Towpath Talk November 2025 issue

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It’stheseason of glowingpumpkins andshiftingshadows, andthisearly-morning pictureofnarrowboat Spooky on the Staffordshire& Worcestershire Canal,nearHaywood,sumsitup.It’sthehomeofcontinuous cruisers LeeWelsbyand Gwen Owen,who run Fibre&Tan.Leeexplains: “I workleather andweaveandusedto sell myleatherhand-boundjournals andsoonsoldthroughanart gallery before we retired.Gwen spins andweavesandmakes littlecreaturesoutoffelting.Fibre&Tanwas formedwhenwe gottogetherfouryearsago. The aimistogoback to makingthe thingswe enjoydoing nextyearas ahobbynowthat we havegivenupfull-timework andmoved ontotheboat, maybe doingtheoddcraft fair.”AuthorNickFordtalksabout hauntedwaterways –page18.

UK’sbiggest-ever river pollution legalclaim filed atHigh Court

ALEGAL claimchallengingriver pollutionintheWye andUsk catchment areashas beenfiled at the High Court. Almost 4000 peoplehavejoinedthe action, making ittheUK’sbiggest-ever

environmentalpollution lawsuit. The courtactionisagainst industrial chickenproduction firms AvaraFoodsLimited and Freemansof Newent Limited,as wellas sewagecompany Welsh

Trust’s plan to increase voluntary income tenfold

MORE than half the Canal & River Trust’s income now comes from property, investments, utilities, donations and other funding – and it has an ambitious strategy to grow voluntary income tenfold over the next decade

The organisation’s annual report 2024/25 has revealed that with

Water, DwrCymruCyfyngedig, whichare accused ofextensive andwidespreadpollution in theriversWye andLuggand theirtributaries.Welsh Water is blamed forpollution in the

government funding reducing in real terms, income from boating exceeded the grant received from government, with each making up almost a quarter of the charity’s funds

More than £60 million was invested in winter maintenance in more than 200 projects, including installing 135 new handcrafted lock gates, major inspections at landmark sites and repairs to centuries-old bridges, tunnels and wash walls A further £21

riverUsk.Thethree companies have denied theallegations to lawfirm LeighDay,which representstheclaimants.The claims have been served on the defendants,and the Particulars of Claimare withtheHigh Court. The firms must filea defenceand,unless theclaim is settled, it will be heardina

million was spent upgrading 22 of the charity’s 74 large, raised reservoirs

The report also highlighted the Better Boating Plan, developed with boaters and backed by £3 million of targeted investment to improve navigation. The charity’s dredging programme removed more than 60,000 tonnes of material and improved 40-plus miles of waterway

Trust chairman David Orr said: “We have engaged closely with the Labour

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government, aiming to build a new partnership exploring how we can contribute to their policy goals, while also enabling the canal network itself to remain resilient and a net contributor to the economy”

As reported, the trust set up an independent commission to review the framework around boat licensing and the service delivered to boaters more generally The commission is expected to report in November

civil trialatthe High Court, said the solicitor.Thedefendants also have the righttoapplyfor the claims to be struck out.

The 3943 claimantsare residents, business owners or people who usethe rivers Wye, Uskand Lugg Theyinclude people with riverside properties or fishing rights and otherhouseholdersortenants wholiveorrun businesses near to intensivepoultryunits,chicken growingfarms or sewerage infrastructure. Businesseswho rely on localtourism and riveractivities have alsojoinedthe claim.

Allallege that thecompanies areresponsible for riverpollution andthe impact it hashad on businesses,recreation, tourism, and property values since August 2019 andare asking thecourt to awardsubstantial damagesfor that period,the solicitor said in apublic statement. Theyare alsoaskingthe courttoorder them to restorethe rivers to health

The claim allegesthatpollution hasbeencausedbywater run-off from farm land containing high concentrations of phosphorus, nitrogen andbacteriaresulting from the spreadingofthousands of tonnesofpoultry manure and sewage biosolids. It also alleges bacteria and nutrientpollution has been caused by discharge directly into the rivers from Welsh Water sewerage systems

AvaraFoods,parentcompany of Freemans of Newent,toldthe BBC no manure is stored or spread on poultry-only farmsthatsupply them,while WelshWater said it intends to robustly defend the case

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Bring back the boats!

Foralmost three years, visiting boats have been unabletomoor at Trevor Basin, near Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, on the Llangollen Canal. TheInland WaterwaysAssociation’sShrewsburyDistrict &North Wales Branch have been campaigning to correctthis.

“WEhavebeeninthe ridiculous situation where visitingboats cannot moor at Trevor Basin, in the heart of the PontcysyllteAqueduct andCanal WorldHeritage Site,” explainedbranch chairmanMichael Haig

“This mustn’t be allowed to continue,sothis branchis campaigningtocorrect this unacceptable arrangement

“SinceSeptember2021, the branch hasbeen engagingwith the business boatingteamatCanal & River Trust’sWalesand SouthWales region, initially regardingthe planning application submittedto

WrexhamCountyBorough Council(WCBC)topermit therelocation of theAnglo Welsh hirebasefromthe western side of the basinto anewly-built facility in the westernarm of theso-called ‘tuningfork,’north of Bridge 29, Scotch Hall Bridge

“Despiterepeated requests for sightofa layout plan to demonstrate the intended provision of replacementvisitor moorings,regrettably none wasforthcoming, although in June 2022, CRTW&SWinformedius that ‘our design team are in the processofcreatinga

mooringplanofthe newly organisedbasin area,which will show the new visitor mooringdesignations.’

“They addedthat‘there is likelytobea shortperiod of reducedvisitor mooring capacity during theperiod of the worksaswetransition everythingacross–but we’ll of course keep that to a minimum.’

“InOctober 2022, still without sightofthe promised layoutplan, we learnedthat the‘reduced visitor mooringcapacity’ actually meantnil visitor moorings,but we were again assuredthattheir

suspensionwould be a ‘short-term closure.’

“So, here we are, three yearslater,and the ‘shortterm closure’ is still in place with no apparent endinsight.Thenew Anglo Welsh reception building and wharfappeartobe well advanced, externally at least, butthereisnosign of thehirebaserelocating from its presentsiteand at the time of writing, CRTis unable to giveusatiming forthe move,except to suggestthatitwon’tbein 2025.

“Partofthe problem wouldappeartobethat the transfer of the hire base seemstobethe work of the business boating team in CRTW&SW, but theresponsibilityfor visitormooringslies with theboating andcustomer servicegroup in CRT’sWest Midlands region, which managesthe waterspace, even in NorthWales

“It’salsoperhaps worth noting that duringthe course of this saga so far, we have dealt with three different

businessboatingmanagers in CRTW&SW, and there have been three boatingand customer service managers in CRTWM.

“TheCRT’s ownpublicfacingmap of available facilities at Trevor Basin continuestoshowvisitor spaces,albeitincorrectly designatedas14-day moorings,onthe towpath side near the CRTvisitor centre.”

The branch’scampaign continues and asks that anyone affectedbythe lack of visitor moorings at Trevor Basintocontact the CRT West Midlands directlyto raisetheir concerns At the time of this issue goingtoprint, the Canal &River Trusthad not respondedtoarequestfor comment.

Meanwhile. thebranch’s 2026 calendar is available to purchase now, priced£8 plus shipping, from https:// iwa-shrewsburynorthwales. sumupstore.com.Mail order is also available by emailing sh re ws an dn wa le s@ waterways.org.uk

Heritageboat-building skills get theroyal seal of approval

The Princess Royalhas visited the BoatBuilding Academy in Lyme Regis to meet studentspast and present and learn more about its work preserving and promoting thecraft –asacampaign is being preparedtosecure its future

PRINCESSAnneenjoyedtoursoftheacademy’s workshops,meetingstudents of the 40-week boat-buildingcourseand 12-weekfurniture courses, includinganumberwho hadbeen awardedbursaries to enable them to attend.

HerRoyal Highness, whoisPatronofThe National Transport Trust, alsounveiled a RedWheel plaque,awarded by thetrust in recognition of the academy’simportantrole in Britain’stransport and industrial heritage

Shewas accompaniedbythe currentLordLieutenant of Dorset,ProfMichael Dooley Other dignitaries includedWestDorsetMP Edward Morello,members of the Worshipful CompanyofShipwrightsand Women in Boat Building, and Lady Judy McAlpine,president of TheTransport Trust.

Shealsoenjoyed ademonstrationofsteam bendingbyassistanttutor Samuel Robinson and currentboat-buildingstudents Hannah Blakeand Eleanor Snape. Steambending

involves making wood pliable by exposing it to steamand then bendingittoa desired shape. It is used extensivelyinwooden boat building, mostimportantlyinformingthe ribs of boats. PrincessAnne assisted in helping to hold the wood whileitwas securedfor bending.

Director Will Reed said: “This visitcomes at acritical timeasweprepare to launcha campaign to buythe freehold of ourbuilding and in doingsosecurethe futureofthe academyand strengthen the futureofthe UK boat buildingindustry.”

At the end of thetour, the founderofthe academy, Commander TimGedge AFCRN, presentedthe princesswith awooden half-scale

8ft spoonedoar handmade by tutorMikeBroome

Timsaid: “Her RoyalHighness’svisit was hugely importanttothe BBA in endorsing our work in preserving andadvancingtraditional andmodern boat-buildingtechniques, and as acharity in enablingand supporting boatbuildersand furnituremakerstogain theseancientskills

“The princesswas very well-informed and hugely engagedduringher visit.Weall feel immenselyproud to have been able to showcaseour work to her.”

As part of our Moor Benefitsscheme, Aquavistamoorers enjoy morefreedom to explorethe waterwayswith 100freenights each year to stay at our other marinas. There’s29tochoose from!

Interactiveaudiotrail launched on the Montgomery Canal

Anew project hasrecorded the storyofthe rich heritage and wildlifeofthe two-centuryold MontgomeryCanal has been created.

VOICES Of The Canalisthe work of schoolchildren and members of the localcommunitywho have come together to create the trail forpeople to enjoy whileexploringthe canalor from home

With 126 listedstructures and designatedasaSiteofSpecial ScientificInterest, the33-mile canalcrosses from England into Wales at Llanymynech and boasts areputation as the best location in the worldfor floating waterplantain.

ChildrenfromArdleen CP School, Carreghofa CP School and Llandysilio School have worked with GlandŵrCymru, the Canal&River Trustin Wales,toproduce the audio trail, speaking to localpeople who have lived alongside the canalthroughout their lives

CRTproject manager Sara James explained: “The MontgomeryCanal holds a

specialplace in the hearts of thosewho livenearby, rich with personal stories and historical significance.Recognisingthe importance ofpreservingthese narratives,weembarkedona mission to capturethesetales beforetheyfade away.

“Collaborating with local schoolspresentedtheopportunity to sharethe knowledge of the canalwith anew generation while givingthe children achanceto develop their communication and research skills

“Alongside this,theymet with older people whohavebeen able to pass on theirmemories and experiences of the canal andthe importance it hashad forthem throughout theirlives

“The audio trail features guides forpeopletoenjoy alongthe canaland interviews recalling people’smemories of the canaland detailingsome of thethingstheystill enjoy seeing

today. Theycover abroad range of subjects,and we arethankful to heritage specialist Keystone Heritage for their supportin helpingtocreatethe trail.”

The audio trailisavailable to listentoonthe Canal& River Trustwebsite;searchfor Voices Of The Canal.

GlandŵrCymruhas been workinginpartnership with PowysCountyCouncil to restore a4.4-mile stretchofthe canal betweenLlanymynech and Maerdy thanks to agrant largely funded by the UK Government. Theaudio trail projectwas funded as part of this.

The restoration, as previously reported,willsecurethe canal’s future for this and coming generations,savingitfrom fallingintothe disrepairand providingeconomic, social, and environmental benefits to biodiversity

TheMontgomeryCanal wasbuilt morethan200 years ago, providinga 35-mile-long transport link into mid-Wales and connectingNewtown (Powys), Welshpool and Llanymynech to therestofthe UK waterwaysnetwork.Falling derelictinthe 1930s,restoration

beganinWelshpoolin1969 and soon attracted the attention of the thenPrince of Wales, leadingtoseven miles around Welshpoolbeingreopened. Through amixture of paid andvolunteer labour,more than 60% of thecanal hasnow been restored,withthe latest stretch beingtoCrickheath, Shropshire, fundedinthe majority by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Part of the canalinShropshire is aSiteofSpecial Scientific Interest (SSSI),but mostofthe Shropshiresectionwas allowed to dryout.Almostall the canal in Powysisinwater and is not onlyaSSSIbut also aSpecial Area of Conservation,one of onlyseven in Wales.

Umbrellaorganisation the Montgomery Canal Partnership, whichhas been making progressfor 20-plus years, brings together the county councils andother statutoryagencies with the CRTand voluntarygroups.The partnershipand the trust have developed a10-year restoration strategy whichcan be read at https://tinyurl.com/ montgomeryrestoration

New chairman takes the lead in boosting fundraising support

THE Friends of the Montgomery Canal haswelcomeda new chairman. Elected member BrianWilliams, whohas alifelonglove of canals,has stepped into therolefor the membershipsection of the MontgomeryWaterway Restoration Trust,

“InApril thisyear, I retiredasa Shropshire county councillorafter 20 yearsofservice,” he said. “This followeda workinglife as acivil engineer with my own companyand aparallel career of 30 years’ service in the RoyalNaval Reserve, for which Iwas awardedthe ReserveDecoration from the late QueenElizabeth II.

“For the past 11 yearsI have hada partner,Maureen. Iamfortunate to have three children, well scattered, and five grandchildren in their 20s

“AsIwas already an elected member, from April2024, of the Canal& RiverTrust,I wanted to usethe time Ihad availableonone other role sinceIwas no longer spendingit on council duties

“I hadbeenthe council-nominated trustee of The Montyand knowing that therewas avacancy for asecretaryofthe Friends, Ioffered to fillthatposition. However, on speaking to Christine Palin, Iwas surprised when sheasked if Iwould take over from her as chairman. Christinehas served with dedicationand competence for many years and that dedicationhas in no waylessened, butshe wanted achangeofresponsibilities andisnow oursocialsecretary.

“Myloveofcanalsgoesbacktomychildhood days in Timperley, near Altrincham, where ourbackgarden randowntothe Bridgewater Canal, whichwas still busy in the 1950s with commercialboats.Muchlater in life Ihad afamilyhome in Grappenhall, near Warrington,adjoiningthatsame canal.

“I have neverowned aboatbut hadmany holidays on hiredboats.Mymaininterestnow is the heritage and historyofcanal structures and,ofcourse, the pleasureoftowpathwalks.

“EllesmereBoatyardwas in my ‘patch’asa county councillor,soIbecame familiarwith theCRT’s developmentofthe site.I stillget a thrillgoingupordownonthe AndertonLift, where we often takevisitingfriends to seeits unique nature

“Weare fortunate to have the Pontcysyllte andChirkaqueducts to remind us of the achievements of the greatage of canal building and to inspireour restoration volunteersthattheyare followinginthe footsteps of Telford, Jessop and Brindley!

“So, howdoI seemyrole as chairman? I am afirm believerinthe principle of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t trytomendit.’TheFriends hasa small and dedicatedcommittee,and Ishall encourageand supportitinall theeventsit organisestoraisefunds and thosewhich it attends to publiciseTheMonty.

“With the committeemembers’support, andbearing in mind their limited numbers, we maytry to buildfurtheroncurrent activities as we supportwith fundraising theworkparties whichare steadilymovingforward to achieve acanal in waterand navigableall theway to Llanymynech.”

The Friends is stillinneed of asecretary; visithttps://themontgomerycanal.org.uk

Charity boat tripsare cleaner andquieter thanks to trust grant

Trust branch takes ownershipofa new electric outboard engine.

THE Melksham,Chippenham &Calne branch of the Wilts &Berks CanalTrust runs twoboats, The Mary Archard and Damselfly,whichraisemuch-needed funds for the charitybycarryinghundredsofpassengersatspecial events everyyear. Theseinclude the Melksham Food and RiverFestival, Chippenham Folk Festival andPewsham LocksOpenDays.

Nowthe trips areevenmoreenjoyable afterthe Naturesave Trustprovideda£1950 grantto purchase a new electric outboard engine.

The lightweightmotor and batteryare easier and cheapertooperate than apetrol engine andcreateless noiseand disturbance to wildlife

TrustspokespersonMartin Palmer said:“We are delightedtoreceivesuchgeneroussupport,which is making ahugedifference to people’s enjoymentofour waterways. Silentrunningmeans skippers andcrewcan talk to passengers aboutthe restorationcampaignand

answertheir questions without havingtocontend with anoisy engine.

“Italsomeans we aremorelikelytosee localwildlife, whichencouragespeople to engage with nature.

“Running costsare lower–and it’s much better for the environmenttoo.”

Visitors enjoyed thenew experience at the charity’s Pewsham LocksOpenDay on October11, whichincluded boat rides,apop-up café,and toursofthe restoration projects;visit www.wbct.org.uk/mcc-events to keep updatedoneventsand to learn more aboutthe volunteer roles available.

The aim of theWilts &Berks CanalTrust is to restorethe waterway from the Kennet &AvonCanal, near Melksham, to the Thames&SevernCanal,nearCricklade andthe RiverThames at Abingdon,connectingChippenham, Calne,Royal WoottonBassett andSwindon

The Naturesave Trustisfunded by the activities of Naturesave Insurance,the UK’sleadingethicalinsurance provider for individuals,businesses, charities,and community groups.

Lido angling ban goes back to drawing board

ADECISION whichled to an anglingban andthe eviction of Clay CrossAnglingSociety from WingerworthLido is being formallyreviewed Following astrongcampaign on behalf of the anglers, includinganonline petition, threats of aJudicialReview andextensive lobbyingby the AnglingTrust,therenow appearstobehopethatangling will return in the future.

MP LouiseJones calledon NorthEastDerbyshireDistrict Councilto“find away forward that represents theviews of Wingerworthasa whole,and one that supports improvingthe biodiversity of the site as well as allowing for recreational use.”

In responsetoanopposition motion that would have put the futuremanagementof the lido back outtopublic consultation, the council passed an amendmenttoinstruct its EnvironmentScrutiny Committeetoreview the previous decision. The Angling Trusthad already writtento

the committeewith arequest to attend and provide evidence in supportofthe club and their return to Wingerworth. The decision wasmadeaspart of the council’splantoturn the lido into abio-diversity hubbut with no explanation as to why anglingisnot compatible with this objective, thetrust claimed. Itsheadofpolicy, Martin Salter,said: “While we would have preferredtosee the banscrappedimmediately, there’snodoubt that it’s back to the drawingboard for these fundamentallyflawed plansto lock anglersout of Wingerworth Lido

“WewillsupportClayCross Angling Society everyinchof theway as we engage with the scrutinyprocessand hopefully come back with asensibleand balancedway forward that meets everyone’s concerns PublicwaterslikeWingerworth need anglersontheretohelp manage andcarefor the amenity, otherwiseyou endup with poaching and chaos.”

Newpumpstation setto tackle residentialflooding

WARRINGTONBorough

Council’s Cabinet hasapproved plansfor a£899,000 drainage system and pump station at Sankey Bridges. It will reduce flood risks to 62 properties by installinga new drainage system along LiverpoolRoadand Hood Lane, with an outfall drainagesystem leadingtoanew pump station. Twopumps will discharge surfacewater into Sankey Canal, reducingpressureon the combineddrainagesystem and cuttingthe risk of foul and surface waterflooding. Workscarried outbyTarmac PLCwerescheduledtostartin either OctoberorNovember

and last about20weeks

Keyfundingcontributions of £400,000 from United Utilities and £499,000 from the EnvironmentAgencyhave supportedthe project.

Council leader Coun Hans Mundrysaid: “Weknowhow much distressrepeatedflooding events in this area have caused residents for anumberof years. Thishas been further impacted by climatechange, whichisleadingtoanincrease in storms and floodingtoroads and properties.Fundingfor flood risk is extremelylimited, so I’mdelightedthat we’ve successfullysecured fundingto deliver this importantproject.”

Bridge is finally rebuilt with help of WaterwaysRecoveryGroup volunteers

Therestoration of the Cotswolds Canals has taken avitalstepforward following the completion of ayears-long project.

THE Cotswold Canals Trust is celebratingthe completion of Weymoor Bridge,avital crossing pointinthe ongoing restorationofthe Cotswold Canals,thankstothe tireless efforts of WaterwaysRecovery Group(WRG) volunteers.

The new bridge,aconventionallookingred brickhump-back design, blendsheritage with modern engineering. While sympathetictothe original structure’sstyle,this version has been builttohandle 44-tonne vehicles –aremarkable improvementonthe original structure’sthree-tonne capacity

The journeytorebuild it began

in 2014, when groundworks were laid andthe steelcentring installed. This temporarystructure supportedthe construction of thebrick arch andmarked theproject’s firstsignificant milestone. Progress paused in 2015 following achangeinland ownership and work resumedin August 2019, when theasphalt

roadwaywas completed,allowing thebridgetoreopentotraffic.

By summer2020, thefinishing touches were addedasthe coping stones were installed, bringingthe bridge closer to itsfinalform.

This summer,the project gainedfresh momentumwhen WRGvolunteers arrivedfor two back-to-back workingholidays

CelebratingBlack HistoryMonth on Birmingham’s canals

THIS BlackHistory Month, Canal&River Trustand Brindleyplace inviteeveryone to join avibrantcelebration along

Festivefun andlots of community spirit!

THE Cotswold Canals Trust is looking ahead andpreparing for welcoming families aboardits Santa Cruises.

Every child will receive aspecial gift from Father Christmas. Thecruises run on Saturdays and Sundays throughout December,with tickets priced at £7 per adult and £10 per child.

organisedbythenationalcharity.

Back at the Cotswold Canals Trust’sEastern Depot, skilled volunteer carpenters have been creatingall thespecialist formworkneededfor the Waterway Recovery Group. This formwork hasbeenessential for pouringthe concretebases of the twonew wing walls beingbuilt

beneaththe bridge.Specially designedsections have also been manufactured to allow the lowerportionsofthe walls themselves to be cast at thesame time as thebases, savingtime andensuringa high-qualityfinish WeymoorBridgesitsnear Latton Junction,wherethe canalonce played akey role in connectinglocal communities WatchCourt AboveThe Cut’sfilm aboutthe project online at:www.youtube.com/ watch?v=ytqyAcR1A8Q&t=144s

“These trips aren’tjust about festive fun –theyhelpsupport ourongoing work to maintain and restorethe canals, from wildlifeconservation to heritagepreservation,” saida trust spokesperson.

Meanwhile,the trusthas partnered with Stroud Brewerytohelp raise even more funds. For every online purchase using the codeCANAL10, Stroud Brewery will donate 10% to the organisationand customers receive 10% offtheir order

Spine-chilling Halloween ‘Scarecastle’

THE Canal&River Trust’spopular ‘Scarecastle’event –a spooky Halloweencanal adventurethrough Harecastle Tunnel, on theTrent & Mersey Canal, in Staffordshire–is making areturn

it played avital role in connecting the Midlandscanal network to the Potteriesand beyond.

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Birmingham’s historic canals –honouring thecontributions, cultures,and stories of black communitiesthathavehelped shapethe region’s waterways. The eventwill takeplace on October25atBrindleyplace in centralBirmingham, featuringlivemusic, storytelling, communityart, spokenwordperformances, guided heritage walksand bell boatingsessions. The dayalsoincludesfamilyfriendly workshops, food stalls celebratingAfrican and Caribbeancuisine,and opportunitiestoengagewith localartists,historians, and communityvoices

The trust’s Amat Saeedsaid: “Our canals have longbeen

placeswheredifferentcommunities meet,work, and sharetheir stories. This BlackHistory Month, we are proudtocelebratethe diversity that hasshapedBirmingham and its waterways–recognisingthe heritage,resilience,and creativity of blackcommunities past and present.

“Birmingham’s canals arepart of oursharedhistory.Bybringing peopletogetheronand off the water, we’recreatinga space to honour that historyand to inspire futuregenerations to connect with ourhistoriccanals.”

The events will take place from 11am to 5pm.Entry is free and open to all.Tobookyourplace on awalking or bell boating activity, visit https://tinyurl.com/ blackhistorybirmingham

This year’s hauntingexperience, featuringa40-minuteboattrip, runs from October27toNovember 2 (except October30) and admission costs £5 perperson. The tunnel stretches almosttwo miles undergroundand is one of thelongest on the canalnetwork.Openedin1777,

Simon Martin,fromthe trust, said: “Harecastle Tunnelcomesaliveevery year with frightsand fun, and we are thrilledtowelcome visitorsbackfor anotherunforgettableexperience.Going through the tunnel is very atmospheric andgives families aspooktacular adventure to remember. Lastyear’s eventwas asell-out.”

Book viahttps://tinyurl.com/ scarecastle

Be abrick and buy one!

Volunteers are looking to late autumnand thestart of the next phase in connecting the Staffordshire &Worcester Canalat Baswich to the townofStafford.

THE chairmanofthe StaffordRiverwayLink, Paul Bryan, said: “The dedicated groupof volunteershavecontinuedtomakeprogress on their aim.Theholdingbasin, with room for 10 permanentmoorings, is almost complete. “The nextphase,startinglater this autumn, is to build the towpathbridgeoverwhat will be theentrance to the basin. This will be achieved thanksinparttothe very generousdonation of cementand readymixed concretefrom Breedon and an equallygenerousdonation of bricks from Ibstock.

“Inaddition to the hardyband of volunteers, groups of construction industry students from Newcastle and StaffordCollegesGroup will be gainingpractical on-site brick-laying

experience under the guidance of their tutors

“Despite the very generousdonationsfrom oursupporters, theproject stillneeds to raisecash.Before the final connection to the canal, the Skycable will need to be redirected over the new bridge.Volunteerswill not be permittedtomakethe connection to the canal; this will be carriedout by Canal& RiverTrustapproved contractorsatasubstantial cost.”

Oneopportunitytodonateisthe BuyA Brickappealonthe project’swebsite,www. Stafford-Riverway-Link.co.uk

“Movingforward,the projectisinthe processofchangingfroma Community Interest Company(CIC) to aCharitable Incorporated Organisation,”said Mr Bryan. Up-to-dateinformation on progress and opportunities to volunteer and details of regularworkparties andsocialeventscan be found on the websiteand also on the group’s Facebook page • Historic artefacts on showintouring exhibition

page 23.

More lorries forced onto Yorkshire’sroadsdue to lock closure

THE Inland Waterways Association (IWA) hassaid the Canal&River Trust’s plan to closeSykehouse Lock,onthe NewJunction Canal, near Thorne,South Yorkshire, from November 3toDecember19for bottom andtop gaterepairs is excessive and disregards the impact on navigation andbusinesses.

Thesix-weekduration of theintendedclosure meansthatthe impact on navigation users, particularly commercial freight, will be substantial.

The routeisusedbyCasper Riverand CanalTransport andMainmast (ExolOil).

Betweenthe two

companies,one bargeload of oil(400tonnes), two300-tonne barge-loads of scrapand one 100-tonne load of cementper week aretransported through thelock. This adds up to 1100 tonnes perweek, and the closureputs the equivalentof8825-ton lorry journeys perweek back on road,addingto congestion andpollution in the localarea.

The IWAiscallingonthe CRTtominimisethe length of the stoppage to reduce the effect on commercialwater freight, localroads,and air quality.

IWA’sFreight Group recentlyreleased areport

highlighting the untapped potentialofour inland waterwaysasa sustainable alternativetoroadfreight With the UK striving to meet netzerotargets,the report shows that moving freightbybarge offers substantial environmental and economic benefits

The group’sDavid Lowe said: “Tomaximisethe benefits of freightonthe waterwaysthe infrastructure needstobeavailable, andmaintenance on key trafficroutescarried outas efficientlyaspossible.”

• Turn the page to read this month’s round-up from the IWA’sAmy Tillson.

Dedication and work to keep waterwaysalive celebrated at annual awards ceremony

The IWA’s 66th annual general meeting at theJubilee Conference Centre, Nottingham, welcomed more than 100 attendees in person and online –and also celebrated waterways excellence through the presentation of awards.

NATIONAL chair Mike Wills openedthe event, followedbycampaigns and public affairsdirectorCharlie Norman outlining campaigningpriorities headinginto2026. The focuswill be on addressingthe declining stateofparts of the inland waterwaysnetwork while highlightingnew opportunities

The audience then heardupdates from the IWA’sFreight and Sustainable Boatinggroups, whichpraised the advocacyeffortsofFund Britain’sWaterways Hannah Rigleyand Paul Thomas,from the South Wales Region,reportedonthe Monmouthshire&BreconCanal campaign. Following unprecedentedwater restrictions this summer,the IWAworkedwith the CRT, localcommunities,and themedia to mitigate risks to waterways, businesses and ecosystems Meanwhile,members approved the

minutesofthe 2024 AGM, received an update on financialstatements,and confirmed the reappointmentsoftrusteesMrWills and Dave Chapmanfor further three-yearterms

The AGMalsohostedthe presentation of the IWA/TowpathTalk SustainableBoating Awards andIWA National Awards.The winnerswere:

Non-CommercialAward: Fountainbridge Canalside Community Trust–for pioneering strategies to convertboats to electric drive. Commercial Award: LynchMotors– for developinganaffordable system to retrofit diesel boatswithelectric propulsion

National awards: RichardBirdMedals presentedtoNigel Hardacre,NickParker, Andrew Phasey,Jeanne andDerek Smith andVernaSmith;Christopher PowerPrize –Helen Watson-Moriarty; Branch Achievement Award–IWA LeicestershireBranch; andCyril StyringTrophy–Helen Whitehouse “Theseindividuals and groups exemplify

the dedication, innovation, and passion that keep ourwaterways alive,”said Mr Wills

Following theformalproceedings, presentations were delivered on sustainable boatingpractices,water management,and restoration efforts. Highlights includedupdates on HVOfuel, grey waterrecyclinginitiatives, andthe achievements of IWA’sWaterway Recovery GroupduringCanal Camps. Attendees alsoenjoyed an afternoon visit to the restored CanalCottagesatDraycott, hosted by theDerby &SandiacreCanal Trust, and the BeggarleeExtension restoration site,organised by the Friends of the CromfordCanal

Langport riverside regeneration celebratedinnew film

THE traditional market town of Langport, in Somerset,has been givenanew leaseoflife thanks to its revitalized riverside.The £300,000 Langport RiverProject has transformed7.6 miles of riverintoa visitor destination, attractingabout 250,000 people a year,helpingnew cafés,shops and services thrive.

Co mm unit y Co ck lem oo r meadow andHuish Bridge nowboast renewed pathways, pontoons,canoe steps, fishing platforms, picnic areas, aslipway, cyclehire, and acommunity boat,thanksto apartnership

betweenLangport Town Council andthe Inland Wa te rw ay s Association.

Providinga lastingimpact with smartsolar lighting, e-bikecharging, recycled materials and biodiversity monitoring,the projectdelivers sustainabilityaswell as localpride –and thereare plansfor morepaths,parking, and moorings

Now, fiveyears on from the initial completion of the Langport RiverProject,a film celebrating itssuccessand createdoflocal film-maker Gordon McKerrow hasbeen released,featuring commentary from ValSaunders, former

Work parties

Burslem Port: Friday,November 7 and 21, 10.30am-2.30pm. Regular work party on the Burslem Arm of the Trent &MerseyCanal,inpartnershipbyIWA NorthStaffordshire&South Cheshire Branch andthe Burslem Port Trust Meet at Luke St, Burslem. Contact Dave Broome beforeattending on 07974 966253 or dave.broome45@gmail.com Manchester Bolton and Bury: Saturday,November15/16from10am. IWAManchesterBranchisworkingwith

leaderofLangport Town Council, and RayAlexander, of the IWA’sWest CountryBranch. While the project ensured that 7.6 milesofriverarenow navigablefor trail boatsand paddle craft, its focuswas to create an attractive destination in the centre of town, betweenBow Bridge and Huish Bridge.Cocklemoor lies at its heart, with activities includingwalking, paddleboarding, swimming, fishing, cyclingand boat trips.About 250,000 people peryearvisit the riverside Town clerk Gerard Tucker said: “TheLangport comm unit y expresses its

gratitude to the IWA for its supportinthe deliveryofits vision We do not consider the regeneration of Langporttobe complete,and the refurbishmentof morepaths,creation pf cyclepaths and additional parking areonour listfor one day! Perhaps even amooring for ourcommunity boat, TheDuchess of Cocklemoor,to make it easier for people to access and enjoy the river.” Thefunding neared £300,000 10 yearsago,sourced from acombination of European funds, localauthorities, andthe Canoe Foundation.The film canbewatched here: https://youtu. be/r-Ifij65FVc

Decarbonising smallervessels

It really doesn’t matter howyou spinit, events involving government departmentsare highlyunlikelytoever make thecommunal heartflutter!

LIKE it or not,we areall –inour differentways– navigatingthe road to net zero for arrivalnolater than 2050, with the danger of losing our collectiveway becoming more of a realitywitheachpassing day.

The Departmentfor Transport (DfT)recentlyasked for viewsinits Call for Evidence (CfT)regarding the introduction of emission reduction measures for vesselswith agross weight below400 tonnes,as outlinedinits March2025 maritime decarbonisation strategy

Whilehavinganobvious impact on the entireUKleisure fleet –estimated in the region of 100,000 vessels when inland andlumpy watercraft aretaken into account –anawful lot of commercial boats plyingour canals and navigable rivers arealsoincluded.

Fortrade and other representative bodies of inland waterwaysfreight, it wasrefreshing (in thecourseof informalmeetings with DfT ahead of the September8CfT submission date)tohearfrank admissions of just howlimited its overall understandingofthis sector was and howkeenitwas to putthatright.

The CfE,runningto122 very

detailedquestions in all, soughtto construct acontemporarypicture and build projections of the form that decarbonisation mighttake, identifyingthe handicaps likely to slow the process.

Generally speaking, the replacementratefor vessels in this sector wasreckonedtobeaslittleas 1-2% annually, suggestingthatmost progress needed to be in the area of retro-fit rather thannew-build. However, once we begantomodel the differentscenarios,itwas soon abundantlyclear that justifying thecosts involved here wasa non-starter, both in monetaryform and in the wider contextofa full life cycleanalysis(LCA).

Taking moneyfirst, it quickly became apparent that retro-fitting avesselwith‘clean’ electricdrive involved ahefty six-figuresum when the propulsion unit,its electrical control gear and the batterybank required were allconsidered. While,viewed on the plus side,the type of vessel regularlyinvolved enjoyeda 30-50-yearlife,eventhen these sort of costscould hardly be economicallydefrayed. Similarly, retainingthe existing

diesel propulsionunitand adding post combustion equipmentto cleanupemissions alsoimplied asix-figuresum which, with substantial grantassistance, has alreadybeentried on the tidal Thames.Inanutshell: just as with retro-fittingnew electric drive systems,itworks butitcosts!

So much forthe moneyside of the equation. Howabout embodiedcarbonand greenhouse gasemissions,generatedduring manufactureofthe new, cleandrive or post combustion equipment?

Quitequickly, it became apparent during ourmodellingofthe different options that in overall emission termsyou’resoonindangerof gainingmorethanyou’resaving. This is an exercisethatLCA requires you to undertakeinorder to build atruepictureofany potential decarbonisation programme

Whichall takes us to the final question that the CfE broughtto the fore: canwecontinue to use the existingpropulsion systems, withoutaddingexpensive post combustion equipment, and simply runitonabiofuel such as hydrotreated vegetableoil (HVO)or fossilfuel-basedgas to liquid (GTL)?

Answer:yes! The diesel engines found in commercial (and leisure) craftinthissectorwillhappily runonamostbiofuels,without modification, or incurring any extracosts.As, indeed,will larger commercial vessels up to the 700-ton Eurobargestandard, navigatingthe inland waterwaysof the north east

The only problem is one of the

DfT’sown making and that is its rigid, ‘sectorised’ approach to fuellingvessels navigating the world’swaterways,namely‘deep sea,’‘coastal’and ‘inland.’

Much of its thinkingaround the allocation of thedifferent non-mineral fuels is eminently sensible and logicaland issues onlyarise at the intersection of thesethree sectors, especially where ‘coastal’and ‘inland’interface

While HVOenjoys‘subsidy’ on the inland waterways, this is not the case for coastal use. Consequently, part of theinlandwaterways freight sector canafford the straightforward biofueled option,while anotherpart (often navigatingdensely populated cities such as theThames through central London) is deniedthis financial support.

Thebiofuel solution clearly came to theforeinthe course of completingthe Call for Evidence… to be comprehensivelyderailed (if you’llpardon the mixed mode metaphor!) by currentDepartment for Transport policyinapplication!

End of works in sight

RESTORATIONofthe GradeII*-listed LambleyViaduct acrossthe RiverSouth Tyne is due to be completed‘very soon.’ The South Tynedale Railway Preservation Societyiscompletingworkonthe 108ft Victorianstructure, built,it is believed, with the involvementofNewcastle-born engineer SirGeorgeBarclay Brucenearly 175years ago. Urgent repairswereneededafter some stoneworkbecamedislodged,resulting in

thestructure’s closure. Workscarried out by Bell Accessand Engineeringare due be completed very soon,and theviaduct will reopen.

SocietychairmanIan Millwardsaid: “The viaduct’s preservation will ensurethat future generations canuse the scenic route acrossthe viaduct,marvelatthe Victorian engineering, andenjoy the spectacular views.”

Network’swintermaintenance programme to span 45 canals

Atotal of 137 projectstorestore and repair the canal network will take place during the colder months.

JUST after the last issue of TowpathTalk went to press, the Canal&River Trustannounceddetails of its winter maintenance and preservation programme Workswill span 45 canals and rivers and include 137 separate projects at more than 100locks,14bridges, twotunnels and ahostof embankments,sluices, culverts and canalwalls

Theworktotackle the bigengineeringand maintenance jobs takes place betweenautumn and spring when there is lessboatingtraffic. However, following a challengingsummer,with droughtcausing navigation restrictions,the trustwas able to bringforward some repairswherelocks were already closed,includingat Foxton Locks, as reported, and on the Leeds& LiverpoolCanal, to reduce disruption laterinthe year.

Chief operatingofficer Julie Sharmansaid: “Winter is the time ofyearwhen the focusfor ourengineers, heritage experts, skilled craftspeople and our amazingteamofvolunteers turns to delivering thelarger projects that areessential to keep thenetwork available for navigation and, in turn, the millions of otherpeople who benefitfromthis amazinglegacyfromthe nation’sindustrialpast.”

In theNorthWest, major repairstothe 100-year-old Sutton Weaver SwingBridge, on the RiverWeaver, are planned, and relininga 60m stretchofthe Peak Forest CanalatStrines Aqueduct.

In Londonand the South East, thewinterwill seethe rare draining of Islington Tunnel, on theRegent’s Canal, forbrickwork repairsand graffiti removal, alongside worksat16locks around the region.

Afull overhaul of locks15and 18 on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, plus embankmentworks onthe Rochdale Canal, are alsoincluded in the programme,and in the West Midlands,extensivelock gate replacements across

34 locksand majorcanal bedreplacement workson the Tame ValleyCanal are on the list

In Wales and theSouth West,repairs at 10 locks arescheduled, as is drainingsections of the Monmouthshire&Brecon Canalfor inspections,and vital work to Purton Upper Bridge on the Gloucester& SharpnessCanal

Andafull refurbishment of Dratley’sBridge, on the Ashby Canal, andwork includinglockgate replacements andheritage masonryrepairs will take placeat10locks in the East Midlands

Julie continued: “Canals arecenturies-old working heritage and, with rising costs,climatepressures and moreextreme weather events,the challenge of keepingthem in good condition fornavigationhas neverbeengreater.Wecan’t do it without the support of boaters, ourvolunteers, supporters,and thewider public.”

Formoreinformation and to seewhat’shappening near you,visit the notices andstoppages section at canalrivertrust.org.uk

Characters of theCut

Deaine Duffy,of Canal Couture

By AliceElgie

ACHILDHOOD love of Rosie &Jim sowedanearly seed of life on the waterinthe heart of Deaine Duffy, who now lives aboard hernarrowboat, Norton, with Frances the catand boat bunnyHenry However, it took alifechangingaccident to finally seethat childhood dream come true

Deaine shares with me: “Livingonanarrowboathas savedmecompletely! Itruly didn’t realisehow beautiful and healingthe canals would be.It’slikebeinginadifferent worldfromothers, aplace whereIbelongand finallyfeel theconnectionagain that I yearnedfor beforemytravels.”

The desiretotravelhas alwaysbeenatDeaine’s coresowhen, eightyears ago, she felt the need for a change,itwas her spirit for adventure she tunedinto: “Life wasverydifferentto now. Iwas in afull-time job as an early yearsteacher,and while Iloved it,Iwantedto getout in theworld.” After unsuccessfullytryingto improveher life in the UK, in 2019 Deaine decidedto buyaone-way tickettomeet afriend in Australia, leaving with nothingbut abag on her backand no idea of when she mightreturn home.

That trip turnedintoa two-month adventurethat sawher travel from Australia to Bali: “Travellingfunds were lowbut Ilongedfor cultureso Istartedtoresearchhow rural Icould go on the budget Ihad

left.” On her explorations, Deaine discoveredHardy,a tour guide in asmall province whoinvited hertostayinhis familyhome. “Hesaid that as longasIhelped with various projects in the villageand taught English to the locals, Iwouldn’t have to payfor accommodation. Ifelt as if Ihad struck gold!” Deaine excitedly tells me. Theweeks ahead were some of themostmemorable of her travelsasDeaine gottomeetincredible people,learntalittle of the locallanguage, and visited many beautifulplaces,but sadlyitwas on one of these excursions that an accident happenedthatwould change her life forever.Ridingonthe back of amotorbike, which hit arockinthe road, shewoke up knowing somethingwas seriouslywrong:“Iopened my eyes to realiseI waslying in theroadinaprettybad state. Ilay therelisteningto

locals goingcrazy,but Ididn’t care –Ifelt at peace.Iwasn’t in pain andknew I’djusthad the best months of my life travelling,soitwould be okay for it alltoend.”

Thankfully, life didn’t end, and with the help of her mum –who made thejourney to

ruralBali –Deainewas able to fly home to the UK

“Onceback, Irealised thingswereprettybad, with alongrecoveryahead, so Iknew Ineededa plan.” Thatplantookher back to childhood and the dream she hadalwayshad about narrowboat life.“Thinkingof alife withoutstairsand being outinnaturefelt perfect, so I spentall my time researching until, after three yearsof recovery –including learning to walk again –inJune 2022, Iboughtmyfloating home.”

Life hasnot all been plainsailing since then, but Deaine’s undeniably positive attitude hasenabledher to find ways to strive towards happiness,particularly when finding away to work from her narrowboat home.Troubled by what shelearned in Indonesia abouthow rubbish is sent therefor disposalfrom countriesincluding the UK, as well as beingawedbya fair tradebatik printing factory she visited,Deaineknew she hadanopportunity to create positive change

Newchairman’s‘passion for protecting rivers and species’

Keen anglerSimon Francishas taken over the chairmanshipofthe WildTrout Trust’sboard of trustees.

AFTER an in-depth recruitment process, Simon succeedsDr Graham Coley, who served for more than 20 yearsonthe trust’sboard and fiveaschairman, and was responsible for guidingthe charity through aperiodofgrowthand resilience –includingthe challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic

Simon hasa love for rivers and wild troutthatbegan early in his life, nurtured by days spentexploring the UK’ssmaller streams.After completinga degree in biological sciences at the University of Exeter, he pursueda career in advertising that culminated in leadership roles at Saatchi& Saatchiand Dentsu. He then foundedthe consultancy

FlockAssociates, guiding globalorganisationsthrough complex change

Alongside his professional career, Simonhas contributedtofreshwater conservationasa riverflymonitor, habitatvolunteer, andasupporterof grassroots initiatives.Healsoholds aSTANICinstructor qualification and is an enthusiastic angler and brings to the trusta combinationof strategic leadership and financial acumen, alongwith apassion for protectingriversand the species that depend on them

He said: “Iwanttothank Graham for hisleadership–hesteered the trustthrough the coronavirus pandemic and helped shapeitinto

thestrongcharity it is today. I’m reallylooking forward to working with theteamand oursupporters to drivethe nextphase of impact for wild troutand healthy rivers.”

TrustdirectorShaun Leonard added: “It’sbeenanhonourtowork with Graham.Heled ourcharity to theplace whereitisnow:a focused, professional organisation, doingour bit for rivers andtheirtrout.

“Looking over arice field coveredinwaste,I noticed apile of fabric so Iwalked over and wasshocked to see lots of well-known clothing brandsall in differentstages of decomposition, simply dumped.”

That acutememory inspired Deaine to launch CanalCouture, “a small online fashion boutique whereIstock fair tradeand handmade clothingfrom around the world.”

Shehopes this venturewill help communities all over theworld by ensuring more demand for items made ethically.

“Thethoughtoffastfashion beingsenttootherstobe disposedofangersme, so my passion is making fairtrade andslowfashion accessible to everyone.”

Deaine’s healingjourney hasbeenlongand is certainly notover, butthe realisation of herchildhood dreamhas ignited much happiness.“Life afloat hasallowedmetofinally feel that connection again –to theworld,nature, andmost importantly, myself.”

AliceElgie is awandering writer who shares words abouther lifestyle through real hold-in-the-hand letters: aliceelgiewrites. etsy.com

Facebook: @canalcouture

Instagram: @canalcouture @veggieonthecut

TikTok: @veggieonthecut

Ebay: Canal Couture

Keen anglers gathered at Meon Springs Fly Fishery,Hampshire, back in June for the Three Fly Challenge, afriendly one-day tournament organised by trust volunteer Neil Mundy which raises funds to support the charity’sriver conservation work nationwide. Now all the proceeds have been counted, and this year’schallenge raised £3675.

“I’m delightedtowelcome Simon, and we’reboth lookingforward to takingthe trustthrough itsnext phases.Weare excitedtocontinue

with ourexpertadvice and practical projects,and to make morenoise aboutwhy everyone should care for – and about –wild trout.”

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Howcleanare our waterways?

Vital data hasbeengathered by citizen scientists duringtwo important public campaigns.

THE results from the BigRiver Watchand the GreatUKWaterBlitzare beingcrunchedby experts for analysisfollowing the initiatives’ conclusion in September.

As reported,the public areasked to record observations of riverhealth twice ayear for the BigRiver Watchthrough asimple app-based survey,whereparticipantsanswer questions aboutwildlife, signsofpollution and wellbeing.

It is organised by The Rivers Trust, which said: “Our rivers arefar from healthy.They arepolluted with sewage,plastic,chemicals and nutrients,and just 15% ofriver stretches in England areingoodoverall health

“Morepeople arebecomingconcerned aboutthe health of ourwaterways and since the inauguralevent in September2023, we seethousands morejoiningour bi-annual BigRiver Watcheachyear. Thisautumn, The Rivers Trusthas welcomedthe next wave of dedicated citizen scientists to gather essential data.Theresultsare available through an interactivedashboard in near-realtime, not onlyprovidinguseful data forTheRivers Trust, buttoindividualsand communities seekingtofind outmoreabout their rivers, advocatefor them,and takeaction to improve their health at atime whereenvironmental monitoringislimited.”

Visitthe BigRiver Watchdashboard

here: https://theriverstrust.org/ big-river-watch-data-dashboard

Newfor 2025 is theGreat UK WaterBlitz, for people to test astretch of waterlocal to them to monitor nitrate and phosphate levels to build anational pictureofthe health of ourfreshwaterbodies. Organised by environmental charityEarthwatchEurope, specialists arenow busy analysingthe results of this test,which involved takingsamples directlyfromthe watersourceand testingit

Towpath Talk editor LucyWood took part in the Great UK WaterBlitz by testinga stretch of Louth Navigation, in Lincolnshire.

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The latest GreatUKWaterBlitzfindings from Aprilthisyearindicate that 66% of all data points across theUKshowedpoorwater qualitywith unacceptable levels of nutrient pollution. This figureroseto86% in the Thamesand Anglianriver basindistricts.To date,morethan15,000 people have taken part in the project.

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SolarisKit –Solar Thermal Pyramids

The IWASustainable BoatingGroup’s Jonathan Mosse continueshis series on off-grid boating, and this monthasks: whathas doing the weekly wash in sub-SaharanAfrica got in common with having ahot shower on the UK inlandwaterways system?

IN both instance,it’sabout an affordable formofhot water… in fact, extremelyaffordable, given that the sundoesn’t send abill!

SolarisKit is acompany establishedaround asimple solar-thermalhot waterconcept originallydesignedfor ThirdWorld countries to provide hot waterfor washingclothes and people

It wasstarted by alecturerfrom Heriot Watt University of Edinburgh

(supported by some of his erstwhile students) who went on to establish amanufacturing base at the Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc in Dundee,whereIvisited him once Ihad realised that theseHelioPro (as theyare nowcalled) units also hadpotential for providinghot waterfor inland waterwayscraft Nowgloryingunder the title of ‘prismatic geometrysolar collectors,’ theseapparently

simple units have been subjectto numeroussmall refinements since their invention, butessentiallya coilofblack,heatabsorbent 12mm pipe is coiled up inside aPerspexglazed pyramid. The morehot water required,the morepyramids are linked togetherinseries

The heated wateristhen passed througha boat’s calorifier, viaits indirectheating coils,inmuchthe same wayasthe engine’s cooling waterorthe heated waterfroma solidfuelstove.Typically,a boat calorifier hasacapacityofabout 70 litresand twocollectorswill ‘power’ anominal 90-litrevessel.

With afocus on the provision of hot waterfor the Third World(and no knowledge whatsoever of the UK inland waterwayssystem), it had neveroccurredtothe company, untilmyvisit,thatthere waspossibly amorelocal, fluvial market.The upshot wasthat Iagreedtotrial the device,largely at my ownexpense, as by thenmyinteresthad been more than piqued. In aformer life Ihad installeddomestic solar thermalunits,sohad morethan apassing understandingofthe necessary plumbingrequirements, whichinclude apump, pressure

vessel, flowreducer,and differential controller

Leavingaside the first three componentsfor amoment, it is thedifferential controller that is keytothe effective workingofthe system.Quite simply,itsenses the respectivetemperaturesatthe collectorand thecalorifier and ensuresthat the pump onlysends waterinthatdirection when its hotteronthe roof than it is at the tank.Otherwise,ofcourse, the entire system could devote itself to heatingupthe greatoutdoors.

The pump is necessary because the heat is generated aboveits final destination, so it won’t thermosiphonaround the system of its ownaccordand the flowrestrictor is adjustabletoensurethatheat is sufficientlydissipatedintothe calorifier waterrather than simply racinground the system under the full force of the pump

Onething my trialhas demonstrated is that,inthis application on aboat, it is

unnecessary to incorporatea pressure vessel,asisusually the case with adomestic system.Even on the hottest days,when water expansion mightbeatits greatest, pressure in the system riseslittle aboveone barsothere is no danger of it exploding!

The original, simple ThirdWord systems dispensed with allthis as thecollectorsmerelysat on thegroundand heated atankful of waterabove them,raisedona simple structure. Leaksand even bursts were of little consequence as the ‘installation’ wasoutside Today, manufacturingfocus is on domestic supplytoFirst World properties and consequentlythe complete kits come with an integral five-bar specification, ensuring plenty of margin for expansion.

At this point, some readerswillbe suckingontheir teethhavingcome to therealisationthatall theheat exchange coils in their calorifiers arealready fullyoccupied, doing dutyonbehalf of an engineand/or asolid fuel stove.

However, all is not lost, as it is possible to install athirdcoil at the immersion heater boss on the calorifier whichstill incorporates the electric elementand thermostat: www.solarcoil.co.uk/products.html

With trials nowalmostcomplete, asubsequentarticlewillfocusonmy experience and whether HelioPro units have auseful place on a boat.Ihavetried severaldifferent configurations specifictothe layout of atypical narrowboat andlearned agooddealthatisofuse alongthe way. Meanwhile, thereismuchtobe gleanedat: https://solariskit.com/ heliopro-solar-water-heater/#intro

Atreeand ruin on BodminMoor. Ilovedherefor its isolation andbeautiful views.

otherwiseperfect.

Day 19: Asunset at the SevernBridge. I’m about to enter Wales andlooking forwardtoOffa’sDykePath, which turned outtobemyfavourite trail on thetrip.

Day 138: Icamped in another cemetery, this time in Launceston. Itried to find ahotel butnowherehad aspace. As it turned out, this was perfect (andfree)

My routes

The northbound route started at Land’s Endand followed the Southwest Coast Path until Padstow, then headed inland on the Camel Trail and the TwoCastles Trail to Oakhampton, whereItook the Tarka Trailnorth to Barnstaple.The Macmillan WayWest skirts the bottom of Exmoorto Bridgewater andonto the RiverParrett Trail.

The Kennet and Avon Canal took me to Bath,whereIjoinedthe CotswoldWay andJubilee Waytothe SevernBridge.The entireOffa’sDyke Path (177 miles) took me to Prestatyn –abit out of my waybut I’ve alwayswanted to do thewholeroute

The WalesCoast Path then took me to Chester.Iskirted around the south of Manchesteracross to Edale andthe start of thePennine Way(all268 milesof it). St Cuthbert’sWay and the Southern Uplands Wayled to the CrossBorders -Drove Road and then the UnionCanal past thestunning Falkirk Wheel.

IN last month’s TowpathTalk,weshared hownarrowboaterChris Stanbury–also known as The Pink HatMan –completed afundraising walk from Land’s EndtoJohn O’Groats and back again, in the process hopefullybreakingaworld record. While hisattempt is verified, hereChris shares a photodiary of hisepic 2635-mile journey. He hasraised morethan£22,000 for Hope andHomes ForChildren so far;todonate, visit www.justgiving.com/page/lejog70

The JohnMuir Wayled onto the West Highland Wayall theway to Fort William and thestart of theCaledonian Canaland theGreat Glen Way. At the start of Loch Ness, Iturnednorth into the wilderness to cross themountains for manymiles with no long-distance paths to follow The southbound routestarted by using The JohnO’Groats Trailalongthe coast and then The GreatGlen Wayalong Loch Ness andThe Caledonian CanaltoFort William.FromGlasgow,Itook The Clyde Walkway and The Annandale Waytowards Carlisle.

Thenew KingCharles III England Coast Path and The CumbriaWay got me to the topofthe LancasterCanal,which Ifollowed for its entirelength. Ithen followed canals for much of thejourney down England. TheLeeds and Liverpool, Trentand Mersey,ShropshireUnion and RiverSeverntook me to Gloucesterand theCotswoldWay

TheMonarch’s Waytook me to The Bridgwater and Taunton Canal and The Great Western Canal, and the Tarka Trail and TwoCastles Trail got me to Bodmin Moor andThe CamelTrail. Ireturnedto Land’sEnd viathe Southwest Coast Path for awell-earned rest!

Whispers on the water –haunted tales for Halloween

The nights are pulling in,there’sasharpness to the air, and the leaves are turning. Your stroll along thetowpath at dusk is eerie in the half-light.What’sthatnoise? Is that afigure in the gloomy tunnelahead? Author Nick Ford, in conversation with LucyWood, might just have theanswers…

ALIFELONG interest in folklore, the supernatural and the timeless romance of the waterwaysled amateur historian Nick Ford (pictured right) to writehis fourth book, CanalGhosts &Waterwights: The Spirits of Britain’sWaterways It is alabouroflove, he said, examiningrecordedencounters in morethan200 locations on 69 canals and rivers.Meticulously researched from avarietyofsources including TowpathTalk,the terrors that towpaths around theUK might offer on acold, dark nightare chronicled.

Nick,who lives in Shropshire, spentabout ayearresearching and writingthe absorbingtome.“Anyone who spends time on the waterways will have hearda folkloric tale,” he said.“On the one hand,it’shistory –not the stuff that boredus at school and stories of the greatand the good,but history rooted in everyday life.Then, folkloreissocialhistory –documentinghow people lived, what we believedin, and thestories we told to entertainourselves.

“Folkloremakes senseofthings. In aworld when sciencewasn’tas advancedastoday,where we didn’t knowmuchabout bacteria,for example,some people believed that ‘little people’came alongtospoil the milk or ruin the crops.Itwas a wayofputtingthings into order.”

And what aboutsupernatural experiences? Nick’s book contains many inexplicable occurrences –or arethey?

“I hopemybookencourages people to keep an open mind,”he said. “I am somewhereinthe middle betweenabelieverand asceptic, and don’t simply dismisssuch stories as afancy. Until science–or if it –provides an answer,who am I to saywhat’srealand what’s not?”

Oneofthe incidents in the book is abouta ladwho experienced a three-weekjourneyonaghost ship from StanleyDockin1973, on the Leeds&LiverpoolCanal. It is this, outofthe 200-plustales, that Nick would love to have lived firsthand. “A time-travellingjourney down acanal in the 1830s would

be astupendousexperiencebut... would my mobile still work?IfI disappearedoffonanunscheduled narrowboat trip forthe best part of amonth withoutcalling home, my wife Carolwould not be best pleased,tosay the very least. That storywas one of the mostfun to verify historically, and Ilovethe wayitsortofhalf checks outand half doesn’t.”

Waterways, he said, are in-between placesoncebusyand teemingwith life butwhichare now quieter –and sometimes wilder

“When you’rebelowdeckand the portholes arejustbelowthe leg line of thetowpath,whereshadows flicker andshapesdistort,have you seen apairoflegswalkbyin the gloom? Perhapsthoselegs didn’t make asound, or maybe theywerewearing old-fashioned shoesthat aren’t of ourmodern age… perhapsit’snot just atrick of thelight.Perhaps,for afleeting moment, it could have been something otherworldly.Now there’ssomethingtomullabout this Halloween!”

Nick’s nextbook, GhostTrains and Railway Revenants: The Spirits of Britain’sRailways, is expected to be publishedatChristmas by Spiral Publishing, andheis alsocurrently writinghis next, a companion volume abouthaunted thoroughfares; keep updatedat https://spiral-books.com

Wyrley & Essington Canal, Essington extension: A child was cycling along the towpath before the extension was filled in and swerved to avoid an oncoming horse that was towing a barge unattended. It was in full harness, but the towrope tailed off into nothing. The animal made no noise as it trod the path and wasn’t quite solid

Shropshire Union, Chester: At Northgate, where the canal wall was dug into part of the city wall and moat, a Roman solider is sometimes seen alongside the canal, walking the line of the old battlements.

Worcester & Birmingham, Tardebrigge flight: A phantom lock keeper has been seen working in the garden of his cottage or at the lock gates.

National Waterways Museum, Gloucester Docks: A man in black, wearing a tall hat, has been seen and ghostly footsteps reported by staff after opening hours.

IN these extracts, Nick recountsan incident at Marple Locks, on the Peak Forest Canal... In 1965, aman and his wife moved into alock keeper’s cottage, built at the end of the1790s during theconstruction of thecanal. According to alocal chap theman once metwalking along the towpath, it was built on the site of one of seven ancient wells. One day,ashewas clearing the garden, theman’sspadestruck alarge stone,shaped intothe likeness of a grotesquehuman head,

Loch Oich, Scottish Highlands: Forms part of the Caledonian Canal. In 1936, three men boating at the southern end saw a black two-humped creature with a visible length of 12 feet.

Gorsty Hill Tunnel, Dudley Canal No. 2: When a boat failed in the tunnel’s middle, one man stayed at the tiller while the other began legging. After a while he was joined by his mate, who legged easily As it grew light enough to see by, near the tunnel’s end, he saw his mate still at the tiller – and no one beside him.

Norfolk Broads, Breydon Water: Two men fishing on July 11, 1929, saw a fleet of ghostly AngloSaxon ships pass by, phosphorescent and leaving a large wake that did not disturb their own small boat.

Grand Union, Bridge No. 39, Loughborough: A holidaymaker took a photo of swans on the water outside the Boat Inn. When she uploaded it to her computer, the image revealed the figure of a girl, with light hair and wearing an old-fashioned camisole.

about life-size,with a grinning mouth and bulging eyes. Hiswife took an instant dislike to his findand refused to have it inside the house, so it becamea garden ornament. Not longafter they heard, in the middle of the night, thesound of heavyfootsteps walking across the bedroom floor,asif over bare boards –even though theroomwas carpeted. After several such occasions, they became used to the phantom visitor.When the couple moved away,the headwas passed on in thefamily

River Avon, Stratford: A phantom narrowboat has been seen gliding under the bridge by No. 56 lock and mooring at the basin.

and unaccountable misfortunes followed it to its next three locations. It is now in a museum in Manchester

And at Hatton Locks, on the Grand Union…

One evening,acouple reached themiddlelock of theflight when the gates slammed shut and the lock paddles opened so fast that theirboat began to take on water Paddles have never been known to open by themselves as this is an upwards direction, against gravity.The boateronthe towpath rantothe lock gates to stop whoeveritwas from opening the gates so fastthat the boat was at risk of sinking. They weresurprised by agrey horsegalloping past, followed by awoman begging for Alfred not to leave her.They later learnedfromthe old lock keeper that the girl had become pregnant by amarried canal man.Even later still, the couple were absolutely astonished to learnthat theold lockkeeper didn’t exist –hehad, but he had drowned himself in thelock when his daughter died more than 100 years before.

Trial totackle UK’s ‘prettiest invasive species’ in Yorkshire an early success

Abiological trial to tackleone of theUK’smost pervasive and iconic invasive specieshas shown early promise, saysYorkshire Wildlife Trust.

WORKING parties around the countryhavebeenbalsam bashing this summer,removingHimalayan balsam from ourriverbanks, as reportedin TowpathTalk last month.

Recognisable forits pink flowers, it is one of the UK’smostinvasive weed species,found extensively alongriverbanks. The plantcan causeerosion and grow to heights of up to three metres,smothering all other nativeplant species in the area.Controlling thespread by manually removing plants is labour-intensive,and teamsof hardyvolunteersgather to fight the perpetual threat.

This year,YorkshireWildlife Trust hasreportedbalsam bashingfor 700 hoursoverthe course of twomonths Butthereisanalternativemethod of biological control whichhas now been trialledatsites in thecounty through collaboration with scientific organisation CABI,the National Trustand YorkshireWater. It involves the releaseofrustfungus, anatural enemyofthe plantfound in its nativeIndiaand Pakistan. Releases happenedduringsummer 2024 and thefungussuccessfully survived the

winter months,naturally reinfecting seedlings this year –meaning it has long-termpotential to help control the plantnaturally.

Elliot Baxendale,project officer at the trust, said: “Wespend a lot of time managingHimalayan balsam infestations both on and off ourreserves, adifficulttask given its sheer quantityand how hard it is to reach. Thisrustfungus trial–especiallynow we knowit hassurvivedaYorkshirewinter –represents atruly excitingand

game-changingopportunity. We have 193 invasive non-nativespecies (known as INNS) in Yorkshirealone, and the annual costofmanaging thisinthe UK is measured at about £4 billion. In fact,INNSare the second biggestcause of habitatloss worldwide after habitatdestruction for development.”

Oneofthe chosen trialsites is the National Trust-ownedHardcastle Crags,inWestYorkshire, home to a19th century cottonmill. That trust’scountryside manager, Rosie Holdsworth, said: “Weare delighted that thefungusappears to be thrivinghere. It hassuccessfully overwintered and is showing real promiseinhelping to control Himalayanbalsam.Theseearly resultsare very encouragingand we areexcited to monitorhow the funguscontinues to suppressbalsam growth in the comingseasons.”

Dr StephBradbeer, lead ecologist at YorkshireWater,added: “The rust fungustrial presents anew opportunitytocomplement and enhance controlmanagement.”

YorkshireWildlife TrustTrust has released the rust fungusinthree siteswithin theCalder catchment

Campaigners win battletoput ahaltto polluting poultryunits in KennetValley

ANLGING clubs,river groups and concerned residents have welcomeda decision by West Berkshire Council to reject aplanning application by theSutton’s Estate to build an intensive poultryunit to house32,000 chickens in an area located within the floodplain of the RiverKennet,atHamstead Marshall, in ahighly sensitiveSiteofSpecial ScientificInterest(SSSI).

Seriousconcerns were alsoraised by Natural England, the government body chargedwith the protection of SSSIs,and representations were made by the AnglingTrust and the EnvironmentAgency, whichsubmittedaformal objection to the plans.

With the planned poultryunits sitedin theKennet floodplain just 200 metres from the river, mostobjectors raised seriousconcerns aboutthe risksofnutrient pollution, including nitrates, phosphates,and ammonia, leachingintothe

riverand its surrounding groundwater.They claimed this increase in agricultural run-offthreatenedto further degrade the ecological health of the Middle Kennet,which was downgraded to ‘poor’ status in 2022 underthe Water FrameworkDirective, with diffuse pollution from agriculturecited as akey contributingfactor.

TheRiver Kennet is one of about200 rare chalk streams,supporting aunique and fragile ecosystemrenowned for its wildlife and fish species such as trout and grayling, anditisalready under pressure from sewage and agricultural pollution, as well as habitatdegradation.

As brieflyreportedin last month’s issue, the council’s refusalnotice follows arguments made by the AnglingTrust and Fish Legalonbehalfof their memberclubs and fisheries in the areaand otherorganisations.A largeproportion ofthe 233

and one in the Colne catchment through fundingfromthe National Highways Environment and WellbeingDesignatedFund. Additional fundingfromDefra has alsoseena successful releaseat thetrust’s WheldrakeIngsnature reserve, whichwill be repeated. The trustwill continue to monitor infection, overall health of the plants and, crucially, whether the fungusendures subsequentwinters

CABI scientistKatePollardsaid “Years of testinghas ensured that the fungusishighlyhost-specificand safe.Thefungushas atwo-pronged attack–killing seedlingsduring the spring and infecting the leaves of mature plants.Rust-infected leaves fall to the ground duringthe autumn,where it persists in theleaf litter over winter beforereinfecting new seedlings the following spring.”

AccordingtoYorkshireWildlife Trust’sState of Yorkshire’s Nature report released last year, one in 20 of the county’s plants have become extinct and27% of those that remain aredeclining.

Elliot added: “With morethan 6500km of rivers and only16% in goodecologicalcondition,

conservation projects arevital to ensure Yorkshire’s habitats arethe very best theycan be.”

Help control the spread by ensuring anyfootweariscleanedafter visiting or walkingthrough an area whereany invasive species is present.

This image taken last year by WesternSussex Rivers Trust shows how Himalayan balsam can destabilise and enhance riverbank erosion. It has been exacerbated by winter dieback from the balsam, whichleaves behind bare, unconsolidated bank sediment that is easily washed into rivers during heavy rainfall.

New trustees appointed to trust board

objections were submitted by membersofReading &District AA,Newbury AA,Civil Service AA,Red Spinners AS and other anglinginterests concerned at the potentialdamageto thisfamous river.

West Berkshire Planners said in the decision: “The applicationsiteislocated near to the SSSI andis hydrologically connected to severalSpecial Areas of Conservation (SACs), includingthe River Lambourn, Kennet and Lambourn Floodplain, and Kennet Valley Alderwoods. The proposed development would have an adverse impact on the biodiversity assets of West Berkshire andhas failedthe Habitats RegulationsAssessment (HRA), includingthe integrityand derogation tests.

Martin Salter,long-time Kennet angler andheadof policy at the Angling Trust, said: “Phosphatepollution from agricultureingeneral and chickenproduction specifically is nowa major causeofpollution in many of ourrivers, with nowonly 14% of them meetinggood ecological status under the WaterFramework Directive.

“The trusthopes this decision demonstrates that it is possible to fight againstlocatinghighlytoxic poultry units anywherethat puts ourpreciousriversat further risk.”

Fish Legalsolicitor Zoe Wedderburn-Day said: “This welcome decision hassaved the RiverKennet SSSI, thesurroundingareas and ourmemberclubs from agrave threat.”

“Evidenceindicates harmfuleffects from groundwater pollution and surfacewater run-off, particularly through increasedphosphorus and nitrogen deposition. Theseadverse impacts have notbeenfully avoided, mitigated,orcompensated, and thereisinsufficient information to supportany contrary conclusions.”

THREE newappointments have been made to the Canal& RiverTrust’s boardofvolunteer trustees.They arefor an initial three-yeartermand were approved by the trust’scouncil on September24.

Angela Cluff is currently trusteeofthe Migration Museum and co-vice chairof Freedom from Torture. Shewas previously trusteeand deputy chairofOxfam GB andvice chair of Care International UK ClareMontagu is currently chief executiveofPoppy’s and aformer trusteeofCentrepoint. Sheisa formersenior governmentadvisor andhas been chief operatingofficer of theRoyal Trinity Hospiceand directorofTheBritish American Project.

PeterHudson CB CBEis currentlyvice chairofthe Commonwealth WarGraves Commission, presidentof Forces EmploymentCharity and theCombinedCadet Forces Association, and he hasalso been atrustee of the Mary Rose Museum.Heisa former Vice Admiral, servingonthe Royal Navy’s Main ExecutiveBoard, and served as head of NATO’s Maritime Command.

The role of trusteeisunpaid andvoluntary, andpost-holders

lead the trust’sdecision-making on policyand strategy.They also have legaloversightofthe trust’s wide rangeofstatutory duties andprovide directiontothe trust’sexecutiveteam.

DavidOrr CBE, chair of the CRT, said: “I am delighted to welcome Angela,Clare,and Peter. Ourcanals arefacing some significantchallenges, as ageand extreme weather impact thenetwork,but there areopportunitiestoo

“Justascanals met the needsofthe nation when they were built, todaytheyplayan importantrole in thechallenges of modern society.

“Thenew trustees will play an invaluable part in supporting ourcharity as we navigate the yearsahead.

“They bringahugeamount of passion, professional experience and knowledge and we’reexcited to have them on board.

“I would like to thankJanet Hogben,Dame JennyAbramsky, and TimReeve CBE, who have concludedtheir time on the board.

“Theyhaveshown extraordinarycommitment, donatingtheir time and expertiseoverthe past nine years.”

Abasin between times

On aquiet stretch of theCoventry Canal, between the city’s edge and the winding turn at HawkesburyJunction, lies Exhall Basin, aprivate mooring site thatrestsgentlybetween theindustrialpast and the personal journeys of modern boaters.

IT IS not dramatic or sprawling. It is not loud or urban. Butitisreal–asecureand quietly compellingplace to moor.Now under the careful stewardship of Waterpride Estates Ltd, Exhall Basin, soon to be knownasSutton Stop Marina,inCoventry, represents afresh chapterinthe ongoingstory of England’s inland waterways. Notsomucha revolution, butareturntowhat matters

Aquiet line in theindustrial story

Situated betweenCoventryand Bedworth, Exhall haslongbeenshapedbyindustry. In the 19th and early20th centuries,coalmining and brick-making dominatedlocal trade, supportedbythe strategictransport linksof canaland laterrail.

The Coventry Canal, authorised in 1768 and initiallyengineered by JamesBrindley, became avital routefor coaltraffic.Its course ledthrough Exhall, on theway to the now-famous Hawkesbury Junction, whereit meets the OxfordCanal via anarrowstoplock –once the symbolicboundarybetween rival canalcompanies.

Aplace apart –and that’s itsstrength

Exhall Basinisneither buried in countryside norpressed againsta citycentre. It occupies aplace of balance,justnorth of Coventry, within reachofBedworth, and with close access to theM6. It offersseclusion without isolation.

This privatemooring benefits from:

•Gated site access

• Secure residential moorings (currently 12 berths)

•On-site electricityand drinkingwater

•Elsan disposal and refusefacilities

•Private carparking for moorers

Though compact,the basinisneatly maintainedand practical in layout. It hasthe feel of atucked-awayretreatfor thosewho value still waters andslowerliving.

Furtherenhancements including shower andtoilet blocks, pump-out facilities and visitor moorings arebeingactively exploredaspartofWaterpride’s long-term developmentplans

Waterpride’scommitment

With morethan25years of managinginland marinasand mooringsites,Waterpride EstatesLtd brings ameasured, time-tested approach to Exhall Basin:

•Customer-firstservice

•Methodical site management

•Long-terminvestment

•Safe,tidy, andsecureenvironments

Crucially,Waterpride is proudtobe acarbon-neutral company,embedding sustainabilityintoevery aspect of site management. From low-energy operations to responsible procurementand environmentallymindful upgrades,weplan with futuregenerations in mind.

We don’t rush.Wedon’t impose.We observe, listen, and act carefully–always aimingtoenhance rather than replace the character of each site we ownand manage

We have afew vacancies. Whynot come and takea look?

Exhall Basin

Blackhorse Road,Longford, Coventry CV6 6DU 07713513871

exhallbasin@waterpride.co.uk www.waterwayleisure.com

Allaboardfor history! Newboardtellscanal boat’s unique journey

The spotlight is being shoneonaone-of-akindboatwhich was hand-built by volunteers.

AUNIQUE replicacanal boat, the onlyone in the world, is the subjectofa new information boardinstalledonthe banks of theChesterfield Canal, at Shireoaks, in Derbyshire.

It tells the storyofthe Dawn Rose,which washand-built by volunteersofthe Chesterfield CanalTrust andisnow looked after by agroup from thetrust called the Friends of Dawn Rose

Thecanal hasnever been linkedtoany other canals and thereforeits boats, often referred to as cuckoo boats, developed differentlyfor thosefound on many other canals.For example, mostjourneys were relatively short,sofamilies did notlive on them,meaningtherewas no need for largecabins

The last of theseunique boats wasbuilt in the 1920s.Thesolesurvivingone on the canalwas moored at Worksop. It rotted away in 1976, butnot before RichardAllsopp completed a thorough survey,measuring everythingtoproduce technical drawings.Therewas another cuckoo boat,called Dawn,atthe National WaterwaysMuseum at EllesmerePort, butthatmet its makerinthe 1980s

In the early2000s,some members of the Chesterfield CanalTrust decidedthat it would be agood ideatobuild anew,

full-sizedcuckooboat, under the NewDawnProject.Anappealfor moneyto buythe wood followed. This proved very successful, so the wood wasboughtand stored to season in asecretlocationfor severalyears

Seriousworkbegan in January 201and ledbyDavid Bownes, whoworkedoncuckooboats as ayoung man. He wasone of very few people with real working knowledge of their construction.

The taskwas enormous,not leastbecause of the decision to useonlytools that were available 80 yearsbefore. Atotal of 360 hand-made 9in nails hadtobe hammeredupwards to secure the bottom beams.Planks27feet longand twoinches thickhad to be steamedand bent to shape. Vastquantities of pitch,oakum and linseedoil were needed for the caulking.

The boat waslaunchedand named Dawn Rose in 2015 andisnow used to tell the storyofgoods carryingonthe canalthrough horse-boating

demonstrations and boat pulls, wherebylocal groups canuse it to towfor acoupleofmiles for sponsorship fortheir favourite cause, in return for afee.This hasraisedtensofthousands of pounds for localcharities

The new informationboard tells the storyofboatcarriage alongthe canaland howthe boat people lived, as well as the construction of Dawn Rose itself.

Theboard wasunveiled by Vickie Preston, from the Mansfield BuildingSociety, which gave the trustagrant

Rock legendofficially reopens visitor centre

TAPTON Lock VisitorCentrehas been officially reopenedbyrenowned musician Dave Berry.

The centreisowned by DerbyshireCounty Council and waspreviously runbyits CountrysideService.Muchtothe dismay of many canaltowpath users, it wasclosed in Mayafter many months of onlyopeningfor afew days aweekbecause thecouncil could no longeraffordtorun it

Chesterfield CanalTrust steppedinand hastaken outaninitial nine-month licence.It hopestoagree alonger-term leasenextspring and nowhas sufficientvolunteerstobeable to open everyday exceptChristmas Day. Regularcustomersatthe centrehave expresseddelight that theirmuch-lovedspace hasreopened.

of £1500 to payfor it.She said “The Chesterfield Canalisan importantpartofour heritage. Thenew boardabout the buildingofthe Dawn Rose will inspirepeople aboutthe unique historyoflocal canalboats.At MansfieldBuildingSociety, we arerootedinour community, andwehopethe boardwill provide apoint of interest and a celebration of ourlocal identity for many yearstocome.”

Lynn Lyons, thechair of the Friends of Dawn Rose,added: “We areverygratefultothe MansfieldBuildingSociety for their very generousgrant.This hasenabledustorealisea longheld dreamoftellingthe storyof Dawn Rose to allwho walk along thetowpath past itsmooring at ShireoaksMarina.”

Jill Hardy, who runs the centrefor the trust, said: “Weare grateful to Dave forcomingto officiallyopenTaptonLockVisitor Centre.It hasbeena steeplearningcurve for me since I agreed to takeiton, butI have been incredibly well supportedbyour fabulous volunteers.” Dave Berryisfamous for many classic hits from the 1960s including The CryingGame.He lives locally, in Dronfield, and first contacted the ChesterfieldCanal Trustmanyyears ago after takinghis granddaughterona festive cruise. He wasimpressed by the work of the volunteersand became the trust’srestoration ambassador.Heonce cycled the full lengthof the canal, raisingseveral hundred pounds in sponsorship.

The trust, as reported,isrestoring thecanal at Staveley. In the next few months,anew lock,apumpingsystemand severalhundred metres of canalwill be built.Almosttwo miles of towpathwill be restored to Renishaw Dave officiallyopenedthe centreduringthe Tapton Lock Festival, organised by Junction Arts

Museum Focus: Exploring an industrialgem in Bristol

Clifton’s iconic Suspension Bridge and the SS GreatBritain grab the lion’sshare of attention in Bristol,but foranyone with an interest in the historyofriverand seatrade in this ancient port, avisit to the19th centuryUnderfall Yard is amust.

UNDERFALLYarddates back to 1809, when civil engineer William Jessop wascontracted to create a‘floatingharbour’ that wouldovercomethe problems presentedby thetidal RiverAvonby maintainingwater levels and preventingships from being strandedatlow tide Jessop,who already hadanimpressivetrack record with hisprojects on numerouscanals and navigations throughout the UK,came up with aplan to divertthe course of the Avon from what is nowthe

Underfall Yard area into an artificial waterway,the New Cut, whichwas constructed between1804 and 1809. Thescheme includedthe constructionofthe Overfall Damtoallowsurplus water to flowintothe NewCut. Unfortunately,the riverwater broughtsilt, whichbuilt up and reducedthe depth of the harbour. The twosluices nexttothe damprovided onlyatemporary solution, and everysooften more drasticaction wasneeded

–emptyingthe harbourso silt couldbedug out, causing majordisruption. It wasleft to Isambard Kingdom Brunel in the1830s to solvethe problem by developingthe sluicesto improvetheirefficiencyand to usedredgers.

The yard wasrebuilt in the 1880s under the supervision of docksengineerJohn Ward Girlestone to accommodate all thoseemployedin maintainingthe docks, from plumbers, electricians and blacksmiths to engineersand

shipwrights

By the 20th century,the yard wasfallingintodisrepair

The Underfall Yard Trustwas formedinthe 1990s to restore the yard and its buildings, and it is nowhometoarange of workshops and maritime enterprises. The maintenance of the FloatingHarbour is still controlledfromUnderfall Yard,which is nowone of thefew surviving Victorian workingdocks in the world.

The visitor centreopened in March2016 in theformer HydraulicPower House. Here you canfind outabout the Underfallsluices andhow theywork, learnmoreabout thehistory of UnderfallYard through agiant interactive map– complete with digital screens, memorygames and quizzes–and discover some of the people who helped shapeBristol’s docks through alarge wall display. Tryyourhand at the three magnet-operated interactive games,whereyou canhavea go at moving aboatthrough alock, stoppingthe harbour from floodingand clearing the silt from the harbour. The centrealsohousesacafé,with indoor andoutdoor seating.

The adjacentPumpRoom houses three largepumps whichwereinstalledin 1887 andconverted from steamtoelectricity in 1907. Theyremained in operation until 2010. Alsoondisplay arethe accumulators– large weightsoperatedbythe

pumpstopush waterthrough the pipes at high pressure

Youcan see the pumpsand accumulatorsin action at certain times;details areavailable in the visitor centre, which alsoholds information aboutopening times for the historic workshops and the sluice room.Elsewhere in the yard you cansee the slipway, whichdates from 1890. Originallyhydraulically driven, it wasconverted to electricityin1924 and is still used for the maintenance and repair of boats. At the main entrance youwill see theCampbellBuoy, which onceprovidedmooring for paddle steamers.

Thereare several of these signs at the

Bristol’sriver and maritime history andto enjoy abiteto eat. Nearby you have SS GreatBritain,the M Shed,and amix of modern and historicships to enjoy alongthe FloatingHarbour

UnderfallYardisthe perfect place to immerseyourselfin

Visitorinformation:

Underfall Yard

Cumberland Road, Bristol BS1 6XG www.underfallyard.co.uk

Visitor centre, café andboatyardopendaily;see website for times.

Admission free.

Gettinghere: By ferry (neareststopCottage Inn) www bristolferry.com;bus from city centre www.firstbus. co.uk/bristol-bath-and-west;onfoot –approx. 1.5 miles from city centre(follow Harbourside Walk blue signs). https://visitbristol.co.uk/plan-your-visit/travelinformation/ for moredetailed information about travelling to and around Bristol.

Why towpathsare goodfor people, forthe environment,and theeconomy

SCOTTISHCanals hasusedOrdnance Survey (OS) data to help manage Scotland’s historic141-mile canal network,providing numerous benefits for localcommunities Accordingtothe Scottish Government body responsible for managingthe country’s inland waterways, towpaths areimportant spaces that benefitlocal

communities,health, and the environmentin ways that many might not even realise.

Scottish Canals has used data from the OS National Geographic Database (OSNGD) thissummer to gain a clearpictureofits canal towpaths.William Adam, its GIS (geographic information system) specialist, said: “OSdata is essentialfor defining

ownershipboundaries, calculatinglengths andvolumes of canal sections, and supporting engineersinnew and ongoingdevelopments.

The OS NGDplatform enables Scottish Canals to efficientlylocate, extract,and packagethe necessary geospatial data to supportthese activities

“I wasable to usethe data to pull the actual

canalpolygonssothat we hadmorethanjust acentreline defining the canals.This was abig step forward in beingable to calculate volumesand areasin the canals

“Oneofthe biggest benefits of towpaths is howtheyhelppeople stay healthyand active. Theyprovide safe,flat routes for walking, running, andcycling,

which makesiteasier for peopleofall ages and abilities to getmoving. Spending time outdoors, especially near blue and greenspace,isalsogreat for ourmental health.It helps us unwind, reduce stress,and feel more connected to the world.

“Manypeopleuse them to walk or cycle to work,school, or the shops.Because they’re away from busy roads,

they’requieter andsafer for all, includingfamilies with children or people usingwheelchairsor pushchairs. Choosing to travel this waynot only savesmoney–italso helpscut down on traffic and pollution

“Towpathscan bring arealsense of pride to an area and help people feel more connected to where theylive. Businesses benefit when towpaths are busy.Inshort,they’re an importantpartof making Scotland’s townsand cities more environmentallyfriendly andresilient.Scottish Canals towpaths area fantastic resource.They helpuslivehealthier, more active lives, bring communities together, supportlocal wildlife, and make travel greener and moreenjoyable.”

Unearthed historicalartefacts on display

TheStafford Riverway LinkArtefacts Exhibitionreveals artefacts recovered by volunteers duringthe Baswich site restoration.

STAFFORD Riverway Link CIC (SRL) is acanal restoration groupaimingto reconnect the county town of Staffordtothe Staffordshire &WorcestershireCanal at Baswich.

While clearing and excavatingthe site of the Stafford Branch CanalatBaswich, volunteersuneartheddozens of artefacts from the ground, many of whichcan be attributed to the former inhabitants of theLockHouse. Othersmay have been discarded when the navigation wasopen.

The exhibition hasbeentouring libraries in the area since Februarylastyear, bringing to life the history of the site and shiningthe spotlightonthe Baswichlockkeepers and their wives.

Currently, the exhibitionisat Stafford Library(StaffordshirePlace,TippingStreet, StaffordST16 2DH) until Saturday,November

8. It will then move to Holmcroft Community Library(Holmcroft Road, StaffordST16 1JG) from Monday,November24until Saturday, January17, 2026.

The Stafford Branch,alsoknown as the RiverSow Navigation, did not requireanAct of Parliament as all the land wasowned by Lord Stafford. Work startedonthe 1½-mile navigation in 1814 and involved constructing arovingbridge, basin, aqueduct,lock, and lock houseatBaswich,and straightening anddeepeningthe RiverSow.Inthe centre of Stafford, ashort channelwas cutparallel to theriver leadingtoacoalwharf near Green Bridge.Thewaterwayopenedin1816 and was navigable untilthe 1920s

At Baswich, the junction with the main canal wasblocked off in 1929 andthe lock gatesand aqueducttrough removed. The lock house

Live music overlooking the water

CROWDS flockedtosee internationallyacclaimed musicians at this year’s Culture@ The Canalevent in Louth,Lincolnshire. Bands includingthe YorkStringQuartet and ThePaulGibbard Rhythm and Blues Band performedatNavigation Warehouseonaplatform overlookingthe water at theRiverhead area of LouthNavigation. It wasorganisedby the Louth Zero Degrees Festival and Louth NavigationTrust,and theday alsoincludeda heritage talk by renowned localauthor Stuart Sizer.

wasoccupieduntil 1956 and demolished soon after. The roving bridge andremains of the lock survived untiltheyweredemolished in the1970s,Weirlevelsonthe riverhave been changed, and the Rivers Sowand Penk realigned.Theriver channel andall theother bridgesintoStaffordare still in place,and partsofthe towpathhavebeenupgraded. The channelinStafford wasinfilledin1930, and thecoalwharf site is nowpartofthe Riverside Retail andLeisure Complexopenedin2016. The groupthat wastobecome the SRLwas foundedin1997; for moreinformation, visit https://stafford-riverway-link.co.uk/

Workingwaterside? Isyour team or business compliant?

Most large organisations working in industryhavetheirroute to water safetycompliance fully mapped out and widely accessible. The bluelight sector,the EnvironmentAgencyand their contractors, Canal & RiverTrust staff, andvolunteershaveestablished training policiesand procedures in place; in other words,a clear route to follow. However, thereare multitudes of companies, organisations, societies, andtrusts operating on or around boats orinboatyards, marinas, and at waterside locationsonthe canal and river system which fall outside theseexisting trainingschemes

MANYare unawarethatthere areguidelinesandregulations in place affectingthem,while very few areaware of their statutorylegal requirement to provide certification, licences and aquatic personal protectiveequipment (PPE) to their teams and staff.If workingwithin threemetres of the water, with achanceof ‘accidental immersion,’the Health and SafetyExecutive regulations statethatyou should have undertaken trainingand have thecorrect aquaticPPE.

Twoorthree recent incidents have resulted in an increasedrequirement for aprofessional training course tailoredtothe wider ‘water environment’ sectors, includingall thoseworking or volunteering waterside and potentiallyonboats in a non-tidal environment.

Widelyknown throughout the industry, British Marine, thetrade associationfor the commercial marine industry, hadthe foresight to see

that aswathe of the wider commercial sector alsohad an obligation to their staff to keep them safe at work andtobecome compliant with legislation, so they commissioneda bespoke modular programme to cater for theseneeds.

The Inland Waters Safety Managementcoursewas developed by Birmingham &Midland Marine Services Ltd, corporatepartner of the InstituteofSearchand TechnicalRescue(InSTR),

which hasbeenproviding Maritime andCoastguard Agencyaccredited water safety and commercial boat training and DEFRA, HSEand CDM regulationscompliant occupational watersafety and rescue training for almost 10 years.

Clientelewithlittleorno involvementincommercially operated boatsbenefit in the modularnatureofthe Inland WaterSafetyManagement course,which is available

in bank,boat, and bank and boat format. Clientsbook coursesfor aset number of candidates,ensuringthat trainingcan be tailored to theirspecific enterprise. Trainingcan be delivered at the main trainingcentre in Staffordshireorremotely at avenue moresuitable to the client,often at their own premises

Encompassing elements from both theDEFRA Con-Opsand theMaritime

&Coast GuardAgency’s Personal Survival and Water Safety courses, it provides alevel of training gauged to meet the needsofemployers andtheir staff attendingas candidates.Fully audited, accredited andcertificated by theInstitute of Search andTechnicalRescue, this BritishMarine course is run to thehighest standards. Coursesare booked directly viaVicki Crossley at training@ britishmarine.co.uk. For technical information, email office@midlandmarine.co.uk Furtherdetails on HSE-compliantwater safety trainingand MCA-recognised helmsman and boat master licences canbefound as downloads or be viewed at www.midlandmarine.co.uk/ downloads

Bridge 180, Grand Union Canal,

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Tel: 01895 822036

muskmarine@hotmail.com

www.harefieldmarina.co.uk

Facilitiesinclude:-

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•Flood proof moorings

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•Freewi-fi•Laundry •Showers

•Fuel sales •Pumpout

• Lakeland Leisureboatbrokerage

T: 07967 461057

E: shakespeare@land-water.co.uk

CAEN HILL MARINA

•248 berths located on Kennet & Avon canal

•Near to Devizes Wiltshire

• LakelandBoat Brokerage

T: 01380 827062

E: caenhill@land-water.co.uk

NORTHWICH NOR QUAY

• 50 berths located on river Weaver

• Centre of Northwich, Cheshire

T: 07967 461038

E: northwich@land-water.co.uk

Facilities:

•Water/ Electricity

•Bottled CalorGas supplier

•Pump out

•Laundryroom

•Heated toilets,Shower room with underfloor heating •Licensed barwith outsideseating area •Postal addressfor live aboards

•Chandlery •Diesel

Email: info@goolemarina.co.uk

Tel: 01405 763985

GooleMarina, TheTimberPond, DutchRiverside, Goole, DN14 5TB

GooleMarinaislocatedina basin connectingtothe Aire andCalderCanal and close to thecommercialportofGoole in theEastRidingofYorkshire.The marina provides an idealbasefor cruising thewaterways of Yorkshireaswellasgivingeasyaccesstothe Humber Estuaryand theNorth Sea. We have amarinabasin to accommodate 150 boatsofvarious lengths& widths We canaccommodateall typesofcraft from Cruisers to Narrowboatand Barges Alltypes of moorings,gardenmoorings to floating pontoons,which canbeaccessed24hrs aday

Services:

•DryDock •Slipway

•Welding •Blacking

•Shot Blasting

•Engine Servicing

•SolarPanel

•LPGGas Safe work

•JoineryServices

•NewBoats

•Boat Brokerage

•Electrical Work •Painting

Ournew Marina Café,CoffeeDock, is nowopentothe public Open Monday –Saturday 9amuntil 3pm. Everyone welcome!

Amarinathatoffersyou achoice

Afamily owned marina setinrural Worcestershire, but minutes away from the M5,gives all boaters great travel opportunities.

The238 berth marina is locatedonthe DroitwichCanals, ideally situatedfor greatcruising albeit fora shortbreak or long holidays.Itiswithin easy walking distanceofthe SpaTownofDroitwich.

This marina offers you

■ Securityfor youand your boat

■ Full length jetties, in anon flood environment

■ First class facilities, including luxuryshowerblock and launderette

■ Shop and Chandlery ■ Elsan, Pumpout,Diesel,Water

■ Boat Blacking options available

■ Hardstanding,Service Area, andCranage Padfacilities

■ Calor GasStockist

■ CaravanMotorhome CL site

for 2 years and get a discount of 10% on 2nd

Trustus tosell yourboat!

Ourin-housemarketingteamworks hard to showcase your boattothe right buyers with outstandingexposure across multipleplatforms, including:

•Premium listing on theLakeland LeisureBoatSaleswebsite

•Dedicated promotional postsacross oursocialmedia channels

•Highquality photography, video and 360 virtualwalkthroughtours

•Regularfeatures in TowpathTalk, WaterwaysWorld and Canal Boat Magazine

•Targetedadvertising on Meta and Google

•Ongoing SEOmonitoring and optimisation

Alongside this,yourpersonal broker will guideyou throughevery step of theway.

Northampton Marina

The ideal location forexploring East Anglia’s Waterways Town centrelocation inparksurroundings

Retreat Call us on 07867 580129 to arrange avisit or to makeanenquiry. Office hours: MondaytoFriday 9am to 5pm Saturday &Sunday10am to 4pm www.visitanglianwaterways.org www.northamptonmarina.co.uk

Hill Farm Marina

SouthStratfordCanal

The View Restaurant is nowfully open www.theview-eat.co.uk

• •Enjoy privateaccess to atraditional 200 acrebeef andsheep farm

• •Dogs run free in designatedareas

• •Watch the changing seasons,the wildlifeand the animalsonthe farm

• •Enjoy the completepeace,freedom and tranquillityofbeing in thecountryside

• •Accesssome greatlock free cruising forday trips, weekend or longer voyages

• •Easy access to motorway network, busesand trains

• •Onsitelaundry,Hairdressers

• •Members benefit with adiscountatour popular Restaurant

It goes withoutsaying....

• •A secureplacetomooryourboat, andpark your car

• •Luxurious showers,communal areas, pump out andfuel etc.

• •FreeunlimitedWIFI

• •Electricityand water connections

• •Pump-out,fuel,coal,wood and gas available

Linktobooking andmoredetails: https://bookwhen.com/rya/vouchers

April

Supplying

1stprize -Yourcanopy at 2011 prices!! Quite asaving!! (Orders alreadypaidforbeforethedraw date,remain in thedraw andwillberefunded)

Other prizes include

•Algae Zapper •Seam Sealer •Repair Kits •Keep Clear

All from our covercarerange

To join thecelebrationand savebig,contact us below!

•Minimaldeposit required to secureorder

•Wedon’t chargean extramilagefee

•5yearmaterial guarantee

•ExceptionalCustomer care

• Full vehiclefleet so warranty work is quicklyaddressed

•Our ownrange of after-market covercare

•Customer payment plans

•Iver(Slough Arm) and Northolt (Paddington arm)

•Secure siteswithprivate parking

•Delivery of gas,solid fuel and diesel direct to your boat

•Electricity,water,elsan and pump out

•Showersand laundry

•Chandlery

•Mechanical, electrical, and carpentry work undertaken

•Craning, grit blasting and blacking

•Two partepoxyhull treatment

•Fuel polishingservice

sales@high-line.co.uk 01753 651496 www.high-line.co.uk

FORSELLERS

•Free moorings

•Sales location with establishedfootfall

•Open 6days /week

•Trade Plates for unlicensedcraft

•Pre sales preparation andrepairs

FORBUYERS

•Free guidance and advice

•Comprehensive handover

•Secure clients bank account

•ABYAqualified brokeragestaff

•Industrystandard documentation

PRIVATE BUYER’S SERVICE

•Ifyou are buying privately,wecan offer the following services:

•Advice on allaspectsofpurchase

•Provision of documentation

•Secure Clients bank account

•Bespoke service –asmuch or as little as you want, priced accordingly

kb@vcmarine.co.uk 01753 652502 /07860 480079 www.vcmarine.co.uk

We arethe only membership association setup, in 1963, to protect the interestsoflive-aboard boaters.Weneed your supporttobeableto continueour work.Sojoinus, in promotion, development, representation andprotectionofour chosen lifestyle.Interested?

Seemoreinformation on our websitewww.rboa.org.uk. or telephone 0330 057 7180 to find out how to join andget involved in the safeguarding of the future freedom of livingafloat.

Annual membership from only£30.00.

TheResidentialBoat Owners’AssociationStudio2 Waterside Court ThirdAvenueBurtononTrent DE14 2WQ SponsoredbyAll Wills andTrusts.co.uk

Tradeplacesand explore thewaterwaysthrough mooring benefitsplan

AMOORINGbenefits

scheme is provingahit with customersofAquavista, whichruns 32 marinas with morethan5300berths around the UK

Whencustomersmoor with the operator viaan annual contract,they gain accesstoExplore 100. It meanstheyget more than just amooring at their chosen marina –theycan alsostayatmost of the firm’sother marinas for up to 100nightsatno extracost.

“What we mean is total freedom to explore the waterways–you cancruise alongdifferentcanals,take in some countryside views, setofftoa new town to soak up some culture, or if your home marina is on the coastyou canmake plans to sail over to your nearestAquavista coastal marina,” said an Aquavista spokesperson.

“When you’redone for the day, one of ourmarinas will be readytowelcome you,with all the comforts you want for astop-off and

allthe handyfacilitiesyou don’t getwhen you mooron the openwaterways

“Asanannual contract holder,you canvisit our marinasand stop over free of charge.

“The onlyexemption to this offer is Limehouse Waterside &Marinain London becauseit’ssuper busy,where we do charge a feefor visiting, but it’s still a discountedrate.

“Inthe 12-month period of your annual contract, youget atotal of 100nights to experience ourother Aquavista marinas.

“All youhavetodo to book your free stop-overis call themarinayou wish to visit, give it your Aquavista accountnumber, and we’ll check availability. We’ll do ourverybestto fit you in.

“LastApril, we increased the benefit from 34 to 100 –so it’s morethana year sincewe’ve almost tripled the number of nights moorerscan useeachyear they’re with us.

“A nu np la nne d advantage of ourscheme

is the peace of mindithas broughtrecentlywiththe lowwater levels.We’ve been able to use

“Explore 100 for the instances wherepeople haven’t been able to getback to the marina theycurrently stay at (orwanttomoorat) to allowthem to stay in another Aquavista marina until it’s safe to travel.”

Paul and KaySumpner, the organisersofthe popularElectrika electric boat trade show,are self-confessedExplore 100 addicts. Forthe last couple of years, they have been living on boardtheir narrowboat OldNick with theirborderterriersBill and TedatBrinklowWaterside and Marina –whattheycall ‘the marina of dreams.’

“Werockedupthere acoupleofyears ago and likeditsomuchwe stayed,” said Kay. “Weare very happythere.I like the relaxedatmosphere–it’s very friendly, and we have agoodsocialscene It’s just alovelyplace to be, and so rural.”

Kayexplainedthat Old Nick is electric, andits batterychargemustbe monitored constantly in case it drops. Forthe couple to be able to hook up the batteryand resetitatthe marinastheyvisit is ahuge advantage

Sheadded: “Explore 100 is essentiallythe total freedom to cruise. It’s such an amazingbenefit for us that we takefull advantage of usingit. Lastyearwe visitedseven marinas.

“Whenwe’re there, we usuallyhavesomegroceries delivered –it’ssomuch easier!

“Wewillcatch up with thelaundryatthe great facilities at the marinas… loos,water,all that sort of thing… we getourselves into shapefor goingback out.”

Explore100 also includes partner discountson products and servicesand marina swaps. Lastyear, morethan400 Aquavista moorerstookadvantage of the initiative, using6400plus nights.

Fresh faces take roles at LKQ Leisure &Marine

LKQLeisure &Marine, aftermarketdistributor of parts andaccessoriestothe mobile andstatichome, touring vehicle andmarine sectors, has announcedtop-levelleadership changes.

Andy Taylor hasbeen appointedsales director, while business director BobWiffen will retireatthe end of 2025 after many yearsofdedicated service to LKQUK&Ireland. Mr Taylor’s appointmentcomes as the group establishes anew division for its specialistbusinesses, bringing together LKQLeisure&Marine, LKQDigraph and LKQBodyshop under aunifiedstructure.He joinsthe business from LKQ Euro CarParts,where he has held thepositionofregional managerfor eightyears.

In thenew structure, Mr Taylor will report into ChrisO’Rourke, whotakes on anewly created

role as managing director of specialistchannels.MrO’Rourke hasservedasmanagingdirector of LKQBodyshopsince 2023, andprior to that spentthree yearsascommercialdirectorfor LKQEuroCar Parts.

Both menbring significant experience in commercial leadership,shaping culture, engaging teamsand drivingsustainable growth, complementingthe specialist sector expertisewithinthe business’s portfolio –hometo LKQNovaLeisure, LKQArleigh, LKQAquafax,ASAPSupplies andMidlandChandlers.

Mr Taylor said: “I’m proudto be joiningLKQ Leisure&Marine as it enters thenextchapter in its journey. This is abusinessbuilt on decades of experience,longstandingcustomer relationships and the backingofLKQ.Wehave auniqueopportunity within thesectortocombine our colleagues’specialistleisureand marine expertisewith the scale, capability andlogistics of the widerLKQ UK &Ireland group to ensureour trade and end-user customerscontinuetoreceive the products,advice and support theyneed to succeed.”

Mr O’Rourke added: “There is incredible knowledgeand passion within ourleisureand marine business, and with anew leadership structureinplace I’mconfidentwecan harness that to help both colleagues andcustomersachieve their full potential.

“Myrole is to work with Andy –and the sales directors within ourother specialist businesses –toprovide clearleadership anddirection, creatingthe right culturefor teams to thrive, and consistently delivering forour valuedcustomers.”

Tradingmilestone –celebrating adecade of creativityand community

This year not onlymarked York River Art Market’s 10th anniversary–it has alsobeendeclared as thebusiestevent yet, and it will be backto delightvisitorsin2026. SallyClifford finds out more…

FORadecade it hasbrightenedupthe river walk in one of the UK’shistoriccities

Testimonytothe appeal and popularity of the York RiverArt Market is the special milestone it is celebrating

Accordingtoorganiser Charlotte Dawson, theideacame from localbusinessesseeking inspirationtoprovide afocal pointonthe walkwaybythe RiverOuse, apopular route connectingcyclists,visitorsand walkerswith thecitycentre.

Charlotte,asilversmith whoteaches artat York College,was workingincommunity artat the time and suggestedanart market utilising the railings behind York Museum Gardens alongthe Dame Judi DenchWalk to display the artworks.Therest, theysay,ishistory!

“Mostofthe artisYorkshire-based artists, buttheycome from all over to showtheirwork and we getvisitorsfromall over theworld becauseYorkshireisatourist spot,” she said.

The opportunitytoattract custom from visitorsfromaroundthe globemeans the 30 or moreparticipants of the market –YRAMfor short–could classthemselves as international artists.Cards,ceramics,paintings,wire sculptures,wood turningand textilesare amongthe rangeofmediumssubmittedfor display at the event, whichruns each year over three weekends in August

ForYorkartistAlex Ash,YorkRiver ArtMarket played apivotal part in herbecoming full-time:

“Itwas four yearsago,and it wasmyfirstever market,soIwas lucky Charlottelet me be part of it even though Ihad no experience

“I hadalwayspaintedand alwayscreated things,but Iwas an artteacher beforehand. I went to university in London andbecame a textile designer,but during Covid-19Ibecame an artteacher.Beinganart teacher,you are tryingtoexperimentwith many different things.I startedcreatingalot moreofmyown paintings and Ithoughtrather than having them sittingaroundmyhouse,let’s seeifI cansell them

interested becauseI do abstract seascapes and waterscapesand coverthemwith resin glaze, whichisslightlyunusual, butpeople seem really drawntoit.

“You arealwaystold you cannotmakea livingasanartistsoIthoughtitwould be more of ahobby, butifyou puttime and dedication into it,you canreallymakeit. It wasthe first place Isold alot of work,and Ithought, ‘you canmakethisasa living’.”

Alex credits Charlotte and the York RiverArt Market with enabling her to realiseher ambition.

“IfI hadnever taken part,ifCharlotte had not been open to up-and-comingartists,I would neverhaveeventhoughtIwould have sold my work and go full-time as an artist. NowIamingalleries,and it hasgiven me confidencetobelieve in myself and believe that Ican make it as an artist.”

Youget the hustle and bustle,but the river calms everythingdown. It is alovelylocation,” said Charlotte

This year’s YRAM,ithas been announced, wasthe busiestinits history,and it will be back in 2026 –searchYorkRiver ArtMarket on Facebook and Instagramtokeepupdated In themeantime, thecityturns from majestic to magicalatChristmastime,when achilly walk alongthe riverisjustthe ticket; find out what’s on at https://visityork.org/

“One summer IthoughtIwould seewhat it waslike. Ihad been to the artmarket twoyears beforeand hadalwaysbought things from artists,and Ithoughtitwas a lovely environmentalongthe river. It wasso successful Ithoughtartists canmakea living.

“I hadnever sold pieces of artwork beforesoIdidn’t knowifpeople would be

As well as providingaplatformfor artists to profile theirwork, the eventalsosupports localcharities.Amongthosetobenefit are York Rescue Boat,which is also celebrating its10th anniversary thisyear.

“Thewholeareaissobeautiful and was quite underused beforeIdid the event. People often sayitissorelaxingdownthere– youare in thecitycentre, butitisa riversidelocation.

TV historian documents canal maniainnew film

HISTORIAN DanSnowhas turned his attention to canals in his latest film.

Canal-Maniaseeshim travel across England and Wales to visit some of the Canal& RiverTrust’s engineering and conservation projects

“Weare delightedtohavebeeninvolved in the creation of DanSnow’slatestfilm,” said the trust. “It’sachancetoget up close to some incredible engineering, from the historicflight of locksatStoke Bruerne to the incredible boat-carryingaqueduct at Pontsycyllte, known as ‘thestreaminthe sky.’

“Thesefascinatingprojects reveal the 100-yearhistory of canalmania, from their earliestyears in the 1760s and 1770s,when theyweredug to shift coal anddrive forward the ceramics industryofthe Potteries,right through to the gigantic AndertonBoat Lift,amassive engineeringsolution to the challengesofgeography.” Dan(pictured below) alsolooks into the stories of the

people who inspired and designed the canals in Georgian and VictorianBritain –famous nameslikeJosiahWedgwood, ThomasBrindley, Thomas Telford– and the armies of humble navvies who didthe dirty work

He said: “Thank goodnessthe industrial pioneersof250 yearsago built canals!

Although theirintention as transport motorways waslargely short-lived,it’s hard to imagine ournation without them, such hasbeentheir transformation into wellbeingrefuges andnaturehavens

“It’sbeenfascinatingtosee,first-hand, the work that that goes into keepingtheir historyaliveand theirheritagethriving, ensuringthesenationaltreasures continue to be around for generations to come.”

The film is available nowonHistory Hit, the streamingservice andpodcast network foundedbyDan. Thankstothe CRT, usethe exclusivediscountcodeCANALSfor afull month’s free subscription.

Discover London’s secrets on guided walks

THE Inland Waterways Association TowpathWalks Societyhas announced its upcomingprogramme of events.Eachwalk costs £20; concessions,students and accompaniedchildren 16 andover, £15; ages 8-15 years, £5; under-8s free.Prior bookingisrecommended by emailinglondon@walks.com

December 7: Regent’s Canal: King’s Cross– Canal Museum circulartour, whichincludes visit to the museum.MeetatKing’s Cross(by the taxi queue sign nexttothe outdoorPret aManger) at 2pm

December 21: Regent’s Canal: King’s Cross–Granary Square–StPancras.Meet King’s Cross(as above) at 2pm. January1: Grosvenor

Canal&Battersea Power Station. Meet at Victoria (Wilton Street exit, oppositeApollo Victoria Theatre)at2pm.

January18: Regent’s Canal: King’s Cross–GranarySquare–Camden. Meet King’s Cross(as December7entry)at2pm

February1: Regent’s Canal: Little Venice–Camden.MeetatWarwick Avenue at 2.30pm. February15: See December7entry

February 28: Secrets of the Northern Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Meet Stratford(Westfield/ QEOP exit by the Pret a Manger sign)at2.30pm

March1: Regent’s Canal: Mile End–Limehouse. Meet

Artists and independent traders flock to popularmarinamarket

APOP-UPmarketatSaddleworthMarina, Frenches Wharf, Manchester, is provinga hit –and theorganisersare on thelook-outfor localartisanstoget on board.

The PopUpMarketCosaid: “This is one of ourmostexcitinglaunches to date.Nestled withinGreenfield, it’s the mostbeautiful site for acurated artisanmarket.

“Discoversomethingspecial and browse amongabrilliantline-up of localmakers and small independents,eachbringingan incredibleselection of food,drink,art and craft.Fromfreshlybaked cheesecakesand hearty pasties to handmade sauces,scotch eggs,cookies and more, you’llalsofind

unique creationssuchascandles,artwork, beardbalms and home décor.

“Therewill also be livemusic to enjoy, plus free crafting for the kids and plenty to tempt yourtastebuds –socome hungry and ready to explore.”

It is held on the first Sunday of the month (the next datesare November 2and a Christmas-themed market on December7) from 11am-4pm, andisrun in partnership with The Kingfisher,apopular pubatthe marina.It’salsodog-friendly!

If you’reanartisan workinginthe area and would liketotakepart, email matilda@ popupmarketco.co.uk for moreinformation.

Seventh seriesofCanal

Boat Diaries filmingnow

WATERWAYSexplorer

RobbieCummingwill be back on the small screen in 2026 as the star of CanalBoat Diaries series seven.

The popularprogramme, which will again be aired on U&YESTERDAY andUKTV’s free streamingservice,U,is beingfilmed now.

Robbie will begin abrandnew journeyaround the UK from Wales to West Yorkshire, showing the realityofliving on anarrowboatwhile travellingthrough asecret worldofremote waterways, picturesque landscapesand industrial marvels

After10years of living aboard NaughtyLass,this is Robbie’s first journeyto Wales by narrowboat,and as with previous series,hewill continue to sharethe highs andlowsoflifeafloat,from the dailychallengesofliving and travellingonanageing

at Mile Endat2.30pm

March15: Regent’s Canal: King’s Cross–Granary Square– St Pancras.See December21entry.

April 5: Regent’s Canal: King’s Cross– Canal Museum circulartour. See December7entry

April 19: Limehouse–Thames– Docklands. Meet at Westferry (DLR; by cycle hire point) at 2.30pm.

May3: Regent’s Canal: Tyburn –Little Venice.Meet BakerStreet(north/Lords exit)at2.30pm

May17: Four Hundred Yearsofthe NewRiver.Meet Manor House(Finsbury Park exit six) at 2.30pm

May24: Regent’s Canal: Mile End– Limehouse. Meet Mile Endat2.30pm.

vessel to the unexpected runningrepairs that come with it

Robbiesaid: “Crossing the PontcysyllteAqueductis ariteofpassage for aboater likeme. The Llangollen at that pointisnotorious for beingthe busiestand most chaotic narrow canalinthe world, whichisprobablywhy I’ve putitofffor so long!

“After abrief time in Wales, theplanisfor NaughtyLass and Itoweave ourway across England, workingmyway back alongsome of the most beautiful andchallenging canals andriversI’veever been on.

“Asalways, I’ve gotthe routeall plannedout –but I’ve absolutely no ideawhat will happen alongthe way, whichisjusthow Ilikeit.”

Kirsty Hanson,UKTV’s senior commissioning editor (factual and factual

entertainment), said: “Robbie is the perfecttravelling companion through Britain’s waterways, givinganhonest accountoflife on the water.”

Filmingfor anew series of Channel 4’sNarrowEscapes is alsounderway, as reported, and due to be aired in 2026. Robbie is alsotouring around the countrywith his liveshow, CanalBoatStories, billedasa fun an interactive evening of canal-themed escapism. Supportedby photos,video, musicand even props,this is an intimate experiencefor fansof canals,alternativelivingand storytelling–and there’sa question-and-answersession too, so it’s your chance to put anyburningquestions you have to Robbiehimself,in person.Visit https://www. allelectricproductions.co.uk/ shows/canal-boat-storieslivefor your nearestvenue

Stayingsafe around water as crucial as ever

Dramatic scenes unfolded at a West Yorkshiremarina –but it was all in thename of training. Sally Clifford went alongtofind out more.

THE serenityofthe canalwas momentarily disturbed by the cries of ‘man overboard.’ Whilethe sightofa body in thewater may have been alarming for thosetaking an earlymorningstrollalong thetowpath,itsoon became apparent that this rescue wasn’t all that it seemed.

The objectiveofthe training exercise on the Calder and Hebble Navigation, at Shepley Bridge Marina,inMirfield,was forvolunteers with the Safe Anchor Trustbased thereto refresh their rescue skills in the eventofa real-life emergency. Over the following hours, specialistrescuelines were thrown several timestoretrieveEric, thelife-like training mannequin who had‘tumbled’ into thecanal.

Theswift rescue of themannequin, weighing sixstone dryand up to 10 stonewet, wasto minimisethe effect of coldwater shock and other conditions.Assistedbyofficersfrom West YorkshireFireService,who donatedthe six20m throw lines used,the volunteerswere able to puttheir skills into practice.

Once satisfiedwith that technique,they movedtoatrickier exercise –retrievingEric who hadfallen overboardwhile thecharity’s 46ft broadbeamboat, Austen Johnson,was navigatingthe lock.Theteams discussed ways of dealingwith what proved to be acomplex operation due to theconfinedspace

Thesesessions formpartofacomprehensive emergencyresponsetraining programme introduced by theaward-winningcharity, whichprovidesboattrips from ShepleyBridge Marina for the disadvantagedand people

with disabilities,toensureits volunteerscan handle emergencysituations

Safe Anchor TrustchairmanDavid Himsley told howithas held trainingexercises with officers from the localfire stationfor nearly 10 years. Onetime,aspartofBoatFireSafety Week,officersfromMirfield andDewsbury Fire Stations simulateda narrowboat fire.

Thesenot onlyhone thevolunteers’ skills,but theyalsoenable fireofficerstopassontheir ownknowledge The trustalready provides nationallyrecognisedtrainingfor its crew, and while real-lifeemergencysituations arevery rare, training and preparation areessential.

“Handlingsituations like fires,evacuation of vulnerable passengers or a‘manoverboard’ must be secondnature. With the supportof the localfire and rescue service, the trust’s

traininginitiativewill provide hands-on practice.Theaim is to ensure that theywill respond calmly, competentlyand instinctively in anysituation,”David explained. “Wehave adutyofcaretoour passengers andour community anduse best practice to protect andensurethe safetyofthoseonour trips.”

DarrellSturgeon, watchmanager at Mirfield Fire Station and aqualifiedwater rescue technician,was amongfourfire officers involved in thistrainingsession.

Theserviceiskeen, he said, to raise awarenessabout watersafetyamong youngsters.Encouragingparents to talk to theirchildren aboutthe dangersofwater will help to deter them from playinginand around the waterways.

As well as workingwithSafe Anchor Trust, the crew hasalsorun similartrainingsessions with businessesinMirfieldwhichare located closetothe river.

David added: “Weare extremely gratefultoall the crews at ourlocal firestation for their generous donation of theequipment, whichhas been providedfromtheir ownfundraising activities, andfor their advice and helpindeveloping ourtrainingcourse andimproving ouremergency procedures.”

EACH year,the National FireChiefs Council (NFCC) runs Be WaterAware, its campaign to prevent drowning and promote water safety

“Many people don’trealise how easily everyday situations, like walking near ariverbank or trying to cool offona warm day can endintragedy,” said a spokesperson. “Weencourage peopleto reduce theirriskofdrowningbymaking safe choices around waterand to know what to do if an emergencyhappens.” Simple tips to help stay safe include:

• Stick to proper pathways and stay clear of the water’sedge.

• Don’tenter thewater afterdrinking alcohol. Walk asafe route homeafter drinking,withfriends,and away from water

• Cold watershock can kill. Walking into thewater rather than jumping in can help reduce therisk.

• If someoneisintrouble in thewater, thebest way to help is by staying calm, staying on land,and remember Call, Tell, Throw: call 999for theemergency services; tell the struggling person to float on their back; and throw them something that floats.

• If you find yourself in trouble in the water, rememberto‘FloattoLive’.Tilt your head back with your earssubmerged andbreathe normally.Moveyour handsto stay afloat and spread your arms and legs out. Once your breathingiscontrolled,call for help or swim to safety

Visithttps://nfcc.org.uk/our-services/ campaigns/be-water-aware/

Winanarrowboatenginemaintenanceand repair book

TO celebrateRiver CanalRescue’s 25th anniversary, managing director Stephanie Horton is givingaway prizes everymonth,throughout the year.This issue, 13 Towpath Talk readerscan wina copy of Stephanie’s book, Narrow Boat Engine Maintenance and Repair, worth£20 each

This practical guide details everythingyou need to know about howtokeepyourengine operational and your boat moving.

With afocus on diesel engines and their arrangements,itexplains the theorybehind the boat’s main systems –includingpropulsion, coolingand electrics –and gives instructionsonhow to identify key components,how to locate faults and, wherepossible,how to fix them.

Thereare tips on everyday engine maintenance and howtocomplete aservice and all instructions are accompanied by morethan260 colour step-by-step photographs and 60 technicaldiagrams.

Foryourchance to wina copy, simply emailyourname, addressand phone number to TTcompetition@ rivercanalrescue.co.uk,writing ‘Novemberbookwin’ in thesubject line,and you’ll be enteredintothe prizedraw.

Entries closeat23.59 on 30/11/25 and the winner will be drawn 01/12/25. Thewinner will be notified within 14 days of the close of entries.Thedrawisfinal, andno correspondence will be enteredinto. Entryisfreeand open to residents of theUKagedover18. Only one entry permittedper person, thereisno cash alternative, and theprize is not transferable.Byentering, youagree to be bound by all the rules andagree that your name andcountymay be released if you win.

Trust Mark

to find theright buyerfor your boat.

Selling your boat?We’re heretobeyour trustedguide and represent your best interests in the sale of your boat.Being proactive in finding youthe rightbuyer, explaining thewhole processclearly and keeping youuptodatealong the wayiswhatyou canexpect.

We’repart of the UK’s largestmarina operator –soyou cantrust thatweknowthe market and howtoget the best deal foryou.

Trustustosellyour boat.Call 01159077 406 or emailusat boatsales@aquavista.com aquavista.com/boat-sales/sell-my-boat

Let’sgo

Barton-under-Needwood, Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire DE13 8DZ| 07513708099 barton@lakelandleisureboatsales.co.uk

Roydon Marina Village, Roydon, EssexCM195EJ roydon@lakelandleisureboatsales.co.uk 07801 962636

Newton Lane, Tattenhall, ChesterCH3 9NE andy@lakelandleisureboatsales.co.uk 07585 956804

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JoyceCountry andWestern Lakes Geopark grantednew status

Following the 10th UNESCO Geoparks Council Meeting recently held in Temuco, Chile,the JoyceCountry andWesternLakesGeopark, stretching across Connemara, north Galway and south Mayo, has been grantedUNESCOGlobal Geopark Status.

INITIALLY apurelyvoluntarylocal effortto increase tourism in the area basedonthe important geology,landscape,and related traditions and culture, startedinthe early 2000s,the projecttodevelop afull UNESCO Global Geoparkwas enhancedin2019 with the successful application for €1.19 million from the Ruraland RegionalDevelopment Funds (RRFD), from the then Department of Ruraland CommunityDevelopment, and the increasedcollaboration with Údarás na Gaeltachta, Geological Survey Ireland, Galway County Council, Mayo County Counciland the employmentofproject officersand structured supportfromthe localcommunities.

The geoparkopens awindowongeology, heritage and culture–ancientand current and everythinginbetween –for locals and visitorsalike. This geoparkwas awarded its status basedonits 700-million-year geological history

The Western Lakes,whichinclude Corrib, Mask,Carra,Cullin, Arrowand Sheelin, are some of the best wild browntrout fisheries in Europe and surroundedbyspectacular scenery. The remains of theinfamousCong

Canal, built to link Lough CorribtoLough Mask and alsoknown as thedry canal, a name derivedfromits construction through porous kaarst limestone which allowedthe watertoseepaway, alsolies within the geopark. Oneofthe best ways to explore is to take to the waters,perhaps on aboattrip acrossLough Corrib,the largestlakeinthe Republic of Ireland.

Koen Verbruggen, director of Geological Survey Ireland,welcomedthe announcement: “Geological Survey Ireland in particular supports the promotion of the understandingand appreciation of the geology of the area as thecornerstone of the geoparkand its activities. Iwould like to congratulatethe geoparkteamand all of the keypartners, and in particular the people of theJoyce Countryand Western Lakes area of Galway andMayofor reaching this importantmilestone.”

The decision, to be ratifiedatthe spring 2026 UNESCOexecutive boardmeeting, brings the number of geoparks on the island of Irelandtofive,thisbeingthe first in Connacht.

Historic River Bann bridge is closed

AN historicbridge crossing the River Bann in Northern Ireland hasbeen closed due to structural concerns that involvethe discovery of cracking to theretainingwalls Kilrea Bridge, also known as Bann Bridge,dates from 1783. It carries the B64 road over the navigableRiver Bann near the villageofKilreaand marksthe boundary betweenCounties Londonderryand Antrim.Thebridge wasofsignificant strategicimportance in the yearsfollowing the Plantation of Ulster,whenKilrea andthe surrounding townlands were gr an te df or

settlementto London’sWorshipful CompanyofMercers by King JamesI

The bridge stands adjacent to four acres of mixed woodland. Plantedbythe Forest Service on silts dredgedfrom the riverbed,the biodiversity-richarea includes ash trees, wood anemones, and Daubenton’s bats.This is alsoa popularseasonal

game andcoarse fishinglocation with beautiful riverside walksoffering superb views of the bridge with its beautifully proportionedarches, as well as apontoon for mooringboats The closurecomes just threeyears afterthe bridge underwent a£225,000 maintenance project. Atthattime,thebridge wasclosed for five weekstoallowworks

to be completed to the wingwalls,parapets and bridge deck. Thebridge is expectedto remain closed forseveral weeks while engineers implementa temporaryrepair to allowreopening after whichtime a more permanent repair andtime schedule forthose workswillbe developed.

Newly launched Watershed Fly Fishing helping to drive tourism

WATERSHED FlyFishing, anature-based tourism businessrootedinthe heart of theMidlands,has been officiallylaunched. It was awarded€39,000 of funding through Fáilte Ireland’s RegenerativeTourism and PlacemakingSchemeand co-fundedbythe EU and the GovernmentofIreland under theEUJustTransition fund to helpdrive tourism in the Co Offalyarea.

Foundedand operated by localexperienced angling expert JohannesBulfin, thebusinessoffers guided immersive, low-impact fly-fishingexperiences for pike,trout and perch. With the addition of the newly-funded, custom-built,modernfishing

boat,Johannescan give guests atranquilexperience of Ireland’sinland waterways. Aqualifiedaquatic biologistwith adeeprespect for the natural environment and decades of hands-on expertise, Johannessaid: “This fundingcreates a fantasticopportunity to developmybusiness. It allows me to offerimmersive,safe, allyear-round experiences forvisitorsand to sharewhat I’ve learnedovera lifetime of exploringtheseriversand lakes.”

Watershed Fly Fishing on the Shannon. PHOTO: SUPPLIED

Dublin’s RoyalCanal Greenway thirdphase is opened

DUBLIN City Council hasofficiallyopened the thirdphase of the RoyalCanal Greenway This scheme provides 2.1km ofhigh-quality walkingand cyclingfacilitiesalongthe banksofthe RoyalCanal,extending from Newcomen Bridge,North Strand to Cross Guns Bridge,Phibsborough.Thereisnow a continuous 3.2km walkingand cyclingroute through the north cityfromPhibsborough to theRiver Liffey.

This complex public infrastructureproject, the outcome of acollaborativeeffortbetween Dublin CityCouncil, WaterwaysIreland, CIÉand Irish Rail, hasincluded anew pedestrianand cyclebridge, high-quality, safe and accessible walking, wheelingand cyclingfacilities,

andsignificantpublicrealm improvements, includinganew communityplaza.Inaddition, the scheme hasreplacedpublic lightingand security camera infrastructurealongthe route and, in partnership with ElectricitySupply Board(ESB) Networks,laid ductingfor future electricitynetwork upgrades.

Thisroute is part of the 314km Dublin City Council ActiveTravelNetwork,a key programme designed to meet Dublin’s growingneedfor greenertransport through better walking, wheeling and cyclingfacilities. Meanwhile,onthe Grand Canal, amajor upgrade to the northern towpathatWilton Terrace,between Leeson and Baggot Street bridges, is nowopentothe public. Visitors

will enjoy awider pathwayfeaturing spurs extendingtowards the canal. More public seatinghas been reorientatedtomaximise views of thewater,withnewly commissioned contemporaryseatinginstalledalongside recently restored original cast-iron benches. The iconic PatrickKavanaghstatuebyJohn Coll wasconserved in-situthroughoutthe works and nowsitsonagranitebase.

WaterwaysIreland’s 10-Year Plan and 2025 Business Plan call outGreater Dublin as its mosttransformativeopportunitytodeliver forthe public good and to make aclimatepositive impact throughtraffic reductionby hostingmorejourneysonthe GrandCanal andRoyal CanalGreenway.

WatershedFly Fishing aligns closelywith thegoals of the EU Just TransitionFund to create agreener,more inclusivetourism economy in Ireland’sMidlandsand demonstrates howrural enterprises canthrivewhile protecting andcelebrating the region’s biodiversity and heritage

Forinformation,visit: www.watershedflyfishing.ie

Gardening Afloat

Autumn frostshaveendedmuchofthe summerbedding and tender flowerdisplays in manypartsofthe UK. November is atransition monthinthe gardenasthe darker,chillier nights kickinand plant growth comes to ajuddering halt.

Lee Senior (Instagram:lee_senior_gardening)

IF YOUhaveestablishedperennial plants that aresusceptible to frost, wrappinghessian sacksaround them canhelp.Itsolves the problem of wheretoput them for thewinter as theycan be leftoutside.The hessiancan provide ablanket when wrappedaround the vulnerable crown, butitdoesneed to be done carefullyand thoroughly. Frost protection fleececan alsoworkin asimilar way.

It’s agreat ideatomakea hibernatingareafor hedgehogs usingpiles of fallen tree branches, twigs, or thickerstems from shrubs in yourgarden at home. Even old pallets canbeusedalongwithfallen leaves.Almostanythingissuitable to make asafe winter shelterfor one of the nation’sfavourite creatures,

whichare sadlystrugglingthese days.Docheck bonfires before lightingthem in case ahedgehog hasset up home there.

The RSPCAsaid: “Hedgehogs area gardener’s friend, as theyeat beetles,caterpillars,worms and other invertebrates.

“You canencouragehedgehogs into yourgardenbyprovidingfood and fresh water. Leaveout foodslike tinneddog or catfood andcrushed catordog biscuits or supplygood quality, meatyhedgehogfoodfrom wildlife food suppliers.

“Never feed hedgehogsmilk or bread. Milk cancause diarrhoea, and breadisn’t very nutritious

“Check the food andwater bowls each daytotop them up with fresh waterand food,and remove any food that hasn’t been eaten.

“And always cleanthe dishes outside (not in the kitchen) every dayusing hot,soapy waterand rinse well. Thiswill help to reduce the risks of spreadingdisease between differenthedgehogs that mighteat from the same dish.”

Thebulbplantingseasonisalmost over.However,thereisstill time to plantcrocus, daffodils, dwarftulips, and other spring flowering stunners until mid-November.

When planting up your winter flowering tubs and windowboxes, it is worthremembering that winter plants grow ratherslowly, relyingonmilder spells fornew growth.Consequently,theydo not have thesamerequirements forliquidfeed when compared to summer beddingplants. However, abalanced slow-releasefertiliser won’t do anyharm.

I’mnever withoutcyclamen coum in anywinterdisplay.These tuberous,hardy,yet diminutive plants canberetained as a perennial if required.They cope well with ashallowgrowing depth

and with shade and won’t let you down if thesoil isn’t toowet.

Meanwhile,don’t forget birds, ourpopular garden companions, this winter

The RSPB advisesputting outbird food and waterona regularbasis throughout theautumnand winter In severe weather, you mayfind you need to feed twicedailyasbirds need high-energy,high-fatfoods duringcold weather.

Alwaysadjustthe quantity given to thedemand, andnever allow uneaten foodstobuild up.Once youhaveafeeding routine,try not to change it as birds will become used to it,the charitysays.

“Feeders come in avarietyof shapesand sizes,”itsaid. “Nut feedersmade of rigid steelmesh arethe onlysafe methodofoffering nuts to wild birds.

“Seed feedersare designedfor sunflower seedsand seed mixes labelledfeederseed. Make sure all feedersdrain easily anddonot allowbuild-up of old food

“You canput your birdfeeder in all sortsofplaces,but aimfor somewhere quiet,where birds won’t be disturbed,and not too closetobushes wherepredators could hide in wait,but closeenough to coversothat birds caneasilydart away.Birds like to have aviewall around themwhile feeding.

“Makesureitissheltered from harshwinds.Wherever youplace your feeder,ensureyou cansee it whenyou’reindoors so youcan get the mostpleasurefromit.

“Itcan takea littlebit of time forthe birdstoget used to anew feeder,sodon’t be disappointedif not many birds visit at first

“Manybirds will happily eata varietyoffoods.Blackbirds,for example,mostlyfeedonthe ground andwilleat abroad rangeoffoods, from suet pellets to mealworms.

“Blue tits andgreat tits usea feeder,eatingseeds as well as suet andpeanuts

“You canalsoput outleftoverssuchasdried fruit, or fruit such as apples and pears. Don’t useanythingmouldyorsalty though,and if youhavea dogdon’t putout driedfruit –vinefruits, such as raisins,can be toxictothem.”

From raft races to theWaverley:season finale on thecanals

Summer endedwithasplashfor the FountainbridgeCanalside Community Trust (FCCT)withthe popular EdinburghCanal RaftRace, held each year on the Union Canal.Alongsidethis, visitors enjoyed boat tripsonboard Re-Union’s LochrinBelle andThe Sorted Project’s Panacea, the chance to tryout kayaksand paddleboards,activities, and pizza.

THE FCCT aims to make thelocal area a better place to live, work,dobusinessand visit.Aswell as threeboats available for trips andhire, the organisationruns volunteering opportunities,local walksand community events, andthe annual EdinburghCanal Festival. Find outmoreat fcct.scot Meanwhile,the Linlithgow Union CanalSociety(LUCS)iscelebratingits 50th anniversary this year.Aflotillasailedfrom Winchburgh to LinlithgowinSeptember, while August’s annual FunDay featured the muchlovedcardboard boat race.This year’s twist wasthat competitorshad to place acandle on agiant 50th birthday cake.Theflotillawas

Gail retires after 16 years of welcoming boaters

ANYONE who’s hired aholiday boat from the FalkirkWheel is likelytohavemet Gail Jones. After 16 yearsmanagingfrontof-houseand holiday boat operations,she retires thisyear. Customer care, attention to detail and greatcommunication areher bywords, havingworked in the airline businessand, as sheputsit, “moved from a metal tube at 27,000 feet to metal tubesonthe water.”Her warmth and hands-on approach have definedthe experience for thousands of holidaymakers Sheanswers emails individually, and hasbeenknown to go the extramile,droppingoffitems to her boatingcustomersonher wayhome Behind thescenes,Gailruns atight ship.Fromwinterising and deep cleans to the daily turnaround of the hireboats, hersystems keep everything runningsmoothly. On busy days,theremay be as many as 12 holiday boatsbeing cleanedand checkedbeforetheir new crews head outontheirholidays, wellbriefedand confident.

The Lowland Canals present adifferentset of challengesto thoseinthe rest of the UK.With no boater operation of locks or bridges, holidaymakers need clearinformation and organisation. As thereare no

joinedby15boats with representativesfrom fiveofthe charitiesoperating on thecanal VisitLUCSatlucs.org.uk

Further north,paddle steamer Waverley made its annual visit to Ardrishaig, on Loch Fyne and at theeastern end of the Crinan Canal. The world’slastseagoingpassengercarryingpaddlesteamer, Waverley was built onthe Clydeand launchedin1946, commissioned by the London and North Eastern Railway to replaceanearlier vessel of the same name lost at Dunkirk. Today, Waverley sails from more than 70 portsand piersaround the UK.Its first public sailingin preservation wasmadein1975 from Glasgow

Nicholson or Pearsonguides for Scotland’s canals,Gailand her teamdeveloped their own comprehensivemanual to supplementScottish Canals skipper’s guides,covering everything from localshops to suggestedstops Currently, 20 boatsoperate from the Falkirkbase, at the foot of the FalkirkWheel on the Forth& ClydeCanal, from hire companies ABCBoatHire, Black Prince Narrowboat Holidays and Marine Cruises Canal Holidays. Gail’s role hasbeen centralincoordinatingtheir differentneeds and making sure everyholidaymaker hasa positiveexperience.

As shelooks forwardto retirement, Gail’s plans include travel,familytimeand,asshe jokes“learning that notevery momentneeds to be productive.”

to Ardrishaig, making the destination aplace of specialsignificance in its story. Find out moreatwaverleyexcursions.co.uk

Lookingahead, thisyear’sFlotilla of Light, betweenHarrisonParkand LochrinBasin in Edinburgh, takesplace on Saturday, November 8. Greatfun for boatersand those onthe towpathwho cansee theprocession of decoratedboats and musicians pass by.Ahead of the procession,the usual boaters’ bonfire, barbecue,and fireworks will be heldatthe AmondAqueductonNovember7

The Sorted Project –from Panacea to Gryphon and beyond

SINCE launching Panacea in 2019, a bespoke-builtwidebeam constructed by Crafted Boats, The Sorted Project hasgone from strength to strength. The charitysupports people with ahistory of complex health needs around substance dependencyand mental health,offering thewellbeing benefits of spendingtime on the UnionCanal

The advantages of beingonthe waterand in nature have longbeen documented, and projectparticipants have providedfeedbacktosupport this.

Since becominganRYA Training Centre afew yearsago –operating as Soliton TrainingScotland –it became clearthatTheSortedProject needed to increasecapacitytomeet the demand for trainingand the

RYAInland WaterwaysHelmsman’s courses. With fundingsupportfrom The Clothworkers’ Foundation,The RobertsonTrust,EdinburghVoluntary Organisations Council and Foundation Scotland, 38ftopen-plan narrowboat Gryphon waslaunchedthis summer, coincidingwith the publication of The Sorted Project’sfive-yearstrategy. Oneoutcome is the strengthening of partnerships betweenboating organisations on the Lowland Canals Gryphon is currentlymooredin

Falkirkwithvolunteer organisation Go Forth&Clyde and providing trainingfor the Fountainbridge Canalside CommunityTrust,aswell as The Sorted Projectcandidates

In addition, Soliton Training Scotland is noworganising annual RYAInlandWaterways Instructor courseswith supportfromPaul Magee, of PMGTraining, and Rachel Andrews, RYAchief instructor

The October2025 course involved candidates from The Sorted Project, the Forth&Clyde CanalSocietyand Go Forth&Clyde

Theseinitiatives arebuilding skills and boostingconfidence and employability for participants. Aboveall, theyreflect along-term commitment to making the canals vibrant,welcomingplaces where everyone canenjoy thewellbeing benefits of time on thewater or the towpath.

FollowTheSortedProject’s activities on social mediaoratsortedproject. co.uk

From Irn Bru to Heritage Hub at Lock 16

SEPTEMBER’S Doors

Open Days gave the public achance to step inside the former AG Barr factory, near Lock 16 in Falkirk. Once home to the makerofIrn Bru, the site is beingtransformed into Scotland’s Centre of Excellence for Canals & Traditional Skills

Theproject is led by Scottish Canals,in partnershipwith Historic EnvironmentScotland (HES). Their vision is to revitalisethis part of the

Forth&Clyde Canalwith afocus on community activity, volunteering, heritageskillstraining, and localemployment.

HESstaff demonstrated thetypes of traditional skills trainingthatthe centrewill offer,while Scottish Canals outlined plansfor the site’s future.

Communitygroups andvolunteerswerealso represented, including Go Forth&Clyde,and theForth &Clyde Canal Societyprovidedboattrips

to visitors.

Themulti-millionpoundscheme will provide apprenticeships and workplace learning, alongside avolunteer hub. The aimistoaddresssome of the growingchallenges of sustainingScotland’s historic environment by supportingthe developmentofspecialist skills critical for its future. By combiningheritage with new opportunities, the projectaims to safeguardtraditional skills,

bringthe canal’sindustrial past back into focusand create alastingcommunity resource

WelcometoLondon!

London’swaterways aremadeupofa networkofrivers, canals, docks, reservoirs and lakes collectively knownasthe Blue RibbonNetwork. LucyWood enjoys aday outalong the Regent’sCanal at King’sCross, one of the city’sbustling transport hubs and amajor gateway to England’scapital city

SAY‘King’s Cross’ and what imagedoesit conjureupfor you? Forme, it wasaplace to pass through,and not spend anytime in, the train station beingthe portal of my onward travel either into thecityitself or to destinations morefar-flung(exotic to me,beinganortherner!). This changeda coupleofyears agowhenmytrain home to Lincolnshirewas –inconveniently, I thoughtatthe time –delayed.Itwas asultry summer evening, the kind of stiflingheat that bordersonthe unpleasant, especially whentravelling. Oh,how Ilongedfor the air-con on the train! ButIwas wrongabout it beinganinconvenience,because instead of joiningthe hordes of sweaty,cross,red-faced fellowpassengerswaitingimpatiently in the concourse,Itookawander and found myself at the Grand Union Canal.

Ididn’thavemuchtime to dallyasthe train delay wasresolved pretty quicklybut,asit turnedout,Iwas disappointedtobesitting under the longed-for air-con, on my wayback up the EastCoast Main Line.I’d enjoyed the area,had appreciatedbeingbythe water amongall that busy-ness, andI made avow to return.That timefinallycame when arecent daytriptoLondon hada nice waterwayssizedgap in theschedule. Insteadofgoing for the moreobvious delights in the city, I chosetoexploremoreofwhatI’d glimpsed on that sticky summer night… and in more reasonable,tourist-friendlyweather to boot Regent’s Canalispartofthe larger Grand Union Canalnetwork,connectingLondon and Birmingham,and passingthrough quintessential English countryside on the way. Formyvisit,Iheadedout of the station

betweenitand the always impressive St Pancrastothe towpath, my intentionbeing to have apleasantmid-afternoon stroll in this unexpectedgreen oasisofpeace…but it didn’t take longtoget sidetracked.

Forasecond-hand booksaddict likeme, Word On The Waterisalone enough of adraw to visitingthe area.Thefloatingbookshop, housed in a100-year-oldDutch barge, stocked with awide-rangingselection of tomes to suit everyone’s tastes,and furnishedinaway that invites youtospend some time aboard It is permanentlymooredonRegent’sCanal towpath. Istrucklucky (though, to be fair,I rarely come away from abookshop emptyhanded) and found acouplemoregoodiesto add to my collection, andtherewas abonusbeingalsoafan of dogs as well as books, Iwas fortunatetomeeta sweetlittle poochonthe towpathoutside the entrance whosewelcome could not have been cuter.

The nextvesselalongoffered an intriguing proposition: tarot card readings by the intriguingly-named Merlin Trotter. Sadly, Merlin didn’tappeartobehome,but I knew what my future held anyhow –for the afternoon, at least.

Icontinuedwalking alongthe towpath, past the canalsidesteps whereinsummer earlymorningexerciseclasses areheld and people relaxatanoutdoor cinema, takinginthe many vessels moored up,quite afew of whichwere advertised as beingfor sale.Havingseen friends in London struggle with rent and gettingonthe property market,Ican seewhy livingonthe waterinthe capital would be a very attractiveproposition… imagine waking up each morningwiththe waterwithin reach… bliss! And it seems people agreewith me,for the waterway wasbusywith boaters, andone lone maninaninflatable,feetup, sippinglazilyona beer.This is the life!

My ultimatedestinationwas Coal Drops Yard,aretail and food haveninconverted 19th century warehouses.Itookmytime,stopping to admirethe viewsand enjoythe sunshine, andbythe time Igot there, the many eateries were buzzing, and the independentshops alongside firmhighstreetfavouritesseemed just as full too. Butitwas the history Iwas here to soak up

Thisoncederelictareahasbeentransformed over the last 20 yearsfromanunderused

MORE THINGSTOSEE AND DO NEARBY

Visit the award-winning PostalMuseum and ride on the mail train, London’s hidden underground railway Relax in Handyside Gardens, the first public green space to open in King’sCross.

Pangolin Gallery is dedicated entirely to the art of the sculpture.

Discover artist AntonyGormley’s open-airinstallations at the British Library and take aselfie withthe giant part-man part-machine bronze of Isaac Newton while you’rethere. Catch the Canopy Market every Friday,Saturday and Sunday at West HandysideCanopy- foodie andartisan crafts heaven.

Head to Platform 93/4 at King’s Crossstation andmake likeHarry Potter

London Canal Museum is only afew streets away

industrial site into adestinationfor Londoners and visitorsalike, featuringbrand-new streets, squares,parks and homes alongside the shops,offices,galleries, bars and restaurants. Thereare even schools and auniversity The canalside settingmakes it feel open and very un-city-like, butofcoursethis wasn’t always so.Thecompletion of thecanal and then the coming of the railway sawitevolve

into avital transportation hub, but after the Second WorldWar it fellinto decline; by the 1990s,King’sCross became knownfor itsnightlife and creativecommunity, butitwas alsoa notorious crime hotspotand suffered from pooremployment levels.After some falsestarts,redevelopmentfor the Victorianbrick viaducts known as the coal drops wasfinallyonthe cardswhen the Channel Tunnel rail link movedtoStPancras.

Over 20 years, anew neighbourhood took shape, with much focusonthe Victorian buildings that once formedthe goodsyard. Since then,ithas developed into what it is today, with many companies,including Google, Meta and UniversalMusic,choosing to base themselves here.

Forthoseofuswho aren’t shopaholics,orinneedof refreshments,there is plenty to see and do.Thefountains at Granary Squareare rarely empty, dayor night, and were packed with families enjoyingthemselves duringmyvisit King’s Crosshas alsobeenturned into an open-airart gallerywith apermanentinstallation called the Outside ArtProject.Openall year round, it features achanging roster of work by local, national and international artists;thereare 24 in

all, and Ifound abouta dozen. And don’t forgettolookup.

Dominating theskyline at certain turnsisthe intricatewrought-iron GasholderNo. 8, originally builtin 1883 for storinggas andwhich was painstakinglyrestoredand moved bit by bit to its currentlocationfrom the oppositeside of the canalin2014. Todayithousesa lush greenspace and colonnade,providingthe perfect spot to watchthe narrowboatsbelow at St PancrasDock. Thereissomuchtodoherethat

it’d take morethanone dayout to getround it all.

The King’s CrossStory exhibition is agreat additiontoyourschedule, though.Openevery dayfrom 9am to 8pm, admission is free, and it chronicles the history and transformationofthe ground beneathyourfeet.

Thereisa lot to love aboutKing’s Cross. What Ilovethe mostishow thearea– all 67 acres of it –has trulyembracedthe canaland made it its own.

The Towpath Anggler

Our monthly look at the angling scene

By DavidKent

IT’S been abusyold time in recentweeks,withnumerous meetings,sitevisits,and competitions. Thankfully, everythingseems to have gone well, andIaminwind-down to acouple of weeks’ holiday, as we preparefor the run-in to winter.Infairness, Idon’t have toomanymeetings nowadays but, just likebuses,you have a longish period without anyand then, twoorthree come in;a couple of weeksago,Ihad four meetings oneday andthree the next.Atone timeI wouldnot have batted the proverbial eyelid butIdefinitelynotice ‘meeting fatigue’ now.

The autumn meeting of the trust’snationalcouncilwas held recently in Bath.I wasespecially keen to attend as the daybegan with awalk alongthe Kennet &AvonCanal. As hasbeenthe case formanyyears,thereare many issues hereregarding moorings;indeed,itiswhere the oldchestnut issueofafivemetregap started. While the problem is minimalonthis section of the canal, further along towardsBathamptonand beyond it is critical. The number of moored boatsthereseesthem not onlytightly moored endto endbut often double and even treble-banked.This is no good foranyone, leastofall thetrust’s anglingclub customerswho payanot insignificantannual feeand sign up to afairlytight agreementonlytofind,often 365 days ayear, theycannot even seethe canal, let alone fishit. The tightmooring issue hasalsobeenproventopresent ahealthand safety risk;for example, when aboatcatches fire. It is high timethe problem wasresolvedonceand for all. Clearly, with such demandfor mooringand insufficientlinear mooringavailable,itisadifficult situationall round,but it is not anew problem,soprogress should have been made by now.

The councilmeeting itself was pretty good.A full agendawith anumberofveryinformative presentations, combined with livelydebate, proved these meetings areworthwhile TheAGM elementsaw the appointmentofsomenew trustees andthe confirmation of otherswho were to continue. Unsurprisingly,there wasa greatdealofdiscussion about the impact of the droughts earlierthis year and, notleast, the frighteninglylow levels of ourreservoirswhichhad ledto asuspension of navigation on some partsofthe network and the devastatingimpact on the boatingbusinessasawhole. As wasstated, it is vital that

the trustlearnsfromall of this, particularly as experts suggest that the weather extremes which causethese problems could well become the norm

The autumnal weather has helpedall the fisheries recover alittleand sporthas improved accordingly.Around thecountry the canals have been pretty consistent,with winningweights everywhereinthe 7lb-9lb range andall with steady backing weights. The extrafresh water sawmanyofthe rivers produce decentmatches andindividual catches with barbel beingthe weight buildersonriverslikethe Trentand Severn.Asanexample, the final of the AnglingTrust’s Riverfestevent sawabarbel weight of 102lb on daytwo.Most commercials areindecentform now, with fishgenerally feeding well everywhere

On apersonalnote, Ihave hadquite adecentrun in the past few weekswith acouple of wins,asecond, and other frame and sections places.Ihaveonly once drawna peg, whichis acknowledged as a‘flier,’ butit seemsI have made afew good decisions abouttacticsand bait at theright times, andthis haspaid off.Ihavetwo more matches before my holiday so it would be really nice to see this recentformcontinue.In fact,asIwrite thiscolumn, I am off earlytomorrowtoone of my favouriteeventsofthe year.This is acharity match to raisefunds forprostatecancer andMacmillan Cancer Support. With an elementofthe entryfee deductedfor the charity, along with rafflesand otherassociated fundraisingactivities,weusually raisenearly£1000 each year, so winorlose, everyone goes home satisfied that it hasbeen asuccessful day.

If you have achance of afew hoursonthe bank,Ireckonyou could findsomegoodsport wherever you go.One of my closeanglingbuddies is really happyashis favouritebait, worm,isreallystartingtofind himfish nowand bodeswell for the winter.Oncommercials youcannotgofar wrongwith pellets andcorn. Wherever you go,enjoy fishingand keep safe. Tightlines.

Our heritageinthe spotlight:175 years of BritanniaBridge

Canals andthe railway areforever linked.In last month’sissue, we found out howrailway archives can help whenexploring yourcanal ancestry. This year marks Railway 200, and national celebrations areinfull swing –here, Network Rail shines the spotlight on an historic bridgeinWales.

THE Stockton &Darlington Railwayopenedon September27, 1825, connectingplaces,people, communities and ideas and ultimatelytransforming theworld.Railway 200is anationwide campaign celebrating200 yearsofthe modern railway.Celebrating rail’s remarkable past,its role today, and its importanceto asustainable future, in this bicentenary year of modern rail travel, NetworkRail has taken adiveintothe rich history of BritanniaBridgeas part of the festivities… Isn’t it supposed to be trolls that liveunderbridges? In fairytales,maybe,but not in Wales.Not on the wayin and outofAnglesey,anyway. Instead, you’ll find four stone lions vigilantly watchingover the borderstotheir lands. Abovethem,spanningthe MenaiStrait,you’ll find the

resurrectedBritanniaBridge. Originallyopenedin 1850, this pioneering structureofthe Victorian agewas designedbyRobert Stephenson andconstructed as part of the Chesterand Holyhead Railway, creatinga directrail routefromLondon to Holyhead andonwards via ferry to Dublin. Itsgroundbreaking design featured massiverectangular iron tubesthrough which trains travelled. Thetubes were constructedonthe Caernarfon shore, floated into position,raisedusing hydraulicjacks,then joinedto formacontinuous structure more than 1500 feet in length –the longestwrought iron spans in the worldat thetime

Theseweresupportedbythree masonrytowers, themiddleof whichwas constructed atop BritanniaRock, giving the bridge itsname Stephenson’s designmet theAdmiraltyrequirements forshippingclearance, includingaheadroomof 105 feet;enough for afully rigged man-o-war ship to pass beneath. Formore than acentury,the bridge connected communities andprovideda vitalarteryfor trade,but on May, 23, 1970, disasterstruck. Children playinginside the bridge accidentally ignited the timber-lined roof.Theintense heat warped theirontubes, renderingthemstructurally unsafe. Rather than demolish the bridge,aredesignwas commissioned,resulting in theinnovativetwo-tier steel arch bridge we seetoday.Rail trafficresumedin1972, and by 1980 aroaddeckfor the A55 Expressway wasadded abovethe railwayline.

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Alongwith the preserved masonrytowers, another elementofthe original structureremains.Four limestone lions guardthe bridge,sculpted by John Thomas.Eachstand 25 feet long and12feettall, weighing about30tons,and aredecorativesculptures symbolisingstrength andprotection, meantto emphasisethe bridge’s durabilityand grandeur. Though nowobscuredfrom road view, theystill stand at the base of the towers NetworkRailWales and Bordersisresponsible for maintainingthe bridge and balancingmodern operational demands with heritage conservation. In 2011, a£4million projectbyNetwork Rail, the Welsh Government and the Highways Agency strengthenedand

restored keyelements, includingparapets and steelwork. In 2014, movement andvibration sensorswere addedtomonitor the bridge’s condition. In 2021, fibrereinforcedplastic beams were installedbeneath the lintels to preserve the Grade II-listedtowers.

Stephenson’sprofessional rivaland friend Isambard

Kingdom Brunel, upon viewingthe completed bridge,reportedlyremarked: “Ifyourbridgesucceeds, thenminehaveall been magnificent failures.” Stephenson’sengineering legacy lives on in amemorial in WestminsterAbbey Find outmoreabout Railway 200 online at https:// railway200.co.uk

Lewes to mark 25th anniversaryofdevastatingfloods

ON October12, 2000, the town of Lewes, in EastSussex, experienceddevastingfloods After days of intenserain, the RiverOuseburst itsbanks, inundatingmorethan600 homesand 300 businessesinhours.

Thankfully, no one died,but therewas loss of livestockonthe flood plains and many affected businesses neverreopened. The damagescost£118 million, about £230m at today’sprices.

Twenty-fiveyears on,the town will commemorateand learn from those experiences with atwo-day eventat LewesTownHall, inviting emergency andenvironmentprofessionals and local residents to consider howthe community canbemorepreparedfor extreme weather events

On Friday,October 31,professionalsin the emergency, environment and support services will come together for aday of presentations and panel discussions to explorethe causes of the floodsinthe year 2000, theriskoffloodingnow,and what stepsare needed to reduce,manageand adapttothe impact of floodingonpeople and property in the future.

Speakers on the dayare recognised leadersfromthe emergencyservicesand environment policyand operations,and from the fields of public healthand naturebased solutions.

On Saturday,November1,aspecial public meeting, chairedbyformer MP

for LewesNormanBaker,will inviteresidentsand others to hear from and puttheir questionstolocal experts andflood specialists.The daywillalsoincludetalks andactivities, including interactive flood mappingand simulations,the Lego Flood House, and practicalideas forfloodpreparedness. Both days will featureanextensive multimediaexhibition of photos and audio memoriessharedbyresidents, as well as films of the 2000 floods, curated by civic society Friends of Lewes. Other memorabiliawill include bottles of the famous ‘OuseBooze’that localbrewery Harvey’s rescuedfromits first floor tanks andthe original artworkposterofthe flooded LewesRailway Station, which made the coverof PrivateEye magazine LewesFloods: The 25th Anniversary Eventhas been organisedbyLewes Town Council, Friends of Lewes, LewesClimate Huband Love OurOuse Town,district and county councillor WendyMaples said:“Thefloodsin Lewesin2000 were devastating. By bring together residents,floodexperts and local policymakers, we hopewecan honour the amazingspirit of Lewesthat helped the town getbackonits feet –and ensurewe learn from thoseeventstobeasresilient as we canagainstextreme weather in the future.”

Full details of the eventare available at www.lewes-tc.gov.uk (under events).

Apassageintime

TO facilitate an efficient canal network, about 42 miles of tunnels were constructed in England and Wales, of which about half are still open. This is more thanthe combined lengthofall other canal tunnels in the world –and doesn’tinclude theextra approximately 47 miles of undergroundcanal at Worsley as part of theBridgewaterCanal. Aswell as 583 locks, 2963 bridgesand 337 aqueducts, thereare also 55 tunnels ranging in length from just25yards to morethan three miles along the2000-plus milesofour inland waterways. Here, John Souter presents this month’s offering.

REGENT’S CANAL

Islington tunnel –960yd/878m, completed 1818,not open until 1820.

THE tunnel –the longest in London –passesunder houses for morethanhalf a mile,takingthe canalunder the Angel, Islington.

At its inception, the canal company decidedtohold a competition for the design of the locksand tunnels with aprize of 100 guineas (£105) for the winning submission. Unfortunately, none of the submissions were considered acceptable and interestingly, one entry wasactuallyfound to be a copyofaJessopdesign!

The first sectionofcanal from Paddington Basin to Camden openedon December12, 1816, with some work havingalso been done on thetunnel, butfurther work stopped due to alackoffunds and no further investor interest.However,achance meetingbetween aformer chairmanofthe canal company,Charles Munro, and the committeeofthe Societyfor the Relieving

of the ManufacturingPoor resulted in the suggestion of possible governmentfunds for the project. As aresult, an initial loan of £200,000 wasagreed, providingthat the canalcompany could itself raise£100,000, which it wasable to do

Work then continuedon constructingthe tunnel, whichwas brick-lined throughout at acostof £40,000. To facilitate the work,once the central excavation hadmet oneof the tunnel ends,a horsedrawnrailway trackwas laid to enable the remaining excavatedmaterialtobe hauledout alongthe drybed of the canal.

The esteemedengineer Thomas Telford, when asked to report on thetunnel, remarked:“Materials and workmanship excellent andit’sdirection perfectly straight.” The tunnelopened in 1820 to aprocession of boatspassing through accompaniedbyaband and with asalute of cannon fire as the procession exited the eastern portal. Despitebeing19ft6in high and17ft6in wide, narrowboatswere forbiddenf pa ss in ins ide due to

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Then andnow –a changing picture

seen lineside fires on ourheritage railways, buthow about canalside? Firefighters extinguish asmall blaze, started by vandals, beside the eastern portal of Islington tunnel in October 2009.

the very steeptumblehome (slope) of the tunnel sides whichaffected safe two-way passage

The initialmeans of travel through thetunnel by either poling or leggingresultedin longqueuesoftraffic and in 1826 it became one of the first tunnels to operate acoal-fired steamredtug pull craft th roug h. An engine on the

Here aretwo pictures of alocationonthe Stratford-upon-Avon CanalinEarlswood.The black-and-white image wastaken in about1971 with my first camera, a KodakInstamatic, and shows EarlswoodMotor YachtClub,atthe junction with the canalfeeder arm which brings waterfrom EarlswoodLakes,where Ilived for 10 yearsinthe

1990s.Theother wastaken at the same location when Ipassedbyrecently, and shows LadyLane Wharf, the redeveloped site’s currentincarnation. Robin Jones

TT:How times have changed, butthe same shapeofthe land is still very cleartosee in both images.LadyLaneWharf is apopular boutique marina,modern and eco-friendly, yetretaining

character andcharm.The site wasoriginally acoal wharf, before turninginto oneofour earliestcruising clubssometime after the Second WorldWar,and it wasthe birthplaceofthe StratfordCanal Society, whichwas responsiblefor therestoration of Stratford Canal. The location stayed pretty much untouched until WaterwayLeisure developed it into Lady Lane –the UK’sonly carbon-neutral mooring.

tugwound it alongachain laid on the canalbed andalthough thiswas efficient, it wasalsoa very dirtyoperation,with risks of sickness and suffocation due to smokeand choking fumes filling the tunnel. All

information

of this resulted in thetunnel gettingthe nickname ‘Hell’!

In 1880, the original tug caughtfire andsank, which wasactuallyablessing in disguiseasthe cokefired replacementwas less pollutingtooperate.This new steamtug wasdrawn by asteel hawser andinoverall operation wassaid to look

likeafloatingcorrugatediron shed surrounded by clouds of steam! Passagethrough the tunnel became much quicker, taking only 35 minutestowing nine loadedbargesata time.

In an editionofthe Daily Chronicle in 1929, areporter wroteafter atripinthe tunnel:

“Charonhailedmefrom the steamtug as it layatthe entrance of the tunnelin Graham Street,CityRoad. ‘Come aboard sir, an’ I’ll take youthrough the Gatesof’Ell.’ Thenhesaw my gasmask. He eyed me scornfully. ‘Wot youwantthatfor?’hesaid, scathingly.‘When youfeelthe smokegrippingyou,dip your handkerchief in the canaland bury your face in it.’ Ilookedat the canal. Adeadcat floated by…I preferredmygas mask.” The‘steamer’waseventually replaced by diesel tugs in the 1930s butwith theadvent of self-powered craft,these were subsequentlyrendered obsolete.

Whyour canalsand rivers areunder threat

They’ve fuelled our industry,witnessed thebuilding of railways,and been at the heart of our communitiesfor generations. Today,our canals and rivers continue to provide millions of people with aplace to reconnect with nature. But they –and their infrastructure –are alsovulnerable MANYofour canals, aqueducts,reservoirs, and lock gates areold and time is takingits toll, as is increasingly volatile weather.While mostare well awareofthe threats to ourcanalsand rivers, theyshouldn’t have to face this threatalone.

September28marked WorldRiversDay 2025, aglobalcampaign promotingconservation andstewardship, providingmorethan100 participatingcountries thechancetoreflect on thesignificanceof waterways; seehttps:// worldriversday.com.

In theUK, theInland WaterwaysAssociation andthe Canal& River Trustare at the forefront of raisingawareness all year round.

“The UK is facinga climateemergency,” says the CRT. “Storms and floodingdamage riverbanks,breach canals,and collapse thesidesofreservoirs.

In contrast, drought interrupts waterflow and canresult in canal network closures.

“Astemperaturesrise and ourseasons become more unpredictable, animals andplantsface increasing pressures. Habitats become unsuitable,extreme weathereventsdisrupt life cycles,and some speciesare pushed to the limits of survival.

“Withcareful and ongoingmaintenance,we canstayone step ahead. Ourengineersrespond to emergencies and

undertakeanextensive programme of repairs andupkeep, rain or shine. We’realsocreatingnew homes forwildlife all the time,aswellasimproving the condition of critical waterside habitat.

“Notwo locksonour canals andriversare thesame. They need expertskills to maintain them,asdoour boat lifts, tunnels andopening bridges. And timeisnot on ourside. Wood rots, iron corrodes,and the brick, timberand moving partsthatmakeupour network seeheavy use.

“There aremoreboats on ourcanalstoday

than at anyother point in theirhistory.More people arealsoenjoying ourtowpathsthanever before.Bridges built hundreds of yearsago must nowsupport articulatedlorries,and towpaths designed for horses need to make space for ever increasing numbersofcyclists, dog walkers, and joggers

“Weact as custodians andguardians,not only of ourcanals’ oldest structures,but also of thecritical national infrastructure ournetwork hosts. Broadband, gasand (of course)water allmake

theirway to ourtowns andcitiesbeneath towpaths and waterways. By managing both theold and new sensitively, we aim to balancethe needs of everyone whouses and enjoysour canals.”

The Inland Waterways Association’sProtect Our Waterwayscampaign highlightsthe threats posedbyfundingcuts, climatechange, lack of maintenance, declining usage, pollution,lossof heritage,inappropriate developmentand more, and it is calling on the Governmentto invest in canals and rivers to ensurethey remain valuable assets Launched in March2023, morethan100 partner organisations have

Up and down thecountry,volunteers put conservation firstbyremoving theinvasive non-native Himalayan balsam from our riverbanks.

joinedthe IWA’sFund Britain’sWaterways action group.

“History tells us that withoutboats travellingalong them, waterwayssilt up and become dirtyrubbish tips.Without adequate fundingfor maintenance reservoirs,aqueducts, andembankments will deteriorate, puttingcommunities at increasing risk of waterdamagefroma failinginfrastructure. Theaddedthreatof climatechangewill only worsen thesituation

as severe floodingand breaches become more commonplace,” says theIWA.“Canals and rivers arevaluable assets which contributetothe country’seconomic recovery,ashighlighted by ourWaterways for Todayreportwhich outlines benefits including contributing to economic recovery, increasedspend in local communities, saving heritage,improved physical andmental health andwellbeing, andcreatingbetter places to live.”

Closure concerns as 2027 government grantfunding gaplooms

NABO general secretary Peter Braybrook comments on some moretopical issues.

IT IS nowturningautumnal. Thereisstill alot of green around and the treesdo not showsigns of dropping leaves as Iwrite,but we know the seasons tend to come upon us in asurprisingly sudden way. The cruising dayisshorter, the clocks have turnedbacktobring eveningdarkness, and the winter stoppages on the

canals arebeginningtocut the system into little chunks. We areusedtothatnow.This summerbrought challenges we neverenvisaged.My home mooring, and home forthat matter, areonthe South Oxford Canal, which hasbeenclosed to navigation sincethe middle of August and openedrecentlysolely for ashortwindowto allowboaters likeustoget vessels back to their home mooring. The autumn rain hadnot filledthe reservoirs sufficiently to allowfull opening, butitshould have been enough to cope with some leisuretraffic during Octoberhalf-term. NABO hascontinuedto meet with representatives of theCanal &River Trust tobring to itsattention the difficultiesthat boat ownershavehad in the circumstances;the provision of rubbish disposaland accesstoElsan points and pump-outs have particularly been on ourmind.There havebeenseveralpumpoutfailures.Theseare not

trivial, and prompt attention is required to overcome theon-boardproblems associated with afull toilet tank.Customer service facilities arestill being closed;advice to boaters to keep their rubbish on theirboats hasindicated that thecorporatemind of the trustperhaps does not understandthe strictures of boating. We do not want to be cruising with blackplastic bags full of rubbish on the roof,asthe onlyavailable storagearea, waitingtobe swept off into thecanal by overarchingtreebranches Thereare many of these,and Murphy’sLaw predictsthat this will happen whenwe arehavingtoavoid another boat cominginthe opposite direction on apartnarrowed by intrudingreeds with limited visibility. Ileave you to picturethe scenario…we have allbeenthere.

Now, however, the expanse of reed beds is significantly morethanfive yearsago Therehas been very little managementand dredging

to control reed growth and ingressintothe navigation channelsofmanycanals. We have noticedthe Leicester Line to have been particularly affected,but many other waterwayshavemuchmore reed growth.Reeds arestill beingplanted in coir rolls to improvethe habitatofthe watervole to the detrimentof theboatingcustomer

The mix of canalusers is causingconcern in some areas. Theparticularly beautiful and popular PontcysyllteAqueductis the main case in pointand NABO is pressing thetrust for thorough risk assessment and controlofthe interaction betweencanoeparties and powerednarrowboats on the crossing. We areconcerned that therecould be aserious accidentbroughtabout by lack of safetycontrols

Thefunding of the waterwaysasa national resource still concerns us This year hashighlighted theneed for moremoneyto maintain theinfrastructure andfacilityfor leisureand

liveaboardboating.The restrictions on thecanals have broughtunprecedented pressure on many canalrelatedbusinesses. Hire fleetscould notoffertheir usualcruisingrings as lock flights closed,and moreand moreholiday opportunities were lost. The Fund Britain’s Waterwayscampaigncruise around thecountry has broughtpublicity to theissue butyettoachieveitsmainaim –the decline in supportfrom central governmenthas not been acknowledgedand the looming funding gapasthe government grantreduces from 2027 is closer still. We arestill very concernedthat the reductioningrant money will impact maintenance budgetstothe extent that theclosure of some canals will be considered.Boat ownersare waitingpatiently forthe CRT’scommission on thefutureofboat licensing to report to theCRT trustees.Wedonot knowthe commission’s conclusions butwhat we do knowisthat boat owners cannotbear

the weight of the shortfall in funding. Licences arealready subjecttoover-inflation increasesyearonyearand surcharges on certainclasses of vessel areset to rise.This will result in more andmore boatersfindingtheir leisure elsewhere. Adecline in boat numberswillalsoreduce income

Like many organisations associated with the canal, NABO hasanageing membership.Our council keeps active in ouraims to representboatownersof alltypes andonall inland waterways. Agedoesbring with it experience and expertise.Weare all boat owners,speakingout for boat owners, and supporting boat owners. We would love more, particularly younger people,tojoin us andwe areoffering asubstantial introductory discountonour membership subscriptionto encouragethis.Our Annual General Meeting comes around in November each year;pleasevisit us at www. nabo.org.uk