Cargoes Autumn 2015

Autumn 2015

Newsletter of Guildford & Reading Kent & East Sussex and Oxfordshire Branches

3

Editorial This Edition of Cargoes will be coming to you in Mid-August when hopefully we shall be experiencing some late summer weather for the many outside events that remain including IWA’s Northampton Festival of Water over the August Bank Holiday weekend (see pages 34 and 35 of the Autumn Edition of Waterways for more details). National Heritage weekend, over the second weekend in September, will feature a number of waterways-related events about which local information should be available. Aside from the usual waterways events across the Region, possibly the most significant this year have been the Magna Carta celebrations at Runnymede on the Thames and also at King John’s Castle/Colt Hill, Odiham on the Basingstoke Canal. More details can be found on pages 17 and 14 – see also front Cover photo of the relay on the Thames. The aim of encouraging joint meetings and waterways trips within branches and across the region, seems to be bearing fruit. IWAKES has always led the way with their joint meetings with various waterways groups in their branch area and earlier in the year they held a joint meeting with South London Branch. G&R Branch has also combined forces with a meeting at the National Trust in Guildford and the annual joint meeting with the K&A Canal Trust in Reading. IWAKES Thames Barrier and Docklands trip is also an example of the advantages gained by cross-region support. We hope that this will continue – South East Region members have been invited to join the South London Branch horse-drawn boat trip on the K&A in October (see page 17) and there will be the inter-waterways society quiz at Southampton in December (page 23). The last Edition of Cargoes and the Summer Edition of Waterways contained details of the WRG Van Appeal to raise funds to replace four of WRG’s ageing fleet of vans. An update is on page 11 of the Autumn Waterways and we understand the appeal has so far raised almost £70,000. Another success to report is that IWA’s Himalayan Balsam Campaign has been announced as one of Canal & River Trust (CRT)’s 2015 Living Waterways Awards finalists having been selected by an independent panel of experts that believed it was one of the UK’s most inspiring and exciting waterway-based improvement projects. With this in mind, it was pleasing to note that the WACT’s working parties have this year been carrying out organised ‘balsam bashing’ along the Wey & Arun Canal (see page 26). Finally, we would mention that the Annual Report of CRT was published recently. The related Press release highlighted many encouraging signs that had contributed to ‘A record year of success for the nation’s canals’. (see extract on page 5) Cargoes Editorial Team

4

From the Region Chairman Having been your regional chairman now for 9 months it is increasingly apparent what a difficult job it is. Running a branch was so much simpler. However throughout my career I have risen to new challenges and I hope I can rise to this one too. The help I receive from branches is critical and it’s something I need to work on, to ensure that I help them to help me. Anyway enough of the introspection and onto waterways. The Annual Report of Canal & River Trust (CRT) has just been issued and great reading it makes. Over the fifty odd years since I first became involved in waterway restoration and preservation, the scene at least for CRT waterways has been transformed. In the 1950s and 60s it seemed that BW was actively involved in trying to accelerate the decline. There were no volunteers working with BW just fighting them. Money was extremely tight. IWA always said that if BW became a charity the picture would be transformed. Much credit is due to the BW of the last 20 years where waterways such as the Kennet and Avon, the Rochdale, the Huddersfield Narrow and the Scottish lowland canals came back from if not the dead certainly moribund at least to navigation. However that position is really transformed with CRT being a charity, receiving significant charitable giving and having vast volunteer input both direct and indirect through, for example, the Waterway Recovery Group (WRG). CRT is now accountable to trustees, members, users, donors and volunteers. A board still runs the company but it no longer reports to ministers and civil servants whose agenda was not always congruent with waterway users. If the new CRT does

not serve its stakeholders now there are likely to be unpleasant consequences if not for the waterways certainly for the board. It does concentrate minds. Also the vast benefits that the waterways bring to the wider economy are now fully taken on board by CRT who are no longer the slave of quixotic government accounting which totally fails to recognise investment and current expenditure. Anyway well done Chairman Tony Hales and all in CRT a fitting achievement marking Tony’s farewell to CRT in September. I advise all members to read the current CRT annual report. It makes excellent reading for waterway users and especially IWA members. It’s what we campaigned for many years and shows the value of the right structure with congruent governance. Since my last report we have had a general election. Thanks to all in the region who helped send the IWA manifesto to candidates. We now have a new ministerial team. The new waterway parliamentary group has met and, in line with the manifesto, we will be pushing for EA waterways to go the same route as CRT if not with CRT. On restoration funding issues, IWA members have been playing a significant part by responding to appeals to vote in support of funding for various waterway-related projects. On the Wilts & Berks Canal these are now are coming to fruition (see pages 40 & 41). A number of non IWAKES members attended the IWAKES organised visit to the Thames Barrier and the old London Docklands. It was an excellent day out, educational and blessed with superb weather (see page 28). Gareth Jones

5

Cross-Party House of Commons Reception Over fifty people including MPs, members of the House of Lords and waterway representatives were joined at the Houses of Parliament by the new Waterways Minister, Rory Stewart MP, on Tuesday 7th July at a reception organised by IWA. The event, which was the first meeting of a waterways group at Westminster in the new Parliament, followed on from IWA’s pre-election campaign that saw over forty MPs pledging their Les Etheridge, IWA National Chairman, and Rory support to the Association’s Stewart, Waterways Minister and MP for Penrith Waterway Manifesto. and the Border Among those present at the reception was former waterway minister, Richard Benyon, MP for Newbury, who was a leading figure in the setting up of CRT. Other MPs from across the House took time out of their busy schedules to drop in to the afternoon session, where IWA representatives outlined the five points of the Manifesto. About a third of the MPs who attended were newly elected, and so this was their first opportunity to learn about the work of IWA at a parliamentary level, and to discover more about the waterways in their constituencies. All the MPs and peers who attended were encouraged to join the All Party Parliamentary Group for the Waterways, which will now be reconvened for the new Parliament, as well as being invited to develop a close relationship with local waterway groups such as canal societies and IWA branches in their constituencies. IWA’s National Chairman, Les Etheridge, said “We were pleased to see the enthusiasm for waterways issues from those attending and to have the opportunity to meet Rory Stewart MP so soon after his appointment as Waterways Minister. I’m also delighted that he has agreed to a further meeting with us to discuss these issues in more detail”

A record year of success for the nation’s canals The following is an extract from CRT’s Press Release:Despite a year of extremes, from a very dry summer to extreme winter rainfall, our first full year’s reporting shows a promising foundation for our new charity. This includes a growth in the number of people volunteering to help and a strong commercial performance, which has led to greater than planned spend on repairing and looking after the network.

6 Highlights for the year include:  More than £120m invested in repairing and restoring the waterways, with the proportion of principal assets in the two worst condition grades reduced to 14.7 per cent (2012/13:15.2 per cent)  142 lock gates replaced or refurbished and more than 68 miles of waterways dredged, with the removal of over 90,000 m3 of silt  Completion of the £2m+ repair to the Trent & Mersey Canal following the breach at Dutton  Major repairs to the Monmouthshire & Brecon and Llangollen canals following the damage wreaked by the winter floods  32,440 licensed boats (excluding boat licences of one month or less) as at 31 March 2014 – a 0.4 per cent increase on the number recorded on 31 March 2013 (32,311)  Volunteers gave over 51,000 days helping to look after the canals and rivers (2012/13: 29,044 days)  Over 50 community adoption groups now look after a stretch of their local waterway  Nearly 27,500 children discovered their local canal or river as part of the our volunteer-led Canal & River Explorers programme  Around 10,000 people visited our winter works open days to see the heart of our repair work to keep their local waterway functioning  We were presented with a cheque for £50k as the People’s Postcode Lottery’s ‘charity of the year’ Tony Hales, chairman of Canal & River Trust, comments: “The weather has thrown everything at us this year as we’ve had to contend with both water shortage and deluge, reminding us just how much care and attention our historic and fragile infrastructure needs. "Despite this we have been able to hold our own and I am so proud of the way our staff and growing band of volunteers have responded. One of the really exciting changes has been the way so many more people are now involved in running and helping the Trust and I’d like to thank all our employees, volunteers, Friends and all our other financial supporters and partners; and everyone who uses, enjoys and loves the waterways.” Completing his first year as chief executive, Richard Parry comments: “My first year with the Trust has been thoroughly exhilarating and enjoyable. I have relished the opportunity to get out and meet the people who care for and enjoy the wonderful canals and rivers we’re responsible for. This year we have honed our long term strategy, which includes building the broad support that is so important for the future of the waterways. We are also putting the customer at the centre of all the work we do, with a great emphasis on being open and involving others in our decision-making. “In financial terms we had a successful year, beating our target for income by over £5m and spending more on additional care of the canals as a result. As an illustration of our increased focus on listening to our customers we committed

7 around £1m of the extra funds to clearing some of the off-side vegetation that boaters had told us was a priority. “It’s an exciting year ahead. Continued good financial performance means that we will be able to spend more than planned. We have put aside funds for additional vegetation work this autumn, as well as further dredging and maintenance that will directly improve the experience for our customers. We’re doing more to stir interest in the next generation of canal enthusiasts, we have ambitious targets for volunteering and a series of summer open days over the coming weeks to showcase more of our work to the wider community.” Download and read the Annual Report and Accounts The Canal & River Trust’s Annual Report & Accounts 2014/15 are available at: canalrivertrust.org.uk/annual-report. The Canal & River Trust’s Annual Public Meeting will take place at 10am on 23rd September at Church House Conference Centre, Westminster, London SW1P 3NZ. To book a place visit: canalrivertrustapm.eventbrite.com.

Diary of Meetings & Events Wed 12th Aug, 7.30pm, Mikron Theatre Company: The Great Western Arms, Aynho, Banbury, OOE (see summer 2015 edition of Cargoes, page 36) Thu 13th Aug, 7.00pm, Mikron Theatre Company: The Pig Place, @NB Acres, Aynho Road, Banbury, RA (see summer 2015 edition of Cargoes, page 36) Thu 13th Aug, 10.30am, 12.30pm & 2.30pm, WACT: Pirates & Princesses Adventure Voyage. (see page 26) Sun 16th Aug, 2.30pm, Towpath Walks Group: The Olympics. st

Fri 21 Aug, 7.00pm - 9.30pm, WACT: Pimm's & Picnic.

(see page 42) (see page 26)

th

Thu 27 Aug, 10.30am, 12.30pm & 2.30pm, WACT: Pirates & Princesses Adventure Voyage. (see page 27) Sat 29th to Mon 31st Aug, Northampton Festival of Water.

(see page 3)

st

Tue 1 Sep, 7.00pm, Mikron Theatre Company: The Teapot Tearooms, Britchcombe Farm, Faringdon, RA (see summer 2015 edition of Cargoes, page 36) Thu 3rd Sep, 7.45pm, Southampton Canal Society: Magic Lantern Show by Aileen Butler. (see page 23) Sat 5th Sep, 6.30pm, K&A (Reading): Reading Section BBQ.

(see page 16)

Sun 6 Sep, 2.30pm, Towpath Walks Group: Regent’s Canal

(see page 42)

th

th

Wed 9 Sep, 7.30pm for 8.00pm, Oxfordshire Branch: Social Evening (see page 39)

8 Wed 9th Sep, 7.30pm for 8.00pm, South London Branch: The Work of London Waterway Recovery Group (WRG) by Tim Lewis. (see page 41) Sat 12th Sep, 11.00am - 5.00pm, National Trust: Heritage Open Day. (see page 21) Sat 12th Sep, 2.15 pm, WACT: Guided walk

(see page 27)

th

Sun 13 Sep, 2.00pm, WACT: Heritage Open Day Guided Walk.

(see page 27)

Tue 15 Sep, 7.45pm, K&A (Reading): ‘Heroes and Villains of the Basingstoke Canal’ - Roger Cansdale (see page 16) th

Sat 19th Sep, 11.00am, National Trust: Wey River Festival.

(see pages 19 & 21)

Sun 20 Sep, 2.30pm, Towpath Walks Group: Regent’s Canal th

(see page 42)

th

Sat 26 Sep, 2.00 pm, IWAKES: SORT Autumn Walk: Visiting Pimms Lock. (see page 35) Thu 1st Oct, 7.45pm, Southampton Canal Society: Cruising around Vancouver by Ron & Myra Glover (see page 23) Sat 3rd Oct, 2.00pm, South London Branch: Horse Drawn Boat Cruise. (see pages 17 & 41) Sun 4th Oct, Oxfordshire Branch: Banbury Canal Day. th

Sun 4 Oct, 2.30pm, Towpath Walks Group: Regents Canal

(see page 39) see page 42)

th

Wed 14 Oct, 7.30pm for 8.00pm, South London Branch: The River Wey by John Gibson. (see page 41) Thu 15th Oct, 7.30 pm for 8.00 pm, IWAKES: The Thames Sailing Barge Trust. (see page 35) Thu 15th Oct, 7.30pm, Salisbury Group: Joeys, Joshers and James by Phil Clayton. (see page 11) Sun 18th Oct, 2.30pm, Towpath Walks Group: Regent’s Canal

(see page 42)

Tue 20 Oct, 7.45pm, K&A (Reading): ‘Boating over Grass in Poland’ - David Copley (see page 16) th

Wed 21st Oct, 8.00pm, BCS: 'History and Restoration of the Wey and Arun Canal' by Graham Lewington. (see page 15) Sat 24th Oct, 12 noon, WACT: Opening of Hunt Nature Platform

(see page 27)

Sat 24th Oct, 2.30 pm, WACT: Autumn Meeting

(see page 27)

st

Sun 1 Nov, 2.30pm, Towpath Walks Group: The Olympics

(see page 42)

Thu 5th Nov, 7.45pm, Southampton Canal Society: A short waterways Comedy by Day-Star Theatre Company (see page 23)

9 Wed 11th Nov, 7.30pm for 8.00pm, Oxfordshire Branch: Narrowboat Raymond by Christopher Jones (see page 39) Wed 11th Nov, 7.30pm for 8.00pm, South London Branch: The South Pennine Ring by Alan & Christine Smith. (see page 41) Sun 15th Nov, 2.30pm, Towpath Walks Group: Regent’s Canal

(see page 42)

th

Tue 17 Nov, 7.45pm, K&A (Reading): Speaker tbc + Christmas eats and drinks (see page 16) Wed 18th Nov, 8.00pm, BCS: 'Leonardo's Canals - Waterways of Milan and the Papia Region' by Roger Squires. (see page 15) Thu 19th Nov, 7.00 pm for 7.30 pm, IWAKES: The Restoration of Isfield Lock. (see page 35) Thu 19th Nov, 7.30pm, Salisbury Group: Anything that Floats by Elaine Kirby. (see page 11) Thu 3rd Dec, 7.45pm, Southampton Canal Society: Waterways Quiz. (see pages 11 & 23) Sun 6th Dec, 2.30pm, Towpath Walks Group: Regent’s Canal

(see page 42)

Wed 9th Dec, 7.30 pm for 8.00 pm, IWAKES: IWAKES & TMCA get-together. (see page 35) Wed 9th Dec, 7.30pm for 8.00pm, Oxfordshire Branch: Skittles Night (see page 39) Wed 9th Dec, 7.30pm for 8.00pm, South London Branch: Christmas Social and members' photos. (see page 41) Thu 10th Dec, 7.30pm, Salisbury Group: Christmas Dinner.

(see page 11)

Wed 16th Dec, 8.00pm, BCS: 'Trail Boat Festivals on Isolated Waterways around Britain' by Ron & Myra Glover. (see page 16) Sun 20th Dec, 2.30pm, Towpath Walks Group: Regent’s Canal

(see page 42)

Thu 28th Jan, 7.30 pm for 8.00 pm, IWAKES: The Wey Navigation by John Gibson. (see page 36) Wed 24th Feb, 7.30 pm for 8.00 pm: Branch Annual General Meeting (see page 36)

10

Salisbury Group Our Salisbury correspondent, Myra Glover, writes: At our May meeting Richard Thomas entertained us with his talk “A day in the life of a Thames Tug” about Cory tug General VIII which towed three lighters carrying rubbish containers from Wandsworth to Mucking in Essex. More details can be found in the report of Richard’s talk to IWAKES last December (see page 30 of the Spring 2015 edition of Cargoes). At our June meeting the subject was ‘Trail Boating on Isolated Waterways’ an illustrated talk about their adventures by Ron & Myra Glover who have been trailing their small cruisers around the UK and to France since the early 1970s. The advantage about trail boating is that they can travel on waterways that are closed to the full canal system. During this talk they introduced us to the two boats that they have used since 1976, towing vehicles, trailers and various types of slipways. The talk covered their participation in various National Trail Boat Festivals beginning with the first ever which was held at Pewsey in 1985 on the 15 mile pound before the Devizes and Wootton Rivers flights were opened. Ron was proud that at this rally he won the prize for the best home built boat “Egnaro” that he built as his final college project. Other waterways visited were the Basingstoke (1985 & 1987), Bridgewater & Taunton (1982), Chelmer & Blackwater (1993) and a visit to the festival at Clamecy on the Canal du Nivernais (1997). More recent visits were made to the Neath & Tennant Canal (2011), Cotswold Canal at Stroud (2012), River Rother on the Kent/Sussex border (2013), Grand Western (2014) and the most recent, the northern reaches of the Lancaster Canal where they attended the festival just two weeks before this talk (2015). For each waterway visited, Ron & Myra gave plenty of information always including the history of the waterway and details of the restoration project as well as the activities taking place at these festivals. For the majority of boaters who travel on the main canal system, it was quite an eye opener to find out what parts of the system still remain out of reach for narrowboats. In July it was once again time for Boules & BBQ. The weather stayed fine and warm for this annual summer social event when twenty three members of the Salisbury IWA Group enjoyed a magnificent BBQ cooked and served by Geoff the landlord of the Green Dragon Alderbury. Even after this sumptuous meal our members were able to participate in the boules tournament with competitive vigour under the strict eye of our resident French judge Jacques. At the conclusion of this enjoyable evening a raffle was held and it was decided to send the proceeds on this occasion to “The Bruce Trust”.

11

Programme of Events Thu 15th Oct: "Joeys, Joshers and James" - Phil Clayton is travelling from Wolverhampton to talk to us about a "Birmingham Canals Miscellany" This will cover the beginnings, growth, working years, decline and revival of the B.C.N. together with the work of the Birmingham Canal Navigations Society. Thu 19th Nov: Elaine Kirby, archivist of the Kennet & Avon Trust, is returning to tell us about "Anything that Floats". In her work Elaine has discovered photos of a large variety of craft that have plied the K & A since 1887. Included are trading boats, leisure boats, house boats, tar boats and other odd boats. Thu 3rd Dec: Waterways Quiz at Chilworth Village Hall organised by Southampton Canal Society. Thu 10th Dec: Christmas Dinner at The Green Dragon, Alderbury. Unless otherwise stated, meetings are at The Green Dragon, Old Road, Alderbury, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP5 3AR starting at 7.30pm when visitors will be warmly welcomed. Further information can be obtained from Ron & Myra Glover on 01722 710322 email glover.3@btinternet.com or Jon Van de Geer on 01722 412841.

Guildford & Reading Branch Chairman’s Report In Mid-May we had our annual joint meeting with the Reading Section of the K&A Canal Trust when Philip Riley (Chairman of the Basingstoke Canal Society) gave a talk bringing us up-to-date with happenings on the Basingstoke Canal and looking to the future. We were appreciative of Philip making time to give his talk only a matter of days before the Magna Carta Rally with which he was much involved. Since my last report we have travelled, with friends, anti-clockwise round the four counties ring, something I last did over forty years ago. There were two stoppages one on the Middlewich Branch where the plate protecting the bow hooking under the beams of a top gate was missing. By the time we arrived a very smart hire boat had fouled the top gate and the paddles had been drawn sinking the boat. CRT had addressed the matter with large pumps and extracted the boat but presumably ending the voyage. A large but orderly queue had built up and for the rest of the day was seen through the lock by CRT. Not too much delay there and good work by CRT. The following day we were held up by a tree which had fallen across the cut a mile or so north of Norbury Junction. We walked to the junction and found that a team of contractors had been fixed to remove the

12 obstruction. We enjoyed lunch at Norbury and then walked back to our boat where, to our surprise, the canal was nearly cleared for navigation but with rather boorish boaters in the south bound queue insisting that they were to be first through despite their place in the queue. This was all the more surprising as they then moored up at Norbury! The rest of the trip passed enjoyably but uneventfully. We found suitable hostelries for evening meals and managed a day up the Caldon. Early in July another group of four set out for France and the Nantes Brest Canal. We had a very pleasant week. The scenery and food was superb but what was most impressive was the friendliness and helpfulness of the lock keepers. Mostly the locks, cottages and gardens were well maintained and a delight to behold. The local eating places too were very friendly in one on asking for a taxi to take us back to our boat the chef insisted on taking off his apron and driving us himself refusing any compensation. We took the Brittany ferry route from Portsmouth to St Malo. Very pleasant and none of the difficulties which currently beset Calais and the short sea or tunnel route. Much has gone on locally with the Magna Carta celebrations on the Basingstoke at King John’s Castle, Odiham and the Thames at Runnymede. There is then the Thames Barge trip but the planned excursions on the Basingstoke and the Wey and Arun canals have had to be postponed until next year. Gareth Jones

Sales and Publicity Stand The Branch Sales and Publicity Stand has been ‘on the road’ as usual this summer. We marked the start of the new season with the Magna Carta Rally at Colt Hill Odiham on 24th May (see Philip Riley’s report on page 14). Next came the Beale Park Boat and Outdoor Show for three days early in June when we had a joint Stand with Middlesex Branch. The event produced takings that were well up on those of the previous two years. It was also good to meet and chat about times past with folk such as John Dalton (Oxfordshire Branch) and Richard Howard (Beale Park) who had been closely associated with major IWA events at this venue, such as IWA’s National Festivals in 2003, 2006 and 2010. A week later, on Saturday 13th June, came Reading Water Fest with its ever popular range of charity stalls, boat trips and parades of boats. Our final event of the season will be the Wey River Festival at Dapdune Wharf on Saturday 19th September – more details on page 19 and inside Back Cover. Ray Carnell

Wey River Festival Saturday 19 September 2015

13

Bits on the Basingstoke There is good news on the Basingstoke but also some not so good news. The best news is that the canal is open and Dogmersfield should be addressed this winter. Walkers, other towpath users and boaters have had access albeit with restrictions. Other good news is that as a result of yet a further study the County Councils have concluded the canal is an asset which brings net economic benefits to the area. We have been stating this for some time but it is nice to have it confirmed if not quantified in a report. We have yet to see the report despite the greater openness which should in this day and age prevail. We must say that the management team from councillors, through officers and the Basingstoke Canal Authority staff are much more ‘can do’ and positive. Our thanks to Councillor Keith Chapman MBE the retiring Chairman of the Joint Management Committee who has maintained the impetus of Councillor Linda Kemeny. There is even a proposal to buy a further trip boat for the BCA to run. IWA and BCA had a very constructive meeting on fund-raising. There are clearly opportunities and there is an increasing volume of volunteer effort in running the navigation. All very positive. The Canal Society’s Magna Carta Rally at Colt Hill with events at King John’s Castle went well. Next year it is confirmed that the Historic Narrow Boat Club will hold a rally on the Basingstoke and IWA will do all they can to help them. This really puts the Basingstoke seriously on the navigation map. However we are still bedevilled by interdepartmental council officers’ issues. In particular the Surrey estates department have studies and restudies of the Mytchett site. There has been input from campers and canoeists, proposals for parking charges etc. etc. It all resembles rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. It is why a different governance structure would make a huge difference. There is concern on future funding. Again a change of governance would no doubt help that and stop various departments abstracting funding and various councils not making their stipulated contribution. Gareth Jones

Mikron on the Basingstoke A balmy evening in July saw the Mikron Theatre Company pay their annual visit to the Basingstoke Canal at Fleet for a show sponsored by the Canal Society. What started as a fine summers evening turned into a rainstorm by the end of the performance and certainly vindicated the organisers’ decision to switch the show from the open-air venue to Fleet Football Club which was packed for the occasion. Once again the multi-talented cast excelled themselves with ‘One of Each’ a tale about a competition to find the best Fish and Chips which saw twin brother Rod (played by Steve McCourt) and sister Nettie (Ellen Chivers) pitted against each

14 other in the final. But with time and the ever resourceful efforts of the local reporter from the Echo, Meriel Hacker (played to perfection by Rachael Henley) more of the past of Competition Organiser Sir Caspian Delamere (played by James Mclean) becomes apparent. In the end, the fact that in the Golden Fish-Fork award Haddock triumphed over Cod is incidental to the concluding familial scenes when the true story is revealed. All four of the performers were new to Mikron this year but were still able to blend together effectively. As usual the show was interspersed with a selection of musical numbers which, thanks to skills of Rebekah Hughes, were well up to the Mikron standards we have come to expect. We brought guests who are fellow thespians and also play the trombone which is James Mclean’s speciality. It was their first visit to Mikron and they were highly impressed by the music and most complimentary about the versatility of the whole cast. Ben & Judith Scott

Basingstoke Canal Society Chairman’s Report The Canal Society (BCS) held a very successful rally at Colt Hill, Odiham on 24th May as part of the celebrations to mark the 800th anniversary of the sealing of Magna Carta by King John who was at his castle in North Warnborough before he left for Runnymede to meet his barons in 1215. The rally attracted over 20 boats including 3 steam boats. The furthest travelled boat came from the Midlands and several boats visited from the R Wey. A full programme of entertainment was provided including a brass band, children’s entertainer, shire horses and Morris Dancers. The Basingstoke & Deane Canoe Club gave canoe demonstrations and there were several waterway-related stands including those of BCS and IWA, whilst John Ross provided a colourful feature with his Mirror dinghy Elizabeth Rose. The rally was a successful event, blessed with fine weather, and gave an excellent opportunity to promote the benefits of the canal to the local community.

15 Next year the BCS will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of its formation. Plans are at a very early stage but it is hoped that we can have a joint event with the Historic Narrow Boat Club which is also marking 50 years since its foundation. Currently the intention is to have the event in Woking in August. The BCS has been keen to promote the value of the canal in Woking and a rally near the town centre will provide an excellent opportunity to focus the attention of local residents and the local authorities on the value of the canal as an important amenity in the Woking area. Following the presentation at the June meeting of the JMC of the conclusions of the recent consultant’s report on future options for the canal, the owners will now be considering management and funding options. The report essentially recommended that the current status quo on the canal should be maintained i.e. to maintain the canal at its current level with the whole canal remaining navigable but with opening times seasonally limited by water availability and conservation requirements. Hopefully this will remove any suggestion that the canal should cease to operate as a fully-fledged navigation. However, given the continuing pressure on local authority finances (and bearing in mind that all the capital money and over 70% of the revenue funding comes from local authorities), the BCA faces a real challenge in its efforts to attract income from other sources. Philip Riley

Chobham Social Meetings The meetings will be held as usual on the third Wednesday of the month at the Parish Pavilion, Recreation Ground, Station Road, Chobham, nr. Woking GU24 8AZ commencing at 8pm. Coffee/tea and biscuits will be available during the interval. Raffle and retiring collection. Non-members and friends are very welcome. Please pass the word around. The autumn and early winter programme is shown below: Wed 21st Oct: 'History and Restoration of the Wey and Arun Canal' by Graham Lewington. Graham, from the Wey and Arun Canal Trust, will describe the history and bring us up to date with all the latest restoration work that has taken place over the last few years. The amount of fundraising has been incredible and has enabled major projects to be undertaken to one of the most historic of southern waterways. Wed 18th Nov: 'Leonardo's Canals - Waterways of Milan and the Papia Region' by Roger Squires. Roger will be returning to give us a talk about the city of Milan which was one of the leaders of early canal building in Europe. Canals covered include the Naviglio Grande, Pavia Canal, Bereguardo Canal, Martesena Canal and the Padermo Canal which was the final link in the network constructed to overcome the rapids on the River Adda, and to offer a through route from Lake Como to Milan. Most of us have probably never heard of these canals in Italy which date from 1177 through to 1485.

16 Wed 16th Dec: 'Trail Boat Festivals on Isolated Waterways around Britain' by Ron & Myra Glover: As a change from Ron and Myra's talks from around Europe, this presentation details the trailing of craft around Britain since the mid-1970s and attending festivals that are held on land-locked waterways which narrow boats are unable to reach, Starting with IWA’s first trail boat rally in 1985 at Pewsey on the Kennet and Avon Canal and progressing to last year’s festival at Tiverton on the Grand Western Canal in Devon. Further information from David Millett on 01252 617364 or email d.millett7@ntlworld.com or www.basingstoke-canal.org.uk

Kennet & Avon Canal News Canal Trust Meetings As the season of indoor meetings along the K&A Canal approaches, we have to report that the Newbury Section are in the throes of reviewing their meetings schedule both as regards frequency and day of the week. Please watch the K&A Website at www.katrust.org for more details. The Reading Section are continuing to hold their monthly meetings on the third Tuesday of the month (no December meeting) at 7.45pm at The Grange Free Church Hall, Circuit Lane, Southcote, Reading RG30 3HD (just off the A4 Bath Road). Entry donation, including K&A members, £2.50 (to help with expenses). Sat 5th Sep: Reading Section BBQ at Aldermaston shop at 6.30 pm. £6 for food by Garry & Sam. Pay on the day. Bring your own beers/wines. Tea/Coffee available to purchase. If you plan to attend please book with John Swift latest by Fri 28th August (contact details below). We do need to know how many are coming. Tue 15th Sep: ‘Heroes and Villains of the Basingstoke Canal’ - Roger Cansdale Tue 20th Oct: ‘Boating over Grass in Poland’ - David Copley Tue 17th Nov: Speaker tbc + Christmas eats and drinks Further details from: John Swift tel: 0118 9415540 email: swift.john21@gmail.com iPhone: 07533 886 917.

17

Horse-drawn Boat Trip South London Branch invite members from South East Region to join them for a two hour afternoon cruise with the Kennet Horse Boat Company on the beautiful Kennet & Avon Canal on Saturday 3rd October, starting from Kintbury (meet at 1.30pm for a 2pm departure) Full details, a map and how to book are on the booking form available from Alan Smith telephone 020 8255 1581, mobile 07787 077179 or email alan.smith@waterways.org.uk

River Thames News As might have been imagined the EA has come under further budget pressure as was only to be expected. Navigation is way down the EA priority list. Attending a user group meeting is a depressing and regrettably not very constructive experience. Many users were used to the “gold plated days” of the Thames Conservancy. The only gold which remains is braid on EA officers’ caps and epaulettes. In addition the IT licensing development as IWA predicted is failing; the usual government experience with such projects. Needless to say CRT have a system that works but that was not a route for EA navigators. Also it seems that volunteer lockkeepers can only work under the supervision of a paid lock keeper. Volunteers turn up to be sent away and the lock is then operated by users. While it will no doubt be resisted by some Thames navigators only a change in governance, preferably a merger with CRT, will improve the situation. One ray of sunshine is that money has been found to deal with the flooding problems around Windsor, Datchet and Chertsey. The Thames Magna Carta commemorations at Runnymede went well. Also the lack of depth on the Abbey River is to be dealt with sometime. Lastly it seems that hire boats are again to be allowed between Richmond and Brentford on the tidal Thames. Hopefully we will also eventually see a restoration between Limehouse and Brentford. Gareth Jones [Ed. Readers will also be interested to see the Thames Operational Update provided by Sue Cooper (RUG3 – Oxfordshire Branch) which deals with a number of funding issues – see page 38)]

800th anniversary of the sealing of Magna Carta Thames Alive (organisers of the rowed and paddled section of Her Majesty the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Pageant) were commissioned by Runnymede Borough Council, the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, and Spelthorne Borough Council to produce a River Relay event as part of the commemorations for the 800th anniversary of the sealing of Magna Carta in Runnymede. This spectacular event took place on and beside the River Thames, commencing at Hurley on Saturday 13th June 2015 with a finale at Runnymede Pleasure Grounds on Sunday 14th June 2015.

18 The procession included historic and prestigious boats such as Her Majesty's Row Barge "Gloriana", the Royal Shallop "Jubilant", plus around 200 other boats (see photo on front cover). The boats transported actors who recounted the story building up to the sealing of Magna Carta at each of the identified Handover Points (see map) where representatives of the local communities passed on a facsimile/copy of Magna Carta to a new relay bearer at each point. Additional activities also took place

on the land for spectators to enjoy. The final section of the River Relay was an impressive assembly of craft escorting the facsimile to Runnymede, where activities took place all day on Runnymede Pleasure Ground. The final part of the story was a re-enactment of the sealing of Magna Carta.

Abbey Stream Bridge Our item on page 21 of the last edition about the Abbey Stream brought the following response from our renowned ‘Bailey Bridge’ expert, Pablo Haworth: ‘The last time I walked alongside the M3, I found a Bailey Bridge across the Abbey Stream. I would suggest nobody should walk over it as the timber was very rotten. When the trees have lost their leaves you can see the bridge from the M3. It might not be there now.

19

Salters Steamers From the River Thames News we understand that Salters Steamers, one of the longest established firms on the river, has stopped running scheduled services from Windsor. From Victorian times Salters had operated to a timetable on the Windsor section of the Thames. But from this season it will only operate boats for pre-booked parties and groups. Its office in the town has closed. Services upstream are not affected. Director Paul Salter said: ‘Passenger numbers have not justified our former service but our boats are still available for pre-booked groups of 20 or more passengers. We will be retaining our mooring near Windsor Castle and look forward to maintaining our presence in the town. Meanwhile upstream Salters has expanded in Abingdon where it has taken over an existing hire and chandlery business and now operates from Abingdon Bridge Marine, by the town's bridge. It has moved the berthing facility for its steamers from nearby Nag's Head Island. It will continue to run the hire business providing self-drive and rowing boats, chandlery and will still provide fuel and other facilities for visiting boats.

River Wey News Plans for Wey marina in Send

[As a follow-up to the item on pages 23 – 24 in the Spring edition the following article is reproduced from the Surrey Advertiser dated 24th July] PLANS to build a marina within the green belt in Send will be debated after a visit by councillors and officers next week. The scheme to construct a new mooring site has attracted almost 200 objections. If approved, the marina would accommodate 80 boats on the River Wey, near Tannery Lane, but concerns have been raised around the risk of flooding and impact on the environment. Members of Guildford Borough Council’s planning committee are due to visit the site on Thursday.

Wey River Festival Following on from the success of 2014’s first Wey River Festival, we are repeating our new-look boat gathering, on Sat 19th Sep, with boats moored around Dapdune Wharf for the weekend. The illuminated pageant at dusk will light up the river from Millmead in the centre of Guildford to Dapdune. Lots to do during the day, with a wide variety of stands ranging from yummy foodie stalls to children’s craft activities, willow weaving with Judith Needham, the Surrey Wood Turners, a bouncy pirate ship and many other stands. Fiona Exall

20

Steamboat Saturday at NT’s Dapdune Wharf The following report, with photos by Harry Eve, is from a recent edition of Guildford Dragon News: The Puffing-a-Wey event, held at the National Trust’s Dapdune Wharf last Saturday (18th July), attracted 11 steamboats from across the South of England, to be admired by all those close to the river. Most were towed to Guildford and launched from the Dapdune slip, but the 42 foot ‘Surta’ came from Henley. It had recently accompanied the Royal Barge ‘Gloriana’ at the Thames Magna Carta commemoration. The Steamboat Association (SBA) organiser for the Dapdune event is the Revd Mark Rudall, a retired C of E priest, said: “The National Trust, who own and maintain the Wey Navigation, have several steamboat owners who regard the waterway as their ‘home waters’, so a friendship has built up. “Steamboats are some of the most colourful and interesting boats on UK inland waterways so a gathering of steamboats at the picturesque Dapdune Wharf in the middle of Guildford makes for an interesting visitor attraction and draws a lot of people.”

21 Most steamboats on the water today have been built fairly recently, older ones have succumbed to the ravages of time or are museum pieces. But the modern boats are built just like the early ones and reflect their design and often their construction techniques. Revd Rudall continued: “Some of the engines used are very old and really interesting to look at, but boilers, of course, cannot last all that long so ours are all modern and built to exacting modern quality standards. “The boilers have to be tested each year so safety is carefully monitored. The boats burn coal on the whole, but some burn oil – in use as a fuel on steamers of all sizes since the 1880s – while one or two very recent boats burn propane, which is expensive, but clean “All the steamboaters had a great time at Dapdune Wharf and were grateful for the National Trust’s hospitality and welcome. Their organiser, Wey lengthsman, Richard Cant, [known to Dragon readers as the author of Richard’s Wey articles] knows some of us well and he encourages the event by bringing in other attractions alongside the steamboats, among them a selection of exquisite model steamboats by Guildford Model Engineers. “We were able to take some visitors for a short ‘try out’ puff down the river on the day, but not everyone’s insurance encourages that because steamboats are complex beasts with lots of hot fittings and moving parts – but they’re always full of interest.” It is expected that there will be another event next year. If you fancy joining in you could always buy your own steamboat. The SBA website sometimes advertises boats for sale. A 30ft, classic beauty might sell for £50,000 plus, but a straightforward open boat 14-20 ft. long will sell for anything upwards of £6,000 to £8,000.

Events on the Wey

Among this year’s National Trust events are:-

Sat 12th Sep, 11.00 am - 5.00 pm: Heritage Open Day. Free admission for Heritage Open Day. Airing the archives and artefact collection at Dapdune and the workshops at Send. Guided walk at 2.00 pm from Dapdune to the Town Centre and the tread wheel crane. Sat 19th Sep, from 11.00 am: Wey River Festival.

22

Southampton Canal Society June Meeting The History of Canal and Traditional Narrowboat Painting – John Ross Our June speaker, John Ross, firstly introduced himself and gave a brief history of the canals starting with the Duke of Bridgewater and the Bridgewater Canal moving on to our local Basingstoke Canal. He explained that the old boatmen started to decorate their boats as we do our own homes. Theirs became much more flamboyant than ours. The insides and outsides of the cabins where decorated with Roses and Castles in bright colours. He explained briefly how he took up the canal art a few years ago after originally studying art at college. He then remembered that in the garage he had an old Mirror dinghy that he had purchased for £105 in 1971. This he decided could be a demonstration of his art skills. The dinghy after very elaborate decoration could be seen around the various canal events. It went on to win awards including an early Basingstoke Canal Cavalcade. The dinghy ended up with a cabin he could sleep in and now an extension over the small outboard. He became a member of the Waterways Crafts Guild which provides an opportunity to encourage members to learn the art of boat decoration and to maintain standards and heighten awareness to this very skilful art. John now spends much of his time teaching his skills on a one to one basis and demonstrations of his art to societies such as our own Southampton Canal Society. He then went on to explain the various stages of canal art, starting with the different brushes and how to look after these expensive items - the cleaning and preserving them including putting Vaseline on them to keep the paint out of the bristles when not in use. The Mahl stick for resting your arm on while making delicate strokes and, of course, the types of paints used. John then went on to the painting technique itself. We were shown how to paint the roses, starting with a circle then filling it in with a blob of paint. The petals were then added. followed by the greenery, normally the paint would be left to dry between coats but in true Blue Peter style he had some that had been prepared earlier. All these procedures were shown to us, being painted on boarding with great skill. We were then shown the build-up of the landscapes, starting with the sky and clouds, followed by the mountains and land. The castles and rivers were then drawn in followed by detail such as windows, battlements, doors, birds etc. It all ended up in a scene of great detail. The evening was a great success and was much appreciated by all that attended.

23 Not wanting John to go home without one of his best brushes we dismantled a radiator to get out a brush that had fallen through. Alan Rose .Forthcoming

Meetings

Thu 3rd Sep: Aileen Butler will present a Magic Lantern Show of the Manchester Ship Canal construction, plus other canal related pictures, etc. Please note change of venue: St Denys Church Hall, Old Chilworth Village, SO16 7NN. Thu 1st Oct: SCS members Ron & Myra Glover will talk about “Cruising around Vancouver”. Thu 5th Nov: Day-Star Theatre will be visiting us again. As a change this year Pete & Jane have put together a series of sketches about aspects of … yes… the canals! Some bits are taken loosely from past shows. They simply call it “A short waterways Comedy” It went down well at its first performance Tickets £10 to include an American Supper and wine supplied by our Members. Thu 3rd Dec: Inter Society Waterways Quiz, hosted by SCS and as last year’s winning team, the Southampton Canal Society will also arrange the Quiz Master. Again we extend a warm welcome to the teams from Guildford & Reading, IWA Salisbury and the newcomers last year, from the K&A at Devizes, led by Elaine Kirby, plus visitors for their support. The traditional American Supper will finish off the evening. Meetings, unless specifically stated otherwise, are held at Chilworth Parish Hall, Chilworth Southampton SO16 7JZ. Start 7.45pm Visitors always welcome

Wey and Arun Canal Trust WACT News The Compasses Project “The Compasses project is part of a strategy in which we are working on three different sites for the first time,” said WACT chairman Sally Schupke. “We would like to get it finished in time for next year’s anniversary celebrations so would welcome any donations or suggestions for gaining funds.

24 Compasses Bridge Work has started on a new bridge in the middle of the Wey & Arun Canal’s Summit Level, a project that will enable more than a mile of the waterway in Surrey to be opened to boats for the first time in more than 150 years. Contractors moved on to the site between Tickner’s Heath in Dunsfold and Fast Bridge on the A281 at Alfold in June, with building work expected to take about six months. The bridge replaces a wartime concrete causeway at one of the entrances to Dunsfold Aerodrome. The £700,000 project — £429,142 raised so far — is being planned and supervised by WACT director Tony Ford, a chartered civil engineer who has extensive experience of designing roads and bridges. The bridge is expected to be officially opened in the autumn of 2016, coinciding with the 200th anniversary of the canal’s northern section being opened at the Compasses site. Efforts to raise the rest of the project cost are now being stepped up. If you would like to donate, please contact The Treasurer via WACT Northern Office, Bridge End, Somerswey, Shalford, Guildford GU4 8EQ. Donations can also be made via www.weyandarun.co.uk. Bramley Link North of Compasses, a year-long Environmental Impact Assessment has started on Phase 1 of the canal’s Bramley Link section, from the River Wey at Shalford down to the Gosden Aqueduct. A new canal route will be established here due to the original line being unavailable. Also under way for this phase are a Civil Engineering Design Study and a full Flood Study. The scheme’s manager, WACT trustee and mechanical engineer Philip Oliver, says the three studies will support a planning application to be made in summer 2016. The Heritage Lottery Fund is being approached for funding to help meet the £2.9m cost of the project. Gennets Bridge Lock Over the border into West Sussex, the great crested newts that were holding up the Gennets Bridge Lock rebuild have been gently trapped by Trust members and “re-homed” to nearby specially created ponds. Project engineer Eric Walker has taken delivery of 30,000 bricks for the rebuild and volunteers have been preparing the site for the contractors to move in. As Cargoes went to press, it was hoped work would start before the end of summer.

25 3,000th member The Trust reached a significant milestone in June when it enrolled its 3,000th member, Roy Tanner, from Dorking. Mr Tanner and his wife Caroline (member 3,001) visited WACT president Lord Egremont at his home in Petworth House, where they were refreshed with glasses of English sparkling wine and presented with a commemorative certificate.

Poddle This year’s WACT sponsored walk on Sunday, 7th June, known as the Poddle, boosted funds by more than £8,000 — £6,750 in sponsorship plus Gift Aid. On a sunny, but not-too-hot, day with a cooling breeze, 142 people strolled along a 12½-mile route across the South Downs National Park starting and finishing at St Michael’s Church Hall in Amberley. Heritage Open Days weekend Historic locations on the canal route will be explored during two WACT guided walks over the 2015 Heritage Open Days weekend. The first is on Saturday, 12th September meeting at 2.15pm in the car park of Shamley Green Church, Church Hill, Shamley Green, Surrey GU4 0UD. Led by the Trust’s technical liaison officer, Alan Johnson, it will follow a four-mile circular route to visit four sites containing relics of the canal and the Horsham to Guildford railway, including three iron-framed bridges. On Sunday, 13th September, walkers will meet at 2pm at the Gunpowder Store, Stonebridge Wharf, on the River Wey at Shalford. With Trust publicity officer Rob Searle, they will explore parts of the canal route down to the former Bramley Wharf. This 1½ mile stroll, taking approximately two hours, will take in the Tannery Lane roving bridge and the sites of the Tannery Lane Lock and the unique Gosden Aqueduct. Parking is available at Broadford Business Park, Shalford GU4 8EP, behind Parrot Inn on the A248. The walks are free, but booking is essential, by e-mail to events@weyandarun.co.uk, or by calling 01483 505566, by 3rd September for the Saturday and 11th September for the Sunday. Hunt Nature Park viewing platform Finally, the Hunt Nature Park viewing platform currently being finished will be officially opened at noon on the day of the Trust’s Autumn Meeting, Saturday, 24th October. The meeting is at Alfold Village Hall, starting at 2.30pm. Rob Searle, Public Relations Officer

26

Canal Trust keeps Problem Plants at bay Volunteers have been pulling up flowering plants which look pretty but are a huge threat to a waterway restoration project in Surrey and Sussex. They have been “bashing” Himalayan balsam along the route of the Wey & Arun Canal, to reduce the possibility of damage being caused by the invasive species. The charity’s Wednesday Group working party has pulled up patches of the plant along the Cranleigh Waters River at Shalford, near Guildford. Another group has tackled the problem weed around the new viewing platform built by the Trust in its Hunt Nature Park in Shalford. “Himalayan balsam has spread there since the river flooded during the winter of 2013,” said Canal Trust Chairman Sally Schupke. “We don’t like having to pull up attractive plants but they will take over the entire area and smother other species if we don’t remove them. “If the plants are allowed to flower they each eventually scatter hundreds of seeds around and become a dense jungle which is even harder to tackle. All other vegetation gets shaded out and dies off, leaving canal and river banks bare in winter and highly vulnerable to erosion.” The Trust’s volunteer lengthsmen, who help maintain sections of the canal, are trained to spot areas where the balsam has started to grow and report it for eradication. It has also been tackled at sites along the canal route down to its junction with the River Arun at Pallingham in West Sussex. “It’s a constant job to keep watch for the balsam along the banks of our canal,” said Mrs Schupke. “I’m very grateful to all our volunteers for their efforts — it’s a back-breaking job controlling this major threat to our restoration project.” Himalayan balsam, which has clusters of purplish pink flowers, can grow up to 10ft high. It was brought to the UK as a garden plant in 1839 and is now naturalised, becoming a particular nuisance where it has spread through its seeds floating along canals and rivers.

Future Events For the 2015 Public Trip Programme see http://www.weyandarun.co.uk//tripboats/ Thu 13th Aug, 10.30am, 12.30pm & 2.30pm: Pirates & Princesses Adventure Voyage - The pirates have returned for 2015! Rollicking good fun on the boat, two sea battles to join in and TREASURE for all the children. Come suitably dressed and help defeat the pirates and rescue the princess, booking essential Fri 21st Aug, 7.00 pm-9.30 pm: Pimm's & Picnic - The final evening cruise until next season. Join us on a leisurely summer evening trip on the Canal. We will provide you with a glass of Pimm's and a delicious individual picnic, booking essential

27 Thu 27th Aug, 10.30 am, 12.30pm & 2.30pm: Pirates & Princesses Adventure Voyage - (see 13th Aug entry on previous page) Sat 12th Sep, 2.15 pm: Walk from Shamley Green - Led by the Trust’s technical liaison officer, Alan Johnson, it will follow a four-mile circular route to visit four sites containing relics of the canal and the Horsham to Guildford railway, including three iron-framed bridges. Sun 13th Sep, 2.00 pm: Heritage Open Day Guided Walk – walkers will meet at the Gunpowder Store, Stonebridge Wharf, on the River Wey at Shalford. With Trust publicity officer Rob Searle, they will explore parts of the canal route down to the former Bramley Wharf. This 1½ mile stroll, taking approximately two hours, will take in the Tannery Lane roving bridge and the sites of the Tannery Lane Lock and the unique Gosden Aqueduct. Parking is available at Broadford Business Park, Shalford GU4 8EP, behind Parrot Inn on the A248. Sat, 24th Oct, 12 noon: Opening of Hunt Nature Platform - Hunt Nature Park viewing platform currently being finished will be officially opened at noon Sat, 24th Oct, 2.30 pm: Autumn Meeting - The meeting is at Alfold Village Hall Further details and booking from the Trust Office on 01403 752403. office@weyandarun.co.uk www.weyandarun.co.uk Northern Office

Phone: 01483 505566 (Mondays-Thursdays, 8.30am-12.30pm)

IWAKES Branch News Past Events Talk by Ann & John Epton Following the business of the TMCA AGM in April, Ann and John Epton entertained us with a selection of short films on a large range of subjects. We started off with the mayor who graced us with his presence when we had a lady come to show the children how to make a coracle, the mayor was brave enough to try it out and it must have been one of the more unusual of his assignments. Next we saw a wee boy digging a hole in the back garden to bury a large box. On enquiry from the next-door neighbour what he was doing he said burying his gold fish. Upon enquiring why such a large box was needed came the reply ‘Because it's inside your cat’! A lot more similar quips followed. A very good film of our recent Open Day was much better than seeing Angela walking along the towpath on the recent visit from WRG in the RAIN. Plenty of bonfires and smoke as usual, but where would we be without WRG? Angela Acott

28 Thames Barrier and London Docklands Trip Ten IWAKES and South East Region members met to visit the Thames Barrier Information Centre on a Saturday in May. A working model shows how the Barrier operates (quite surprisingly, as the gates are actually opened to let water through when the surge tide is at its highest). The film of Barrier construction (which must have been made when it was opened in 1982) has a fascinating 'central planning' ethos. We snacked in their

excellent little cafe and then walked upstream in warm bright sunshine to the Emirates Air Line near the O2 arena. The stunning view from the cable car includes the Lee, the O2 and all of Canary Wharf. We dined in a rather plush restaurant at Royal Victoria Dock and then caught the Docklands Light Railway to Canary Wharf. Just along the dock is the London Docklands Museum, an original dock warehouse housing a superb collection spanning from Roman Times to the London Docklands Development Corporation. To fully see this collection would take a full day. But we had to leave at the prearranged time to walk to Canary Riverside Pier, where we caught the Thames Clipper to our various destinations. Many thanks to Mike Marsh for his impeccable organisation and very detailed itinerary."

Dartford & Crayford Navigation Shaun is back with his narrowboat Pentargon Springer in the Dartford and Crayford Creeks for the months of July and August 2015 and will be testing a series of locations for berthing and drying out. If you want to pop down to meet him whether by land or water he would be only too happy to make your acquaintance. He is also leaving the boat

29 unattended for periods of time, which will be a real test for the area especially for a lone boat. A yacht and Lady Berkeley in her powerboat were up the Creek on 4th July. Word is getting round and the Council and PLA are noticing.

Kentish Stour Tree-clearance is completed for the year and next year’s is being planned. The river is partially obstructed by a large bank collapse that is proving slow to clear naturally. Roy Newing

River Medway News Works to strengthen the Medway Valley Line railway embankment in Tovil will be starting in mid-August 2015. The works are located, approximately 300 metres upstream of Tovil footbridge. The contractor will be bringing in machinery and materials via the river and mariners are to be aware of the following: On a weekend day in mid-August (tbc) a large 500 tonne crane will lift the floating construction equipment into the river from the cinema site in Maidstone. During this time mariners may be asked to wait temporarily either side of the works so the lifting can be carried out safely. For the duration of the works a temporary landing platform will be in place 300 metres above Tovil footbridge for use of the tugs and barges moving materials to this location. There will be sufficient room to pass, but mariners must follow the instructions on signage either side of this construction site. The work is expected to be completed by Christmas 2015. River Medway Gathering of Boats. This takes place in the centre of Maidstone with over 100 boats attending.

The new Environment Agency tug Teal and barge Mallard in action on the Medway. After a period of staff training the barge and tug are fully operational and helping to maintain the river in good condition.

30 Medway Litter Clearing. On 11th May, volunteers in three private boats and an EA small workboat removed several bags of plastic and debris caught in the bankside trees during the high river levels in 2013. Thanks to the EA staff and members from Hempstead & Yalding CC for their help. The next big riverside litter clean-up is on Sunday 27th September organised by the Medway Valley Country Partnership. Plan is to cover the full length from Tonbridge to Allington. Mark Smurthwaite is the contact for individual volunteers. He can be contacted at rivermedwayboaters@gmail.com Important work has started on the Medway in Tonbridge. The scheme replaces the dilapidated flood wall along the length of the Town Lock and Tonbridge moorings and at the same time will change the site from redundant land to an attractive public open space. Town Lock will remain open 24/7 for the duration of the contract (Monday 8th June 2015 to 31st December 2015), however only use of the island side lock gates will be possible. For any craft that require the use of both sets of gates, they will need to attract the attention of the contractor on site (Mon-Fri 8am to 4pm) or outside these times phone 01622 752864 to book a slot. A temporary landing stage will be in place upstream of the lock for the duration of the contract. From Monday 8th June, and for the duration of the contract, the pump-out, the chemical toilet disposal point and the Biffa bin will no longer be available. Mariners will have to make their way to Yalding to use these facilities. Can you help? Are you interested in the River Medway and what happens on it? I, as the IWAKES committee Medway representative, am looking for some assistance in this role such as gathering of information and news on the Medway. Also occasional attendance at some meetings would be appreciated. If you are an IWA member and can help in this way please contact me, Mike Marsh on 07595 428639 or email mhmarine1@gmail.com Mike Marsh

31

Northfleet Harbour Trust The picture shows an extract from an indenture that was found hidden in Florida. It shows that Northfleet Harbour goes back to the 1600s.

The Harbour’s visitor area is looking good. But the caravan had to go as it was vandalised again. Graeme Rooney

Rother and Royal Military Canal Flood defence is an important responsibility of the EA and in our area there are some major projects currently underway. Firstly, on the River Rother where we held our very successful National Trailboat Festival in 2013, the EA have a regular programme of maintenance work including reducing vegetation in the river. They are also looking at ways in which the flood risk can be managed in the upper reaches by increasing the areas for flood storage. Although much of the investment by the EA is under the objectives of flood management there are clearly benefits to all users of the waterways. Flood protection of Romney Marsh is a key objective and there is a significant programme

32 of work in progress to improve the sea defences. This includes a proposal to enhance the flood defences along the Rother as it emerges through Rye. The EA are currently preparing the business case for the Rother Tidal Walls East scheme. The Royal Military Canal has always played an important role in managing the water levels on the Marsh. The Canal acts as a reservoir in the summer and reduces flooding in the winter. The EA is currently part way through a 5-year programme to de-silt the canal and are aiming to complete a 5 km section every year. These are challenging works because there is very limited access for heavy construction equipment and careful handling of the spoil is needed given that the Canal itself is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The Canal provides a wonderful opportunity for walkers, with paths along its complete length. We will continue to monitor the situation by maintaining regular contact with the EA. Mike Hannan

Sussex Ouse Restoration Trust Progress towards the complete restoration of the chamber walls at Isfield Lock has been maintained through the early months of summer and the final bricks have recently been placed into position. This has been achieved despite a serious problem with the gearbox on the dumper, the trusty workhorse of the restoration volunteers, requiring some urgent repairs, ongoing as I write. With the west wall rebuilt and backfilling nearly complete, the dressing and laying of coping stones followed, together and with the landscaping of the immediate area. This has almost completed another important stage of the overall restoration plans and the Trust is beginning to look towards how they eventually complete their work. Two important and major tasks still lie ahead. Firstly the removal of a concrete barrier currently in position across the upstream end of the lock, a leftover from WW2 local defensive plans. Secondly (and before the dam is removed) the sourcing of considerable funding required to complete the restoration by installing lock gates. Both tasks will require serious discussion and a whole new level of

33 financial commitment by the Trust. Other work recently carried out includes the partial digging out of the downstream channel and the dispersal of the spoil. The upstream cut has also been dug out as far as is possible without breaking through to the river, and the towpath levelling is almost complete. Stop plank groves have been built into the upstream wall and the Trust is now about to install the downstream stop-plank grooves and awaits delivery of the actual

stop planks. All in all another tremendous effort by Ted Lintott and his small group of volunteers who so far this summer have continued to make great strides towards the restoration of Isfield lock. Meanwhile looking ahead, the possible future involvement by SORT in the restoration of Iron Gate Lock at Sheffield Park remains on the agenda and awaits further discussion with the National Trust, the landowners of the site. However at the present time priority remains with the completion of the work at Isfield Lock. Terry Owen

Thames & Medway Canal Association Would you believe it!! In the formative years of The Thames and Medway Canal Association there were a few battles with British Rail as the Canal, purchased by Southern Railways back in 1846, still remains the property of the railway company – whatever they change their name to. Eventually the Association were accepted and allowed to work on a short length limited by a chain link fence on one side and a chestnut fence against the railway line. Annual permits had to be obtained and in 1992 we were informed that the permit system was to be changed. Despite letters and telephone calls to our previous contacts no more was heard. Needless to say we continued our activities and waited for a reaction. Over the next few years several large projects took place involving Gravesham Borough Council, British Rail and Groundwork Kent Thameside as well as the Thames and Medway Canal Association. British Rail restored the Swing Bridge in 1993, GBC funded canal dredging at the same time. In 1995 a dredging operation took place between the Swing Bridge and Shorne Mead Crossing, most of this section had been filled to towpath level. This was funded by a ‘Derelict Land Grant’ grant over £500,000. In 2000 the Sustrans path was inaugurated and the fence between the towpath and the canal

34 was re-sited alongside the railway line, enabling greater access to the canal. Lastly, in 2009/11 the new slipway was constructed requiring sections of bank between the canal and railway to be raised to allow for an increase in water level resulting from the newly installed pumping system. All of this work was carried out with the knowledge and agreement of Network Rail. Despite all this all the efforts made by the Canal Association to make contact with Network Rail with regard to our activities have failed. During the heavy rainfall of 2013/14 the section of the canal near to the famous Higham Tunnel came under stress due to the large volume of water being pumped into the canal from the tunnel. This caused problems for a farmer on the receiving end of the culvert leading to the marshes and the River Thames. His SSSI fields became swamped and his stock needed rescuing. Throughout the spring water levels were high and a conflict of interests arose between the farmer and Network Rail, one required controlled drainage to allow his fields to dry out and the other required free drainage to maintain a train service through the tunnel. Unfortunately TMCA were caught in the middle and erroneously accused of removing the material controlling the flow. The irate farmer reported to Network Rail that unauthorised persons were working on their property and we were told that as NR could find no agreement between TMCA and themselves we should stop our activities. This meant that all our work had to cease until we had negotiated an agreement. Fortunately this was the week after our Open Day with the launching of a narrow boat and the Swinging of our restored Swing Bridge as reported in the last issue of Cargoes. I’m pleased to report that over the last couple of months we have been contacted by departments of NR, had a couple of site visits and we have hopes that before too long we will be back on the Gravesend section where grass has grown to 2ft high during the hiatus. Further negotiations will be required with regard to the Higham section as this, amongst other possible problems, has at present no fencing between the canal and the railway. Hopefully these can all be resolved soon. As if this wasn’t enough, we also had a call from Nation Grid concerning a gas pipeline that passes beneath the canal and their concerns that our work may affect its integrity. There is an NR depot just along the road from our work site and frequently 40tonne diggers are transported to and from. Our work may affect the pipeline?? Obviously a site visit confirmed we were no threat. We have also had an inspection, by the Environment Agency, of the pump system installed in 2009/11 that supplies water to the canal from the marshes. Awaiting the outcome. Looking forward to restoration news for the next issue!! David Rouse Chairman TMCA

35 Thames & Medway Display Team The pictures are of an Exhibition of Model Railways at Gillingham Sports Centre. This is a vast show and model-makers even come from abroad to join in the event. The gentleman who made the two narrow boats is pictured with the models he donated to us a while ago, which we have taken to many parts of Kent.

For the second year running, we joined in with a Land, Sea and Air Exhibition at St Margaret’s Church, Rochester. It is a very interesting show, run by friendly people with lovely cakes to buy and refreshments to enjoy. Maureen Amos came to join us on the Saturday for this event. There were plenty of other exhibits to enjoy and things to read. Before all these things we gathered at Rochester Library to help Bernard and Joyce run a week long Exhibition to advertise the Open Day that Bernard had organised for a few days hence. Unfortunately few visited the library, or our display. But we were particularly pleased with the boards in a diamond formation. At least we had a few interested customers. And the following Open Day (in the rain) made up for the lack of visitors at the library. Angela Acott

Future IWAKES and Other Events Sat 26th Sep, 2.00 pm, Meet at the car-park behind Lindfield Church: SORT Autumn Walk: Visiting Pimms Lock, Deans Mill (and probably the River in the East Mascalls area). Thu 15th Oct, 7.30 pm for 8.00 pm, Strood Yacht Club, Knight Road, Strood, Kent ME2 2AH: “The Thames Sailing Barge Trust” Thu 19th Nov, 7.00 pm for 7.30 pm, The Upper Room, Perrymount Methodist Church, Perrymount Road, Haywards Heath, RH16 3DM (near the railway station and 200 yds from Clair Hall): "The Restoration of Isfield Lock (including design, archaeology and the history of the associated paper-mill and wharf)" by various members of the team: SORT/IWAKES Joint meeting: Wed 9th Dec, 7.30 pm for 8.00 pm, Gravesend Sailing Club, East Promenade, Gravesend: IWAKES & TMCA get-together:

36 Thu 28th Jan, 7.30 pm for 8.00 pm, Strood Yacht Club, Knight Road, Strood, Kent. ME2 2AH: “The Wey Navigation”: John Gibson (River Wey Navigation Manager) Wed 24th Feb, 7.30 pm for 8.00 pm, St Nicholas Church Hall, Poplar Grove, Maidstone: Branch Annual General Meeting Tea and coffee are available at all IWAKES evening meetings. Venue maps can be found at www.waterways.org.uk/kent/kent_east_sussex

Oxfordshire Branch News Following on from my item for the last edition of Cargoes, preparations for Banbury Canal Day continue apace. Firstly as of last year we are not participating in Oxford ‘Open Doors’ again this year. The people there have had a lot on their hands organising the Lottery Funded Heritage Trail and of course keeping up with the progress of the various Planning proposals for the Jericho boatyard site. The latter now has Planning permission and we await developments on this front. As an aside in this area, Canal and River Trust have also withdrawn their proposal to apply for a Planning approval for a further residential mooring on the Hythe Bridge Street Arm. Returning to Banbury we are still in need of further volunteers on the day. The work can be as easy or onerous as you feel up to. Of course the more volunteers the less time you have to work and more time to enjoy the day. Remember this may be the last year this event takes place in this format as building works for the approved extension to Castle Quay are due to start soon. This will involve the loss (to Banbury Canal Day) of the market adjacent to the multi-storey car park (west of the canal) which will be under an hotel and the loss of the open air car park and two storey car park (east of the canal) which will be under a multiplex cinema, restaurants etc. As I mentioned before Pat Thomas, who has replaced Mary Heritage, is organising the volunteers. She does of course have a different way of dealing with things and brings her own ideas into making the event safe and good fun for all involved. Please do contact her if you can volunteer - her specially set up email address is banburypat@btinternet.com Big changes are underway both in Banbury and in Oxford and the Branch will obviously be keeping our collective ears to the ground to see what developments arise. However if anything comes to your, our members, attention, please do get in contact. My contact details are on page 42. Emails, I do try to answer straightaway and yes I did reply to one whilst in America. Brian Saunders, Branch Secretary

37

New Oral Histories of the Oxford Canal at the Oxfordshire History Centre A collection of oral history interviews, the final strand of a National Lotteryfunded project to celebrate the local heritage of the Oxford Canal, has now been completed, and is available to the public at the Oxfordshire History Centre in Cowley [Oxfordshire History Centre, St Luke's Church, Temple Road, Cowley, Oxford OX4 2HT. Open: Tuesday: 10am – 5pm, Wed - Sat: 9am – 5pm. Free entrance.] Throughout 2014 the Oxford Canal Heritage Project, led by the Jericho Living Heritage Trust, has worked with the Oxford City Canal Partnership, local people, and voluntary organisations to produce information and resources about the history of the canal from its earliest years to the present day. The Oxford Canal Oral History Collection provides a unique insight into a waterway which provided a massive commercial boost to the city when it opened in 1790, declined slowly through the 19th and 20th centuries, but is now experiencing a revival as a recreational and environmental resource enjoyed by people of all ages. Under the direction of the overall project manager, Maria Parsons, six volunteers interviewed and recorded 29 people aged between 12 and 86 years, each with a distinctive perspective on an often under-appreciated waterway, from post-World War Two to the present day. The interviewees comprise current and former boat-residents, men and women with commercial interests, nearby residents, two historians, and the author Philip Pullman, whose books Northern Lights and Lyra’s Oxford feature a fantastical, other-worldly, canal side Jericho. The topics covered include the social and economic history of the canal, bringing up children on a narrowboat, modern boating, local boaters’ occupation of the Jericho boatyard in 2006, memories of old boaters, the coal trade, and much more. The 25 interviews – which are between 10 and 70 minutes in length – have been deposited at the Oxfordshire History Centre, where expert staff, led by the Centre’s manager, Mark Lawrence, have prepared and presented the sound recordings for easy public use. An additional bonus is that all the recordings have been divided into sections, with summary transcripts, for ease of locating subject matters of particular interest to the listener. Maria Parsons said, “I’m delighted that we’ve now completed all the objectives we originally set ourselves, and indeed have surpassed several, while still coming in under budget. Hopefully the various aspects of this project have been a major contribution to raising local appreciation of the Oxford Canal, which as the Oxford author Philip Pullman observes: ‘comes into the centre of town, quietly, almost surreptitiously, without many people being aware of it’. The project helps to make more people aware of this once working waterway and the fascinating hidden history of one of the country’s oldest trunk canals.” Mark Lawrence said, “Oxfordshire History Centre is very pleased to offer a home for these unique recorded interviews, as they complement so well our existing collections of books, newspapers, archive documents, oral history

38 recordings and historic photographs relating to the Oxford Canal, and improve the breadth of material available to researchers.” It is anticipated that the recordings will also be accessible to visitors to the Central Westgate Library later in the summer. For more information please contact Mark Davies, local historian on 01865 798254; Maria Parsons, former Project Manager, on 07801 509993; or Mark Lawrence, Oxfordshire History Centre Manager, on 01865 398200.

Banbury Canal Partnership Working Parties have continued on the third and fourth Tuesdays of each Month. Two locks were smartened up whilst we were away in America during June. They managed to complete this even without our help. Back in the reins however we have recently given Heyford Common Lock a makeover. Like so many locks on the Oxford there is no direct vehicle access, so it meant parking at Allens Lock and trekking to site. This sounds easy but it does include lugging warning footpath signs, 2 ½ litre cans (at least 4) of the paint, paint brushes, safety gear including life jackets, wire brushes and scrapers, brushes and brooms and the all-important coffee and biscuits. Before we went to America we spent 2 days at Broadmoor lock, nothing to do with the prison (sorry hospital) but the lock just above Cropredy. This involved replacing a fence as mentioned in the previous Cargoes. It involved removing the complete old and largely rotten existing fence including the concrete around the bottom of the posts, digging new holes and concreting in new posts and fitting the rails, trimming everything and the finishing paintwork. There are a number of these fences in our area usually running from a road access over a bridge down to the canal towpath. The next one is at Aynho. It certainly makes a change from scraping and painting! Whilst many hands make light work, many more hands would make even lighter work. So if you want a day out in the countryside come and join us. You might just enjoy it so much you become a regular. Remember we have an email contact address: bcpontheoxford@gmail.com We also have a website which can be accessed by putting ‘Banbury Canal Partnership’ into Google or other search engines. Brian Saunders

Thames River Users’ Group Thames Operational Update. The Environment Agency has only been granted £900K for capital works in 2015/16, less than bid for and so could only afford work requiring closure at 7 Thames locks, 2 below Reading and 5 above Oxford. About 85-90% of their assets were in good order, but if grants reduced this would deteriorate. It was suggested that the EA could try applying for landfill credit grants. Their revenue budget is as expected for now. Sue Cooper

39

Forthcoming Events 2015 Wed 9th Sep: Social Evening: “Noggin & Natter” Sun 4th Oct: Banbury Canal Day: The theme this year of ‘Colours of the Rainbow,’ Banbury Canal Day promises to be a colourful event with live music, decorated boats, dance displays, Arts and Craft Market, competitions and stalls. (See advert inside the front cover). Short (10 – 20 mins) Boat Trips on four Day Hire boats give free rides to people who perhaps have never been on a canal boat before. It is one of the regular features and is very popular and this year we would like to recruit further volunteers who would be prepared to offer their time for approx 2.5 hours on the day. Full details are in the Volunteers Information pack obtained from Pat at banburypat@btinternet.com Wed 14th Oct: No meeting this month Wed 11th Nov: Narrowboat Raymond: a talk by Christopher Jones Wed 9th Dec: Skittles Night The monthly meetings will now take place back at the Kidlington Football Club, Yarnton Road, Kidlington, Oxon. OX5 1AT. 7.30 pm for 8.00 pm. New members and visitors most welcome. For more details or directions phone Ann Yeatman – Tel. 01865 372552

Wilts & Berks Canal Some exciting news to report: First, the Trust has a new Chairman. Since John Laverick stepped down due to ill health we have been relying on our Vice Chairs to take the load and quite an onerous load it is too. Our new Chair is Roderick Bluh who recently stood down as a local councillor in Swindon. He was previously Leader of the Swindon Borough Council from 20062013. As Kath Hatton, our Vice-Chairman has said “He has long been a supporter of the restoration of the Wilts & Berks Canal” and we are looking forward to benefiting from his knowledge and expertise. His well-known skills of organisation and management will be invaluable to the Trust as we re-organise ourselves to manage the changes coming about. The pace of the restoration is quickening with more and bigger projects coming along and we need to be ready for them. In addition of course he has a deep knowledge of the town of Swindon, which the Trust sees as having the potential to become the hub of a southern canals network.

40 Secondly, the Trust was recently delighted to advise in a press release that we have a new President, namely the Hon Sir William McAlpine Bt. FRSE Sir William was a director of Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd for more than fifty years. He is Chairman of: The Railway Heritage Trust - The Dart Valley Railway Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway - SS Sir Walter Scott on Loch Katrine – Railnews - SONE (Supporters of Nuclear Energy). Sir William is a Governor of Shiplake College and is President of the Transport Trust and other organisations. Sir William has served for several terms on the ZSL Council (Zoological Society London) and is now on the Development Committee. He has accepted the Presidency of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust as an extension of his interest in historic transport. We are looking forward enormously to working with Sir William, and benefitting from his very extensive experience and expertise in the field of heritage transport. We are very grateful to our previous President, Dr David Fletcher CBE, for his great support over many years, and are pleased that he has agreed to become one of our Vice-Presidents, so that we can continue our connection with him. Third and very hot off the press is the official opening of the new landing stage outside the Waitrose Store at Wichelstowe, Swindon by our Patron Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall on the 13th July. This represents the culmination of a great deal of work at Swindon by the Trust and partners and represents a great step forward. The canal here is used by our trip boat Dragonfly and will no doubt prove very popular. Quoting from the press release: ”It is planned that this one mile stretch of the original canal will be linked to the new one mile canal section recently constructed at East Wichel as a joint venture between the Trust and Swindon Borough Council, looping around the three new Wichelstowe villages that form part of the Swindon development plan. The Wilts & Berks canal was closed and some of it filled in over a hundred years ago, and the Trust aims to restore the full 70 mile length over the next ten years. Her Royal Highness arrived at the event on Dragonfly; a traditional-style narrowboat built by the Trust to allow the public to enjoy trips on this historic stretch of water. Following her trip The Duchess unveiled a commemorative plaque,” Unfortunately I couldn’t go along, but I look forward to my next visit to the Waitrose café with outside decking to sit and watch the activity on the water. There’s more! Further along at Chippenham came the finale to another project. Winter storm damage in early 2014 demolished part of the culvert carrying the Cocklemore brook under the canal to the south of Pewsham Locks. Thanks to financial support from the Yorkshire Building Society’s Living L egacy fund and much hard work by the local volunteers, the culvert has been completely rebuilt. Photos are available on the Trust website. Before the lovely brick culvert was buried again a topping out ceremony took place on Friday 3rd July where Lee Hathaway from the Yorkshire BS and local MP Michelle Donelan and Chippenham Mayor David Powell admired the rebuilt structure and thanked the volunteer team for their hard work.

41 Meanwhile work has started on the Studley Grange project, i.e. the restoration of a 1.25km chunk of canal between Royal Wootton Bassett and Swindon. Further information on our website Kath Hatton our intrepid Fundraising director managed to raise grants of £575k our largest ever. This will be used to restore the canal and create a wildlife corridor. Support came from Viridor Credits through the Landfill Community Trust, The People’s Millions, The Underwood Trust and the Inland Waterways Association. That’s all for now! Brian Stovold, Chairman East Vale branch

South London Branch Forthcoming Events South London Branch Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of each month at 7:30 for 8:00 pm in The Primary Room, The United Reformed Church Hall, Addiscombe Grove, Croydon CR0 5LP. Admission to the talks and presentations is free to all, members or non-members, although we do ask that you donate a minimum of £2 per person to offset room hire charges and speakers’ expenses, thank you. The programme for meetings is as follows: Wed 9th Sep, 'The Work of London Waterway Recovery Group (WRG)' - A talk by Tim Lewis. Sat 3rd Oct, 2.00pm, Kintbury: Cruise by Horse Drawn boat on Kennet & Avon Canal. (see page 17) Wed 14th Oct, 'The River Wey' - A talk by John Gibson, Navigation Manager. Wed 11th Nov, 'The South Pennine Ring' - A talk by Alan & Christine Smith. Wed 9th Dec, Christmas Social and members' photos. For more information please contact Alan Smith, telephone 020 8255 1581, mobile 07787 077179 or email alan.smith@waterways.org.uk

Walks Towpath Walks Group is looking for volunteers to guide small parties of walkers on short walks along the towpath of the Regent’s Canal (and elsewhere). This introduces newcomers to the pleasant world of waterways – which most outsiders don’t realise is here! It is also a good way of recruiting new members to IWA. No experience? No problem, we’ll brief you so, if you’d like to give this a try, please contact Roger Wilkinson.

42 Sun 16th Aug, 2.30pm: Walk, The Olympics: Three Mills & Bow Back Rivers, meet Bromley-by-Bow Sun 6th Sep, 2.30pm: Walk, Regent’s Canal: Little Venice to Camden, meet Warwick Avenue Sun 20th Sep, 2.30pm: Walk, Regent’s Canal: King’s Cross Granary Square to St. Pancras, meet King’s Cross (taxi rank) Sun 4th Oct, 2.30pm: Walk, Regents Canal: Kings Cross to Hitchcock’s Hackney Kings Cross (taxi rank) Sun 18th Oct, 2.30pm: Walk, Regent’s Canal: Regent’s Park & R. Tyburn to Little Venice, meet Baker St (Baker St North/Lords exit) Sun 1st Nov, 2.30pm: Walk, The Olympics: Three Mills & Bow Back Rivers, meet Bromley-by-Bow Sun 15th Nov, 2.30pm: Walk, Regent’s Canal: Islington to Hoxton, meet Angel Sun 6th Dec, 2.30pm: Walk, Regent’s Canal: Little Venice to Camden, meet Warwick Avenue Sun 20th Dec, 2.30pm: Walk, Regent’s Canal: King’s Cross Granary Square to St. Pancras, meet King’s Cross (taxi rank) The Walks programme continues on alternate Sundays for the rest of the season – see next Cargoes for further details. For more information about Walks (Normal charge: £10.00, Concessions & Student rate: £8.00) please contact Roger Wilkinson, telephone: 07896 801930 or email: rogerw9796@yahoo.co.uk

The Inland Waterways Association South East Region: Chairman Gareth Jones, Hill House Farm, Misbrooks Green Road, Beare Green, Dorking, RH5 4QQ Phone: 07850 819071 Email: hhel@btconnect.com Guildford & Reading Branch: Chairman Gareth Jones, Contact details as above Kent & East Sussex Branch: Chairman Mike Hannan Trumpeter, Water Lane, Headcorn, Kent TN27 9JN Phone: 01622 890586 Email: mcfhannan@btinternet.com Oxfordshire Branch: Contact Brian Saunders Tintern Cottage, County View, Clifton, Banbury, Oxon OX15 0QA Phone: 01869 337227 Email: brisaunders33@gmail.com Opinions expressed in Cargoes are not necessarily those of IWA. Editorial Team: Ray Carnell and Tim Fry iwacargoes@hotmail.com Next issue Winter 2015 Copy date 15th October 2015

T R A D I T I O N I N E XC E L L E N C E S I N C E 1 8 6 9

GOLDEN FILM CANAL BOAT RANGE A selection of lubricants and ancillary products to assist with the maintenance and servicing of canal boats.

www.morrislubricants.co.uk Castle Foregate, Shrewsbury, SY1 2EL Tel:+44 (0) 1743 232200 Fax:+44 (0) 1743 353584