It’s likely there will be some brickwork involved - either knocking it out or putting itback in. Martin and I are expecting to share the cooking duties and welcome anyone whofancies cooking a meal.
And that’s not all: we’ve got a couple of new sites for you this year. Firstly there’s acombined Pocklington Canal and Driffield Navigation camp 2014-18 on 16-23 Au-gust - see Helen Gardner’s report on page 8 for lots of information about both waterways.
And on the same week 16-23 August we’ve also got camp 2014-19 on the Shrews-bury & Newport Canals - see the Restoration Feature in the last issue of Navvies for allthe news on this fast-moving restoration project. Finally the summer season ends with Camp2014-22 on the Basingstoke Canal and 2014-23 on the Somerset Waterways, bothon 30 August - 6 September. More about all these end-of-summer camps next time.
Martin Ludgatewith additional contributions
What’s under here? Find out on the Shrewsbury & Newport camp
Mart
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page 7
Coming soonLots of training!
Do you want to get
trained in dumper
driving, scaffolding
or being a canal
camp leader?
Leader Training Day: Saturday 10 May 2014 at Ettington
I’m hoping that the information on the forthcoming leaders’ training day has not bypassedyou but if it has or if you have dawdled in booking on then book on now with Jenny at headoffice ([email protected]).
It’s at Ettington Community Centre on Saturday 10th May (halfway between Stratford-Upon-Avon and Banbury) – coffee from 10 am, start around 10.30 am (directions will besent out beforehand). BBQ to follow, overnight accommodation is available in the hall andso are breakfast butties.
You’ll need to state any dietary requirements and whether you are staying for the BBQand breakfast the next day – also please let us know if you are staying for the WRG Commit-tee meeting so we can provide you lunch for that. There’s no charge for the event.
In terms of agenda you’ve got until 25th April to submit any thoughts and ideas(thanks for those submitted so far – feel free to submit even if you’re not planning on at-tending). You’ve also got until then to vote whether you think the morning should befocussed on new leaders (everyone would still be welcome to attend it’s just that the moreexperienced people may have heard quite a bit before) .
Votes, bookings, questions, suggestions, flowers and chocolates to either Jenny ormyself ([email protected] and 07989 425346)
Helen Gardner
WRG Training Weekend: 7-8 June
This is our annual training weekend which aims to provide training in whatever people wantto be trained in - but in particular, training appropriate to what we’re doing on the summercanal camps.
Suggestions already made include: dumpers, excavators, bricklaying, Tirfor winches,scaffolding, dam management, and hoists.
The site hasn’t been confirmed yet but will almost certainly be somewhere in the Mid-lands. If you’re interested in being trained in any of the above skills or anything else - plantand vehicles, practical skills or whatever - please get in touch. And the sooner you do, themore likely we’ll be able to provide what you want.
Contact Jenny at head office on [email protected] or 01494 783453.
Coming not-quite-so-soon: WRG Bonfire Bash, 8-9 November
We haven’t quite decided the site yet - in fact there were two front-runners as we went topress - but the date is set and our annual reunion get-together for 100-plus volunteers willdefinitely be happening on 8-9 November.
We’ll have lots more information about it including details of the worksite and accom-modation, plus a booking form, in the next couple of issues of Navvies.
Final call for Canalway Cavalcade, London, May 3-5
...and finally, if you’re free on the May Day Bank Holiday weekend or a day or two eitherside of it and you fancy helping out with site services at IWA’s Canalway Cavalcade festival atLittle Venice in London, I’m sure Gary Summers will be delighted to hear from you. Justcontact him on [email protected] or 07973 654 977.
page 8
Dig Report...Pocklington Canal...
Helen Gardner reports
back from a North West
weekend dig and site
visit to two East
Yorkshire waterways...
WRG North-West AlmostGo to Hull and Back
(and so can you this summer)
In March of this year WRG North-West visitedthe East Riding of Yorkshire and in particularthe Pocklington Canal; a brand new site formany and for the others it’s been so longsince we last visited it might as well be a newsite. Some of us drove over in daylight onthe Friday and tried Pocklington’s local hos-telries and the rest of us rocked up at theScout Hut after the scouts had finished theirFriday night meet. Some ‘red medicine’might have been consumed, purely for me-dicinal purposes you understand.
The next morning the smell of cookingbacon got us out of bed and after a relaxingbreakfast it was time to head to site. RogerBromley from the local society (PCAS) ledthe way and our caravan of vehicles made itsway through a farm and across the fields toswing bridge 8. We jiggled the cars aroundso they were parked in a logical order (firstin last out obviously) and then did a quicksite visit with Martin from CRT along with a
final review of the paperwork. Once we’destablished the boundaries, the chainsawsswung into action and we got the two allo-cated bonfires going. The bitter wind easedvery slightly throughout the morning and thesun actually came out so it was more pleas-ant than some had predicted.
Radio Vixen 101 came out to interviewme but they also managed to grab somemore time with Paul Waddington (they’veinterviewed him before) and John Foleydidn’t stand back quickly enough when an-other volunteer was asked for. You shouldstill be able to hear all of our dulcet tones at:http://vixen101.co.uk/category/listen-again/
Sunday was a more relaxed day wherewe concentrated on burning what we’d cuton Saturday, building the habitat piles (with-out burning them – this proved trickier thanone might imagine) and generally tidyingup. We finally persuaded chainsaw Ian tostop cutting trees down and everyone else tostop sunbathing and we headed back to thehall for a late lunch.
CRT had come back on the Sundaymorning to see what we’d done and were
very pleased – in fact so muchso that they sent us a card:anyone else been the recipientof this new method in makingvolunteers feel valued?
The first point of theweekend was to open up theseverely overgrown canalcorridor but a secondary pointwas to catch up on what’shappening on the canalcamp in the summer. Forthe more observant of you,you will have noticed thatWRG working on the Pockling-ton has not happened for awhile, I think the last canalcamp would have been in the1990s (though I’m sure I’ll becorrected). This year we’reback with a vengeance andwe’ll be working on a stretchWRG North West on the Pocklington
Alist
air A
nders
on
page 9
of towpath not far from the verypicturesque canal head. There’saround 400 metres of towpath thatneeds “sorting out” – it slopes thisway and that (and it’s supposed tobe level) and at times it’s very un-even. The camp will start at theend nearest canal head, do theearth works necessary and lay asurface (to be determined hopefullybefore you’ve read this). The Pock-lington Canal towpath is well usedby the locals and this will make abig difference to them. There mayeven be some supplementary wild-life survey work to be done if thecamp is up for this kind of work.
Anyone who’s paid attention tothe camps’ brochure will have spot-ted that the week is combined withthe Driffield – so, whilst I was onthe Pocklington I hopped over toDriffield, met up with Phil the Bitchand we had a look at what wasgoing on there. I (having only livedin God’s own county for 3 yearswhen I was very young*) thoughtthe 16 mile drive would be a deso-late flat, windswept struggle – but itturned out to be uppy and downy ina lovely to drive kind of way; com-bine that with signs to destinationssuch as Wetwang it was amazing I made it asfar as Driffield – I could still be drivingaround now following signs to bizarreplaces. Anyway – the Driffield too have therequirement for a path. In this situation thecanal follows a busy road (with no pave-ment) and there is no towpath at all. Thework for the camp is to have a small team ofpeople clearing a nature trail type path(through currently impenetrable scrub)alongside the canal. It’s kind of exploratorybecause we just don’t know what’s in there. At the end of the week though it will make amassive difference to the locals because atthe moment they just can’t walk along it atall. So it’s a split site kind of camp with a
...and preview...and Driffield Navigation
...and invites you to
consider joining WRG for a
week’s canal camp working
on both of them
in the summer
much smaller team on the Driffield but thesite is low tech in that it should just be brushcutters in use.
It’s looking to be a good summer inYorkshire and for anyone who says “aren’tthere any derelict canals in the north-east?” Well yes there are and we’re on two in justone camp this summer. It’s also quite nearthe sea, we’ve researched the pubs and I’veheard rumours of ice cream.
Helen ‘Bushbaby’ Gardner
* about 20
PS Many thanks to Barbara and Kath for thecatering on the NW dig.
The terminus of the Driffield Navigation
Mart
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page 10
ASHBY CANAL ASSOC
Rod Smith
4 Ashby Road, Sinope
Coalville LE67 3AY
Tel: 01530 833307
BARNSLEY, DEARNE &
DOVE CANAL TRUST
June Backhouse, 39 Hill St,
Elsecar, Barnsley S74 8EN
01226 743383
www.bddct.org.uk
BASINGSTOKE CANAL
SOCIETY
Duncan Paine
52 Kings Road
Fleet GU51 3AQ
01252-614125
www.basingstoke-
canal.org.uk/society
BCN SOCIETY
Jeff Barley, 17 Sunnyside
Walsall Wood, W Midlands
01543 373284
www.bcn-society.org.uk
BUCKINGHAM CANALSOCIETY
Athina Beckett
2 Staters Pound, Pennyland
Milton Keynes MK1 5AX
01908 661217email: [email protected]
www.buckinghamcanal.org.uk
BUGSWORTH BASIN
(IWPS)
Ian Edgar
Top Lock House, Lime Kiln
Lane, Marple SK6 6BX.0161 427 7402
www.brocross.com/iwps/
index.htm
DirectoryCanal Society and WRG contacts
CALDON & UTTOXETER
CANALS TRUST
Alison Smedley
Hazelhurst Cottage
Denford, Leek ST13 7JT
01538-385388
www.cuct.org.uk
CHESTERFIELD CANAL
TRUST
Mick Hodgetts
31 Pottery Lane
Chesterfield S41 9BH
01246 620695
chesterfield-canal-
trust.org.uk
CHICHESTER SHIP CT
Linda Wilkinson
1 Chidham Lane
Chichester PO18 8TL
01243 576701
www.chichestercanal.co.uk
COTSWOLD CT
Bell House, Wallbridge Lock
Stroud GL5 3JS
01453 752568
www.cotswoldcanals.com
FRIENDS OF THE
CROMFORD CANAL
George Rogers
2 Main St, Whatstandwell
Matlock DE4 5HE07789 493967
www.cromfordcanal.org.uk
DERBY & SANDIACRE CS
Doug Flack
23 Thoresby Cres, Draycott
Derby DE72 3PH01332 576037
www.derbycanal.org.uk
DIG DEEP INITIATIVE
Alan Cavender
53 Derwent Drive,
Maidenhead SL6 6LE
01628 629033
www.dig-deep.org.uk
DORSET & SOMERSET
CANAL SOCIETY
Derrick Hunt
43 Greenland Mills
Bradford on Avon BA15 1BL
01225 863066
www.dorandsomcanal.org
EAST ANGLIAN
WATERWAYS ASSOC
David Revill
43 Kings Road
Coltishall, Norfolk
NR12 7DX
01603 738648
EREWASH CANAL P&DA
Mick Golds
73 Sudbury Avenue
Larklands
Ilkeston
Derbys DE7 5EA
Notts (0115) 9328042
ESSEX WATERWAYS LTD
Graham Brown
Paper Mill Lock
North Hill
Little Baddow
Essex CM3 4BT
07966 [email protected]
www.waterways.org.uk
FOXTON INCLINED
PLANE TRUSTc/o Mike Beech
Foxton Canal Museum
Middle Lock
Gumley Road
FoxtonMarket Harborough
LE16 7RA
0116 279 [email protected]
www.fipt.org.uk
page 11
RIVER GIPPING TRUST
Martin Bird
29 Melton Grange Rd
Melton
Woodbridge IP12 1SA
01394 380765
restoration@rivergippingtrust.
org.uk
GRAND WESTERN CT
Denis Dodd, Wharf Cottage
Nynehead, Wellington
Somerset TA21 0BJ
01823 661653
GRANTHAM CANAL SOC
Ian Wakefield
0115 989 2128
ian.wakefield@
granthamcanal.com
www.granthamcanal.com
HEREFS & GLOUCS CT
c/o The Wharf House
Over
Gloucester
GL2 8DB
01452 332900
www.h-g-canal.org.uk
KENNET & AVON CT
Derrick Hunt
(as per Dorset & Somerset)
www1.katrust.org.uk
KESCRGEddie Jones
‘Little Orchard’Berryfields, Fillongley
Coventry CV7 8EX0845 226 8589
www.kescrg.org.uk
LANCASTER CTKeith Tassart
24 Kings Crescent
Morecambe LA3 1HX01524 424761
www.lctrust.co.uk
LAPAL CANAL TRUST
26 Loynells Road, RednalBirmingham B45 9NP
01785 713862
www.lapal.org
LICHFIELD &
HATHERTON CANALS
REST'N TRUST
Sue Williams, Norfolk House
29 Hall Lane
Hammerwich
Burntwood WS7 0JP
01543 671427
www.lhcrt.org.uk
NEATH & TENNANT CS
Ian Milne
16 Gower Road, Sketty,
Swansea SA2 9BY
01792 547902
MANCHESTER BOLTON &
BURY CANAL SOCIETY
Steve Dent 07802-973228
www.mbbcs.org.uk
MONMOUTHSHIRE
BRECON &
ABERGAVENNY CT
Phil Hughes
14 Locks Canal Centre
Cwm Lane, Newport
NP10 9GN
01633 892167
www.mbact.org.uk
NWPG
Bill Nicholson, 17 Clifford Rd
Princes Risborough HP27 0DU
01844 343369 / 0779
1097773
www.nwpg.org.uk
POCKLINGTON C.A.SPaul Waddington
Church House, Main St.
Hemingborough YO8 7QE01757 638027
ROLLE CANAL AND NTH
DEVON WATERWAYS SOC
Adrian & Hilary WillsVale Cottage, 7 Annery Kiln
Weare Giffard, Bideford
EX39 5JETel: 01237 477705
www.therollecanal.co.uk
SALTISFORD CT
Budbrooke Road
Warwick
CV34 5RJ
01926 490 006
www.saltisfordcanal.co.uk
SANKEY CANAL
RESTORATION SOCIETY
John Hughes
01744 600656
www.scars.org.uk
SHREWSBURY &
NEWPORT CANALS TRUST
Bernie Jones
07971 016322
www.sncanal.org.uk
SHROPSHIRE UNION CS
Richard Hall
35 Tyrley Cotts
Market Drayton
TF9 2AH
01630 657737
www.shropshireunion.org.uk
SLEAFORD NAV TRUST
Steve Hayes
10 Chelmer Close
N Hykeham
Lincs LN8 8TH
01522-689460
email: steve.hayes-
www.sleafordnavigation.co.uk
SOMERSETSHIRE COAL
CANAL SOCIETY
Derrick Hunt
43 Greenland Mills
Bradford on AvonBA15 1BL
01225-863066
RIVER STOUR TRUST
John Morris
2 Stockton Close, HadleighIpswich IP7 5SH
www.riverstourtrust.org
page 12
STOVER CANAL SOCIETY
George Whitehead
26 Northumberland Place,
Teignmouth TQ14 8BU. Tel:
01626 775498
www.stovercanal.co.uk
STRATFORD ON AVON
CANAL SOCIETY
Clive Henderson
The Bridge House
Church Lane
Lapworth
Solihull B94 5NU
www.stratfordcanalsociety.org.uk
SUSSEX OUSE
RESTORATION TRUST
Paul Morris, Farmcote
Nettlesworth Lane
Old Heathfield
Heathfield TN21 9AP
01453 863683
www.sxouse.org.uk
SWANSEA CANAL SOC
Clive Reed
17 Smithfield Road,
Pontardawe
Swansea SA8 4LA
01792 830782
THAMES & MEDWAY CA
Brian Macknish
Meadow View
Hodsell St
Sevenoaks TN15 7LA
www.thamesmedway.co.uk
WELL CREEK TRUST
Mrs C Mansell,1 Tramways
Outwell PE14 8PZ
WENDOVER ARM TRUSTRoger Leishman
7 Hall Park
Berkhamsted HP4 2NU01442 874536
www.wendoverarmtrust.co.uk
WEY & ARUN CT
The Granary, Flitchfold Farm
Loxwood
Billingshurst
West Sussex RH14 ORH
01403 752403
www.weyandarun.co.uk
WILTS & BERKS CT
George Eycott
Knowle House
1 Ham Road, Wanborough
Wiltshire SN4 0DF
07771 775745
www.wbct.org.uk
WOODEN CANAL BOAT
SOCIETY
173 Stamford St Central
Ashton under Lyne OL6 7PS
0161-330-8422
www.wcbs.org.uk
WRG CONTACTS
WRG ENQUIRIES,
BOOKINGS, DRIVER
AUTHORISATION,
Jenny Morris, IWA
Island House, Moor Road
Chesham HP5 1WA
01494 783453
www.wrg.org.uk
WRG NORTH WEST
Malcolm Bridge89 Rishworth Mill
Rishworth, Sowerby Bridge
HX6 4RZ01422-820693
www.wrgnw.org.uk
WRG NW - ENQUIRIES/PAPERCHASES
David McCarthy
Woodstock14 Crumpsall Lane
Manchester
M8 5FB
0161-740 2179
www.wrgnw.org.uk
WRG BITM & 'NAVVIES'
DIARY
David Wedd
7 Ringwood Road
Blackwater
Camberley
Surrey GU17 0EY
01252 874437
www.wrgbitm.org.uk
LONDON WRG
Tim Lewis
5 Herongate Road,
Wanstead
London E12 5EJ
07802 518094
www.london.wrg.org.uk
WRG EAST MIDLANDS
John Baylis
215 Clipstone Rd. West
Forest Town
Mansfield
Notts NG19 0HJ
01623 633895
ESSEX WRG
Frank Wallder
12 Bray Lodge
Cheshunt
Waltham Cross
EN8 0DN019926-636164
WRG FORESTRY
Clive Alderman
30 Primley LaneSheering
Bishops Stortford
CM22 7NJ07973 877380
IWA/WRG STAMP BANK
Steve & Mandy Morley33 Hambleton Grove
Emerson valley
Milton Keynes
MK4 2JS
01908 [email protected]
page 13
Canal & River Trust volunteer coordinators
Central Shires Tom Freeland [email protected]
East Midlands Amanda Morgan [email protected]
Kennet & Avon Rob Labus [email protected]
Manchester & Pennine Steve O’Sullivan [email protected]
North East Lucy Dockray [email protected]
N Wales & Borders Paul Corner [email protected]
North West Matt Taylor [email protected]
London Debbie Vidler [email protected]
South East John Highmore [email protected]
S Wales & Severn Alan Sumnall [email protected]
West Midlands Murray Woodward [email protected]
Help us keep this directory up to dateIf you spot any errors or omissions or know of any changesplease pass them on to the editor. The next full directory willappear in issue 267, but any corrections received before thenwill also be included in the first available ‘Navvies Noticeboard’.Thank you for your assistance.
CANAL CAMPS MOBILES
(A) 07850 422156
(B) 07850 422157
'NAVVIES' EDITOR
Martin Ludgate
35 Silvester Rd.
London SE22 9PB
020 8693 3266
0777 947 8629 (mobile)
'WRGWEAR' CLOTHING
Helen Gardner
27 Broadacre
Comberbach CW9 6QD
07989 425346
WRG BOAT CLUB
Sadie Heritage
236 Station Rd. Whittlesey
Peterborough PE7 2HA
01733 204505
07748 186867 (mobile)
WRG DIRECTORS
CHAIRMAN
Mike Palmer
3 Finwood Road Rowington
Warwickshire CV35 7DH01564 785293
WRG PLANT
George Eycott
Knowle House
1 Ham Road, Wanborough
Wiltshire SN4 0DF07771 775745
SITES GROUP
Judith Palmer
3 Finwood Rd, Rowington
Warwickshire CV35 7DH
01564 785293
WRGPRINT
John & Tess Hawkins
4 Links Way, Croxley Grn
Rickmansworth
WD3 3RQ
01923 448559
IWA CHAIRMAN
Les Etheridge
c/o IWA,
Island House Moor Road,
Chesham HP5 1WA
les.etheridge@
waterways.org.uk
TRANSPORT MANAGERJonathan Smith
23 Hardings ChalgroveOxford OX44 7TJ
01865 891 370
OTHER DIRECTORS
Mick Beattie
42 Eaton DriveRugeley WS15 2FS
Rick Barnes
11 Lawns Park
North Woodchester
Stroud GL5 5PP
07976 748345
Spencer Collins
The Boatyard,
5 Hammond Way
Trowbridge BA14 8RS
07790 017418
Chris Davey
Angle House
Green Terrace
Skipton BD23 5DS
John Baylis (see above)
Harry Watts
12 St John Road, Slough
SL2 5EY
07889 237834
James Butler7 Hawthorne Close
Woodford Halse NN11 3NY
07745 [email protected]
Helen Gardner (see above)
page 14
Spotlight on South Wales CanalsWhy South Wales?
A quick look at our Canal Camps 2014schedule will reveal that South Wales featuresfairly prominently. We have three weeks ofcamps on two different canals in the Welshvalleys, as we did last year. And over theprevious few years we’d been graduallybuilding up our involvement in the area.
So what’s the attraction? Whatare the local restoration groups tryingto achieve? And how will we be help-ing them on this year’s camps?
To answer the first question (and tocounter a rather negative view occasionallyheard that “they’re always going to be iso-lated canals, so they’re not worth botheringwith”), take a look at the currently navigablelength of the Monmouthshire & Brecon. (*)It’s about 35 miles long, and for most of theway it hugs the contour as it follows a spec-tacular course high up on the side of the UskValley, from Brecon, down a flight of locks atLlangynidr, through Ashford Tunnel, pastAbergavenny and on through Pontypool tothe present limit above Cwmbran. It’s 35miles long and isolated from the main canalnetwork – but thatdoesn’t seem todeter folk: withfive hireboat basesand numerousprivate craft basedon it, it’s a popularcanal.
But that’sonly one of thecanals in SouthWales. Back in thearea’s industrialheyday, there wereseven canalsthreading theirway through an-other six of thevalleys, connectingthe coal mines tothe furnaces and tothe ports. Thoseheavy industrieshave now gone –
which hasn’t exactly been the best news forthe area’s economy. But it does mean thateven if their routes aren’t all quite as splen-didly scenic as the Usk Valley, they certainlyhave their moments, as the area’s formergrim image of slagheaps and colliery windinggear has been replaced by some very greenvalleys.
And where they survive, they all havethat distinctive South Wales character – anarrow channel winding its way along theedge of a steep-sided valley, with low stone-arched bridges interspersed with locks of anodd in-between size of around 62ft by 9ft.
Two of these routes (and parts of twoothers) are probably gone for good (al-though I would be delighted to be made toeat my words in a few years’ time!) as largechunks of them have disappeared under roadimprovement schemes. That leaves five – butbefore we take a look at all of them in turn,there’s a general point to consider.
As I said earlier, there’s a criticism that“they’re all isolated canals” – and there issome truth in that. They never linked to-gether or to the main English network – theyprovided local links from pit to furnace to
(*) or rather: ‘navigable once they’ve fixed the current problems at Llanfoist’
Cruising on the Mon & Brec near Gilwern
Mart
in L
udgate
page 15
a Navvies special featureport. So (barring someone building a ‘Headsof the Valleys Canal’ or perhaps a WelshIntracoastal Waterway – or maybe inventinga 60ft by 8ft 6in boat that will fit through allthose low bridges but is seaworthy enoughfor the Bristol Channel) they’re unlikely everto form a single South Wales network or tobe accessible to most boats from the mainsystem.
However three of those canals are theNeath, Tennant and Swansea – which if yourestored them all, could create another 35-mile system linked together and connected tothe sea via the River Tawe at Swansea Ma-rina. And as we’ve already ascertained, 35miles is plenty long enough to be a viableand well-used waterway.
And another of those five is the derelictsouthern lengths of the Mon & Brec, whoserestoration would turn a 35-mile landlockedroute into a 50-mile system connected to theBristol Channel.
So let’s take a trip across from east towest, looking at each canal in turn.
Narrowing the gap:Monmouthshire & Brecon canals
Note ‘canals’ plural: this system was createdby an amalgamation between the Mon-mouthshire Canal, whose two brancheslinked Newport to Pontnewynydd andCrumlin, and the Brecknock & Abergavenny,which connected from the Monmouthshire atPontypool to Brecon.
The Monmouthshire did all the hardwork of climbing up from the coast, withover 70 locks in total on its two branches.The B&A had it easy, running level along thecontour for most of its length, with just sixlocks (five in one flight) in the 33 miles toBrecon. So this was the length that survivedin good condition and was relatively easy torestore (and went through a National Park,which helped make the case for opening it),and it reopened by the early 1970s. Gradualrestoration then extended navigation southover the next couple of decades to where thelocks begin at Five Locks, north of Cwmbran.
South Wales Canals
Kidwelly &Llanelly Canal
SwanseaCanal
NeathCanal
TennantCanal
Monmouthshire &Brecon Canals
CrumlinArm
GlamorganshireCanal
AberdareCanal
Newport
Brecon
Cwmbran
Cardiff
MerthyrTydfilAberdare
Pontypridd
Pontypool
Swansea
Briton Ferry
Glynneath
Pontardawe
Burry Port
Kidwelly
Site forCamps2014-06& 2014-08
Site forCamp2014-04
page 16
Since then the Monmouthshire Brecon& Abergavenny Canal Trust’s restoration hasbeen concentrated further south. Firstly, onopening from the junction at Malpas up themain line towards Cwmbran, restoring fourlocks creating a long enough length to host acouple of IWA trailboat ralliesthat some of you will rememberWRG supporting. And secondly,on the Crumlin Arm: volunteers(including WRG) restored the toplock of the Fourteen Locks flightplus several of the individuallocks below the flight, while aHeritage Lottery Fund grant haspaid for four more of the Four-teen to be rebuilt by contractors.
The current project is backon the main line, where theeight Ty Coch locks are beingrestored by a major local volun-teer scheme funded by the Herit-age Lottery Fund, and onceagain WRG is supporting thiswork with a week’s canal camp.We’ll be working on lock cham-ber restoration in stone andbrick, and possibly also somelock gate construction and hedgelaying.
Meanwhile, there has been a recentannouncement that the Welsh Assembly hasagreed in principle to fund reopening fromFive Locks down to Cwmbran town centre –including 15 locks and some serious engi-neering to rebuild flattened bridges.
When both of these projects are com-plete, that will leave just two miles of ‘miss-ing link’ left to restore. It’s a very expensivetwo miles (thanks to a new road built alongit for ¼ mile in the 1970s) but the soonerwe can get the lengths either side done, themore pressure can be brought to bear onthose with the necessary cash to pay for it.
And then what? Firstly, completion ofthe Crumlin Arm up to just past Cross Keys(site of our regular accommodation and thelegendary Philanthropic Inn), the last fewmiles to Crumlin having been lost to anothernew road in the 1970s. And secondly, a newlink to the Usk via a new combined seagoing
and inland marina on the Crindau Book -which will not only provide a connection tothe outside world, replacing the old linethrough Newport which has been built on,but also provide a good reason for boaters touse all those restored locks!
Spotlight on South Wales Canals
Rebuilding work at Ty-Coch, site for this year’s M&B camp
Chris
Byrn
e
Locks in Cwmbran planned for restoration
Mart
in L
udgate
page 17
Two that got away:Glamorganshire and Aberdare
Sadly I don’t foresee anyone reopeningeither the Glamorganshire Canal from Cardiffto Merthyr Tydfil or the Aberdare, whichlinked it to the town of that name. They’rejust too completely knackered, to put itbluntly. The new dual carriageway down thevalley was built along the canal route formuch of its way (you can tell where the lockswere when you’re driving on it, because itsuddenly slopes steeply before levellingagain), while industry and central Cardiffhave done for other bits.
That’s not to say there’s nothing left. Ashort section of the Glamorganshire inPontypridd is being restored as a local amen-ity and relic of a canal whose contribution tothe area’s past prosperity was huge. Andsome sizeable surviving remnants are worthexploring if you’re interested in that sort ofthing - including several miles of dry channelthrough Aberfan, a preserved section withtwo locks in a country park near Coryton, anaqueduct over the Taff that’s now a roadbridge, a nature reserve on a surviving frag-ment of the Aberdare Canal, and a locksomebody’s restored as a garden ornament!
The western trio (1):The Neath Canal
The next canal west is the NeathCanal, which ran down the NeathValley from Glynneath via Neathto near Briton Ferry. And al-though the last working boatsstopped using it many years ago,it survived in unusually goodcondition (compared to mostSouth Wales canals) because itwas useful for supplying water tolocal industries. So when theNeath & Tennant Canals Trustwas formed in 1974, its mainchallenge wasn’t restoring theroute but persuading the canalcompany that it could supportboats as well as carrying water.
Since then, two lengths
have been reopened – three miles and sevenlocks from Ysgwrfa to Resolven, and sixmiles with four locks from Neath toAbergarwed – both including major newaqueducts. Linking these lengths togetherwill be a high priority – and regular Navviesreaders might recall that WRG volunteers notonly supported the IWA Trailboat Rally atAbergarwed but carried out some initial lockclearance on the derelict section fromAbergarwed to Resolven.
When this link is made, it will completea ten-mile restored length – and there’sscope for extending it at both ends. But moreimportantly, at Aberdulais Junction the NeathCanal is joined on the west side by…
a Navvies special feature
Glamorganshire lock as a garden ornament
Trailboat festival on the Neath Canal
page 18
The western trio (2):The Tennant Canal
If the Neath Canal is a relatively straightfor-ward restoration (other than building theworld’s longest single-span concrete aque-duct, which they managed to achieve withoutmany people even noticing!) the Tennantwhich runs from Aberdulais to the outskirtsof Swansea is mostly even more so. Eightmiles long with only one lock, no seriousobstructions and still maintained for watersupply to factories, the only major concern isthe Aberdulais Aqueduct by the junction withthe Neath Canal. This has been drained forsome years, needs some serious work tomake it waterproof, and crosses the RiverNeath at the sort of headroom that upsetsthe Environment Agency. On the plus side,perhaps restoring it could be combined witha flood prevention scheme. But it’s not likelyto be a volunteer job.
Restoring the Tennant as a branch ofthe Neath Canal would push the total lengthof waterway up to around the 20 mile mark.But even more importantly, at its west end itcan be connected into Swansea Docks, nowbeing reinvented as marinas and regenera-tion areas, and a potential link to…
The western trio (3):The Swansea Canal
It would be nice to report that the Swanseahad also survived as a water channel – butsadly that’s only true of a couple of shortishlengths. In fact following abandonment it gotknocked about pretty badly, with the lowerfew miles disappearing under Swansea’sexpanding urban area, and lengths towardsthe top end being flattened for (you guessedit!) a new road.
Despite that, enough survived for theSwansea Canal Society to have a crack atrestoring it – and in the 1980s they dredgeda couple of miles and put a trip-boat on it,cleared five miles of towpath, and got thelocal authority to protect the route.
Unfortunately that came to a bit of agrinding halt – the trip boat got burnt out byarsonists, the restoration lost momentum,and the local authority seems to have lostinterest in protecting it, because parts of ithave disappeared from the new local plan.
But local canal supporters are fightingto get local authority protection back, andmeanwhile a reinvigorated canal society hasgot to work again, not only maintaining thesections already restored but also clearing
Spotlight on South Wales Canals
In need of restoration: Aberdulais Aqueduct on the Tennant Canal
Mart
in L
udgate
page 19
out locks further up the canal at Godre’r-Graig, to make it clear that the aim is torestore the entire canal and therefore that it’sworth the Council protecting it. That’s wherewe came in – WRG’s volunteers did three‘awaydays’ from the Mon & Brec camp in2012 to start off clearance of these locks.
For 2013 and our first full week’s camp,attention shifted to the surviving lengths ofcanal further down the valley, and we returnthere for a fortnight this year. We’ll be basedat the two Trebanos Locks, working on re-placing coping stones, rebuilding the wingwalls and quadrants, replacing a brick sectionof the adjacent bridge with stone, and repair-ing the floor of a lock overflow channel.
All this is aimed at the long-term objec-tive of connecting together the survivinglengths of canal, then extending south via anew route using the lower part of the RiverTawe. This will bypass the missing lower partof the canal, and connect the canal back tothe former Swansea Docks. There it willmeet the Tennant Canal – linking the threewaterways together into a 35-mile restoredsystem. A long shot:
Kidwelly & Llanelly Canal?
Even further west is the final major canal ofSouth Wales: the Kidwelly & Llanelly (thatwas the anglicised spelling used in thosedays) was a rather complex route which ranalong the coastal plain from Burry Port tonear Kidwelly incorporating various shortcanals and arms before heading up theGendraeth valley via three inclined planeboat lifts to Cwm-Mawr. In fact the lastlength including the final inclined plane wasprobably never completed, a horse-tramwaywas built instead, and later most of the canalwas closed and used for a railway.
There are, however, still traces to beseen, a short length has been restored as alocal amenity (I must visit it sometime!) andI’m sure I’ve heard of a plan to do somemore serious restoration work. Mind you,I’ve also heard of a plan to restore the rail-way (last used around the 1990s). If anyoneknows anything about any of these plans,please tell Navvies!
Martin Ludgate
a Navvies special feature
Trebanos Locks, site for the 2014 Swansea camps
Bob G
rain
ger
Restored Swansea Canal bridge near Pontardawe
Mart
in L
udgate
page 20
Navvies diaryYour guide to all the forthcoming work parties
For details of diary dates beyond the end of this list ple
Apr 26 Sat IWA Mcr/CRT Manchester area: Painting, veg clearance, pulling rubbish out, litter pic
Apr 27 Sun IWPS Bugsworth Basin
Apr 27 Sun IWA Northants Northampton Arm
Apr 30 Wed IWA SNW/NSSCWardle Lock, Middlewich: Painting, veg clearance & litter pick 10am-4p
May 2-8 WAT Wendover Arm: Seven-day weekend Fri-Thu. Lining, inc concreting thr
May 3/4/5 wrgNW To be announced
May 3/4 KESCRG Wendover Arm
May 3/4/5 NWPG Wey & Arun Canal: Hunt Park, Shalford - construction of viewing platfo
May 3 Sat IWA Chester Dee Branch in Chester: Painting, weeding, litterpicking. 10am-4pm
Apr 30-May 7 IWA Canalway Cavalcade: Support camp
May 5 & 7 IWA Warks/CRTGrand Union Canal: Hatton, lock painting, litter pick, veg clearance & p
Every Wed RGT River Gipping: Pipps Ford, or Baylham Mill Lock 9am-4pm
May 8 Thu IWA NSSC/CUCT Caldon Canal: 10am-3pm at Hazelhurst Locks
May 10/11 WBDCS/IWA Worcester & Birmingham Canal: Tardebigge Lime Kilns 10am-3pm each
May 10 Sat WRG Leaders Training Day: Ettington, near Stratford upon Avon. See page 7
May 11 Sun IWPS Bugsworth Basin
May 11 Sun WRG Committee & Board Meetings: Ettington Community Centre
May 13 Tue IWA Northants Northampton Arm
May 14 Wed IWA SNW/NSSCWardle Lock, Middlewich: Painting, veg clearance & litter pick 10am-4p
May 14 Wed IWA BBCW Staffs & Worcs Canal: Painting, tidying & veg clearance 10am-3pm. Kid
May 15 & 17 IWA Warks/CRTStratford Canal: Lapworth, lock painting, litter pick, veg clearance & pa
May 16/17/18 wrgBITM Rickmansworth Waterways Festival: Site services
May 17 Sat wrgNW ‘Paper Chase’ waste paper collection
May 17 Sat IWA NSSC/TMCS Trent & Mersey Canal: Cheshire Locks. Painting & veg clearance 10am-
May 21-28 Camp TB2014 Grand Western Canal - Trailboat Festival: Site services
May 24 Sat IWA Mcr/CRT Manchester area: Painting, veg clearance, pulling rubbish out, litter pic
May 25 Sun IWPS Bugsworth Basin
May 28 Wed IWA SNW/NSSCWardle Lock, Middlewich: Painting, veg clearance & litter pick 10am-4p
May 31/Jun 1 London WRG Chesterfield Canal
Jun 1 Sun IWA Northants Northampton Arm
Jun 2 & 4 IWA Warks/CRTGrand Union Canal: Hatton, lock painting, litter pick, veg clearance & p
Every Wed RGT/IWA River Gipping: Pipps Ford, or Baylham Mill Lock 9am-4pm
Jun 6-12 WAT Wendover Arm: Seven-day weekend Fri-Thu. Lining, inc concreting thr
Jun 7/8 Essex WRG Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation
Jun 7/8 KESCRG Cotswold Canals: Griffin/Ham Mill Locks
Jun 7/8 IWA Chelmsford Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation: With Essex WRG
Jun 7 Sat RGT/IWA River Gipping: Pipps Ford, or Baylham Mill Lock 9am-4pm
Jun 7 Sat IWA Chester Dee Branch in Chester: Painting, weeding, litterpicking. 10am-4pm
page 21
Canal Camps cost £56 per week unless otherwise stated. Bookings
for WRG Camps identified by a camp number e.g. 'Camp 201402'
should go to WRG Canal Camps, Island House, Moor Road, Chesham
HP5 1WA. Tel: 01494 783453, [email protected]. Diary compiled
by Dave Wedd. Tel: 01252 874437, [email protected]
ease contact diary compiler Dave Wedd: see top of page
ck 10am-4pm Ian Price 07971-444258 [email protected]
Ian Edgar 0161-427-7402 [email protected]
Geoff Wood [email protected]
pm Bob Luscombe 07710-054848 [email protected]
rough Bridge 4A Roger Leishman 01442-874536 [email protected]
Malcolm Bridge 01422-820693 [email protected]
Bobby Silverwood 07971-814986 [email protected]
orm Bill Nicholson 01844-343369 [email protected]
Mike Carter 07795-617803 [email protected]
path work. CRT Hatton yard 10am-3pm [email protected]
Martin Bird 01394-380765 [email protected]
Bob Luscombe 07710-054848 [email protected]
h day Bill Lambert [email protected]
7 01494-783453 [email protected]
Ian Edgar 0161-427-7402 [email protected]
Mike Palmer 01564-785293 [email protected]
Geoff Wood [email protected]
pm Bob Luscombe 07710-054848 [email protected]
dderminster area David Struckett 07976-746225 [email protected]
ath work. CRT Lapworth yard 10am-3pm [email protected]
Dave Wedd 01252-874437 [email protected]
David McCarthy 01706-214696
-4pm Bob Luscombe 07710-054848 [email protected]
01494-783453 [email protected]
ck 10am-4pm Ian Price 07971-444258 [email protected]
Ian Edgar 0161-427-7402 [email protected]
pm Bob Luscombe 07710-054848 [email protected]
Tim Lewis 07802-518094 [email protected]
Geoff Wood [email protected]
path work. CRT Hatton yard 10am-3pm [email protected]
Martin Bird 01394-380765 [email protected]
rough Bridge 4A Roger Leishman 01442-874536 [email protected]
John Gale 01376-334896 [email protected]
Bobby Silverwood 07971-814986 [email protected]
Roy Chandler [email protected]
Martin Bird 01394-380765 [email protected]
Mike Carter 07795-617803 [email protected]
page 22
Every Tuesday BCA Basingstoke Canal Chris Healy 01252-370073
Once per month: pls checkBCNS BCN waterways Mike Rolfe 07763-171735
2nd & 4th w/e of month BCS Basingstoke Canal Duncan Paine 01252-614125
Thursdays Sep-Apr BCT Aqueduct section Tim Dingle 01288-361356
2nd Sun & alternate Thu BuCS Buckingham area Athina Beckett 01908-661217
Every Mon and Wed CCT Cotswold (W depot) Ron Kerby 01453-836018
Every mon am Thu pm CCT Cotswold (E end) John Maxted 01285-861011
Various dates CCT Cotswold Phase 1a Jon Pontefract 07986-351412
Every Sunday ChCT Chesterfield Canal Mick Hodgetts 01246-620695
Every Tue and Thu CSCT Chichester Canal Malcolm Maddison 01243-775201
Every Tue & Wed C&BN Chelmer & Blackwater John Gale 01376-334896
Every Friday ECPDA Langley Mill Michael Golds 0115-932-8042
Second Sun of month FIPT Foxton Inclined Plane Mike Beech 0116-279-2657
Thu and last Sat of month GCS Grantham Canal Ian Wakefield 0115-989-2128
2nd Sat of month GWCT Nynehead Lift Denis Dodd 01823-661653
Tuesdays H&GCT Oxenhall Brian Fox 01432 358628
Weekends H&GCT Over Wharf House Maggie Jones 01452 618010
Wednesdays H&GCT Over / Vineyard Hill Ted Beagles 01452 522648
Thursdays H&GCT Herefordshire Wilf Jones 01452 413888
Every Sunday if required IWPS Bugsworth Basin Ian Edgar 0161-427 7402
Every weekday KACT/CRT Bradford on Avon Derrick Hunt 01225-863066
2nd Sunday of month LCT Lancaster N. Reaches Keith Tassart 01524-424761
Every Wed/Sat/Sun LHCRT Lichfield Terry Brown 01889-576574
3rd Sunday of month LHCRT Hatherton Denis Cooper 01543-374370
Last weekend of month MBBCS Creams Paper Mill Steve Dent 07802-973228
Two Sundays per month NWDCT N Walsham Canal David Revill 01603-738648
Every Thu & Sat, Apr-Sep SORT Sussex Ouse Ted Lintott 01444-414413
2nd & last Sundays PCAS Pocklington Canal Paul Waddington 01757-638027
Every Wed and 1st Sat RGT Stowmarket Navigtn. Martin Bird 01394-380765
2nd Sunday of month SCARS Sankey Canal John Hughes 01744-600656
1st Sunday of month SCCS Combe Hay Locks Derrick Hunt 01225-863066
Last weekend of month SCS Stover Canal George Whitehead 01626-775498
2nd Sunday of month SNT Sleaford Navigation Mel Sowerby 01522-856810
Every Thu and Sat SORT Sussex Ouse Ted Lintott 01444-414413
1st weekend of month SUCS Montgomery Canal David Carter 01244-661440
Every Tuesday morning TMCA Thames & Medway CBrian Macnish 01732-823725
Every Sunday & Thurs WACT varied construction Eric Walker 023-9246-3025
Mondays (2 per month) WACT tidying road crossings John Empringham 01483-562657
Wednesdays WACT Tickner's Heath Depot John Smith 01903-235790
Wednesdays WACT maintenance work Ray Pick 01483-272443
Sundays mainly WACT Loxwood Link Kev Baker 02380-861074
Thursdays WACT Winston Harwood Grp Tony Clear 01903-774301
Various dates WACT Hedgelaying (Oct-Mar) Keith Nichols 01403-753882
1st w/e of month (Fri-Thu)WAT Drayton Beauchamp Roger Leishman 01442-874536
If you have any additions / corrections / deletions to this list, please sendthem to Navvies diary compiler Dave Wedd (see previous page)
Mobile groups' socials: phone to confirmLondon WRG: 7:30pm on Tues 11 days before dig. 'Star Tavern'Belgrave Mews West, London. Tim Lewis 07802-518094
NWPG: 7:30pm on 3rd Tue of month at the 'Hope Tap',West end of Friar St. Reading. Phil Dray 07956 185305
Navvies diaryCanal societies’ regular working parties
page 23
Navvies diary
Abbreviations used in Diary:
BCA Basingstoke Canal AuthorityBCNS Birmingham Canal Navigations Soc.BuCS Buckingham Canal SocietyBCS Basingstoke Canal SocietyBCT Bude Canal TrustChCT Chesterfield Canal TrustCBN Chelmer & Blackwater NavigationCSCT Chichester Ship Canal TrustCCT Cotswolds Canals TrustECPDA Erewash Canal Pres. & Devt. Assoc.FIPT Foxton Inclined Plane TrustGCS Grantham Canal SocietyGWCT Grand Western Canal TrustH&GCT Hereford & Gloucester Canal TrustIWPS Inland Waterways Protection SocietyKACT Kennet & Avon Canal Trust
KESCRG Kent & E Sussex Canal Rest. GroupLCT Lancaster Canal TrustLHCRT Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Rest'n TrustMBBCS Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal SocietyNWPG Newbury Working Party GroupNWDCT North Walsham & Dilham Canal TrustPCAS Pocklington Canal Amenity SocietyRGT River Gipping TrustSCARS Sankey Canal Restoration SocietySCCS Somersetshire Coal Canal SocietySCS Stover Canal SocietySNT Sleaford Navigation TrustSORT Sussex Ouse Restoration TrustSUCS Shropshire Union Canal SocietyTMCA Thames & Medway Canal AssociationWACT Wey & Arun Canal TrustWAT Wendover Arm TrustWBCT Wilts & Berks Canal Trust
The following is the list of the Canal & River Trust’s regular volunteer working parties. These are on
navigable canals, carrying out tasks such as vegetation control, hedge maintenance, painting and
litter clearance. All volunteers welcome.
4th Thursday of month Bath Kennet & Avon Rob Labus 07711-403479
3rd Thursday of month Devizes Kennet & Avon Rob Labus 07711-403479
2nd Thursday of month Newbury Kennet & Avon Rob Labus 07711-403479
Every weekday Bradford on Avon Kennet & Avon Derrick Hunt 01225-863066
Weds and Thurs Droitwich Droitwich Canal Suzanne Byrne 07900-276544
1st Saturday of month Fradley Trent & Mersey Tom Freeland 01827-252010
4th Thursday of month Gailey Staffs & Worcs Murray Woodward see below3rd Saturday of month Lapworth Stratford Canal Murray Woodward see belowAlternate Tuesdays Leicester Grand Union/Soar Tom Freeland 01827-252010
3rd Saturday of month London Grand Union/Lee Becky Williams 07799-436816
3rd Saturday of month near Selby Selby Canal Lucy Dockray 07767383736
Alternate Fridays Stoke Caldon / T&M Tom Freeland 01827 252010
Every other WednesdayTamworth Coventry Canal Tom Freeland 01827 252010
4th Saturday of month Tipton BCN Murray Woodward see below
Every Tuesday Wigan Leeds & Liverpool Katie Jackson 07500823753
4th Saturday of month Manchester Ashton / Peak Forest Steve O’Sullivan 07887 684707
3rd Thursday of month Welshpool Montgomery Canal Paul Corner see below
2nd Friday of month Huddersfield Huddersfield Broad Claire McDonald 07920295943
1st Mon & Wed of month Hatton Grand Union Canal Murray Woodward see below
Last Sunday of month Hawkesbury Coventry/Oxford Miriam Tedder 07775 543990
2nd Saturday of month Aylesbury Grand Union Miriam Tedder 07775 543990
3rd Thursday of month Cheshire T&M/Macclesfield Hazel Mayow 07920 466237
Contact details for CRT Towpath Taskforce working parties: All CRT volunteer co-ordinators
can be contacted using email addresses of the form [email protected], for
example [email protected] for the Kennet & Avon Bath, Devizes and Newbury
working parties. For those where no phone number is given above, either use email or try the
national CRT enquiries number 03030 404040.
Canal & River Trust ‘Towpath Taskforce’ working parties
page 24
Boat ClubWRG BC news March 2014
First and most important news is that wehave decided, by majority of those thatexpressed a preference, to have our annualget together and AGM at the ShackerstoneFestival – 6-7 September. So please get online for details and maybe an applicationform. Better still volunteer to help. They willappreciate help with setting up the weekendbefore and, if work isn’t completed, duringthe week prior to the event. The work willinclude marking out the site, erecting fencingand notices. During the festival help is re-quired with entrances, checking or issuingtickets/arm bands. Free entrance to festivalwill probably available to those helping for aset time. They may also need help clearingup after the event. Please let me know if youare able to attend.
On 15 March I will have attended theAWCC AGM and will pass on members views(those I have received), most especially ouropinions about the required increase in Clubs’contributions to AWCC funds, as agreed atour AGM, I quote from the minutes -
AWCC had been in contact concerningtheir need to increase boat clubs’ contribu-tions to funds. The number of options wasoutlined and it was agreed that an increaseof £10 per club per annum was preferable,and easier to administer, than a levy on thenumber of members. I will report back onwhat transpires at the meeting.
While there I intend to collect ourAWCC Handbooks and will, by now, havedistributed them to those that requested one.If you were expecting one and haven’t yetgot it, please let me know.
‘Water Water everywhere but not’ - onthe Middle Level! Most of the area that isunder the control of the Middle Level Com-missioners, (where I live and keep StrawBear during the winter months), is below sealevel. Many people have assumed that we aretroubled by floods and the boat will be atrisk of being on the land when the waterssubside. This is very far from the truth aswater levels round here are efficiently con-trolled. In fact when a lot of water is ex-pected I have found the boat to be draggingthe bottom for a short while. The commis-
sioners have a delicate balancing act to keepenough water to allow for navigation but nottoo much so that when a lot arrives there is arisk of flooding. Recently we spent a veryinteresting day visiting the new pumps(opened 2011) on the Middle Level MainDrain*. The whole system is very impressiveand most efficient. We were all reassuredthat water controls around here are in safehands! We also learned that the fact that thedrainage network was started in the 1600sand has been managed locally since then(and not by any government) has been agreat contribution to the success!
On the subject of the Middle Level andrelated Waterways, I wonder how many ofyou remember working on the restoration ofthe lock at Horseways (owned by The MiddleLevel). This lock leads to a channel that goesto Welches Dam lock (owned by the Environ-ment Agency). I’m sure more of you willremember working there! This leads to theOld Bedford River. Sadly the whole channelhas fallen into disuse and the locks aban-doned. The Environment Agency has erecteda dam across to prevent leakage into or fromthe channel. They have no intention of restor-ing this and thus a section of waterway is nowunusable. Members of Peterborough IWA havetried hard in the past to get permission to workat Welches Dam but all in vain, I fear they havegiven up the fight. The Middle Level Commis-sioners own Horseways lock but see no pointin maintaining it as it leads nowhere – and whocan blame them. I have boated along thechannel and the Old Bedford often in the pastand think it is a sad loss! Please let us knowof any such happenings in your area.
The river Nene is still in flood so until thatgets out of others’ beds and back into its own bedwe will be unable to start towards the canals. Ihope that things are going well in your area andthat many members will be at Shackerstone.Plan your cruising around this please!
xxx Sadie Heritage07748186867 – [email protected]
* this trip was organised by the Middle LevelWatermans Club, of which I am a member.(We also visited the Denver Complex owned byEA so I was apple to have a ‘plug’ for therestoration of Welches Dam.) Do you belongto any other boat clubs? If so we may needto know in case it is decided levy club mem-bership of AWCC by number of members.We will cross that bridge should we come toit but please consider the question, thanks.
page 25
Dear MartinIn your fascinating article about the Shrews-bury & Newport you mentioned the Shrop-shire Tub-boat Canal. Some readers may beunaware that some of the canal remains inwater, particularly the section at Blist’s HillVictorian Museum at Ironbridge. This runsfrom a point adjacent to the car parks alongto the Hay Inclined Planealthough the final piece isleaking, according to themuseum. From the bot-tom of the incline theCoalport Canal remains inwater as it passes theCoalport China Factory. Iam just an interested party(until I retire that is) but Ithink a small volunteerinput could put this wholesection back in order andpossibly it could be ex-tended past the car parkswhere a further sectionremains watered. Even inits present state it is alovely facility.
It is true that parts ofthe system have beenobliterated and I realise that the museum is aprivate body but it would be good to seesome cooperation so that repairs could bedone and a boat trip added as an additionalattraction at the museum. I hope efforts aremade to secure as much of the tub boatsystem as possible.
Kind regardsRobert McMillan
Dear MartinImagine my surprise when I read that agovernment think tank has recommendedthe task of infrastructure deliverance for theBritish leg of the Tour de France should go toManchester based WRG!
Well, I know Mr Mac’s tea urn holds aplace of high esteem throughout the canalsystem, but the £4.5 million they areasking to do the job won’t half buy a lot oftea bags!
Apparently there’s another outfit callingthemselves WRG down by the Bridgewater atCastle Street who do barriers andthings, but I’m sure that it’s nowt to do withthem.
CheersPete Yearsley
Letters...to the editor
Dear MartinWhy were those at winter camps surprisedby this winter’s rain? It was predictable - andwill be in 2021. About every seventh yearSouth America’s west coast Antarctic Currentfails, the Pacific Ocean gets too hot, andworldwide weather goes crazy. The UK getsmonths of incessant rain each seventh year.
Unfortunately the East London Line andThameslink rail services continued to use theCroydon Canal through the wet weather, butfurther south groundwater wetted BrightonLine track and buggered up the signals.Croydon Canal Restoration Group thereforeintend to extend their dredging to Brighton.Meanwhile the A22 has been a side arm forsix weeks.
Meanwhile in South London the RiverWandle looks like the navigation intended in1666 (16 & 17 Charles II Chapter 12). ThisAct has provision to appoint new proprietorsif the navigation isn’t finished by 1671. Theynever started. The second action on thiswould be to demolish Wandsworth’s ArndaleCentre shopping mall...
Yours till weir all locked up!Alan T Moody
Croydon Canal Restoration Group
Surviving length of the Shropshire Tub-boat Canal in the museum
Mart
in L
udgate
page 26
ProgressSUCS on the Montgomery Canal
Our report of progress on restoration
projects begins with a roundup of
the Shropshire Union Canal Society’s
work on the Mont
over the last year
Shropshire Union Canal Society
2013 must rank as the most productive inthe history of the Society’s restoration efforts.It was a year of remarkable progress inwhich all of the targets set early on wereachieved or exceeded.
The principal target was to finish boththe channel shaping and the lining opera-tions along the whole length betweenbridges 83 and 84 before the end of therestoration season. This was a pretty ambi-tious aim given that there were still 250metres of channel to be shaped and the neckend of 300 metres of channel still to belined. It was realised right from the off thatthere was no hope of achieving the targetusing the working practices of past years.The main problem hitherto had been theconflicting demands on plant and labour ofthe shaping and lining operations, with theresult that neither worked as efficiently asthey could. To overcome this separate workparties for the two operations were held, andthis more single-minded approach overcamemost of the former problems. The othernotable feature of the work parties was thatthe volunteers worked longer and moreefficiently than in previous years due, in nosmall part, to the use of some innovative bitsof equipment.
Happily the winter hedge-laying work concluded in Januaryallowing the planned Februaryslot to be switched to preparatorywork for the restoration effort.The weather in the first twomonths of 2013 was a continua-tion of monsoon conditions thatcaused so much trouble duringthe 2012 restoration campaign.The rainy season had depositedan estimated 800 cubic meters ofwater in the channel giving almostnavigable depth between thebridges and before any workcould start this lot had to beremoved. The bulk of the water
was pumped through Redwith Bridge intothe watered section of canal, an operationlasting two working days using four pumps.This, together with surveying and someother enabling works, set us up for thesterner tasks to come.
The first week of March saw the start ofthe new monthly ‘two part’ format with a sixday long shaping work party. The partici-pants were half a dozen or so machine driv-ers, surveyors, first aiders/welfare personneltogether with an impressive array of diggers,dumpers and pumps. The most eye-catchingitem was a 14 tonne digger, which had thepower and reach to shape the offside bankslope in one operation. Aided by dry, butvery cold, weather a 100 m section of bankwas finished in one and a half working days,a process that would have taken probably tentimes as long using the smaller 3 tonnemachines. Also for most of the week theSociety’s digger was working to reduce theadjacent channel base to just above grade.Six days of work transformed the appearanceof the channel and the early indications werethat the new working practices were deliver-ing. This notion was reinforced by the Marchlining work party which took place a fort-night later. During this a full complement ofvolunteers lined 34 metres of channel, easilybeating the previous best of 25 m in a week-
The 14-tonner shaping the offside bank
All p
ictu
res
by S
UCS
page 27
end. This work party turned out to be nota-ble for another reason, namely, being thelast in which blocks were transported bydumper along the bed of the canal. Duringthe weekend tests were made on the Soci-ety’s ‘secret weapon’ – a home-made blockchute – which allowed blocks to be trans-ported along the top of the bank and deliv-ered to the channel base without damage tothe shaped channel bottom. Wading aroundin mud was to be a thing of the past, butwould it work?
Volunteers for the April shaping workparty arrived at a site resembling a Christmascard scene with snow and ice very much inevidence. The weather was bitterly coldthroughout the weekend but, crucially, it wasalso dry which greatly aided the cause. The14 tonner was on site again and made shortwork of the shaping of the offside bankbetween tip slope and the compound. Theother earthmoving operations concentratedon the base of the channel which was nowbeginning to resemble a canal from bridge tobridge. The April lining work party must godown as one of the most remarkable in theSociety’s history. Not only did it smash therecord for most lining in a weekend, estab-lished the previous month, but it did so infreezing conditions with an average of only15 volunteers on site through the weekend.The block delivery chute turned out to be aspectacular success. It was used to deliverblocks from a dumper located on the top ofthe bank and into the lined section of the
channel. In this way the lininggang were always working offthe previously laid section ofchannel. And, wow, did thisspeed things up! We completed38 metres for the weekendbefore we ran out of materials,and still had time to do somework on the land drains. Togive some idea of how muchthings had accelerated, thetotal of lining for the two workparties in 2013 was exactly50% of the total for the wholeof 2012. Maybe the target wasachievable....
The May Bank Holidayweekend saw the third andfinal shaping-only work party.The weather once more provedco-operative. Dry conditionsassisted progress and at close
of play the entire offside bank was shaped,and only 130 metres or so of channel bottomawaited final shaping. So, all the majorearthmoving was finished. The May liningwork party saw a further major landmarkachieved with the remaining 25 m of channellined to complete the lining at the PrycesBridge end of the site, and 25 m of the baselaid at the other end of the site in prepara-tion for the next month’s effort.
June saw the record for the length oflining laid in a weekend broken yet again.There were two major contributory factors tothis success - a lot of preparatory work andsome very substantial reinforcements on thefirst day. The reinforcements were in theform of 16 members of JATCC 394 Coursebased at RAF Shawbury. The trainee airtraffic controllers really entered into thevolunteering spirit and worked very hard allday to shift a prodigious amount of blocksinto the section of channel adjacent to thecompound. With the Society volunteers liningthe base of the channel, and our visitorscompleting the sides nearly 60 m of channelwas finished during the day, comfortablybreaking all records. This result could nothave been achieved without the help of theRAF volunteers and such were their effortsthat, as they left the site, they received aspontaneous round of applause from theSociety members present. The result meantthat it was now possible to stand on the endof the lined channel bed and see the linedchannel at the other end some 100 m away.
‘Secret weapon’ - the SUCS block chute in use
page 28
Alas the gap remained at 100 m duringJuly due to one of the recurring problems ofthe restoration – non-delivery of the liningmaterial. The lining gang thus spent thewhole weekend doing the essential, butunglamorous, job of grouting the large areaof blocks which had already been laid. Deliv-ery of the liner enabled normal service to beresumed in August and the lining gangworked wonders to reduce the gap to 65 m.By the end of September it was 40 m and bythe end of October it was reduced to 20 m.There was now only one more work party tofinish the lining, but this story has a happyending.
The rains came back with a vengeancein October and so the November work partykicked off on the Friday with yet anotherfrantic day-long pumping session. Howevercome Saturday, dry weather and a full com-plement of experienced block layers ensuredthat the gap between the unlined sectionswas remorselessly closed. By mid afternoonon the Sunday the job was finished. We haddone it.
The other big news in October was, ofcourse, the award of a Heritage Lottery Fundfirst round grant to CRT for work on theMontgomery. This will be followed by asecond round application which, if success-ful, will include funding for the Pryces Bridgeto Crickheath section.
To publicisethis award theSociety wereasked to put on aspecial ‘workparty’ for thebenefit of theBBC cameras.There was ahealthy turnoutof volunteers(photogenic orotherwise) whoboth demon-strated the use ofthe block chutesand gave a seriesof interviews.The viewers ofBBC MidlandsToday weretreated to thistelevisual epic afew days later.
With aview to the future, survey work started inNovember on the Pryces Bridge to Crickheathsection. This included inspection of some ofthe watercourses around the canal and mak-ing a start on establishing levels at importantlocations along the section.
The inspections highlighted the extentto which nature has reclaimed many of theareas which were cleared during the Society’sprevious work on the length, and the sheermagnitude of the task ahead. That however,is for the future.
Although a number of jobs remain tobe done – notably grouting, rip-rap, land-scaping, and hedges - SUCS Council agreedthat the completion date for the Redwith toPryces length will be 12th May 2014. It islikely that there will be an official openingsome time later. The Society also plans tohave an event for all of the volunteers whohave worked on the section. Both promise tobe memorable occasions.
So, a year of remarkable progress, andone that will doubtless get an honourablemention in the history of the Society. De-tailed monthly accounts of the restorationwork can, as always, be seen on the Societywebsite www.shropshireunion.org.uk. Wehave had a lot of fun doing the work and welook forward with more than usual anticipa-tion to 2014.
David Carter
The channel with waterproof liner installed and blocks laid on it
page 29
ProgressDerby Canal
2014 Gets off to a good start
The first working party of the new year at Draycott brought us a sharp frosty start. 12 Derby& Sandiacre Canal Society volunteers turned out to brave the weather, but as the morningprogressed thesun came outand shone on us.
This week’saims were tocontinue thegood work onhedgelaying (toppicture) fromboth sides: thetwo teams aregetting nearer toeachother, cuttingand clearing asthey went, hope-fully we cancomplete thiswork before thebirds start nest-ing in theSpring.
A thirdteam worked onwidening andstrengtheningthe access bridge(bottom picture) over one of thewater culverts that assist withdrainage from the adjacentfields. This work was requiredto allow a more heavy dutytractor to cross to undertakeperiodic grass cutting.
It was pleasing to see howmuch use the local populationof Draycott make of this walkway, with lots of local interestbeing shown.
Additional help with thisproject is always welcome. Wegenerally meet every otherSunday, please see our workparty diary on our websitehttp://derbycanal.org.uk.
Pic
ture
s by D
SCS
Next it’s up to the Derby
Canal where the Derby &
Sandiacre Canal Society
started the year with some
hedge laying at Draycott
page 30
ProgressL&H and Chesterfield...
Lichfield & Hatherton Canals
Despite the weather, Lichfield & HathertonCanals restoration Trust’s volunteers havecontinued regular work at Tamworth Road,especially on Pound 27 which is being pre-pared for watering in the summer. This will beas far as the recently constructed narrows bythe entrance to the water-activity hub which isplanned by our neighbouring land owner.Remedial work continues on locks 25 and 26.We have launched an appeal to pay for puddleclay which will be used to line Pound 27 as thesynthetic material under test has stilnel failed toreach the standard we require. We have alsogiven some attention to the section fromFosseway Lane to the Lichfield bypass.
On the Hatherton we have inspectedthe Redrow development at Churchbridgeand have found it to be compliant with ourneeds. We took the opportunity to investigatethe site of the navigable culvert we will needunder the Cannock Chase railway, where ouroptions are very difficult and the terrain verychallenging. The imminent installation ofoverhead line equipment (OHLE) with theforthcoming electrification from Walsall toRugeley makes it vital for us to inform Net-work Rail of our requirements. On the Li-chfield Canal the existing OHLE greatly limitsour options for getting the restored canalunder the Lichfield to Birmingham line.
We are still in close touch with HS2 Ltdand are working hard, in association withIWA and CRT, to ensure that our route atCapper’s Lane is protected. Changes couldoccur at short notice, even during construc-tion. There are also serious implications forour friends at Lichfield Cruising Club.
No decision has been announced on theapplication by travellers to develop a site closeto the Lichfield Canal Aqueduct. At the top ofthe flight we are making plans to sell Top LockCottage, hopefully at a price which will enableus to dispose of the expensive mortgage com-mitment. Anyone with an interest shouldapproach David Dixon or Bob Williams.
Brian Kingshott
Chesterfield Canal
As well as the current work on the newStaveley Town Lock (which we reported on inthe last Navvies) and the behind-the-scenesnegotiations regarding the HS2 railway, theChesterfield Canal also has five miles of iso-lated restored navigable canal from Staveley toChesterfield that needs looking after.
Recently Derbyshire County Council,which owns this stretch of the canal, has paidfor another new set of lock gates, this timefor Dixon’s Lock (lock number 4). This is thethird set of new lock gates on this section inthree years - another clear demonstration ofthe Council’s commitment towards the canal.
The pictures show the gates (fromHargreaves) being delivered via an accesstrack specially cleared by Bolsover Wood-lands Enterprise, being craned in, and theCanal Trust’s tripboat John Varley becomingthe first boat to use the new gates.
Pic
ture
s by C
hie
sterf
eild C
anal
Tru
st
page 31
Cotswold Canals:First steps at Bowbridge
While WRG and other visiting groups havebeen concentrating on completing Griffin MillLock and starting Ham Mill Lock, the Cots-wold Canals Trust has started work on thenext lock down from Griffin Mill, BowbridgeLock. The Trust reports...
On Saturday 1stMarch the pound aboveBowbridge Lock wasdrained to enable work tostart on the restoration ofthe lock. It was a brightsunny morning that illumi-nated the first steps of therestoration.
An ingenious pulleysystem was used to raisethe paddle on the towpathside (upper photo). And itworked! It only took acouple of heaves on thepulley chain to identifythat, whilst the old lock gearabove ground had long sincedisappeared, the woodenpaddle below, which has heldback the water for so manyyears, was thankfully stillattached to the lifting mecha-nism.
Stroud Angling ClubMembers were on hand torelocate stranded fish up-stream to the canal at Thrupp.
Once drained, the areaaround the top of the lock wasinspected and found to be inremarkably good condition (centrephoto).
The wharf wall above the lockon the towpath side will be repairedas the original timber foundationshave long since disappeared.
Before re-watering, stainlesssteel channels will be fitted into theexisting stop plank grooves in thebrickwork. This will ease the fittingand removal of the stop planks.
Once this work has been com-pleted stop planks will be fitted tokeep the chamber dry whilst the mainlock restoration work is carried out.The canal will be refilled in two tothree months time.
This picture shows workers at Bowbridge on 6thDecember 1974 in the early days of the restoration.Trust founder Mike Ayland stands in the foreground.Do you recognise anyone else, or even yourself, inthis picture? If so, please get in touch with the editorand we’ll pass your information on to the Trust.
Progress...and Cotswold Canals
Pic
ture
s by CCT
page 32
ProgressMontgomery Canal at Pant
Our roundup ends as it began
- on the Montgomery Canal.
This time Bob Dewey looks at
a project to remove an old
railway blockage at Pant
Report from the Mont
Avid readers (who are they?) may recall thatI have been working on a project to removea large railway embankment which wasconstructed across the Montgomery Canalmany years ago. It is located betweenbridges 88 and 90 (Mr Nicholson says be-tween bridges 88 & 91) at Pant on the drysection approximately halfway between thelengths of reopened canal at Llanymynechand Maesbury. We do not know the date thebridge was removed and replaced with anembankment, but it must have been after the1936 closure of the canal and before therailway closed in 1965. It created an obstruc-tion to navigation (obviously) but also meantthat the towpath was blocked. Later, steepflights of steps were built to allow people tocross over.
The Cambrian Railway Society are busyrestoring part of the line further north butdue to the presence of houses, roads etc,they have accepted that they are unlikelyever to be able to restore the line south ofPant and they have not objected to us re-
moving the embankment to allow the canalto be restored. Nevertheless, as far as we cantell the massive stone abutments remainintact and it would no doubt be a smallmatter to put the iron girders back and reo-pen the line.
The embankment was heavily over-grown and CRT consented to us diggingdown to uncover the abutments to allow usto show whether the fill material could beremoved without causing the village of Pantto slide down the hill into the canal. Digginginto compacted railway ballast is an absolutepain and we did not get far but all lookedwell. The CRT ecologist allowed us to re-move the trees and WRG Forestry paid us avisit in mid March. A 45 year old sycamore isquite a sizable tree to fell but it was achievedwithout incident. In the last weekend ofMarch before the little birdies have started tomake plans to build their nests in the trees,we removed all the rest of the trees andmost of the undergrowth.
We were delighted that everyone whostopped to talk to us was hugely supportiveof our efforts and thought it looked so good
now the site was clear.So now we await
final agreement fromCRT to dig down intothe material and clear itaway. A local farmer iswilling to take the mate-rial for use on his farm,so we just need a smallgroup of machine opera-tors and bankspersons(?) to get the projectmoving forward. (oh,and if anyone has a 360o
excavator (7 tonne- ish)which is lying idle, wewould love to hear fromyou.
Many, many thanksto all who have helpedwith the project thus far.
Bob DeweyClearing the embankment (bridge abutment just visible left)
Bob D
ew
ey
page 33
WRG North WestA year in the life
John Hawkins looks back
on twelve months of
WRG North West digs,
paperchases, festivals, and a
rather special birthday...
A year with wrg North West
We’ll start with the 2013 May Day Bank holi-day long weekend which was to be a jointdig with Essex WRG on the Grantham Canal.
The main task for the weekend was toremove lots of willow stumps that weregrowing in the bed of the canal. The localcanal society had arranged for the hire of asmall 360o excavator to assist with the job.The first problem was that we couldn’t openall of the barriers that are across the verywell maintained towpath and so some toolswere put into wheelbarrows and the Tirforsetc put into my car.
Good progress was made with thestump removal using the Tirfors and themachine; getting the machine down into thecanal bed was quite easy, but getting it outwas rather a different matter. This wasachieved with the aid of the Tirfor.
Whilst stumps were being pulled otherfolks were kept busy pollarding some otherwillows in readi-ness for thestumps to bepulled out at alater date. Insome places thewater was overwellie depth socare had to betaken, particu-larly after thestumps/rootballs were pulledout.
The monthof June meantthe customaryvisit toMiddlewich withthe sales stand.Unfortunatelythe weather wasless then idealalthough on theSunday it did dry
up late on, so that at least the marqueewasn’t wet when packed away. A reasonableamount of money was raised.
July was a busy month; starting withwork at Hollinwood on Pinches Farm foot-bridge. There was quite a lot of brickworkthat needed attention: bricks to be replacedand many more to be re pointed and thenthe capping stones to be replaced.
Also during July the sales stand wastaken to the National Festival in CassioburyPark, Watford. Although the weather wasvery good the expected crowds did not at-tend and this meant that the takings werewell down.
September was originally planned foranother visit to Hollinwood, but this had tocancelled due to circumstances beyond thecontrol of WRG NW. Some folks joined awork party on the Manchester Bolton & Bury.Saturday was mainly spent clearing uparound the Meccano bridge and picnic benchareas. The area is attracting more visitors
Grantham Canal: clearing scrub from the canal bed
Pic
ture
s by J
ohn H
aw
kin
s
page 34
and creating good publicityfor the society. This sectionof canal is possibly going tobe re-watered fairly soon.
The ‘OperationStarburst’ Manchester areaclean-up took place in Octo-ber. WRG Northwest sup-ported the jointly-run eventby supplying a minibus anddriver and also arrangingthe accommodation forthose people travelling fromfurther afield for the week-end. Various tasks wereundertaken at several siteson the Ashton Canal, LowerPeak Forest and Rochdalecanals.
In early November asmall group were busy onthe Montgomery Canal atPant. The project wascentred around the bridge where theCambrian Railway once crossed the line ofthe canal on a bend. Bob Dewey had an oldphotograph which showed the area beforeany of the trees had taken root. The taskwas to find the stonework of the old bridgeabutments in order to determine their condi-tion, so that the way forward could beplanned for the removal of all the rubble thathad been dumped. Several parts of the wallwere exposed and its condition documented,but as the day drew on, the incessant rainput an end to the work for the day. Despitea gloomy forecast, Sunday was a beautifulday. Working in the bright sun, several moremetres of stone were exposed. During theSunday afternoon the site was made safe asit is a very popular walking path. Some folksfrom WRG Forestry were due to visit inMarch 2014 to remove several large treesthat are growing out of the embankment,followed later in the month by a further visitfrom NW. [See also page 32 ...Ed]
Staying in the spacious Borwick andPriest Hutton village hall for our Christmasmeal weekend dig, the work was to be onthe Lancaster Canal working in the StaintonCrossing area. Several jobs were organised,clearing vegetation along the Hincaster Tun-nel Horse Path, Tirforing out stumps fromthe dry canal bed and also using a 3-tonne360o excavator that been hired by the canalsociety to expose the clay bed between SelletHall Bridge and Well Heads Lane in order for
the level of the canal to be established. Themachine was later used to expose someroots that were being Tirfored and to pullout some of the smaller stumps/saplings.Sundays work was much of the same withthe addition of the installation of the newstop planks at Stainton Crossing Bridge. Oneside of the bridge is in water and the plankshave been renewed and their integrity hasbeen established, the earth dam that cur-rently retains the water can be removed.
And on to 2014: Unfortunately theyear didn’t start too well when the plannedvisit to the MB&B had to be cancelled.
February was to be a return visit to theUttoxeter Canal, although on this occasion adifferent work site and accommodation forNW. There is a full report for this weekendon page 34 in the last edition of Navvies(263).
The first weekend in March, apart fromthe usual paperchase, was the date that hadbeen set aside to celebrate David ‘Mr Mac’McCarthy’s 90th birthday. The North CheshireCruising Club premises were booked for theevening. About 60 people attended for a piesupper, with gateaux to follow. Maureen hadbeen very busy in her kitchen and had pro-duced the birthday cake, which looked verymuch like the NW sales stand. [See backcover photo ...Ed] A few people slept overin the NCCC whilst others were either in theircamper vans, Malcolm’s boat or had bookedlocal B & B’s. A very good evening.
Lancaster Canal: removing stumps from the bed near Sellet
page 35
The March dig was on thePocklington Canal (as it statedin the NW newsletter “gotowards York, turn right, carryon for a bit towards the sea!”).A Canal Camp has been ar-ranged for this summer andthe weekend was to preparethe site for the pending Camp.However the area of work waschanged slightly because thelocal canal society had alreadyscrub bashed the area for theCanal Camp and so the workwas still scrub bashing but alittle further down the canal at‘swing bridge number 8’.
The task was to clear awider area for the towpath andalso open out the side of thecanal so that more light couldget to the water. Getting the fires going wasn’t too much of a problem with the strength ofthe wind that was blowing across the land. [See page 36 for a full report of this dig anddetails of what’s happening on the camp there this summer ...Ed]
Finally, as usual throughout the year the NW sales stand was transported around thecountry and the ‘paperchase’ waste paper recycling collections still took place in theCrumpsall area.
New volunteers are welcome on WRG NW digs: information about WRG NW can befound on their website, email [email protected] or look for contact numbers in Navvies.
John Hawkins
Yes, it really is edible! Mr Mac’s 90th birthday cake in the shape of the WRG NW sales stand
Uttoxeter Canal: Bridge 70 emerges from the undergrowth
page 36
Navvies NewsPlant operators note!Motorised plant and agricultural
vehicles: important notice
If you use Plant or Agricultural Equip-ment then you need to read this…
Navvies who use motorised plant (e.g.excavators, dumper trucks) or agriculturalvehicles (e.g. tractors, ride-on mowers) needto be aware of the requirements of section143 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 asamended by The Motor Insurance (Compul-sory Insurance) Regulations 2000. Thisrequires that third party motor insurance isin place in respect of agricultural equipmentand moveable plant when either is used onthe public highway or in a public place –even if just to cross from one side of a roadto another, or along a public path to access awork site. The key considerations are (a)what items of equipment need this cover,and (b) what is defined as a ‘public place’.
Types of Equipment: The legal re-quirement for third-party Motor Policy cover isfor any vehicle or piece of machinery thatmoves under its own power in a public place. Obvious examples are tractors, dumper trucks,excavators on wheels (such as a JCB Loadall orBackhoe Loader) and ride-on motor mowers. Less obvious examples are track-laying plantsuch as excavators, trench-diggers andcranes. The determining factor is whethersuch equipment is able to move horizontallyalong the ground under its own power.
Public Place: There is a commonmisperception that motor policy cover is justrequired on metalled road surfaces. This isnot the case. The ‘public highway’ extends notonly too metalled and unmade roads, butalso to any public path (e.g. footpaths,bridleways and byways) or area. The legalrequirement for cover also includes any per-missive paths and other land where the publicis generally allowed to walk and access.
In summary this means that MotorPolicy cover is required where agriculturalvehicles or motorised plant are used in thefollowing areas (unless they are closed andfenced-off for the duration of works):
(a) Public footpaths and bridleways(b) Permissive paths (where there is no
right of way, but the path is available tothe public)
(c) Tracks and driveways to privatepremises, which delivery drivers andvisitors would normally use
(d) Land over which there is a public rightof access (as defined by the Country-side and Rights of Way Act)
(e) Commons and other access land, overwhich the public are traditionally al-lowed to pass or use
Consideration may also need to be giveneven for use in the following areas:
(f) Unfenced land adjacent to (a), (b) or(d)
(g) Any area that is not fenced off to pre-vent public access
There have been a number of legal casesover the years that have set precedents forwhere there is a legal requirement for MotorPolicy cover:
. Private Forecourt (Trigg v Griffin 1969). Privately owned land abutting on un-fenced public footpath and used as thecar park of a private club (Pugh v Knipe1972). Private driveway on farm used by deliv-ery vans and the farm’s few visitors(Alston v O’Brien 1992)
So what does this mean for the aver-age volunteer? The relevant site organiseror land owner will be responsible for ensur-ing that the necessary Motor Policy cover(not just the standard third party cover forwork sites, or ‘owned and hired-in plant’cover) is in place. This applies whether theequipment is (a) owned by WRG, or (b)owned by the host organisation or land-owner, or (c) hired-in, or (d) loaned /brought along by another volunteer. If, assite leader, you are in any doubt about theinsurance cover, check with Head Office(either Jenny Black or Neil Edwards). If youare not sure that motor cover is in place thendon’t use it, or let anyone else use it, on apublic highway or public place.
If you plan to drive or operate anymotorised plant or agricultural equipment ona public highway or in a public place (asdefined above), then (a) you need to have a
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driving licence with the right entitlements forwhat you are driving , (b) you need to beauthorised to operate it (either the WRGdriver authorisation scheme or waterwaysociety equivalent), (c) a (verified and recent)copy of your driving licence needs to be heldat Head Office, and (d) you need to be over25 unless you have specific authorisationfrom IWA Head Office. If you are under 25and in any doubt about the latter, then youprobably don’t have the authorisation. [Note:not all these conditions apply for walk-behindequipment such as motorised barrows andwalk-behind mowers].
If you think you might be asked tooperate plant or agricultural equipment on awork site, it is a good idea to get (a) to (d)above sorted well beforehand. It is unlikelyto be able to be sorted in on site, especiallyat the weekend.
Why do we need to bother withthis? If (probably after any sort of accidentor incident) you are found to be drivingwithout the right insurance and permissions,then the situation is just the same as drivingyour car on a road without insurance, andthe consequences for you are likely to be justthe same.
If there is anything in the above articlethat you don’t understand, or want to knowmore about, then contact Jenny Black([email protected]) or Neil Edwards([email protected]) at Head Office.
Apologies...
...from WRG Print. As several people havealready commented some copies of Navvies263 went out with a couple of blank pages.
The first plate that I set up on theprinting machine just would not run prop-erly, I also had some difficulties with thestapling folding process; so my apologies forany problems that have occurred.
If you have an incomplete copy, andwould like a complete edition, then please‘phone or email me to request a copy.Please state your address because I don’thold the database with that information.
(You could put the blank paper to gooduse as a shopping list; or possibly write yourown Camp or news report on it - somethingalong the lines of “The last WRG Camp onthe Mont”, “All bridges on the Oxford Canalnow repointed”, or even - “Its been reportedthat WRG has now taken over the operationof the Canal & River Trust...”)
Seriously, could I also make an appealfor people to assist at the Navvies ‘stuffingevenings’. These days it usually takes onlyabout a couple of hours, because it’s just amatter of putting a completed magazine intoan envelope and sticking on labels - no morehand collating, licking of envelopes andstamps etc - but we could still do with a fewmore volunteers.
Thanks as ever to the London CanalMuseum for the continuing use of their facili-ties and also to the folks who regularly turnup at the Canal Museum to do the stuffing
John Hawkins
Trad skills for young boaters
The Roger Lorenz Trust (set up in memoryof a lifelong boating enthusiast) to offeryoung adults (age 18-30) the chance to learntraditional boating skills is to be launched atthe Stratford River Festival on 5-6 July.
As Roger’s wife Stef says “There are somany ex-working boats owned by people intheir 50s and 60s but few young people havethe appropriate skills to maintain and steerthem”. The new group aims to put this right,with Roger’s original broad boat Neptuneavailable to provide training in steering,mooring and vintage diesel maintenance onweekend courses with participants staying onthe boat. The Trust hopes, in time, to offeran NVQ to participants.
Contact Stef Lorenz on 0161 707 0588or 07825 447 029 for more details.
Thank you
...to IWA Ipswich and Lichfield branches fordonations of £1000 and £200 respectivelytowards our new excavator. Also to an IWAbenefactor who has chipped in a generous£4000. As we went to press, Jenny Morrisand three other head office staff were aboutto undertake the Acheman Challengequadrathlon to raise funds for the digger -pictures next time.
Congratulations
...to Emma Nash and Dan Evans on thearrival of Josh Finley Evans on 25 March;and to Lynette and Rob Daffern on the arrivalof Albert William Daffern on 26 March.
Also best wishes to Paul ‘Mole’Cattermole and Pamela Giles on their forth-coming wedding.
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Infill
f
What sort of a bugsworth are you?
You could be forgiven for thinking that some of the names of our canal worksites sound likesomething more than just obscure names on an out-of-date Ordnance Survey map. Andyou’d be right. Here are the little-known meanings of some of these words and phrases...
Dauntsey: someone easily put off by the enormity of the task in hand. “Don’t be such a dauntsey, ofcourse we’ll get the canal open one day”Cropwell bishop: [archaic] specialist mediaeval barber serving cathedral communities. “You look likeyou’ve either been to the cropwell bishop or standing too close to the bonfire.”Griffin Mill: a source of unlikely stories (such as might involve mythical things). “You heard that the nextNavvies was going to be early? That story sounds like a product of the griffin mill to me.”Bugsworth: a person who needlessly concerns him or herself with overzealous application of hygiene rules.“You want us to clean our shovels before we use them to toast our sarnies on the bonfire? Honestly,what sort of a bugsworth are you?”Aston: to really deeply ingrain. “That mud is really astoned into my trousers.”Foxton: to nearly but not quite fix something, leaving it more difficult for someone who does know what they aredoing to fix it. “I thought you’d fixed it.” “No, more foxtoned it, but I’m sure Phil will fix it next weekend.”Eisey: polluted with tea leaves, limescale and other grot. “That last cup of tea was absolutely eisey. Whenwas the Burco last descaled?”Froghall: to rummage in a bag or other container to find something at the bottom, avoiding the need to emptyit all out. “Are you froghalling for the last egg sandwich?”Dunsfold: an elaborate and precise style of storing household linen. “You haven’t got time to dunsfold thetea-towels, we’ve got a concrete delivery on site in half an hour.”Brimscombe Port: an extra-large glass of fortified red wine. “Anyone for a brimscombe port, or shall wehead for the Navigation Inn straight away?”Soham Lode: a large quantity. For example: “Best get on site soon, we’ve got a soham lode of bricks to lay”Inglesham: (from ‘inglenook’ and ‘sham’) the type of fake ‘heritage-look’ fittings used in tacky refurbish-ments of old inns by big pubco chains. “Is the Old Boat any good these days?” “No, not since PunchTaverns ruined it with a load of inglesham.”Drayton Beauchamp: someone who has higher hygiene standards than normal. “Where’s thehandwipes?” “Ooh, you’ve gone all drayton beauchamp!” (see also Bugsworth)Crumpwood and Loxwood: like the mythical 150 words for snow, there are lots of words for types ofscrub. Crumpwood is green whippy shrub eg alder or willow, tricky to burn and takes a lot of cutting intosmall pieces to avoid it all just bouncing off the bonfire. Loxwood is typically blackthorn, bramble and dogrose, impossible to get onto the bonfire without losing gloves, small tools, or skin. “Shall we let Tim lookafter the bonfire?” “No way, it’s all crumpwood and loxwood, he’ll never get it going.”Stratton: from the singular ‘Stratta’ - the footprint of any verminous creature, for example cockroaches, ratsor silverfish. “I’m not sleeping in there, it’s full of Stratton”.Ashton Keynes: the Victorian inventor of a process for industrial-scale cider production. Also a greatphilanthropist who built almshouses for Fallen Woman. Survived the charge of the light brigade and was laterknighted by Queen Victoria. “I say, I don’t think this pub has changed a bit since Ashton Keynes’s day.But no doubt some bunch of bugsworths will come along and fill it full of inglesham soon.”Pewsham: a bad smell. “Blimey, what a pewsham! What on earth were you drinking in the Ship Inn last night?”Daisy Nook: a ‘better offer’. “Is Sarah coming on the next dig?” “No, she’s got a chance of somedaisy nook.”Latton: someone or something that is annoyingly late. “If you hadn’t been such a latton at the showers wewouldn’t have missed the start of the film.” Alternatively “That last batch of mortar was a rightlatton: I missed out on all the egg sarnies.”Crickheath: the state achieved by hoarders’ spare bedrooms, most garages, green sheds, and occasionallyshipping containers “It was such a crickheath in there that I had to use grappling hooks and a safety
Stop froghalling and don’t
be such a dauntsey...
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harness to find the spare strimmer head”Sellet: somebody who can empty a crickheath and make money from it. “I’ll say this for Mr Mac, he’sthe best sellet in WRG”Canal Head: a waterways obsessive. “And not content with wasting every weekend and evening onthat ridiculous canal diggers’ magazine, it’s his day job too. What a canal head!”Woolsthorpe: now superseded by the Australian English ‘daggy’ - the grotty bits of fleece that have to betrimmed off before the shorn fleece can be sold, usually from around the sheep’s backside. Interestingly there isstill an unclaimed prize of 50 guineas, offered by a Mr Joseph Montague in 1836, to be awarded to anyone whofinds a use for these. “Ted, you might have trimmed the woolsthorpe off before you barbecued the lamb!”Baylham: an item of apparel used in an emergency to move water or other liquid. Hats, boots & braswork well. Pants don’t work. Some socks are better than others. “I think we’d have sunk theworkboat in the tunnel if it hadn’t been for Vicky using her bra as a makeshift baylham”Ham Mill Lock: an early phonetic alphabet developed by British radio operators during the 1930s. TheHML phonetic alphabet helped make radio transmission clearer even with poor reception, but used termsconsidered obscene. Only three of the phonetic letters are non-offensive: H, M and L - hence the name. Astory (possibly apocryphal) describes how a young Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth), then asubaltern in the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service, was sent to support a radio operator in 1945. Theoperator had to give an urgent transmission but was too embarrassed to use HML phonetics (which beganArse, Bogey, Cock...) in front of his future monarch. With great presence of mind, he made up a cleanerversion on the spot which began Alpha Bravo Charlie... The army later adopted his version when it be-came clear the royal family weren’t going to stop joining the army, and it gained wider acceptance as theNATO phonetic alphabet. Some older radio operators persist in using Ham Mill Lock, which is why thearmy encourages early retirement. For obvious reasons we won’t give an example of this. If you wantto hear one, just listen in on the WRG 2-way radio channel at the point when it becomes clear thatthe fencing job isn’t going to be finished before the festival bar shuts...Rogerstone: the muffling effect of a large beard on voices, especially when communicating via telephoneor radio. Origin thought to be military, and one of the reasons RAF pilots sport ’taches rather than beards.“Sorry, I can’t hear you for the rogerstone, can you give me that again in ham mill lock? Over.”Welches Dam: a worthless oath, indicating a complete lack of concern. (*) “I’m afraid I simply don’tgive a welches dam if the Philanthropic Inn’s run out of low alcohol lager”(*) In the heirarchy of things that one wouldn’t give, it ranks roughly midway between a monkey’s tossand a flying foxtrot (**)(**) ‘Foxtrot’ is of course the Alpha Bravo version, rather than the Ham Mill Lock version...This has been a Dr Floodbush-Smith production. With thanks to The Meaning of Liff for the original idea
Dear Deirdre I’m a lady looking for a relationship and there are two singlemen my own age in my local group, both equally handy. One renovated a cot-tage from a derelict state; the other converted a scrapped wooden barge into acomfortable houseboat. Both are excellent carpenters, electricians and plumb-ers. One has better welding experience; the other is a qualified chainsaw opera-tor. Which would be the best romantic match for me?- Jennifer, West Ruislip
Deirdre writes You’ve neglected to say what they’re driving. I’d advise you to check howmuch boot space they’re packing before you rush into a decision; it’s no use having a boy-friend who can’t take a generator to the repair shop for you. If they’re roughly equal in thatrespect then you might also look into the following: how much they can lift, how tall a lad-der they own, the range of hand tools at their disposal, experience with boilers, and whetherthey have contacts in the building supplies vending industry and/or can get discounts atScrewfix.If they really are equal in all respects then you’ve no choice but to make a decisionbased on looks and personality.
And finally...
From The Star of Kenya “A 38 year old man from Makueni County was arrested by membersof the public after he was caught having canal knowledge with a goat.” A misprint, I feel. Itclearly should have been “canal knowledge with a boat”. Yes, that’ll be it, I’m sure...
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