Newsletter of Guildford & Reading Kent & East Sussex

Summer 2015 and Oxfordshire BranchesSummer 2015

Newsletter ofGuildford & Reading

Kent & East Sussexand Oxfordshire Branches

Working to

Protect - Enhance - Prom

ote

Watch live performances and join in with free family activities in the Forbury Gardens, browse the avenue of stalls along

Chestnut Walk, listen to live music, enjoy a tasty bite to eat and admire the flotilla of boats along the Kennet Canal.

For more information contact 0118 937 2771

Free!

Enquiries 0118 937 2771Boaters 0118 959 8247

Discover more about Water Fest at www.reading.gov.uk/waterfest &

www.facebook.com/readingwaterfest

Saturday 13 June, 11am – 5pmAlong the Kennet, Reading Town Centre

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Editorial Yet again it seems that the thrust of Branch Committee work is destined to fall on much the same band of dedicated volunteers with few new names emerging at this yearʼs Branch AGMs. Full details are listed on page 10 but we would remind members that it is still possible to join your Branch Committee as provision exists for members to be co-opted during the course of a year.

The past few months have seen election fever reaching its climax. IWA has not been standing idly by but has produced a Waterways Manifesto (see www.waterways.org.uk/manifesto ) which all candidates of whatever political persuasion have been urged to sign - by Election Day close on 300 candidates had pledged their support and the initiative was regarded as a considerable success not least from the response within our South East Region. It remains to be seen what the outcome will be but the dissolution of the last Parliament saw the retirement of a number of prominent MPs, not least in waterways terms in South East Region, we have lost Sir Tony Baldry (the former Member for Banbury) who received IWAʼs ʻParliamentarian of the Year Awardʼ in 2014. Sir Tony was a former Waterways Minister and has a long history of support for IWA and the inland waterways. We wish him well in his future endeavours. The continued popularity of our inland waterways was again evidenced over the May Day Bank Holiday by public and boater support for Canalway Cavalcade and the reception given to those performing the opening ceremony - Councillor Audrey Lewis (Lord Mayor of Westminster), Richard Parry (Chief Executive of CRT) and IWA National Chairman, Les Etheridge who were introduced by Libby Bradshaw (Event Manager). In welcoming everyone, Les thanked all the volunteers who put in such a tremendous effort to plan, organise and staff the event. That effort epitomised nearly 70 years of proud history of the Association. 147 boats attended from all parts of the 2000 mile waterway network. The pageant, themed “Canals in Bloom”, after the opening ceremony, and the procession of illuminated boats on Sunday evening were very well supported. (Photos from this yearʼs Cavalcade can be found inside the back cover of this edition of Cargoes).

In our Region, Magna Carta Anniversary celebrations have come to the fore on the River Thames and Basingstoke Canal. For the latter we hear that Basingstoke Canal Society volunteers have recently been directing their efforts towards tidying up the Eastern Portal of Greywell Tunnel and remedial works at Dogmersfield and Swan Cutting, in anticipation of the Bank Holiday Magna Carta Rally.

We hope members will find something of interest around our Regionʼs assortment of waterways during the coming months – certainly the diary of meetings and events on pages 5 to 9 provides a comprehensive list of whatʼs on offer.

Cargoes Editorial Team

Cover Picture: A Maidstone Gathering of Boats on the River Medway (see page29).

[Photo: Courtesy IWAKES]

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From the Region Chairman

There is a good deal going on both locally and nationally. While not of immediate concern the very dry spring does make one wonder about water shortages later in the year. Get your boating in early. I went through the Panama Canal in January. No water shortage there and a fantastic engineering achievement. I shared my thoughts and experience with the Salisbury Group in April. I have had a day trip on the Wey and will be going on the Four Counties Ring in early June. Thanks to all who spotted the history error in the Spring 2015 edition of Cargoes. Agincourt was of course fought by Henry V “once more unto the breech dear friends.....” . Under the leadership of Gren Messham the course of HS2 has been moved with a much more harmonious relationship with the Trent and Mersey between Fradley and Great Haywood Junctions. The other success of last year was the restoration conference with academic research showing the significant economic benefits of waterway restoration. Many copies of IWA manifesto have been distributed to prospective parliamentary candidates with much positive response. The manifesto makes five key points, protecting heritage, supporting local groups, working with Parliament through the All Party Group, supporting the transfer of EA waterways to CRT and support additional affordable off line moorings. Details are on IWA website.

One of the particularly rewarding tasks of being Region Chairman is to meet members across the Branches and attending this seasonʼs Branch AGMs was a case in point. First was the IWAKES AGM in Maidstone when it was reassuring to learn of the active role of Committee members covering a wide variety of waterways in their Branch area. Next came the Oxfordshire Branch AGM in Oxford where their Secretary (Brian Saunders)ʼs appeal for support evidently helped ensure a good attendance. Although no new Committee members emerged on the night, it seemed to me that the degree of interest shown was an encouraging sign. The Guildford & Reading Branch AGM took place towards the end of April when some 30 members gathered at Dapdune Wharf, Guildford to conduct the formal AGM Business and hear an interesting talk on Wey Barges by Jem Bates of Bates Boatyard, Tring. Dapdune Wharf was an appropriate venue for this talk since it was the home of Wey Barges. All told I was pleased to meet face to face with so many members and to find that the campaigning spirit of IWA continued unabated.

There has been a major incident on the tidal Thames involving a hirer narrow boat. The hirer held a masters ticket for the St Lawrence Seaway so was not without experience. There are a lot of incidents on the tidal Thames some fatal. Boats using the waterway range from rowing skiffs and sailing dinghies to 1000 ton plus seagoing ships. Currently hired narrow boats are not permitted below Teddington but it is believed that the Brentford - Teddington transit will soon reopen with a code of conduct. I have made the Limehouse - Brentford transit as skipper of a Black Prince boat. I had tidal experience, I took precautions and I had a VHF radio and licence. While narrow boats get up to all sorts of adventures I would make the point that an unfortunate incident can make life much more difficult for all. A point was made by an Historic Narrow Boater at the Guildford and Reading Branch AGM that this is not the first time the PLA has made life difficult. He had MPs help

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him sort matters out. We need to be vigilant but we also need to be sensible. Taking a pilot is something all commercial vessels do from time to time. On our transit of the Panama Canal there were sometimes 3 on board who had taken 10 years each to qualify and most of that is inland waterway and non-tidal.

Have another good summer on the waterways.Gareth Jones

Diary of Meetings & Events Tue 19th May, 7.45pm: K&A (Reading)/G&R/Oxfordshire Branches Joint Meeting: The Basingstoke Canal - Philip Riley (see pages 17 & 18)

Wed 20th May, 7.00pm for 7.30pm, IWAKES: Dunkirk Little Ships congregate at Ramsgate. (see page 32)

Thu 21st May, 7.30pm, Salisbury Group: A day in the life of a Thames Tug by Richard Thomas. (see page 14)

Sun 24th May, 11.00am – 5.00pm, BCS: Magna Carta 800th Anniversary Rally(see pages 15 & 16)

Wed 27th May, 10.30am, 12.30pm & 2.30pm, WACT: Pirates & Princesses Adventure Voyage. (see page 26)

Thu 4th Jun, 7.45pm, Southampton Canal Society: The History of Canals andTraditional Narrowboat Painting by John Ross. (see page 23)

Fri 5th to Sun 7th Jun: Beale Park Boat & Outdoor Show (see page 15)

Fri 5th Jun, 7.30pm - 10.00pm, WACT: Punch & Picnic Sunset Cruise.(see page 26)

Sun 7th Jun, 1.00pm: Mikron Theatre Company: The Canal Museum, Stoke Bruerne, OOE (see page 36)

Sun 7th Jun, 2.30pm, Towpath Walks Group: Regentʼs Canal. (see page 37)

Sun 7th Jun, WACT: Poddle (see page 29, Cargoes Spring 2015)

Tue 9th Jun, 2.00pm - 6.00pm, National Trust: Toll House turbine tour.(see page 22)

Wed 10th Jun, 7.30pm for 8.00pm, South London Branch: Memories of Humber Ferries by Kirk Martin. (see page 37)

Thu 11th Jun, 2.30pm & 4.30pm, WACT: Cream Tea Voyage. (see page 26)

Fri 12th Jun, 7.30pm: IWAKES/Mikron Theatre Company: Tenterden District WI, Rolvenden Village Hall, Maytham Road, Cranbrook, RA (see page 32 & 36)

Sat 13th Jun, 11.00am - 5.00 pm, K&A (Reading): Reading Water Fest.(see inside front cover & page 18)

6Sat 13th to Sun 14th Jun: River Thames: Celebrations of 800th Anniversary of Magna Carta (see page 15 & 21)

Thu 18th Jun, 7.30pm, Salisbury Group: Trail Boat Festivals on Isolated Waterways around Britain by Ron & Myra Glover. (see page 14)

Fri 19th Jun, 7.30pm: Mikron Theatre Company: The Mill House, North Warnborough, Odiham, OOE (see page 36)

Fri 19th Jun, 7.30pm - 10.00pm, WACT: Midsummer Sensation. (see page 26)

Sun 21st Jun, 2.30pm, Towpath Walks Group: Regentʼs Canal. (see page 37)

Sun 21st Jun, 9.45am & 12 noon, WACT: Dad's Bacon Butty Brunch.(see page 26)

Sat 27th Jun, 7.30pm: Mikron Theatre Company: London Canal Museum, New Wharf Road, Kings Cross, OOE (see page 36)

Sun 28th Jun, 7.00pm: Mikron Theatre Company: London Canal Museum, New Wharf Road, Kings Cross, RA (see page 36)

Thu 2nd Jun, 7.45pm, Southampton Canal Society: AGM (see page 23)

Thu 2nd Jul, 2.30pm & 4.30pm, WACT: Cream Tea Voyage. (see page 26)

Sun 5th Jul, 2.30pm, Towpath Walks Group: Grand Union Canal. (see page 38)

Tue 7th Jul, 2.00pm - 6.00pm, National Trust: Toll House turbine tour.(see page 22)

Thu 9th Jul, 7.30pm: Mikron Theatre Company: The Bounty, Bourne End, Bucks, OOE (see page 36)

Sat 11th Jul, 7.30pm: Mikron Theatre Company: The Riverside Tea Garden @ Sonning Lock, Thames Street, Reading, OOE (see page 36)

Tue 14th Jul, 7.30pm: Mikron Theatre Company: The Rowbarge, Station Road, Reading, RA (see page 36)

Wed 15th Jul, 7.30pm: Mikron Theatre Company: The Oxford Science Park, Heatley Road, Oxford, RA (see page 36)

Thu 16th Jul, 7.30pm: BCS/Mikron Theatre Company: Fox and Hounds, 71 Crookham Road, Fleet, OOE (see page 17 & 36)

Thu 16th Jul, 7.00pm, Salisbury Group: Boules & BBQ. (see page 14)

Fri 17th Jul, WACT: Pimm's & Posh Ploughmans. (see page 26)

Sat 18th Jul, 11.00am - 4.00pm, National Trust: Puffing-A-Wey. (see page 22)

Sun 19th Jul, 2.30pm, Towpath Walks Group: The New River. (see page 38)

Mon 20th Jul, 7.30pm: Mikron Theatre Company: The Rowbarge, Station Road, Reading, OOE (see page 36)

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Tue 21st Jul, 7.30pm: Mikron Theatre Company: The Shepherd's Crook Pub, The Green, Chinnor, OOE (see page 36)

Wed 22nd Jul, 7.30pm: Mikron Theatre Company: The Trout Inn, St John's Bridge, Lechlade on Thames, OOE (see page 36)

Thu 23rd Jul, 7.30pm: Mikron Theatre Company: Plough Inn, Wolvercote Green, Oxford, RA (see page 36)

Fri 24th Jul, 7.30pm: Mikron Theatre Company: Penton Hook Yacht Club, Mixnams Lane, Chertsey, OOE (see page 36)

Sat 25th Jul, 6.30pm: Mikron Theatre Company: Forbury Gardens, Reading, OOE (see page 36)

Sat 25th Jul - Sat 1st Aug, WACT: Summer Camp. (see page 27)

Sun, 26th Jul, 10.00am - 5.00pm, K&A (Newbury): Newbury Waterways Festival.(see page 19)

Mon 27th Jul, 7.30pm: Mikron Theatre Company: North Aston Village Green, North Aston Village Green, Bicester, RA (see page 36)

Tue 28th Jul, 7.30pm: Mikron Theatre Company: Goring Lock, Goring, OOE(see page 36)

Tue 28th Jul, 2.30pm & 4.30pm, WACT: Cream Tea Voyage. (see page 27)

Wed 29th Jul, 7.30pm: Mikron Theatre Company: Waterfront Cafe, Benson Marina, Benson, RA (see page 36)

Thu 30th Jul, 7.30pm: Mikron Theatre Company: The Plough Inn, High Street, Abingdon, OOE (see page 36)

Sat 1st Aug, 7.45pm: Mikron Theatre Company: The Players Theatre, Nelson Street, Thame, RA (see page 36)

Sun 2nd to Thu 6th Aug, S E Region: Thames Sailing Barge Trip.(see page 15 & 32)

Sun 2nd Aug, 2.30pm, Towpath Walks Group: Regentʼs Canal. (see page 38)

Mon 3rd Aug, 7.30pm: Mikron Theatre Company: The Queens Head, 17 Queen Street, Eynsham, OOE (see page 36)

Tue 4th Aug, 7.30pm: Mikron Theatre Company: Wharf House, Cropredy, Oxfordshire, OOE (see page 36)

Wed 5th Aug, 7.30pm: Mikron Theatre Company: Wharf House, Cropredy, Oxfordshire, RA (see page 36)

Thu 6th Aug, 7.30pm: Mikron Theatre Company: Donnington Parish Hall, Stockbridge Road, Chichester, RA (see page 36)

Fri 7th Aug, WACT: Pimm's & Posh Ploughmans. (see page 27)

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Mon 10th Aug, 7.30pm: Mikron Theatre Company: Boat Inn, Canal Road Thrupp, Nr Oxford, OOE (see page 36)

Tue 11th Aug, 7.30pm: Mikron Theatre Company: The Rock of Gibraltar, Enslow Bridge, Woodstock, RA (see page 36)

Tue 11th Aug, 2.30pm & 4.30pm, WACT: Cream Tea Voyage. (see page 27)

Wed 12th Aug, 7.30pm: Mikron Theatre Company: The Great Western Arms, Aynho, Banbury, OOE (see page 36)

Thu 13th Aug, 7.00pm: Mikron Theatre Company: The Pig Place, @NB Acres,Aynho Road, Banbury, RA (see page 36)

Thu 13th Aug, 10.30am, 12.30pm & 2.30pm, WACT: Pirates & Princesses Adventure Voyage. (see page 27)

Sun 16th Aug, 2.30pm, Towpath Walks Group: The Olympics. (see page 38)

Fri 21st Aug, 7.00pm - 9.30pm, WACT: Pimm's & Picnic. (see page 27)

Thu 27th Aug, 10.30am, 12.30pm & 2.30pm, WACT: Pirates & Princesses Adventure Voyage. (see page 27)

Tue 1st Sep, 7.00pm: Mikron Theatre Company: The Teapot Tearooms, Britchcombe Farm, Faringdon, RA (see page 36)

Thu 3rd Sep, 7.45pm, Southampton Canal Society: Magic Lantern Show by Aileen Butler. (see page 23)

Wed 9th Sep, 7.30pm for 8.00pm, South London Branch: The Work of London Waterway Recovery Group (WRG) by Tim Lewis. (see page 37)

Sat 12th Sep, 11.00am - 5.00pm, National Trust: Heritage Open Day.(see page 22)

Sun 13th Sep, 2.00pm, WACT: Heritage Open Day Guided Walk. (see page 27)

Sat 19th Sep, 11.00am, National Trust: Wey River Festival. (see page 22)

Sat 26th Sep: 2.00 pm, IWAKES: SORT Autumn Walk: Visiting Pimms Lock.(see page 33)

Sat 3rd Oct, 2.00pm, South London Branch: Horse Drawn Boat Cruise.(see page 37)

Sun 4th Oct, Oxfordshire Branch: Banbury Canal Day. (see page 34)

Wed 14th Oct, 7.30pm for 8.00pm, South London Branch: The River Wey by John Gibson. (see page 37)

Thu 15th Oct: 7.30 pm for 8.00 pm, IWAKES: The Thames Sailing Barge Trust.

(see page 33)

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Thu 15th Oct, 7.30pm, Salisbury Group: Joeys, Joshers and James by Phil Clayton. (see page 14)

Wed 11th Nov, 7.30pm for 8.00pm, South London Branch: The South Pennine Ring by Alan & Christine Smith. (see page 37)

Thu 19th Nov: 7.00 pm for 7.30 pm, IWAKES: The Restoration of Isfield Lock.(see page 33)

Thu 19th Nov, 7.30pm, Salisbury Group: Anything that Floats by Elaine Kirby.(see page 14)

Thu 3rd Dec, 7.45pm, Salisbury Group: Southampton Waterways Quiz.(see page 14)

Wed 9th Dec: 7.30 pm for 8.00 pm, IWAKES: IWAKES & TMCA get-together.(see page 33)

Wed 9th Dec, 7.30pm for 8.00pm, South London Branch: Christmas Social and members' photos. (see page 37)

Thu 10th Dec, 7.30pm, Salisbury Group: Christmas Dinner. (see page 14)

Thu 28th Jan: 7.30 pm for 8.00 pm, IWAKES: The Wey Navigation by John Gibson. (see page 33)

Southern Canals Linda Wilkinson, Secretary of Southern Canals Association, reports:

On the last Sunday in March some 43 representatives from 13 canal trusts/societies assembled at Stroud District Council offices to be welcomed by SCA Chairman Robin Higgs OBE. His message was that restoration is a partnership with the local community, local councils, other canals, funders etc.which results in benefits to the local economy and this is something that IWA wishes to highlight.

Les Etheridge talked about the eventual transfer of EA waters to CRT and went on to mention the substantial benefits there had been from volunteering for restorations in 2014. Jason Leach CRT restoration team manager told the meeting how CRT, IWA and DEFRA are working together to restore Welsh canals. He also explained the importance of ensuring that canals were in the local plan in order to preserve the line of a canal.

Jim White, vice chairman of the Cotswold Canals Trust, explained the steps they had been taking, beyond basic canal restoration, in making their own lock gates, redesigning paddle gear and installing a hydro-electric system.

Visits to various sites in the afternoon included two lock restorations. The one overriding thing about the occasion had been the sheer enthusiasm of everyone involved. Many thanks went to all concerned for a very interesting day.

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IWA South East RegionChairman: Gareth Jones

Hill House Farm, Misbrooks Green Road, Beare Green, Dorking RH5 4QQTel: 07850 819 071 Email: hhel@btconnect.com

IWA Guildford & Reading Branch CommitteeChairman and Basingstoke Canal: Gareth Jones

(as above)

Secretary & Planning: Jenny BartholomewTel: 01306 882927

Email: jen.bartholomew@talktalk.net

Cargoes, Sales & Publicity: Ray CarnellActing Treasurer & R. Wey: Mike Lewis

K & A and Wey & Arun: Verna SmithWebsite & Cargoes: Tim Fry

IWA Kent & East Sussex Branch CommitteeChairman and River Rother: Mike Hannan

Trumpeter, Water Lane, Headcorn, Kent TN27 9JNTel: 01622 890586 Email: mcfhannan@btinternet.com

Secretary, Sussex Ouse & Cargoes Contact: Roy Sutton79, St Leonards Park, East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 1EGTel: 01342 317569 Email: RoyDavidSutton@Yahoo.co.uk

Treasurer: Les EtheridgeMembership Secretary: Anne Etheridge

Social Secretary: Sue Schwieso

Waterways Reps

R. Medway: Michael MarshR Stour: Roy NewingThames & Medway: Bernard SnellDartford & Crayford: Dave Brooker

R Adur: Brendan WhelanNorthfleet Harbour: Graeme RooneyRoyal Military Canal: John Rich

IWA Oxfordshire Branch CommitteeChairman: Vacant

Secretary: Brian SaundersTintern Cottage, County View, Clifton, Banbury, Oxon OX15 0QA

Tel: 01869 337227 Email: brisaunders33@gmail.com

Treasurer: Ann Yeatman Oxford City Canal Partnership: Peter DarchCargoes co-ordinator: Terry Yeatman

Non Committee Responsibilities

Web Maintenance Officer: Robin Williams Thames RUG 3: Sue & David Cooper Banbury Volunteers Organiser: Pat Thomas

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IWA Waterway Recovery Group Volunteering with WRG.

IWAʼs Waterway Recovery Group (WRG) launched its 2015 working holidays at the end of January. ʻCanal Campsʼ offer a unique opportunity to volunteer and learn new skills, whilst exploring amazing parts of Britainʼs industrial heritage. This year we have 27 Canal Camps planned on 12 different canal restoration projects. This summer we will be traveling throughout England and Wales – offering volunteers the chance to rebuild bridges on the Ashby Canal, restore a lock on the Stover Canal, or repoint a lock chamber on the Monmouthshire Canal.

WRG has kicked off the year with its February Canal Camp on the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation from14th – 21st February. Over the week 14 volunteers, ranging from D of E Gold Award students to WRG regulars carried out towpath work around the Sandford Lock area, clearing scrub and vegetation. This has enabled Essex County Council to carry out major improvement works, vastly improving the condition of the towpath. Local boaters have also commented thatclearance work has opened up views from the Navigation that havenʼt been seen for many years. WRG will be back in October to carry out more towpath improvement work.

In April 100 volunteers from WRG, IWA, BCN, Dudley Canal Trust,Coombeswood Canal Trust and CRT, including their Chief Executive Richard Parry, joined together to carry out a massive canal clean-up on the Birmingham Canal Navigations (BCN). Volunteers spent the weekend clearing over 40 tonnes of rubbish along the BCN Old Main Line at Smethwick Junction and surrounding locks. Lots of interesting ʻtreasuresʼ were pulled out of the canal including motorbikes, a freezer, a Hindu deity statue, a shotgun, several parts of a car … and of course a few shopping trolleys.

Our regional groups (WRG Forestry and London WRG) have also been actively supporting the restoration of the Wey and Arun Canal –carrying out tree clearances and other maintenance on weekend digs.

In 2014 WRG spent 40,000 volunteer hours working towards the restoration of derelict waterways and we want to do even more in 2015! If youʼd like to know more about volunteering with WRG please contact Jenny or Amber at WRG Head Office – 01494 783 453 ext. 604, email enquiries@wrg.org.uk or visit the WRG website www.wrg.org.uk

To support these camps and enable them to take place WRG owns a fleet of four vans. These vans will travel around 10,000 miles annually across the country to ensure WRG keeps running smoothly.

Help keep WRG on the Move – £120,000 AppealSince WRG first purchased the fleet of vans around eight years ago, they

have been driven a total of 400,000 miles. This is the equivalent of travelling around the world sixteen times! WRGʼs vans play a vital role transporting volunteers, equipment and tools on WRGʼs week-long Canal Camps and weekend digs across England and Wales, and without them WRG couldnʼt continue to support canal restoration. The current fleet of four much-loved Transit vans needs

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to be retired and it is time to find new sets of wheels for the next generation of volunteers.

IWA has launched an appeal to help WRG raise £120,000 to purchase the four vans with the aim of buying two vans in 2015 and a further two in 2016.

We canʼt do this without you. The appeal needs the support of people like you that are passionate about waterways restoration to help reach the target. If you would like to help WRG get the essential equipment for restoring canals then please make a donation or get involved in one or more of the many exciting events and activities that will take place throughout the appeal.

Further details in the Summer 2015 issue of ʻWaterwaysʼ.Toby Gomm

Salisbury Group

Our Salisbury correspondent, Myra Glover, writes:

At the February meeting we welcomed Stuart Burroughs, director of “The Museum of Bath at Work” who gave us a presentation entitled “Fallout”. This lecture covered the origins of the Inland Waterways Association and the falling out between the two founder members, Tom Rolt and Robert Aickman.

Stuart told us that even though Rolt and Aickman had the same motive in mind their views differed considerably. Whilst the aim of Aickman was to keep the whole system operable with commercial trade in mind, Rolt was more inspired to concentrate on keeping the scenic canals open for the use of the general public and leisure boaters in order to preserve the old way of life.

It was interesting to hear how other well-known figures in society became involved including Sir Peter Scott, Charles Hadfield and the author Elisabeth Jane Howard at the beginning of this now well-known saga.

At the March meeting Di Harris gave us an illustrated presentation about the twinning between the Kennet & Avon Canal and the Canal du Nivernais in the Burgundy area of France.

She began by telling us how, in the 1960s, the Canal du Nivernais was threatened with closure due to the fact that, although some enlargement to locks had been made, it was not able to take barges of sufficient size to be commercial. The canal was saved by the opening of a leisure hire company in the 60s.

An Englishman, Jo Parfitt, living in France who had worked on the K&A restoration project helped form the Nivernais Canal Trust along with likeminded Frenchmen. Jo then proposed the twinning of the two canals as both navigations had a lot in common.

Di gave us the history of the Nivernais pointing out similarities and differences between the two canals. French engineers had always had difficulty

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with leakage problems. When twinning began this problem was solved by the liaison with the engineers on the K&A.

Many exchange visits have taken place. The French have learnt a lot from us about getting the public to volunteer in restoration projects. As a general rule this did not happen in France. Meanwhile the English learnt that the French excel with their waterway festivals, where hospitality is paramount and there is always plenty of food, wine and entertainment at these events.

Di concluded by saying that the French were inspired by the idea of twinning and in 2008 they also became twinned with the Royal Canal in Ireland.

At the April meeting we welcomed Gareth Jones who gave us a detailed account of his trip along the Panama Canal which was included in the itinery of his recent cruise holiday.

In the first half he gave us a very detailed history of the canal including the reasons why it had to be built. The canal which is 48 miles in length enabled vessels to avoid the 7060 mile trip around Cape Horn.

The first crossing that was suggested was by land in 1534 which involved transporting goods by mule train. Following this there were various ideas suggested, including in 1698 an overland trade route proposed by the Scots which came to nothing. The discovery of gold led to the construction of the Panama Railway opened in 1855 and this is still in use today for the transportation of containers. The next idea was to build the canal at sea level but this idea was not practical as it involved a 17 mile long canal tunnel through unstable land.

The present canal was opened on 15th August 1914 and the building of it resulted in a great loss of life mainly due to disease brought about by the working and climatic conditions. There is a staircase of 3 locks at each end which are 1050ft long, 110ft wide and allows boats with draft restrictions of 41.2ft with a total rise of 85ft.

In the second half Gareth then showed us photos taken from his cruise ship of large container vessels passing through the locks. He explained that although the vessels moved under their own power they were guided by 3 pilots and manoeuvred by tugs. Whilst the boats are in the locks mechanical mules on each side of the lock keep the ships in position by the use of two control lines from each mule. Each lock takes 26 million gallons of water.

We were amazed to see the enormous size of the container ships which only had a few inches of clearance on each side, a charge of 72 dollars per container is charged to pass through the canal. There are many ships that are too large to travel along this canal so new locks are now being built alongside the present ones to enable the modern vessels to pass through.

As a final thought Gareth made the point that the Panama Canal is managed by Hutchison Whampoa a HK company. There is a competitor canal in Nicaragua being constructed by the Chinese with Chinese money. Both are anathema to the USA.

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Programme of Events Thu 21st May: Richard Thomas last visited us in 2007. He is returning to talk to us about "A day in the life of a •••• Thames Tug." This is a look at the work done by the Cory tug General VIII, engaged in the movement of refuse lighters. The talk features a voyage from Wandsworth to the aptly named Mucking in Essex.

Thu 18th Jun: "Trail Boat Festivals on Isolated Waterways around Britain" Ron &Myra Glover have been trailing craft around Britain since the mid-1970s and attending festivals that are held on land-locked waterways which narrow boats are unable to reach. Starting at the first IWA trail boat rally in 1985 held at Pewsey on the Kennet & Avon to the most recent festival at Tiverton on the Grand Western Canal, Devon.

Thu 16th Jul: Boules & BBQ at the Green Dragon. 7.00pm

Thu 15th Oct: "Joeys, Joshers and James" - Phil Clayton is travelling from Wolverhampton to talk to us about a "Birmingham Canals Miscellany" This will cover the beginnings, growth, working years, decline and revival of the B.C.N. together with the work of the Birmingham Canal Navigations Society.

Thu 19th Nov: Elaine Kirby, archivist of the Kennet & Avon Trust, is returning to tell us about "Anything that Floats". In her work Elaine has discovered photos of a large variety of craft that have plied the K & A since 1887. Included are trading boats, leisure boats, house boats, tar boats and other odd boats.

Thu 3rd Dec: Waterways Quiz at Chilworth Village Hall organised by Southampton Canal Society.

Thu 10th Dec: Christmas Dinner at The Green Dragon, Alderbury.

Unless otherwise stated, meetings are at The Green Dragon, Old Road, Alderbury,Salisbury, Wiltshire SP5 3AR starting at 7.30pm when visitors will be warmly welcomed. Further information can be obtained from Ron & Myra Glover on 01722 710322 email glover.3@btinternet.com or Jon Van de Geer on 01722 412841.

Guildford & Reading Branch

Chairman’s Report

First may I thank all those who came to the Branch AGM at Dapdune Wharf where we were kindly accommodated by the National Trust. It was very well attended and we had a very good discussion on waterway matters followed by an excellent presentation by Jem Bates of Bates Boatyard, Tring on Wey Barges and

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their restoration challenges. I have had a full start to the year with Trustee, Regional and Branch duties. In January I transited the Panama Canal, a very worthwhile experience. It is truly one of the engineering achievements of all time. I shared the experience in April with IWA Salisbury Group. Also in April I enjoyed a weekʼs sailing around Corfu in Greece and a day trip on the Wey. I can look forward to two more canal holidays in the UK and France.

The Thames Sailing Barge trip for IWA members in early August is coming together nicely (more details on page 32) as is the IWAKES organised visit to the Thames Barrier. The Branch has planned trips aboard the Pinkerton (Basingstoke Canal) and on the Wey and Arun Canal. (expressions of interest, please, to Verna Smith on 01252 517622 by 30th June).

Magna Carta will be celebrated at Odiham on the Basingstoke Canal and at Runnymede on the Thames. Regrettably for the latter event only some boats will process through the seven upstream locks as there are just too many participants for it to be practical for all to do so. Therefore to avoid exclusion many boats will simply be asked to attend at Runnymede.

The branch officers have been very active in distributing IWAʼs manifesto to parliamentary candidates with healthy response. IWA will have much to do with lobbying the new and old parliamentarians for in particular the EA waterways to join the CRT structure which is increasingly showing how waterway user-friendly it is.

Also we will continue to produce a programme of social events and attendance at rallies. More help is always welcome.

Gareth Jones

Sales and Publicity Stand

Once again the month of May sees the start of our season of outside events, when this year the Basingstoke Canal Society holds its Magna Carta 800th

Anniversary Rally at Colt Hill. Odiham on Sunday 24th May from 11.00am - 5.00pm. The event will see a variety of attractions taking place all day long around the wharf. Next we shall be attending the Beale Park Boat and Outdoor Show, near Pangbourne, on Friday 5th and Saturday 6th June (10am to 6pm) and Sunday 7th

(10am to 5pm). There we shall be joining up again with Middlesex Branch and selling a variety of waterways goods, including books, Maps etc. supplied from IWA HO stock. The ever-popular Reading Water Fest is on the following Saturday (13th

June) from 11am to 5pm. Another event organised by the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust which we attend with our Sales Stand and Lucky Locks Game is Newbury Waterways Festival at Victoria Park from 10am to 5pm on Sunday 26th July (more details on page 19). Our final event of the season will be at Dapdune Wharf, Guildford on Saturday 19th September for the National Trustʼs Wey River Festival, following last yearʼs successful relocation to Dapdune. So there you have it – a selection of events across the Branch area with opportunities to enjoy the waterside activities and maybe lend a hand with IWA publicity and fundraising. Hope to see you there.

Ray Carnell

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Bits on the Basingstoke

Since the last Edition of Cargoes there has been a JMC and a boaters meeting both of which had IWA representation. Boating for 2014 had shownprogress and the lock working had both improved and settled down. There hope to be more navigation again in 2015. There will be a big rally at Odiham for Magna Carta at the end of May and in 2016 the Historic Narrow Boat Club plan a rally on the Basingstoke. With the new telemetry system installed and double back pumping capacity at Woodham, water at least to the bottom of Brookwood is not thought likely to be a problem in most summers. Last year there was not a water problem on the canal and telemetry can only improve the situation. Much engineering work has been done along the length of the canal including maintenance of the aqueduct near Ash lock. The major concern is the ongoing issues with the slip at Dogmersfield. Currently navigation, though possible, continues to be restricted. It is hoped soon to reopen the tow path. Major repairs will be undertaken outside the main navigation season next winter. This should restore full navigation. It has been a complex and expensive process but hopefully this repair is sufficiently comprehensive to be final. The Basingstoke while fully justified on economic grounds is an asset which needs money spent to bring up to full standard. Dredging is an issue and facilities in Woking. These are being addressed as is development at the Canal Centre in Mychett. Much remains to be done but good progress continues to be made. Gareth Jones

BITM WRG Visit to the Basingstoke

On a freezing but dry weekend in February BITM spent a weekend on the Basingstoke Canal clearing overgrown rhododendron from the off bank at Dogmersfield.

Led by Dave Wedd and Jeff Hill the group spent two days cutting, removing and burning the bushes which were overhanging the canal and reducing the navigable channel. It was not possible to burn the arisings on site so they were transported by water to the nearby ʻburning siteʼ at regular intervals.

Many thanks to all who have improved this section of the canal.Verna Smith

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G & R Branch Meetings

Tue 19th May: The Basingstoke Canal We are pleased to be welcoming Philip Riley, the Chairman of the Basingstoke Canal Society, who will describe some of the history of the canal and the current situation following the restoration and reopening in 1991. We are grateful to Philip for finding time to come in advance of the BCS ʻMagna Cartaʼ Rally at Odiham over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend. This is the annual IWA joint meeting with the Reading Branch of the K&A Canal Trust and takes place at the Grange Church Hall, Circuit Lane, Southcote, Reading RG30 3HD at 7.45pm. There will be an Entry Donation of £2.50 (towards expenses). All are welcome

Basingstoke Canal Society

Chobham Social Meetings

The variety of the Canal Societyʼs programme of meetings continued in March when we heard about the Crofton Beam Engines on the Kennet & Avon Canal. It seemed amazing to learn how near the pumphouse and pumps came to being scrapped after they fell into disuse. Now they are a well-established tourist attraction. Indeed they achieved national publicity (along with the Caen Hill Flight and Wadworths Brewery at Devizes) through John Sergeantʼs TV Programme ʻBarging around Britainʼ which featured his visit to Crofton and was shown just a couple of days after Jon Willsʼ talk . Details of public opening times for Crofton (including those occasions when engines are ʻin steamʼ) can be found at http://www.croftonbeamengines.org/.

The seasonʼs series of Chobham meetings came to an end in April with Clive and Jill Fieldʼs illustrated talk on ʻNarrow Boats to Norwayʼ. This provided a highly entertaining account of their Scandinavian trip in 2005 when, accompanied by three other narrow boats, they took a DFDS ship from Tilbury Docks to Goteborg to explore the waterways of Sweden and into Norway. Clive mentioned their previous talk on the subject given to IWA Salisbury Group a couple of years ago and readers may be interested to see pages 8 and 9 of the Autumn 2013 edition of Cargoes for more details.

After such an excellent selection of talks for 2014/2015, next yearʼs programme is eagerly anticipated.

Ray Carnell

Mikron on the Basingstoke The annual visit of the Mikron Theatre Company will be on Thursday 16th

July at the Fox and Hounds, Crookham Road, Fleet at 7.30pm.

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This year's show will be 'ONE OF EACH' - A Savoury Tale of Fish and Chips. (see page 36 for more details)

Show sponsored by the Basingstoke Canal Society.Come along by boat, car, cycle or on foot and enjoy another Mikron

masterpiece. The Society always looks forward to their visit and a good attendance will be appreciated. Bring folding chairs, rugs or just sit on the grass. Alternative back-up in case of rain.

Make a diary note now so you do not miss the show. Collection on exit.Bar and food available Ring Caroline or Graham Dale on 01252 663686 for

reservations or visit www.foxandhoundscc.co.uk for details.This is the 44th.year of touring by canal and river in their 1936 built ex Grand

Union Canal Company narrowboat 'Tyseley'. The company rely on various grants and collections at their shows to continue touring each year playing to local audiences many of whom probably do not visit ordinary theatres.

For further information contact David Millett on 01252 617364 or d.millett7@ntlworld.com or visit www.basingstoke-canal.org.uk

Kennet & Avon Canal News

Canal Trust Meetings

Both the Newbury and Reading Sections of the Trust hold a series of autumn/winter/spring monthly meetings to which non-members are always welcome. For the latest details see their Website at www.katrust.org

Newbury Section. There are no meetings in the Summer.

The Reading meetings are held on the 3rd Tuesday of the month (no Summer or December meetings) at 7.45pm at The Grange Free Church Hall, Circuit Lane, Southcote, Reading RG30 3HD (just off the A4 Bath Road). Entry donation, including K&A members, £2.50 (to help with expenses).

Tue 19th May: ʻThe Basingstoke Canalʼ - Philip RileyJoint meeting with IWA G&R and Oxfordshire Branches

K&A Canal Summer Events Summer 2015 sees the usual major Festival events organised by the K&A

Canal Trust.

Reading Water Fest, Sat 13th June, 11 am – 5 pmReading Water Fest is organised jointly by Reading Borough Council and the

Kennet and Avon Canal Trust. Water Fest is one of the town's best-loved events,

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paving the way for the internationally renowned Reading Festival and WOMAD, on the borough's waterways. It takes place on Saturday 13th June.

Visitors to this year's celebration of canal life will be entertained by traditional music and dance in the Forbury Gardens. Other entertainment and children's activities will take place across the Water Fest site throughout the day.Chestnut Walk will be transformed into "craft avenue" where you can browse among the hand-made products and take in the beautifully painted narrow boats along the towpath.

A number of boat parades will work their way along the river during the day and there will be a best-dressed boat competition, canoeing demonstrations, a duck race and a boat tug of war on the water too

See advert inside front cover.

Newbury Waterways Festival, Sun 26th July, 10 am – 5 pmThe Newbury Waterways Festival will be held over the weekend of 25th &

26th July with the main event on the Sunday. Our theme this year is “Flower Power”. At Victoria Park, right in the centre of Newbury, you will find a flotilla of boats transforming the wharf and forming the very centre of the weekend. Trip boat Jubilee will be having a busy time running extra boat trips for the festival. On Sunday the park will be packed with stalls, entertainment, food outlets with fun for all the family culminating in the ever popular duck race. Entry to the festival is free. We hope you can join us! If you would like to bring your boat, please email JulieDean (juliedean@btinternet.com)

Maidenhead Waterways Restoration Group

Richard Davenport, Chair of the Trustees Maidenhead Waterways Restoration Group, reports on the latest developments:

Flow Diverted as work gets underway for Stage 1 buildOur contractors Greenford installed a temporary dam at Town Moor - the

northern most point of the waterway ʻRingʼ route - at the end of February, allowing the western York Stream arm of the waterway to be drained so that channel earth works can commence. MEM Fisheries undertook a fish rescue as the dam was closed, safely relocating some 23,000 fish downstream. The dam is diverting all flow into the usually empty eastern Moor Cut channel, which is now filled and provides a super illustration of what the completed waterway will look like in that area. Although flowing freely, the Moor Cut channel remains shallow, ahead of the deepening that will follow completion of Waterways Fish rescue

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works in the priority York Stream arm. Once the channel works in the western York Stream arm are completed, the dam will be removed to allow flow to resume there, while the eastern Moor Cut channel is in turn drained to allow the channel worksthere to proceed.

The sequence of channel works along the drained York Stream arm is being carefully coordinated with adjoining Area Action Plan developments in Maidenhead town centre, to avoid any conflict between the respective works. Shanly Homes is moving quickly ahead with its Chapel Arches (South) development, where construction of basement car parks on both the west and east sides of the channel are nearly complete. The walls of the underground car parks will double as new - wider -

channel walls for the waterway, creating a substantial water basin immediately south of the historic (c1825) Chapel Arches bridge and adjoining the café and public terraces that will in future overlook the enlarged waterway. In another development, the council owned offices immediately downstream of the Library have now been demolished and plans are being consulted for a second waterside development adjoining the enlarged waterway.

While the major works are confined to the town centre area, MW volunteers have been working with riparian owners through the winter months to improve the water supply in the northern feeder channels, by clearing stubble blockages, reeds, fools watercress, fallen trees etc. which have built up over the years to obstruct the flow. The Environment Agency has lent MW a flow measuring kit and trained a team of volunteer monitors, so we are able to directly measure the impact of clearance work on the flow at different points and demonstrate that there will be enough flow reaching the town centre to permanently fill the enlarged ʻRingʼ, maintain water quality and support the operation of the fish pass that is to be installed in a new weir at Green Lane.

Please keep following the projectʼs progress via our display case at Chapel Arches or MWʼs web site www.maidenheadwaterways.org

River Thames News

I have commented in my Regional report on matters concerning the Tidal Thames. IWA through the good offices of Verna Smith has now joined the Thames Alliance. IWA policy is to steer EA waterways, including the Thames, into the arms of CRT. From my attendance at a TNUF this does not seem to be the view of Thames boaters. In many ways they are harking back to the grand old days of the Thames Conservancy but those days are gone probably forever. While EA officials

Up & Downstream level differences emerge

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still parade in uniform laden with much gold braid that is largely where the old days stop. All possible revenue is stripped from the navigation economics and expenses relentlessly added. This is and will continue to make Thames boating expensive. At the same time lockkeepers are being either replaced with volunteers or phased out. Lock dwellings are sold. The service to boaters is not seamless as witnessed by the “will or wonʼt it reopen saga” about Romney Lock. The strong advice on closures is take your mobile phone and keeping checking. Do not believe that websites are up to date. Thought is being given to flood defence around Chertsey and Windsor which while not of direct benefit to boaters does make the river a happier place. It may be some time before this is a reality. In mid-June there will be much boating at Chertsey to celebrate Magna Carta publicly at the weekend and for Surrey CC invitees on the Monday. While the river will mainly be open to navigation it may be wise to boat elsewhere unless you are part of the celebrations. For details see the EA website for the Thames. Gareth Jones

Works on the Abbey River, Chertsey, Surrey

There are changes to the Abbey River a side stream of the R Thames between Penton Hook and Chertsey that has a public right of navigation and is regularly used by canoeists. It was also the venue for an IWA rally in 1993 to exercise navigation rights on sidestreams of the River Thames.The Environment Agencyʼs Fisheries & Biodiversity function has recently undertaken a scheme to enhance wildlife, facilitate fish migration and bring about flood risk benefits. Works have included the clearance of weed (a good deal of it was invasive pennywort), and tree growth, the installing of two gravel spawning beds (riffles) and modifications to the sluices where the river re-joins the River Thames.

Clearance of the river over the winter period has brought improvements and made navigation much easier along the river for unpowered craft. However the riffles have raised the river bed and combined with variations in flows the reduced water level have proved to create an obstruction to navigation from causing canoes to ground. The riffles are located in the vicinity of farm buildings, approximately 500 metres upstream of the Abbey Chase Sluice and rollers. Please be aware swans are nesting nearby.

IWA and British Canoeing representatives have separately canoed the river and contacted the EA for more information. A second paddle by British Canoeing to monitor water levels found a lowering caused canoes to ground on one of the riffles. The EA has confirmed that water levels are not finalised and given an assurance to consult with British Canoeing to rectify and set an acceptable level to maintain navigation up and down the river at all times.

If paddling the river, British Canoeing would be grateful to receive reports on water level conditions at access@britishcanoeing.org.uk .

The present situation has also been reported to IWA Guildford & Reading Branch, Lower Thames Catchment Management Partnership hosted by Thames 21, River Users Group 8. The issue is also posted on the British Canoeing and Song of the Paddle websites.

Kevin East, Waterways and Environment Manager, Canoe England

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River Wey NewsClay Lane Link Road

Plans are being made for a new road in Guildford, within view of the River Wey. The new road will link Slyfield Industrial Estate on the North East of the town, with Clay Lane which connects with the A3 at Burpham. The road is planned to run along the edge of the water meadows below Stoke Lock, skirting the edge of the Slyfield landfill area and will be visible from the river between Stoke Lock and Bowers Lock. The road will give improved access to the A3 from Slyfield Estate and will be open to 38 tonne heavy goods vehicles but will have a 40 mph speed limit. The road will undoubtedly reduce the severe traffic congestion on the A320 entering Guildford but it remains to be seen whether it will be to the detriment of the pastoral landscape below Stoke Lock. For more details search Google for Clay Lane Link.

Mike LewisEvents on the Wey

Among this yearʼs National Trust events are:-

Tues 9th Jun & 7th Jul, 2.00 pm - 6.00 pm: Toll House turbine tour. Take the Trustʼs electric boat to Millmead Lock and visit the Guildford Borough Council Hydro Project that harnesses the power of the River Wey. Includes a tour of the Toll House, where a reinstated turbine is once again generating hydro-electricity. Return trip to Dapdune followed by tea & cake. Cost £12.00 (Booking essential)

Sat 18th Jul, 11.00 am - 4.00 pm: Puffing-A-Wey. Come and soak up the atmosphere as the Steam Boat Association of Great Britain come to show off their magnificent steam powered craft. Themed activities for children and some free steam boat rides on the river.

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

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

Southampton Canal Society

At our March meeting John Pomfret was able to step in at short notice. John is well known within IWA as the Freight Group Chairman and on IWAʼs Navigation

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Committee. With so much knowledge of and information ʻFreight on the Waterwaysʼwas the subject.

He started with pictures of wind powered vessels using this countryʼs rivers and canals. Traffic data was shown of Englandʼs main estuarial/waterways systems: The prime estuarial system comprises of the River Thames and its tributaries such as the Medway and Lee Navigation. John illustrated this with a picture of a Thames Barge on the Blackwater.

The Humber with the Rivers Ouse and Trent. Included in this group is the Aire and Calder Navigation which, at its peak, ran coal into Ferry Bridge Power Stations and down to Goole on the River Ouse. A picture of a block of seventeen “Tom Puddings” being towed in the 1980ʼs by a steam tug. The Sheffield and South Yorks Navigation moved steel, fluorspar, oil and limestone in its heyday.

The Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal. The lower part of the River Weaver is still busy with commercial traffic.

The Severn estuary mainly between Bristol and Gloucester. In the main, the Canal & River Trust look after the canal system, with its Freight Advisory Group of which John is the chairman, and the river estuaries are managed by the relevant area Port Authority.

Interesting pictures of Immingham on the East Coast, a Whittaker tanker on the Severn, Wandsworth on the Thames; the River Lee and the Cross Rail new underground system through London with its spoil removed by water.

John continued with a comparison of freight in the country with continental Europe, with a brief report and pictures of the River Seine, Rhine, Rhone, Elbe and Yugoslavia, Ukraine and Romania.

A comment from John: Using our waterways for freight has benefits from lower CO2 emissions. Strong national and regional planning is needed to improve our “Waterways for tomorrow” and there is a need to include Scotlandʼs canals.

A very informative evening. A full report of this meeting can be found in our April Newsletter at http://www.sotoncs.org.uk/archive/pdf/APR_15.pdf

Angela Rose

.Forthcoming MeetingsThu 4th Jun: John Ross: The History of Canals and Traditional NarrowboatPainting. Johnʼs talk will include a demonstration of his painting skills.

Thu 2nd Jul: Society AGM. Full details will be in our June/July Newsletter.

Thu 3rd Sep: Aileen Butler will present a Magic Lantern Show of the Manchester Ship Canal construction, plus other canal related pictures, etc. Please note change of venue: St Denys Church Hall, Old Chilworth Village, SO16 7NN

Visitors always welcome.

Meetings, unless specifically stated otherwise, are held at Chilworth Parish Hall, Chilworth, Southampton SO16 7JZ. Start 7.45pm. For Monthly Newsletters visit www.sotoncs.org.uk or ring 02380 675312.

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Wey and Arun Canal Trust

W&ACT AGM

As usual there was a full house for the Trustʼs AGM held this year at Cranleigh Village Hall on 18th April. Sally Schupke (Chairman) outlined progress in many areas and explained that in order to make more rapid progress restoration needed to be carried forward on a number of fronts at the same time. For this to be achieved there needed to be a combination of volunteers and Trust employees. When Chris Allen stood down as Hon. Treasurer a part-time bookkeeper had been engaged, whilst press and publicity responsibilities had been taken on by Rob Searle, who had initially started in September as a part-time fundraiser.Sally mentioned also the support of visiting groups of volunteers and in particular the specialist help from WRG (Forestry). Currently, work was in progress at the Trustʼs Hunt Park nature reserve in Shalford and Compasses Bridge at Alfold. Maintenance costs continue to rise. Owing to the change in finance personnel, formal adoption of Accounts would need to be held over to special meeting.Derek Heath spoke on behalf of the Trustʼs trading company, WAEL, and thanked his predecessor as chairman, Dusty Miller. He said that although income was down slightly in some areas compared with the previous year, a more valid analysis would be to look at trends over a number of years and these showed a significant increase.

Project manager Philip Oliver described progress on the Bramley Link, dealing with Phase 1 (from Gunsmouth to Gosden) and Phase 2 (from Gosden to Station Road, Bramley). He said that the floods in December 2013 had encouraged public support for something to be done on canal restoration.Project leader Eric Walker said that the opening of the rebuilt Southland Lock had been a significant event last year. His attention was now focused on Gennets Bridge Lock with the creation of three ʻtransferʼ ponds to which any great crested newts found in the construction area could be moved. A licence had now been obtained to trap and handle these protected reptiles.

In giving his update on the Summit Level, project engineer Tony Ford mentioned that planning permission had been obtained for building a new Compasses Bridge at the Alfold entrance to Dunsfold Aerodrome, although there was still some work to do with Surrey County Council on agreeing details for realigning the road on to the new canal crossing. A slipway was to be built on the Ticknerʼs Heath side of the new bridge with access from the airfield. This would be constructed to IWA Trailboat specifications and the Trust were hopeful they might be successful in a future bid to host IWAʼs annual National Trailboat Rally.One of the displays in the village hall sought support for the building of the Trustʼs second canal centre, in Hunt Park. Those at the meeting were asked to sign a petition saying there was a community need for the centre, evidence of which is a

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condition of the Trust succeeding in getting a grant to help build the centre from the Biffa awards scheme.

To round off this AGM report, I think it would be appropriate to add a note of appreciation for the work of Fanny Lines, who had been managing the Trustʼs sales stand for some 17 years. From my own experience with the Guildford & Reading Branch Sales/Publicity Stand, I know the commitment involved in attending pre-booked events whatever the weather, putting up the gazebo and humping the boxes of books etc. I understand that in future this will be undertaken at events by the Trustʼs Mobile Stand and Fanny will be able to take a well-earned rest from outside activities.

Ray Carnell

WACT News

COLOURFUL FLOTILLA ON THE RIVER ARUN Dozens of canoeists, kayakers and small boat owners responded to a call to

celebrate the centuries old navigation rights on the River Arun.A record number of craft took to the waterway between Pulborough and Pallingham Quay for an event on Sunday (April 19th) organised by The Wey & Arun Canal Trust.

The annual rally aims to continue the long tradition of boats navigating this section of the Arun, as the Canal Trust has a strong interest in maintaining these rights.

Those taking part included members of the Trust and enthusiasts from canoe clubs and youth groups in the area and from as far away as Hampton in Surrey.

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“We were delighted with the turn-out for the rally, which resulted in a colourful array of small craft along the Arun,” said Trust chairman Sally Schupke. “It was a convivial and very pleasant occasion, with participants telling us they had an enjoyable time on the river.”

The Arun is tidal as far as Pallingham, where the Wey & Arun Canal Route joins the river. On reaching the end of the rally route, the boaters were able to look at the canal bridge at Pallingham Quay. Another feature on the route was the historic 18th century Stopham Bridge.

Wey & Arun Canal Trust is restoring the 23-mile canal between Pallingham and the River Wey at Shalford, near Guildford, in Surrey. Eventually, boats will be able to travel from the restored canal into the Arun, with Londonʼs ʻlost route to the seaʼ back in full use.

Sally Schupke

Future Events

For the 2015 Public Trip Programme see http://www.weyandarun.co.uk//tripboats/

Wed 27th May, 10.30am, 12.30pm & 2.30pm: Pirates & Princesses Adventure Voyage - The pirates have returned for 2015! Rollicking good fun on the boat, two sea battles to join in and TREASURE for all the children. Come suitably dressed and help defeat the pirates and rescue the princess, booking essential

Fri 5th Jun, 7.30pm - 10.00pm: Punch & Picnic Sunset Cruise - The first evening cruise of the season offers passengers the opportunity to experience a leisurely summer evening trip on the Canal sipping a glass of punch and tucking into a delicious individual picnic, booking essential

Sun 7th Jun: Poddle (see page 29, Cargoes Spring 2015)

Thu 11th Jun, 2.30pm & 4.30pm: Cream Tea Voyage - Enjoy a delicious cream tea whilst cruising the tranquil countryside, booking essential

Fri 19th Jun, 7.30pm-10.00pm: Midsummer Sensation - Celebrate the coming of the Summer Solstice by gently cruising through beautiful countryside on one of the longest evenings of the year. Enjoy a sparkling summer drink and a sensational supper, booking essential

Sun 21st Jun,9.45am & 12 noon: Dad's Bacon Butty Brunch - On Father's Day, treat the one you love to a trip on the canal whilst enjoying a tasty bacon butty washed down with tea or coffee, booking essential

Thu 2nd Jul, 2.30pm & 4.30pm: Cream Tea Voyage – (see 11th Jun entry above)

Fri 17th Jul: Pimm's & Posh Ploughmans - Savour an evening trip on the canal whilst enjoying a glass of Pimm's, a very special Ploughman's Supper and easy listening music all the way, booking essential

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Sat 25th Jul to Sat 1st Aug: Summer Camp: The canal camp is a working holiday. An enjoyable experience for anyone who enjoys being outdoors and meeting new people. We welcome volunteers aged between 18 and 70 from all backgrounds, so why not give it a try. This yearʼs work will be the construction of a slipway on the summit section of the canal alongside Dunsfold Park - for more details see http://www.weyandarun.co.uk/SummerCamp2015.php

Tue 28th Jul, 2.30pm & 4.30pm: Cream Tea Voyage - (see 11th Jun entry above)

Fri 7th Aug: Pimm's & Posh Ploughmans - (see 17th Jul entry above)

Tue 11th Aug, 2.30pm & 4.30pm: Cream Tea Voyage - (see 11th Jun entry above)

Thu 13th Aug, 10.30am, 12.30pm & 2.30pm: Pirates & Princesses Adventure Voyage - (see 27th May entry above)

Fri 21st Aug, 7.00pm-9.30pm: Pimm's & Picnic - The final evening cruise until next season. Join us on a leisurely summer evening trip on the Canal. We will provide you with a glass of Pimm's and a delicious individual picnic, booking essential

Thu 27th Aug, 10.30am, 12.30pm & 2.30pm: Pirates & Princesses Adventure Voyage - (see 27th May entry above)

Sun 13th Sep, 2.00 pm: Heritage Open Day Guided Walk - starting from the Gunpowder Store at Stonebridge Wharf, Shalford along parts of the course of the canal to the former Bramley Wharfled by the Wey & Arun Canal Trust this is also an opportunity to explore the new Hunt Nature Park which is being created by volunteers of the Trust. The Gunpowder Store may also open.The Wey & Arun Canal was the crucial section of the inland waterway formerly linking London to the English Channel. The northernmost mile of the canal is within Guildford Borough.Approximately 2.5km, 2 hours.Please wear appropriate footwear, booking essential. Parking available at Broadford Business Park, Shalford GU4 8EP (behind Parrot Inn, on the A248).

Further details and booking from the Trust Office on 01403 752403.office@weyandarun.co.uk www.weyandarun.co.uk

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

The decking for the viewing platform

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IWAKES Branch News

Past EventsRoman Settlements of the Medway by Simon Elliot

At least fifty members and friends squeezed into Strood Yacht Club to hear this talk. After the Romans landed at Richborough they settled the lower Medway Valley and made it very industrial. There are many Roman sites around Kent, including some of the Rochester Castle walls. The excellent speaker himself found a Roman road at Dean Street. Roman sites upriver of Allington, include the huge Teston Villa Estate, and major quarries at Allington for the Kentish Ragstone that was used in many Roman buildings including those in London. Dean St had the largest Ragstone quarry in England. There were major villas at Eccles and at Maidstone, near the river to house soldiers. There is possibly a Roman wreck in the river opposite Aylesford Priory. There are plenty of Roman finds in Barming, including some reused stone in Church Lane. Plaxtol, a quiet backwater now, had three Roman Villas. The Romans built Hadrianʼs Wall in AD128, and the Antonine Wall (on the Forth and Clyde Canal) in AD144. The Romans built Rochester Bridge, across the Medway at its narrowest point, in wood. Simon was a wonderful storyteller and a real enthusiast for his subject.

Angela Acott

Dartford & Crayford Navigation

The Narrow Boat Pentargon Springer has successfully stayed overnight at Dartford Creek and is intending to stay for the next two weeks surveying various mooring spots both floating and drying out, in this photo there is a permanent 3ft pool of water behind the cill at the lock gate which would probably accommodate a fair few narrow boats without the worry of drying out, the skipper is intending to dry out as well to show how it should be done and that it is safe to do so.

https://www.waterways.org.uk/waterways/canals_rivers/dartford_crayford_navigation/dartford_crayford_navigation Roy Sutton

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River Medway News

Medway Valley Country Partnership continues to be active within the Medway area with a varied programme of work and initiatives to protect and maintain the river valley. Funding for the removal of invasive species is likely to diminish with the EA Medway budget cut backs. There are plans for creation of meadow area at Whatmen Park, Maidstone. See how you can become involved with MVCP activities by visiting their website http://www.medwayvalley.org

New Electric Trip boat, Enid May was named on 24th March 2015 by Tonbridge mayor, Cllr Sasha Luck. It is run by Glynn Rees and Peter Dale, who have operated Grove Ferry trip boats. The Medway trips will last around 50 minutes, and residents will get the chance to soak up local sites, travelling on a scenic route upstream from the High Street's Big Bridge to the Leigh Barrier, lapping up views that are unreachable by foot or car. Built in Norfolk, the 12-seater, environmentally friendly Enid May will ensure there is no pollution or harm to habitat of local wildlife. www.tonbridgerivertrips.co.uk/boats.htm

Enid May, TonbridgeMedway River Alliance met on 24th March at the EA offices Allington Lock to

discuss and action a variety of issues affecting the River. Representatives from the EA, Tonbridge & Malling Council, MVCP, IWA, Hampsted & Yalding CC, Marine Police Unit, Maidstone Canoe Club, and Medway River Users Association were present.

There will be no Maidstone River Festival again this year due to policing costs. However there will be a Maidstone Gathering of Boats on the Medway on Saturday 25th July. Last yearʼs event attracted 102 boats. It is hoped more boats will turn up this year. If you are interested in attending please contact Mark at mark.smurthwaite@gmail.com.

A litter clean up from the River side has been planned for Saturday 11th May.This is to tackle the high level tree litter due to 2013 floods. This is being organised by Mark Smurthwaite of Hempsted & Yalding Cruising Club and will involve boats and kayaks from Maidstone paddlers group.

Medway River Users Association which represents user groups on the non-tidal section of the river are forming closer links with Medway & Swale Boating Association (MSBA). The MSBA includes in its membership over thirty clubs and other organisations with some 4,000 members who regularly use the waters of the tidal Medway and Swale for recreational purposes.

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The River Medway Annual Report (from EA) gave 2013/14 income from licences as £193,605 and from estate as £68,405. Manpower cost £440,151, with direct costs £99,099 and capital cost £1,982,000. There were 1042 registrations, a slight improvement on 2012/13. Performance standards achieved were excellent with zero significant complaints.

Due to a significant reduction in EA funding for the Thames and Medway Navigations, the planned refurbishment of East Farleigh lock will be now postponed. It is not clear at the moment when this will work will go ahead.

Mike Marsh

Thames & Medway Canal Association

Display Week at Rochester Library 14-21st MarchMembers of the

Rochester Library Management Team pose for a photo during our first outing in March. In addition to 'spreading the word' we used the opportunity to give out leaflets to promote the Thames and Medway Canal Open Day and inviting members of public to attend. We also displayed the impressive model of the Thames Barge 'Kathleen' and a selection of glass bottles from the canal and a brick. Bernard Snell

Canal Open Day Sunday 29th MarchDespite the incessant drizzle a

larger crowd than might have been expected turned up to see the Opening of the slipway and Swing Bridge during the Canal Open Day on Sunday 29th March.The Mayor of Gravesend, Cllr John Caller, and his wife attended the event and with their umbrellas at the ready. The ribbon was duly cut declaring the

The Swing Bridge

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slipway officially open with the first narrowboat for over 80 years 'Grey Owl' slipped into the water.

The Mayoral party were then shown the displays before making their way to the recently restored Swing Bridge for a further opening ceremony: the first timefor over 40 years that the footpath Bridge has been swung. Later the Mayor undertook a short trip in 'Grey Owl' through ever-increasing wind and rain.

Members of the Gravesend Sea Cadets and leaders also braved the elements and a model boat display was also attempted in the blustery conditions. Despite the disappointing weather the event went according to plan and we look forward to the possibility of something similar in the future.

Bernard Snell

Swing Bridge No 4For many months Swing Bridge Project Manager Dave Parnell and many

other members (especially Les Tompkins) have been diligently working on the Swing Bridge No. 4 over the Thames and Medway canal near Gravesend in an effort to get it to swing again. It was repaired for Thames & Medway Canal Association (TMCA) by a consortium of British Railways, Groundwork, Railway Heritage Trust, Green Link and IMPACT in the early 90s. TMCA painted it regularly since that time and looked after it, but it had rusted and seized up due to lack of use.

The momentous day came on Tuesday January 13th. When, helped by some farmers using the bridge to get to their horses in a field beyond, we managed to swing the bridge about 6ft. A great cheer was heard over the Thames marshes as we realised were well on our way to completing the job so that, when the canal is fully restored, there will be no obstruction to navigation. Restoring of the Swing Bridge doubles the future navigable length of canal (up to Shornemead Crossing). One or two members were instrumental in the project being offered a much-appreciated £5,000 from the Kent County Council (KCC) Community Engagement Grant Scheme and KCC and Gravesham Borough Council Neighbourhood Forum Grant Fund to replace damaged timber work on the bridge, and carry out exploratory work to the missing winding gear that drives the swing mechanism.

Angela Acott

Photo: Bernard Snell

The Slipway

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River Adur

In March, the Adur Council Local Committee, which is comprised of six West Sussex County Councillors, discussed the issue of access to the river Adur at Ferry Road, in Shoreham. It was agreed that access to the river Adur would be retained. The Councillors recorded that they were unhappy both with the design and how the local Council had developed the plans. However, because of the time already taken, they were loathe to ask for the local Council to start the process again. Retaining access at that point was vital both for the semi-professional fishermen who use the slipways and to keep open the option of creating an improved ramp. Over many decades, Shoreham has lost the use of almost all the public slipways and hards.

The Shoreham Slipways Group, an IWA Corporate Member, has applied for planning permission to build a new slipway at the Adur Recreation Ground, in Shoreham. It will essentially replace the slipways that have been removed or rendered useless by the removal of car parks. The proposed site is located within the leisure area between the railway bridge and the A259. As would be expected, there are many groups that have to be consulted about the slipway. These include several departments within Adur District Council and West Sussex County Council, the EA, the Port Authority and, because the site is within a SSSI, Natural England (NE). At the time of writing, there had been a total of 47 responses to the planning application from public consultees, groups and individuals. All are in favour of the slipway. Two major bodies, the EA and NE have yet to respond. One key element will be the provision of compensatory habitat for the mud that would be covered by the slipway. Currently, the EA is developing plans for improvement to the tidal walls along the river Adur and within that scheme it is proposed to create additional habitat, just upstream from the proposed slipway. It is one of those cases where the public bodies, and even elements within them, need to work together to achieve the common goal of creating a much-needed public slipway. It promises to be an interesting few weeks helping persuade the official bodies to cooperate!

Brendan Whelan

Future IWAKES and Other Events Wed 20th May: Dunkirk Little Ships congregate at Ramsgate.Google ʻAssociation of Dunkirk Little Shipsʼ for details.

Fri 12th Jun: 7.30pm: Rolvenden Village Hall, Maytham Road, Rolvenden, Cranbrook TN17 4ND: Mikron Theatre present ʻRaising Agentsʼ (100 years of the WI), see details on page 36: 01580 241818 or 01581 241371: £10.

Sun 2nd to Thu 6th Aug: Thames Sailing Barge Trust sailing trip (approx. 3 days at sea). 12 passengers (with skipper & mate provided): Self-catering: £150pp plus food: Meet opposite Chatham Marina. Contact Gareth Jones for details and bookings.

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Sat 26th Sep: 2.00 pm: Meet at the car-park behind Lindfield Church: SORT Autumn Walk: Visiting Pimms Lock, Deans Mill (and probably the River in the East Mascalls area).

Thu 15th Oct: 7.30 pm for 8.00 pm: Strood Yacht Club, Knight Road, Strood, Kent ME2 2AH: “The Thames Sailing Barge Trust”

Thu 19th Nov: 7.00 pm for 7.30 pm: The Upper Room, Perrymount Methodist Church, Perrymount Road, Haywards Heath, RH16 3DM (near the railway station and 200 yds from Clair Hall): "The Restoration of Isfield Lock (including design, archaeology and the history of the associated paper-mill and wharf)" by various members of the team: SORT/IWAKES Joint meeting:

Wed 9th Dec: 7.30 pm for 8.00 pm: Gravesend Sailing Club, East Promenade, Gravesend: IWAKES & TMCA get-together:

Thu 28th Jan: 7.30 pm for 8.00 pm: Strood Yacht Club, Knight Road, Strood, Kent. ME2 2AH: “The Wey Navigation”: John Gibson (River Wey Navigation Manager)

Tea and coffee are available at all IWAKES evening meetings.Venue maps can be found at www.waterways.org.uk/kent/kent_east_sussex

Oxfordshire Branch News

Despite our desperate plea in the last Cargoes no new members attended our AGM, which meant that there are no new members on our Committee. We are therefore still without a chairman.

Whilst we have great difficulty in finding recruits for Committee this is not the case with one off tasks like helping on Banbury Canal Day.We therefore welcome Pat Thomas who is replacing Mary Heritage in organising the latter. That she is most welcome, goes without saying. She will of course have a different way of dealing with things and bring her own ideas into making the event safe and good fun for all involved. Please do not hesitate to contact her if you want to volunteer, her specially set up email address is pat.thomas@waterways.org.uk

This means that Mary Heritage like her husband Ron finished her run of organising for the Oxfordshire Branch. They have been stalwarts for many years and we cannot thank both of them enough. They are not disappearing though as they will still attend events, so will be available for advice and help in the future.

The only ʻnewʼ person at the AGM was our new Regional Chairman Gareth Jones. It was great to meet him for the first time and put a face to the telephone/email communications.

Brian Saunders

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Banbury Canal Partnership

As promised in the last edition of Cargoes, the working parties restarted in April. The first one was on Tuesday 21st April, followed by Tuesday 28th April. They commenced at Allenʼs Lock where the infrastructure was repainted including the balance beams, steelwork etc., and the adjacent natural stone wall was cleared of the overgrown vegetation, brambles and assorted rubbish. The second working party was held at Varneyʼs Lock at the other end of our patch where the infrastructure was again repainted including the balance beams, steelwork etc., but gardening here was not required!

Working parties will continue on the third and fourth Tuesday each month. At the time of writing this, the next date (19th May) is at Broadmoor Lock where our previous fencing skills will again come into their own.

We are looking at the possibility of a weekend work day (possibly a Sunday) when we could incorporate a barbecue, but let us know what you think.

The AGM had to be deferred from January, due to unforeseen circumstances, but took place on 16th April. It was agreed to incorporate this month for future AGMs, The Chairman and Treasurer were re-elected by a respectable attendance. A discussion took place about a number of items affecting the canal corridor through Banbury including the enlargement of the shopping centre and the demolition of a Victorian industrial workshop.

At the AGM the BCP were presented with a certificate from the Canal and River Trust authorising us to look after a mile and a half of canal through Banbury. This reflects the type of work we undertake such as repainting, timberwork repairs vegetation clearance and the like.

Brian Saunders

Banbury Canal Day

Sunday 4th OctoberA date for your diary with the theme this year of ʻColours of the Rainbow,ʼ

Banbury Canal Day promises to be a colourful event with live music, decorated boats, dance displays, Arts and Craft Market, competitions and stalls.

Short (10 – 20 mins) Boat Trips on four Day Hire boats give free rides to people who perhaps have never been on a canal boat before. It is one of the regular features and is very popular and this year we would like to recruit further volunteers who would be prepared to offer their time for approx 2.5 hours on the day. Full details are in the Volunteers Information pack obtained from Pat at pat.thomas@waterways.org.uk

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Wilts & Berks Canal

Brian Stovold, East Vale Branch Chairman writes:

The East Vale branch of the Canal Trust is based around Wantage, Grove and the surrounding villages. One of the areas we have been attempting to get a toe hold in for some time is around the Challows and Childrey. We have a lease over a significant section of canal north of Childrey which we restored a while back. Further to the east and separated only by a couple of fields (where we don't have access at the moment) is a pound either side of Childrey/West Challow bridleway. This was the site of an old flat bridge until 1948 when it was culverted. Interestingly the brickwork remaining would indicate to me that it may have been an arch bridge when first built but later changed (perhaps the arch fell down). Several years ago we installed a temporary bridge adjacent to the site which will allow us to divert the bridleway and enable us to work on restoring a bridge. The plans are done, and ecology report is underway which should be followed very swiftly but an application for diversion and for permission to rebuild. Further east from there the canal is culverted under West Challow's Silver Lane and there then follows an almost unbroken section ripe for restoration through to the parish boundary. The boundary is marked by a BOAT which crosses the canal on a flat bridge. A topological

survey has just been commissioned after fruitful discussions with the land agent and I hope a lease will follow once we have all the boundaries and issues ironed out. This will give us much work to do over the next few years as two new bridges will be required as well as a weir to control water levels and repairs to a siphon. Water supply shouldn't be a problem as at least one watercourse empties into the canal.

Moving out of the South East Region boundary into Wiltshire, work continues on planning for the Melksham Link, and at the very significant Studley Grange restoration site near Wootton Bassett preliminary work has started.

Planning permission has been granted for a new landing stage adjacent to the Waitrose store at Wichelstowe, Swindon which will enable our trip boat, Dragonfly, to pick up and set down passengers. Very exciting.

Finally I am delighted to report that the Sharing Heritage Educational Project at Pewsham Locks, Chippenham has passed the first stage of the CRT Living Waterways awards.

More information is available as ever on the Trust website www.wbct.co.uk and facebook.

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The Mikron Theatre CompanyThis year sees Mikron making their 44th national waterways tour with two new

productions as detailed below.

One of Each (OOE)Sir Caspian Delamere is a man on a mission, to find

the finest Fish and Chips in Britain. Heʼs narrowed it down to two seaside vendors – finalists for his GOLDEN FISH-FORK award.

By coincidence The Pickled Egg and The Silver Darling are rival establishments run by twins, Roderick and Annette Whale. Unable to agree on the best way to cook this iconic dish, they went their separate ways years ago, and now they find their food and their philosophies in direct competition for the coveted GOLDEN FISH-FORK.

Which portion will prevail? Rodʼs old fashioned, homely style? Or Nettieʼs high-tech twist on tradition?

Their story is covered by unscrupulous journalist, Meriel Hacker, and she is after a scoop.

So what will she do when she hooks a much bigger fish than she ever expected…?

Set sail with Mikron for a savoury tale about the British National Dish. Hot, salty and wrapped in newspaper!

Raising Agents (RA)(100 years of the Womenʼs Institute)

Bunnington WI is a bit down-at-heel. Dwindling membership means they can barely afford the hall, let alone a decent speaker. So when a PR guru becomes a member, the women are glad of new blood.

Initially. The milk of WI kindness begins to sour when she re-

brands them the Bunnington Bunnies. Theyʼre hopping. With stakes higher than a five tiered cake stand, a battle ensues for the very soul of Bunnington, perhaps the WI itself!

On the threshold of one century into the next, this tale of hobbyists and lobbyists asks how much we should know our past or how much we should let go of it.

Above all else, like the WI itself, Raising Agents is a story of friendship.

For further details see the Mikron Website at www.mikron.org.uk

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South London Branch Forthcoming Events

South London Branch Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of each month at 7:30 for 8:00 pm in The Primary Room, The United Reformed Church Hall, Addiscombe Grove, Croydon CR0 5LP. Admission to the talks and presentations is free to all, members or non-members, although we do ask that you donate aminimum of £2 per person to offset room hire charges and speakersʼ expenses,thank you. The programme for meetings is as follows:

Wed 10th Jun, 'Memories of Humber Ferries' - A talk by Kirk Martin.

Wed 9th Sep, 'The Work of London Waterway Recovery Group (WRG)' - A talk by Tim Lewis.

Sat 3rd Oct, 2.00pm, Kintbury: Cruise by Horse Drawn boat on Kennet & AvonCanal.

Wed 14th Oct, 'The River Wey' - A talk by John Gibson, Navigation Manager.

Wed 11th Nov, 'The South Pennine Ring' - A talk by Alan & Christine Smith.

Wed 9th Dec, Christmas Social and members' photos.

For more information please contact Alan Smith, telephone 020 8255 1581, mobile 07774 890 750 or email alan.smith@waterways.org.uk

Walks

Towpath Walks Group is looking for volunteers to guide small parties of walkers on short walks along the towpath of the Regentʼs Canal (and elsewhere).

This introduces newcomers to the pleasant world of waterways – which most outsiders donʼt realise is here! It is also a good way of recruiting new members to IWA. No experience? No problem, weʼll brief you so, if youʼd like to give this a try, please contact Roger Wilkinson.

Sun 7th Jun, 2.30pm: Walk, Regentʼs Canal: Islington to Hoxton, meet Angel

Sun 21st Jun, 2.30pm: Walk, Regentʼs Canal: Little Venice to Camden, meet Warwick Avenue

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Sun 5th Jul, 2.30pm: Walk, Grand Union Canal: Paddington Basin, Paddington Arm to Little Venice, meet Edgware Rd (Circle)

Sun 19th Jul, 2.30pm: Walk, The New River, meet Manor House (Finsbury Park exit)

Sun 2nd Aug, 2.30pm: Walk, Regentʼs Canal: Mile End to Limehouse, meet Mile End

Sun 16th Aug, 2.30pm: Walk, The Olympics: Three Mills & Bow Back Rivers, meet Bromley-by-Bow

The Walks programme continues on alternate Sundays for the rest of the season –see next Cargoes for further details.For more information about Walks (Normal charge: £9.00, Concessions & Studentrate: £7.00) please contact Roger Wilkinson, telephone: 07896 801930 or email: rogerw9796@yahoo.co.uk

The Inland Waterways AssociationSouth East Region: Chairman Gareth Jones, Hill House Farm,

Misbrooks Green Road, Beare Green, Dorking, RH5 4QQPhone: 07850 819071 Email: hhel@btconnect.com

Guildford & Reading Branch: Chairman Gareth Jones, Contact details as above

Kent & East Sussex Branch: Chairman Mike HannanTrumpeter, Water Lane, Headcorn, Kent TN27 9JN

Phone: 01622 890586 Email: mcfhannan@btinternet.com

Oxfordshire Branch: Contact Brian SaundersTintern Cottage, County View, Clifton, Banbury, Oxon OX15 0QA

Phone: 01869 337227 Email: brisaunders33@gmail.com

Opinions expressed in Cargoes are not necessarily those of IWA.

Editorial Team: Ray Carnell and Tim Fry iwacargoes@hotmail.com

Next issue Autumn 2015 Copy date 15th July 2015

CANALWAY CAVALCADE 2015

Boats moored in the pool at Little Venice

Richard Parry

Chief Executive, CRTAudrey Lewis

Lord Mayor of Westminster

Les Etheridge

Chairman, IWA

At the Opening Ceremony

A selection of lubricants and ancillary products to assistwith the maintenance and servicing of canal boats.

GOLDEN FILM CANAL BOAT RANGE

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

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