March 2015 Shroppie Fly Paper

COVER & THIS PAGE: Contractors for CRT abseil the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct to clear vegetationand clean the structure - Photo by Mike Poloway (courtesy of Canal & River Trust)

Spring 2015 Shroppie Fly PaperPage 3

The Editor's cut...

I’m sure that theweather experts will be lining up to tell us thatthe winter of 2014/15 was one of the mildest on record but itcertainly didn’t feel like it for the weekend open days atCholmondeston Lock in February. Our hardy volunteersbraved sleet, hail and bitter wind to support CRT staff on siteand help 250 visitors explore the drained lock, which happensto have, at 11ft 3in, the greatest rise on the Shroppie.

Thework party volunteers, who do somuch to enrich the canal infrastructure in ourarea and make it the envy of visiting boaters, have also been busy in all weathersand, as we report on pages 11 and 24, you should notice some big improvementsas this year’s cruising gets under way.

Butnow,aswego topress, spring isburstingoutall overandwith it somesignificantevents are on the horizon. The most notable of these, with the possible exceptionof the North West Region “Not An AGM” in Liverpool to which you are cordiallyinvited (page 17), could well be the General Election on 7 May.

This represents one of those infrequent occasions when IWA is well placed tomove the waterways cause further up the political agenda, so we hope that asmany of you as possible will feel moved to join IWA’s campaign and ask yourparliamentary candidates to sign up to the “Five Point Partnership” in IWA’s 2015Manifesto (page 23).

2015 is also significant as the branch’s 40th anniversary year. Our chairman andregion chairman make mention of this in their respective articles and you will seethat we burst into rare colour on our centre pages thanks to Denis Farmer’srecollections and photo library. We hope to commemorate 40 years of supportingthe border counties’ and Welsh waterways in our other issues this year, so may Irepeat my appeal for help if you can supply any photographs and narrative from1975 to the present?

Among other highlights for the boating season are our outing to the Anderton BoatLift, for which a few places are still available, the introduction of a summer walk atBrewood on the southern flank of our area and, of course, our annual lock wind atHurleston on 1-2 August. Last year the lock wind enjoyed the support of so manyextra volunteers who dropped by to lend a hand and made the weekend reallyspecial, sodoput thedates in yourdiaryandcomealong,even if youcanonly sparea couple of hours. The full listing is on page 14. We hope to see you soon.

Michael HaigNext copy date: June 15, 2015 Printed by Downstream Ltd, Nantwich

Spring 2015Shroppie Fly Paper Page 4

The Branch CommitteePresident & Michael Limbrey [email protected] 01691 654081Treasurer & Alan Platt [email protected] Region ChairmanSecretary & Dawn Aylwin [email protected] Sec. 01691 830403Heritage & Peter Brown [email protected] OfficerWebmaster Alan Wilding [email protected] Editor & Michael Haig [email protected] Region Rep.Social Secretary Val Haig [email protected]

01785 813550Committee Members Hugh Appleton [email protected]

David Aylwin [email protected] Farmer [email protected] Farmer [email protected] Hughes [email protected] Wilding [email protected]

Branch Web pages www.waterways.org.uk/shrewsburywww.facebook.com/pages/IWA-Shrewsbury-Branch/388651831206061

Shroppie Fly PaperShroppie Fly Paper is the newsletter of the Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch of The InlandWaterways Association (IWA) with a membership of about 330. Nationally IWA has about 16,000members and campaigns for the conservation, use, maintenance, restoration and development of theinland waterways. For further information contact any committee member.

Copy for Shroppie Fly Paper is welcome by email, on disk or in manuscript form. Photographs may bein any common computer format or as prints. Please supply a stamped addressed envelope if yourequire photographs to be returned. ‘Letters to the Editor’ intended for publication are invited, as arecomments for the Editor’s private guidance. Copy and letters submitted for publication may be edited.

The InlandWaterwaysAssociationmaynot agreewith theopinionsexpressed in this branchnewsletterbut encourages publicity as a matter of interest. Nothing printed may be construed as official policyunless stated otherwise. The Association accepts no liability for any matter in this newsletter. Anyreproduction must be acknowledged.

The Inland Waterways Association is a non-profit distributing company limited by guarantee.Registered in England No 612245. Registered as a charity No 212342.

Shroppie Fly PaperSpring 2015 Page 5

From The Steerer

We're Splashing Out! Forty years ago a number of uswere 'persuaded' to form a committee, now we have athriving branch actively promoting IWA's vision ofwidely-appreciated and well-maintained inlandwaterways for all.

So we're splashing out with colour pictures in yourmagazine to mark something of what we have been upto over those years.

Look what's happened: the Llangollen Canal, always busy, now has its WorldHeritageSite – theShrewsbury &Newport Canal, after a couple of false starts, hasanenergetic teampromoting its revival – theWhitchurchArmdidn't exist forty yearsago – and the revived Montgomery Canal is buzzing with activity.

There is a new vigour in our canals with the Canal & River Trust getting into itsstride. The branch cannot claim any particular credit for that development, but IWAas a whole certainly can.

With forty years behind us, look at what's going on now.

By the time you read this, our AGM in Shrewsbury will have heard an update onthe progress with the Shrewsbury & Newport. The Trust needs support for itsWappenshall project, saving the unique warehouse complex at the junction torecreate one of those canalside communities that are such a feature of the system.

The news in Whitchurch is less good, with its Trust not yet able to progress theirambition to establish a basin to bring boaters into the town.

On the Montgomery Canal, last year saw another successful Triathlon, SUCSfinishing the section to Price's Bridge and a busy and enjoyable Festival atMaesbury. This year sees more, and I have written about that separately.

IWA has supported the Montgomery right from the start. In the early days nationalchairmen were actively involved in the campaign for the canal, and the originalAston Locks Nature Reserve – the biggest task undertaken by WRG then, andprobably for some time since – was funded by IWA from a generous legacy froma secretary of this branch.

CRT refers to the canal in its Ten-Year Strategic Plan as 'staggeringly beautiful','with very high-quality and rare built and natural heritage'. So it was no surprise that


the Heritage Lottery Fund bid for the Montgomery was the first submitted by CRT.Now the second stage of the bid is being developed for submission this summer.The project plans restoration to Crickheath, and an additional Nature Reserve atAston –protecting flora and faunaand releasing the canal fromsomeof the currentrestrictions; there will be repairs to bridges and weirs, a review of boundary wallsand hedges to help future protection of the canalscape, archaeologicalinvestigations in the Maesbury Marsh area, more dredging, and community andvolunteer activities.

There have, though, been problems in the Redwith area recently: newts, the leak,and recently solar panels.

The discovery of newts, which Natural England did not deal with effectively,inevitably delayed the next stage of work by SUCS. I believe Natural Englandmayhave been surprised by the response from canal interests, though they shouldn'thave been! The temptation to shout their tardiness from the rooftops was resistedbut they were told – at the highest levels – what we thought of it. The situation isnot yet resolved, and even if everything is now dealt with properly, SUCSvolunteers will not be able to start on site until the summer. We hope they will bearwith these frustrations in the meantime.

The leakatRedwithwasdisappointing too, thoughperhapsnot surprisinggiven thetime since the piling which started restoration there. There have beeninvestigations and trials, and we hope it will be watertight soon.

Finally, there is a proposal for solar panels by the canal. We believe the planningapplication is defective in a number of ways, but there are several issues here.Wecannot and do not object to every development along the canal, and it must beexpected that there will be more such applications. (Should there be, until everyfarm and roof is covered?). So do we accept the first few applications, but not laterones? This length is by a feedmill that is a prominent feature in the landscape: arethere lengths of the canal that should beprotectedmore thanothers? (Mypersonalanswer is 'yes': I ammoreconcernedabout pylons crossing theembankment in theVyrnwy/Carreghofa area, which I regard as one of the highlights of the canal, thanthe other pylon crossing near Maesbury.)

Forty years ago you couldn't seemuch of the Montgomery Canal: volunteers fromWRG and SUCS had worked with local residents to restore navigation in theisolated section of the canal inWelshpool but other parts were impenetrable, evenon foot. Today half the canal is open. Tomorrow …?

Michael Limbrey – Branch Chairman


Region Chairman writes

This year thebranchcelebrates its 40th birthday, and thatis a matter for congratulation and naturally will give riseto looking back at the past, but at the same timewemustlook forward to the future. The same can apply to theIWA nationally, especially given the recent centenariesof the births of Tom Rolt and Robert Aickman, the twofounding fathers of the IWA.

In my opinion the IWA of today is, rightly, a vastlydifferent organization to that founded nearly seventyyears ago in the immediate aftermath of a world war, when there was an appetiteand perhaps relevance for the romanticism of Rolt’s ‘Narrow Boat’, which nowappears somewhat dated to this reader at least.

Then the powers-that-be regarded the waterways as an embarrassing irrelevancyand therewasaneed for strongand insistent campaigning just to establish the rightof navigation. Now there is a general acceptance that waterways provide avaluable leisure and social amenity, and if the commercial traffic hasdeparted fromall but the wider canals and rivers, it has been more than replaced by an army ofleisure craft and a wide variety of users of the towpaths.

I can remember my wife’s uncle buying a house bordering the Ashton canal nearManchester and planting a row of leylandii to hide the smelly ditch; that house nowundoubtedly attracts a premium as being waterside and has probably beenrenamed ‘The Moorings’.

So IWAnowworkswithCanal andRiver Trust, to the chagrin of somewhostill thinkwe should be tilting at windmills. That is not to say that we agree with everythingCRT does but if we disagree we tend to do this at a positive meeting rather thanbymanning barricades.Working together persuadedHS2 to change its route nearFradley – an IWA initiative – and a joint approach to restoration is sharing expertiseand resources.

But of course CRT is only one part of the story. In much of the country, East Angliafor example, the navigation authority is not CRT but the Environment Agency,where the financial cutbacks that used to bedevil BritishWaterways still apply withpotentially disastrous results, and IWA’s role is closer to the old campaigning one.

There are still a lot of canals that fell into disuse or were closed down that remainto be restored. In our area we have the Montgomery and the Shrewsbury &Newport, andacross thecountry therearenumerouscanal restorationswhere IWA


plays a major role, especially with Waterways Recovery Group. Progress is slowas finance is still restricted and there are environmental considerations to beaccommodated in this modern age, not to mention Great Crested newts.

Nationally and locally we are the leaders in political campaigning, whether it isgenerally to increase awareness of the waterways amongst our MPs, AMs andcouncillors or to press for the transfer of Environment Agency waterways to CRTbefore funding cuts ruin them. With an election coming up, IWA has produced a‘WaterwaysManifesto’ and there is a separate itemwithin the newsletter to tell youwhat you can do to get your local candidates to sign up to it. The change of ethosfrom British Waterways to CRT has not yet evolved into political activity, andanywaywhile they are still receiving government funding they arewary of biting thehand that feeds them.

So I still believe that there is a place and a role for the IWA, and at its heart is thefact that IWA is a membership organisation, which CRT is not and does not claimto be. Yes, it has a “Friends” section, but that is not a truemembership of CRT andthe trustees and council of CRT are not answerable to them. By contrast withinIWA, as your Region Chairman I am your local Trustee. I try to be as accessibleas I can tomembers andwelcomeyour viewsandopinions. Imaynot alwaysagreewith them, but I will listen and I will pass on to my fellow trustees your views andconcerns.

And finally, after a year’s immobility that prevented any boating, I am getting myboat ready for some serious cruising this year as the sun shines on the ClwydianHills outside my window, so whether you boat, fish, walk or cycle the waterways,enjoy them,and I hope to seeyouat theRegionget-together onApril 25th if I haven’tat the branch AGM in March.

Alan Platt - NW Region Chairman

Lockage statistics 2014

Usage of the canals in the branch area in 2014 was up by an average of some 6%on2013, but this still did not bring it back to thepeakyearshalf a decadepreviously.Cholmondeston Lock, now the busiest for which recordswere kept in the area, had8,424 emptyings, overtakingNewMarton Lock 2, which had 8,346 emptyings. (Toconvert emptyings into boat movements, it is necessary to add about a third.) TheMontgomery Canal had about 1,800 movements, well short of the permittedmaximum of 2,500.

Peter Brown


Membership Matters

We are delighted to welcome the following new members who have joined thebranch since the autumn edition of this magazine and look forward to meeting youall at one of our events.

Mr Cowdry & Miss Owen from Harcourt, Mr Croker from Llanddulas, Mr Crouchfrom Holyhead, Dr Derry from Bucknell, Mr Drake from Hankelow, Mr Few fromthe Republic of Ireland near Longford on the Shannon, Mr Graham & MsHollinshead from Audlem, Mr & Mrs Jones & family from Llanfynydd, Mr Restallfrom Mold, Mr & Mrs Smith & family from Rhos-on-Sea, Mr Platt & Mrs HumphreyfromWeston-Super-Mare, MrWalker &Mrs Bohannan-Walker fromNantwich, MrValentine& family fromWistaston,MrWalsh& family fromAshleyHeath,Mr &MrsWickham from Willaston, and Mr Wixey & Ms Duerden from Welshpool.

For those who joined in March, the date for filing copy for Shroppie Fly Paperarrived before I received theMarch list of newmembers. You too are verywelcomeand your names will appear in the summer issue.

I am sad to report that Fiona Pearson resigned from the committee to care for herhusband. Although she was only on the committee for a year, Fiona reinstated therole of navigation officer and has supported the branch at various events over theyears and has promised to help out again whenever she can. Unfortunately herhusband Ray, a very skilful artist and accomplished mountaineer who climbedvarious peaks in NorthWales, New Zealand, the Himalayas and on the Continent,died earlier than expected in February. Our thoughts and condolences go to Fionaand her family.

Finally, by the time you read this the new cruising season will have started and Ihope to meet many of you either along the towpath or at one of the occasions inour summer programme. I hope to end the 2015 season after theWhitchurch boatrally with a cruise along the Rochdale Canal and through the Standedge Tunnel(water levelspermitting), so if anyoneelse isplanningasimilar cruise inSeptemberplease get in touch as it would be good to meet up for the odd pub meal or drink.

Dawn Aylwin

PLEASE MAKE A DONATION TO BRANCH FUNDS(amount at your choice) to obtain

IWA blue sweatshirt medium (38-40"), new, full price £12.50IWA blue ladies' polo shirt labelled XL but measures 38" around bust line,

as new, full price £11.25Contact Dawn - [email protected]


Anderton Lift and Weaver Boat Trip

Thoseof youwho read theAutumn/Winter 2014editionwill recall that I wrote aboutour planned outing to the Anderton Lift on Saturday May 16th this year.

The trip consists of two parts. Thereis a Top of the World (TotW) tourwhich will take us along theaqueduct and into the control roomand machine deck. This part of thetour takes us right to the top of the liftso is not suitable for anyone with afear of heights and there are alsoquite a few steps to climb.

The original allocation of places forTotWhas been oversubscribed but Ihave managed to secure a furthereight places on a later tour.Unfortunately the time of the latertour, at 1.45pm, will precludecombining it with the boat trip.However, if you would still like toreserve a place on this TotW touryou really need to do so as soon aspossible, preferably by return.

The second part of our outing takes place after lunch from 2.15pm and will beaboard the fully accessible, glass covered trip boatwhichwill takeus from theTrent& Mersey Canal into the heart of the massive iron masterpiece of Victorianarchitecture that is the Anderton boat lift. A live commentary will inform us of thefiner details and the engineering will be illuminated.Wewill stay on board the boatfor a trip on the River Weaver. There is still some availability on the boat trip.

There is a free museum and interactive exhibition on site. There is also a coffeeshop for a light lunch or a snack or you could go for lunch at the Stanley Arms orindeed at The Moorings restaurant situated at the nearby marina.

You will need to arrange your own transport to and from Northwich.

The cost of the TotW tour is £10 per person and boat trip costs £9.75 per person.To reserve either please call Val Haig on 01785 813550.

Val Haig

Anderton Boat Lift at Northwich Photo: Michael Haig


Tyrley Tattle revived - Don’t waste water!

InApril 1840EdwardTurnerwas foundguilty ofwastingwater inTyrleyLockswhenhe ‘drew the cloughs [paddles] of the upper gates of the said lock before the lowergates thereof were closed’. He was fined 9 shillings 6 pence, plus 10s 6d costs.The total amount exceeded the wages of a skilled craftsman at that time. If it wasnot paid immediately, Turner was to be imprisoned at StaffordGaol for onemonth.

The followingmonthWilliamFrampton appeared in court, the charge being that he‘did draw the cloughs of the lower or fifth lock [of the Tyrley flight] before anotherboat then being in the next or fourth lock had passed down and through such fifthlock’. This offence, being considered more serious, resulted in him being fined 30shillings plus 10 shillings costs, though the period of imprisonment if he did not payimmediately was again one month.

In both cases half of the fine went tothe canal company, the other half tothe court. The magistrate imposingthe fines was Thomas Twemlow ofPeatswood, whose estate wasadjacent to Tyrley Locks. Althoughthat winter had been wet, the canalwas suffering each summer from anacute shortage of water, hence thecanal company’s concerns about thenecessity to avoid waste.

Back in thehereandnow,a jointNetworkRail andCanal&RiverTrust volunteeringevent was held at Tyrley Locks in early March (2015).

LedbyCRTvolunteerDekOwen,NetworkRailmaintenanceandengineering stafffrom Birmingham, supported by volunteers from Audlem, SUCS and the NorburyCRT team, achieved a huge amount over the two days. The complete set of fivelocks on the flight was painted; grass edges trimmed, locks oiled, weeds removedand foliage tidied, along with improvements to benches, stop plank huts and othercanal infrastructure.

TheNetwork Rail volunteers also tried their hand at lock keeping, presumably withbetter results than Messrs. Turner and Frampton 175 years earlier!

[Sources: Staffordshire Record Office, Q/SB/1840/T/12; Dek Owen, Network Rail and CRT Volunteer]

Peter Brown & Michael Haig

Work at Tyrley Locks Photo: Dek Owen


Branch Calendar 2016 - An Appeal

Over the past few years the calendar has been a great success: it has sold out well before the NewYear and has made a good profit for the branch, and has been our best money raising project. So we

are hoping to run the calendar again for 2016.

But it is time for a change. We owe thanks to David and Dawn Aylwin who have been running thecalendar, but they do a lot more besides and want to stand down this year.

So, if we are going to have another successful calendar – and benefit from the funds and publicitywe gain from it – we need someone to help organise it. Could this be you?

The arrangements are in place: we have a collection of sponsors, arrangements for printing anddistribution, and procedures for obtaining pictures. We even have an offer of help with the design.So

you won't have to devise a new plan, although you're welcome to improve the old one!

Would you like to help? I will be happy to have chat if you would like to know more – just [email protected] or give me a ring (01691 654081).

This is a great opportunity to help the branch to generate funds and publicity for our canals.

Photographers - Show Off Your Skills!

Our branch calendar sells far and wide across the UK and even overseas, so here's a chance todemonstrate to the world what a fine waterways photographer you are.

We are now inviting entries for our 2016 calendar, which we hope to have on sale from July onwards.But you'll have to hurry - we need your entries by May 1. Here's what you should do:

All photographs must be taken within the branch area, which is from Droveway Bridge, Pendeford,(near the southern end of the Shropshire Union) to Barbridge Junction, the Middlewich Branch, theLlangollen and Montgomery Canals, the Shrewsbury & Newport Canals and the River Severn northof Bewdley. We will try to choose a selection from all these waterways so don't restrict your entries

to one area. But please, no more than 6 photographs per person.

Imagesmust be submitted in digital format at 300dpiminimum.Weneed12 landscape format picturesfor themonthpages andone colourful portrait format picture for the front cover (a goodbit of surround

helps as the front cover also has to carry IWA’s logo and the calendar legend).The photos will not necessarily be chosen on their technical merit.

We want to create another exciting and interesting calendar which will appeal to everyone, not justboaters. Peoplewhobuy the calendar like to see places they have visited, particularly evocative scenesand wildlife. We need photographs showing waterways in all seasons and preferably at a location we

have not used before. This year's calendar can be seen on the Branch website.

Please send the following information with your photograph:Full name (which will appear on the calendar), address, email and telephone number

Title of photographLocation of photograph

Time of year the picture was taken (so it can be used for the appropriate month)

Please send your photos to [email protected] by May 1


Nantwich Aqueduct repairs deferred to help local businesses

Planned repairs to Nantwich Aqueduct, which had been due to begin at the end ofMarch, have been postponed until September to avoid disruption for localbusinesses during the summer months and to allow additional funds to be raisedso that further repairs and restoration can be carried out.

The Grade II* aqueduct, constructed in1826 under the supervision of ThomasTelford, carries the Birmingham &Liverpool Junction Canal, now known asthe Shropshire Union Main Line, over theChester road, now the B5341. The repairswill necessitate the closure of the B5341, abusy route into the centre of Nantwich, foreight weeks.

When thework takesplace the towpathwillbe closed to walkers and cyclists but thenavigation will remain open.

Work will include removing several layersof old paint from the aqueduct’s cast irontrough, replacingamissingcast ironpanel,repairing the stone and brickwork and thenrepainting.

The £200,000 project is being funded by £135,000 of public donations andmoney from Cheshire East Council (£40,000), Nantwich Town Council(£20,000), Acton, Edleston & Henhull Parish Council (£3,000) and the NantwichPartnership (£2,000). An additional £50,000 of funding is now being sought tocover the cost of additional repairs to the masonry.

Michael Haig

Nantwich Aqueduct Photo: Michael Haig

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IWA Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch - Diary 2015All branch members are welcome to join us at our regular branch business meetings, which arepreceded by an opportunity for supper and socialising. Meetings begin at 7.00pm, with supper from6.00pm. To give our venues an idea of numbers please let the branch know if you would like to attend.

[email protected]

Mar 22-Apr 19 Canal Art Exhibition at Audlem Mill. The largest collection of canal andwaterway paintings and other art works in Britain. All items for sale

April 13 Branch business meeting at Narrowboat Inn, Whittington SY11 4NUApril 25 North West Region Social Meeting at Eldonian Village, Liverpool.

Unmissable - see page 17May 2-4 Norbury Canal Festival. For boat bookings contact harbourmaster Ray

Buss at [email protected] or 07981 334282May 9 Montgomery Canal Triathlon - organised by the Friends of the

Montgomery Canal with support from the branch. See page 15May 16 Social outing to Anderton Lift, including a chance to experience the

Top of the World Tour. Last few places available - see page 10May 22-27 Audlem Music & Arts Festival - lots of free music and arts events in

the three pubs and other village venues, including Audlem MillMay 30-31 IWA National Trailboat Festival, Lane Farm, Crooklands, Cumbria

www.westmorlandshow.co.ukMay 31 Audlem RNLI Festival at OverWater MarinaJune 7 River Severn Festival, Quarry Park, ShrewsburyJune 8 Branch business meeting at Horse & Jockey, Whitchurch SY13 4QJJune 13 Branch Summer Walk at Brewood. See page 16June 19-21 Middlewich Folk & Boat Festival www.midfest.org.ukJuly 4-5 Making Waves at Welshpool. See www.makingwaves2015.co.uk and

page 26Jul 11-Aug 2 Eric Gaskell Linocuts Exhibition at Audlem MillJuly 19 Church Minshull Aqueduct Marina Open DayJuly 25-26 Audlem Gathering of Historic Narrowboats and Festival of TransportAugust 1-2 Annual Branch lock wind at Hurleston Locks. Gifts of items to sell and

help for part or all of the event most appreciated. Windlassesprovided!

September 5-6 Whitchurch Gathering of Boats. See page 15October 10 Inter-branch Skittles Challenge, Stafford Boat Club. Last year we

nearly won back the trophy - but not quite. Put the date in your diaryand help us try again this year. Full details in the next issue.

Spring 2015 Shroppie Fly PaperSupplement 1

Memories of an ex-Treasurer

Readers who have been membersfor a long time will recall that Janetand I joined the BranchCommitteein 1991. Since then between us wehave been Sales Officers, SocialSecretary, Chairman andTreasurer. Photography has beenour hobby: not clever photographybut the kind that recordswherewehave been, what we have done andthe activities around us. Here is aselection from the 1990s.

For possibly 15 years the Branchstand was taken to the ShrewsburyFlower Show (right). Here ourcaravan is encased behind thedisplay. The quiet early morningsbefore the public were allowed inmore than compensated for theeffort. Gill Buxbaum, dressed as aboatwoman, demonstrated the artof canal ware painting.

One of our first rallies (above) wasat Ellesmere. At that time it wasorganised by SUCS with theBranch’s help. John Dicken washarbourmaster and Ken Holmesliaised with (I think it was) theEllesmere Chamber of Trade toput on the entertainment.

By 1990 WRG had finishedrestoring Frankton Locks on theMontgomery Canal and were thenworking on Lockgate Bridge (left).

Spring 2015Shroppie Fly Paper Supplement 2

But within four years Derelict LandGrant had been obtained, contractslet and the first phase of therestoration to Queens Headcompleted. Here we are at theFormal Opening/Head ofNavigation rally in June 1995 at theWeston Arm enjoying a somewhatcold evening entertainment.

At the same time the work had alsocommenced on the WhitchurchArm of the Llangollen Canal. Thefirst phase was opened in October1993. The racehorse Red Rum wasthe celebrity guest. The first rally ofboats was held in May 1994 andJohn Dicken of the BranchCommittee was harbourmaster.Richard Drake, Region Chairman,is handing an award to June Dickenat one of the early rallies.

By 1991 the Perry aqueduct on theMontgomery Canal had beenreplaced with a footbridge andthere was an air of despondencyfollowing Peter Walker’s decisionto withdraw funding for the fullrestoration of the canal.

Shroppie Fly PaperSpring 2015 Supplement 3

Elections in May 1997 gave us theopportunity to show the newlyelected MPs the progress on theMontgomery Canal. Invitationswere sent to all newly elected localMPs. Here we have OwenPaterson andChristopherGill withme on nb Leo.

A year later Owen Paterson wasback again at the Head ofNavigation Rally which by then hadmoved on toQueensHead. He hascontinued to support the Canalever since. Beside myself, MichaelLimbrey is the other person on theboat with a press man in theforeground.

By the late 1990s profit from thesales stand,whichhad for nearly 15years yielded about £1,000 pa, wasdiminishing as the novelty of canalware wore off. The sand sievinggame, which Janet adapted for thewaterways, made good the deficit.

Spring 2015Shroppie Fly Paper Supplement 4

Notes in Shroppie Fly Paper in 1992say "The Right HonourableGwyneth Dunwoody MP of Crewe& Nantwich officially opened theroad across the (new electric lift)bridge. A vintage car was the first tocross".

Nb Rag Doll of Rosie and Jim famewas the first boat through.

A picture record of the canal scenein the 1990swould not be completewithoutWRG.They played amajorpart in restoring the MontgomeryCanal. Here they are at anopendayat the Aston Nature Reserve,which runs alongside the locks andtook a superhuman effort tocomplete.

Denis Farmer

TheHeadofNavigation rallieswerearranged to coincide with the ever-popular dinghy dawdle introducedby Mary and Derrick Awcock as ajoint SUCS and IWA event. Theyreally brought the canal to publicattention. Richard Drake, ourRegion Chairman, started this onein 1997, organised by Colin Venusof SUCS.


Whitchurch Gathering of BoatsSeptember 5-6, 2015

Wewould like to welcome you all to theWhitchurch Boat Gathering, being held two weeks earlierthan in the past few years, on the Whitchurch Arm of the Llangollen Canal at Chemistry.

If you would like to come with your boat the entry fee is £12.50. If you trade from your boat thereis an additional fee of £12.50. A social evening for boaters to include ameal is £6.50 per person andstarts at 6.30pm. We supply everything except chairs, drinks and glasses.

Stall holders are very welcome also. The fee for commercial stalls is £20.00 and for charities andsocieties the fee is £10.00.

If you just want to come along to see the decorated boats and stalls it won't cost you a penny andcar parking is free in the nearby carpark.

Details are available at www.whitchurchwaterway.org.uk where booking forms can bedownloaded. Booking forms can also be obtained by contacting Lindsay Green, Chemistry Farm,Whitchurch. SY13 1BZ or telephone 01948 662779/07968 339335 or [email protected]

Montgomery Canal TriathlonSaturday, May 9, 2015

After three very successful triathlons along the whole length of theMontgomery Canal, this year'sevent will have a few changes to take advantage of the improvements made to the towpath andthe rewatering of the newly restored section from Pryce's Bridge to Redwith.

Cyclists will set off from Newtown as before but this year will finish at Crowther Hall Lock at PoolQuay, a distance of 17 miles. From the lock, walkers will continue the trek for 10½miles to PrycesBridge at Morton when walking shoes will be swapped for canoes. Finally participants will be ableto paddle amere 7½miles down the newly restored section all the way to theWeston Arm, wherea well earned reception and medal will be waiting for them.

Once again your branch of the IWAwill be supporting the event, the purpose of which is to attractas wide an audience as possible to appreciate the canal and keep the need for further restorationin the public eye.

WANTED : 16 VOLUNTEER MARSHALSThere are four road crossings in the walking section and more for the cyclists; health and safetyrequirements stipulate that we have four people at each one. So if you have any free time onSaturday May 9 please volunteer. With over 500 members the branch must surely have at least 16willing helpers. If you don't fancy the road crossings there are other jobs and somewhere youwillbe able to sit down.

Please email ([email protected]) or phone me today (01691 830403) to offeryour help as time is short and I will be away and out of contact frommid-April. Also the organisersneed to know there are enough helpers well before the event to assure CRT that all safety issuesare covered. If you are unable to contact me before I leave please phone Judy Richards on 01691831455.

Dawn Aylwin


Canal Heritage – A Journey

John Yates was the guest speaker at our autumn social evening and talk, held inearly November at Shrewsbury’s Brooklands Hotel, where an audience of almostforty enjoyed an excellent fish-and-chip supper and an informative and thought-provoking presentation in convivial surroundings.

In a wide-ranging talk, John took us initially on an autobiographical cruisechronicling his early adult life and burgeoning interest in, first, steam railways andsubsequently, after gaining his university degree, boats and canals.

Having acquired his first live-aboard boat (Antares, GUCCCNo7), Johndescribedcanal living “on the front line” in London’sKingsCross in the1970s, and in thesamedecade boating the BCN, which at that time seemed to be run, as he put it, “as abranch of a semi-derelict railway”.

From the autobiographical past, we moved to the conservation challenges of thepresent day, where John is now an inspector with English Heritage as well asserving on CRT’s Council and its Heritage Advisory Group.

Highlighting that not only do we want and need to conserve canal structures, suchas the 1797Ditherington FlaxMill and the Shrewsbury &Newport Canals, but alsofast-disappearing traditional skills, John discussed some of the differing andsometimes conflicting approaches to conservation. He argued that conservation-friendly development needs to consider both the structures themselves and alsoa sense of place and purpose – a sentiment that hopefully will be upheld atEllesmere, where both English Heritage and IWA have expressed considerablereservations over the proposed planned development alongside the canal.

Michael Haig

Summer Walk at Brewood - Saturday, June 13

Following our popular, if damp, winter walk at Chirk, we're moving to the southernend of our branch's canal network for an additional summer walk at Brewood.Branch member Barry Witts has kindly agreed to be our guide for the walk, whichwill be a circuit of just under six miles starting and ending at The Bridge Inn,Brewood ST19 8BD, departing from outside the pub at 10.00am. We are stillinvestigating parking options and will email anybody who expresses an interest.

Peter Brown will provide his customary notes on things and places of interest. Aswell as the towpath, the route crosses farm fields and goes through woods soplease make sure you have appropriate clothing and footwear.


North West Region Social - "Not an AGM"Saturday, April 25, 2015

Eldonian Village Hall, Liverpool L3 6LG

This is an open social event for all IWA members and friends to enjoy.

Come along and see what's going on in the North West Region, share yourexperiences and views in a convivial atmosphere.

Eldonian Village - a great insight into the challenges and solutions involved with urbancanal developments along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in Liverpool.

An opportunity to see Stanley Locks and get an early view of the new docksidedevelopments proposed in the area.

Programme

10:30 Arrival and Coffee

11.00 Welcome, review of the year and general discussion

12:00 Region Awards for significant achievements

12:30 Buffet Lunch

13:30 Short presentation on the history and progress of the Leeds & LiverpoolCanal including Liverpool Link, Stanley Locks and the northern docklanddevelopments

14:00 Guided walk around the area

Cost £10 (pay on the day) - please book in advance with Alan Platt:[email protected] Tel 01352 720649

Eldonian Village Hall, Burlington St. (off Vauxhall Rd.), Liverpool L3 6LGDirections on website - www.waterways.org.uk/branches_regions/north_west/north_west

car parking available on site


Winter Walk at Chirk

Don't we all know the canal round Chirk well enough? Well, clearly the answer is'no', because in this year's Winter Walk, Peter Brown took us on a journey ofdiscovery on that first Saturday of the New Year.

Theweatherwasn't very encouraging: the snowhad cleared and it was raining, butthankfully not too heavily. Despite this, a couple of dozen explorers turned up atThe Poachers, Gledrid, and we were delighted that there were many new facesamong them, some of whom had come a distance to join us.

Starting south along thetowpath, away from Chirk, wecould soon see the wharf of theGlyn Valley Tramway, originallya horse-drawn railway bringingslates from Glyn Ceiriog:deserting the horses and thecanal, it later used steamengines to haul its trains tosidings at Chirk Station. Thereare moves to revive thetramway, which could join therailways at Llangollen,Oswestryand Welshpool.

We left the towpath at Rhosweil and made our way across fields, crossing thetramway route and passing between the sites of a former colliery and claypit,emerging at Chirk Bank. Here we crossed the canal bridge down to the HolyheadRoad and Telford's 1793 bridge (later rebuilt) across the River Ceiriog. We did notwalk up the pavement, but followed instead a footpath along the line of the road asit was before Telford improved it.

Reaching Chirk, we crossed the main road to walk back to the canal where itemerges from the tunnel, crossing the aqueduct – and the Welsh border – andreturning along the towpath. All the way, Peter's notes told us of the history of thisareaof the last222years fromconstruction todesignationasaWorldHeritageSite.

And for what seemed a rural walk, there were many reminders of the industrialrevolution and the contemporary development of transport – turnpike, canal andrailway. A truly fascinating walk, rounded off by a warming meal together in thePoachers.

Michael Limbrey

All in it together at Chirk Aqueduct Photo: Derek Jones


Sad news from Whitchurch

It is with great sadness that I report that Mike Johnson died onDecember 21, aged73. He was a great support to us at Whitchurch by being on our maintenancecommittee, helping with supplies and work parties. He and Yvonne, along withdogs Roamer and Paddy, attended our boat rallies with his precious tugLuckiemucklebackit. He was latterly our harbour master, because who was goingto argue with Mike? He was also a great supporter of the Shropshire Union CanalSociety where he and Yvonne attended many working parties and boat rallies.

After a career in the merchant navy and then driving for P&O Ferrymasters, Mikeworked for BritishWaterways for a number of years, being especially rememberedas lockkeeper atGrindleyBrook.Hiswasa full and varied lifewith interests rangingfrom tandem tricycle cycling, Gardner engines, Riley cars and canals and boatsgenerally.

When Mike knew he was ill he was determined to make a newmooring and picnicarea at Tilstock. He obtained permission from Canal & River Trust and arrangedfor them to do some remedial work. He bought all the supplies, arranged theworkers, and when he was ready, completed the task. CRT erected a plaqueacknowledging Mike's work just before he died and Wendy Capelle and HowardGriffiths visited Mike and showed him the photographs.

He was such a big man in all sorts of ways and leaves a huge hole in many lives.

Another sad loss for Whitchurch, so soon after Mike Johnson, was that of DavidReade who died on Christmas Eve, aged 72.

David was very involved with Saturn, and was the husband of Val Reade, who isthe Membership Secretary. Both David and Val were very supportive ofWhitchurchWaterway Trust, always accompanyingSaturn to our boat rally. Davidgave us his gazebo to use at the rally on the understanding that he could borrowit back whenever he needed it for his outdoor catering business, where he couldoften be found outside the Civic Centre catering when the town put on events.

David had worked in hotel catering and management in London and Canadabefore arriving in Whitchurch and marrying Val.

David's funeral was very well attended at St Alkmund's in Whitchurch with verymoving contributions from family and a good friend. His was a friendly face tomeeton a Friday morning in town and I miss it.

Lindsay Green


Policing the Sargeant - Barging around the Llangollen Canal

The April issue of 'Waterways World' carries a letter from Peter Browncomplaining about the errors in John Sargeant's recent programme. Regrettablyit missed out the section concerning the most blatant error of all...

JohnSargeant said "Thissectionof thecanal ...wascompleted in1798.At that timeEllesmeremarked the end of the canal. But then the legendary Thomas Telford ...set about extending the canal all the way on to Llangollen." This was supported bya map showing the canal having arrived at Ellesmere from the east, then beingextended on into Wales.

In fact the canal arrived in Ellesmere from the west. The first part of the canal builtwas a cross centred on Frankton Junction, with arms to Ellesmere (and thenextended towardsWhitchurchandPrees),WestonLullingfields, LlanymynechandFroncysyllte.Onlywhen it was realised that the planned route betweenTrevor andChesterwouldneverbebuiltwas it decided tobuild theGrindleyBrook toHurlestonsection. The Trevor to Llangollen section was also a late decision, made becausethe canal needed a new source of water.

Annual Quiz Evening

The rain, wind and cold weather didn't stop people turning out for the quiz atWhittington in February; in fact we had to move into the main bar of the pub toaccommodate everyone. Fortunately there was a blazing log fire to keep us allwarm. It was especially good to welcome teams from the Shropshire Union CanalSociety (Sucers), the Friends of the Montgomery Canal (In Betweeners) and fromthe Shrewsbury & Newport Canals Trust (Coffers) who all came to pit their witsagainst teams comprising various branch members and their friends (TurkeyTrotters, Lace Plates, Not a Clue, and the Great Crested Newts). Don't ask wherethe names came from!

Well into the second half it was beginning to look like a tie and concerns weregrowing that we hadn't bothered to prepare tie-breaker questions. However weneedn't have worried as the last two sets sorted out the teams with the TurkeyTrotters winning with 74 points, the Lace Plates runners-up with 72 and the GreatCrested Newts romping in third with 70½ points.

We would like to record our thanks to the staff at The Narrowboat Inn who onceagain looked after us so well.

Dawn Aylwin


St. David's Day Cruise

St.David’sDay2015broughtMarch in likea lion. The roar of gustygalesandheavyshowers alternating with spells of bright spring sunshine added drama to the spiritof adventure evident amongst our dozen-strong group of passengers from theRotary Club of Shrewsbury as we embarked on Heulwen III (nb Silver Lady) atGungrog Wharf, Welshpool for a special cruise south to Brithdir.

The beautiful section south of Welshpool has been operational since 1996 butrecent years have seen very little boating. So when I heard that the Heulwen Trustintended to run extra trips this summer, as part of the Making Waves eventsprogramme, I asked howwe could support their initiative. PatWard from the Trustoffered a preview trip, saying it would help establish the new routine with theadditional skippers they had recruited to cover the extra weekend trips.

Our crew of three gave us a veryfriendly welcome as they got uson board and underway by 10.25am. Appropriately for the day,daffodils stood on each table. Hotcoffee and central heating madeus very comfortable in the fullyglazed and spacious cabin.

Our passengers knew little aboutcanals and many wereincredulous as we passedthrough the ‘tunnel’ atGallowstree Bank, which has notowpath, and learned the term‘legging’. The 6ft rise throughTown Lock added more interest but then our crew had a real battle with the gustywinds to get lined up for the right angled turn at Whitehouse Bridge. Powis Castlewas glimpsed through the trees before the picture postcard cottages below BelanLocks got all the cameras clicking. Some took the chance to get off at the bottomlock and walk to the next to admire the unique ground paddle gear designed bycanal engineer G W Buck - a great shame that it’s currently locked out of use.

With us all back on board and leaving the top lock, Sunday walkers on the towpathseemed surprised and delighted to see our boat and gave us enthusiastic waves.Heavy rain made conditions bleak but spirits within the cabin were high as wechose our lunch and phoned through our order to the Horseshoes Inn at Brithdir,where a quickly served and excellent Sunday roast set us up for the voyage back.

Heulwen III entering Belan bottom lock on the returnjourney Photo: Alan Wilding


At one bridge our boat came to an unexpected standstill due to something beneaththe water and only full throttle and four pairs of hands pulling on the stonework gotus moving again. Such are the navigational difficulties encountered on this littleused canal but our passengers thought these well worth the efforts involved andall said they’d really enjoyed the many delights of their day’s trip.

Congratulations to theHeulwenTrust formaking public trips possible this summer.Theystart onApril 4, andarebookableatWelshpoolVisitorCentre, 01938552043.

Alan Wilding

Shrewsbury & Newport Canals need your help

You may very well have heard already about the difficulties being faced byShrewsbury & Newport Canals Trust as it tries to raise substantial match fundingof £500,000, which would allow it to receive a £1million grant from the HeritageLottery Fund to restore Wappenshall Wharf, just north of Telford.

The problems have beenwidely reported in thenational waterways pressand in IWA's Bulletinnewsletter, butwemakenoapologies for also givingspace in Shroppie FlyPaper to SNCT'sWappenshall Wharfappeal.

This is an ambitious projectto to create a visitor centre and a community “hub” as a means of funding therestoration and maintenance of two very fine Grade II listed 19th century canalwarehouses. It will also create a source of future income for the trust to enable itto maintain this attraction and to provide further funding to restore the canals.

Your branch has committed to support the appeal. If you would like to as well,please either download the pledge form at the bottom of the article about the crisison the front page of SNCT's website at http://cms.snct.co.uk/ or call SNCTchairman Bernie Jones on 01743 709601 or 07971 016322. Thank you.

Michael Haig


General Election 2015 – the IWA Manifesto

WithElectionDayonMay7approaching,wehaveaonce-in-five-yearsopportunityto engage with the parliamentary candidates in our local constituencies and seektheir support for the things thatmatter to us.And, asmembersof IWA, it’s very likelythat one of the things that matter to you is our waterways.

IWA has produced a Manifesto for ourfuture MPs, to demonstrate theimportance of our waterways heritageand encourage them to work with us toprotect it. Now is the time to write toprospective MPs in your area, or attendtheir public meetings (they would love tosee you!) and encourage them to pledgetheir support for thewaterways by signingup to the Five Point Partnership in IWA'sManifesto.

To find your current MP's contact detailstype his or her name into a search engine.For candidates type in the name of theconstituency and party (for exampleBirmingham Edgbaston ConservativeCandidate) and the details will appear.

The full IWAManifesto briefing documentis available at waterways.org.uk/manifesto and youwill also find a link fromthere to an example email and letter youmight send to a sitting MP or prospective candidate.

IWA plans to publish the names of MPs and candidates who sign up to the FivePoint Partnership. If you receive a pledge from a candidate please make sure youlet us know so that we can keep a record by forwarding email correspondenceto [email protected] or send your signed copies to:Branch Campaign Team, The Inland Waterways Association, Island House,Moor Road, Chesham HP5 1WA.

If you need advice please contact Alison Smedley by email or on 01538 385388.

Michael Haig


Volunteering News

Volunteers have been out in force across the branch area already this year.Elsewhere in Shroppie Fly Paper we reported on the Audlem volunteers and theirjointworkparty atTyrleywithNetworkRail,while further northboth theSmall TasksTeam Volunteers (STTV) and Shropshire Union Middlewich Branch Adopters

(SUMBA) have been busy.

Boaters pausing at Barbridge will see realimprovements thanks to STTV who, inJanuary and February in some dreadfulweather, managed to install a set of stepsfrom the towpath at one end of a visitormooring to the road above. Moorers, whohave previously had to scramble up a steepmuddy bank and pass through the hedge toaccess the local hostelries, can now enjoysteps leading to gated access to the road – amuch safer and more convenientarrangement.

For its April work party, STTV is evaluatingthe construction of a new towpath atHurleston to complement the works itrecently undertook there to replace the water

points and provide block paved standing areas around them.

This would need three days work, provisionally planned for 29/30 April and 1May.STTV is seeking an EXPRESSION OF INTEREST from volunteers interested injoining up for some or all of the task. Contact details on page 26 if you can help.

On the Middlewich Branch, despite freezing weather and a frozen canal, SUMBAvolunteers completely cleared the Sykes Hollow winding hole of all obstructionsand overhanging vegetation. Some 50ft either side of the winding hole has alsobeen cleared of vegetation, now making it far easier to see the turning area.

SUMBA has successfully applied for £2,385 from Cheshire East Council'sCommunity Grant Fund, together with a £400 grant from Church Minshull ParishCouncil. These sums will enable the installation of a further six picnic tables, tenBBQ stands and a bench at mooring sites on the Middlewich Branch and the nextthree work parties on April 25, May 9 and May 16 involve the building of concretebasesat three locations. If youcanhelp complete this essential groundpreparationwork please contact Graham (details on page 26).

Improved access to pubs! What morecould we want? Photo: STTV


Making Waves

Wehave been talking aboutMakingWaves on theMontgomery Canal, and it's notjust us!

TheMayor ofWelshpool, Cllr MalcolmDouglass, has been energetic in promotingthe canal. In January he led a meeting in Welshpool Town Hall, with the localAssemblyMember Russell George, attended byGlynDaviesMP, representativesof Shropshire and Powys County Councils, CRT and many supporters of theMontgomery Canal. One CRT representative was John Dodwell, once GeneralSecretary of IWA, who has known the canal since the first days of restoration: henow chairs the Montgomery Canal Partnership and is there pressing us all ensurethat more happens on the canal. The enthusiasm of the meeting was palpable:there can be no looking back with support like that!

An example of this enthusiasm was the subsequent inspection of the dry sectionfrom Crickheath by an IWA engineer and representatives of WRG, SUCS andCRT. A number of problems on this length were identified for further investigation.There will be calls for volunteers to tackle this length: are you ready?

Looking ahead too is a project by Liverpool University, commissioned by CRT todevelop a vision for the future of a number of places in our branch includingWelshpool and Llanymynech. (The others are at Pontcysyllte and Llangollen andthe Ellesmere area.) The students' preparation included presentations from PeterBrown and me (among others) and site visits. I accompanied the trip toLlanymynech andWelshpool and it was interesting to look at these placeswith theproject in mind.Wewere all very pleased with the high attendance at the followingconsultation in Welshpool, again including the Mayor, AM and MP. The projectruns to May, and the University has been asked to outline its conclusions at theMontgomery Canal Forum in Welshpool on 6 July.

The Forum is the last of the Making Waves events. The programme for MakingWaves has grown far beyond what I for one was expecting. It started with a walkon 1 March organised by the Friends of the Montgomery Canal, and there will bemore walks, boat trips, and many other events to go to and join:

• The Triathlon on 9 May is well-booked as I write, and places will be limited.This highly regarded event – plugged heavily at the recent Annual Meeting ofGlandŵr Cymru at the Senedd in Cardiff -- is a real advertisement for thecanal, bringing entrants from far and wide. The event needs a lot of support,helping at locks and road crossings – can you help?

• If you have never been on the canal inWales, MakingWaves with Canoes on


17 May will be an opportunity to try canoeing on the canal in Welshpool, orat weekends there will be public trips on boats of the Heulwen Trust, withlonger trips to Brithdir on selected dates (why not try lunch at the adjoiningHorseshoe Inn?).

• On 8 June there will be a showing of the canal comedy classic The Bargee atWelshpool TownHall. I suspect that there will bemembers of the branchwholike me can remember the names of Harry H Corbett, Eric Sykes, DerekNimmo, Ronnie Barker …

• 27 June sees Making Waves with Coracles with demonstrations including anewly-constructed Welshpool Coracle. Teams are wanted for relay racesacross the canal – in coracles – in aid of Macmillan Nurses. I am told that theorganisers want to ensure that no one can practise beforehand!

• The culmination of the programme isMakingWaves inWelshpool, theWelshWaterways Festival, on 4/5 July. There will be as many trailable boats as wecan squeeze in, powered in as many ways as you can think of! Based at theWharf, near the centre of town, there will be model boats and stalls anddemonstrations, all showing what the canal is about in Welshpool. Thebranch stand will be there and there will be WoW activities for children. Ahighlight will be Saturday's evening procession of decorated boats. This willbe one of the most significant events on the canal in Welshpool.

Unfortunately your editor has had to resist requests to publish the full MakingWavesprogramme inShroppie FlyPaperdue to restricted space.However, I hopeI have given you a taster of what you can expect and you can find the completeprogrammeatwww.MakingWaves2015.co.uk. If you are in the 'Twittersphere' youwill be able to keep up to date on developments @MakingWaves2015.

These events will be a brilliant advertisement to showcase the revival of the canaland what it can mean to the Welshpool and the area. They can encourage thesupport we need for the HLF project and for reconnecting the canal inWales to thenational network. They will work best with lots of help: it should be fun – can youhelp?

Michael Limbrey

VOLUNTEERINGYou will find reports of various volunteer activities that have been taking place in our branch areathroughout this issue . If you would like to get involved in future activities please contact:STTV: Paul Mills, 0151 336 1049 / 07947 887909, [email protected] or Maurice Ward, 01942260459 / 07791 350207, [email protected]: Graham Russell, 01270 522731 / 07853 275222, [email protected]

Images from Wales

St. David's Day walkers launch the Making Waves 2015 programmeBoats in Welshpool at the 2009 Big Dig commemoration (photos from Michael Limbrey)

Men at Work - Tyrley 2015

Network Rail and CRT volunteers tidy Tyrley Locks Photos from Dek Owen

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March 2015 Shroppie Fly Paper

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