Newsletter Archive

Issue 324 - October 1998

September 1998

This month's Newsletter

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November 1998

IWAAC'S REPORT ON "WATERWAY RESTORATION PRIORITIES"

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The Inland Waterways Amenity Advisory Council published its much awaited report at the beginning of August, following submission of the report to the then Waterways Minister, Angela Eagle, just prior to the ministerial re-shuffle at the end of July.

The new waterways minister, Alan Meale, authorised publication and in a letter to IWAAC Chairman, Viscountess Knollys, published with the report, commended the promoters of the eighty or so restorations listed.

The report offers an extensive review of virtually all of the waterway restoration schemes in Great Britain. It also examines the challenges that lie ahead for such work being undertaken. The report does not seek to prioritise one scheme over another, but rather summarises the submissions of all the waterway restoration promoters who responded to the Council's questionnaire earlier this year.

The IWA broadly welcomes the report and its recommendations, but has reservations about some of the categories allocated.

In assessing the individual restoration projects, the report concludes that in addition to the 3 Millennium Lottery Funded projects (Forth & Clyde / Union, Huddersfield Narrow and Rochdale Canals), a further 18 projects are, or will be, ready for their main funding within the short term (under 5 years):

A further 12 canals are considered as being likely to be ready for their main funding within the medium term:

A further 47 schemes were considered and it was concluded that their main funding will be needed in the longer term (over 10 years). However, the report points out that all the projects reviewed are seen as worthwhile and that money needs to be invested in them meanwhile and that interim projects to progress these schemes should continue to be funded pending reaching a position where the main restoration funds will be needed. Unfortunately, this is not given sufficient prominence and outside bodies may interpret the report as a list of priorities for all scales of funding.

The report then makes a series of 41 recommendations designed to assist and progress restoration activity. These are addressed to Government, funding agencies, local authorities, navigation and regulatory bodies and to those promoting restoration schemes.

However, there remains concern that the very title of the report, and the three lists of schemes, may be open to misinterpretation. In particular, IWA believes that some of the larger schemes which are indicated as being more than 10 years away from being in a position to apply for 'main funding' are at the present time seeking staged funding for discrete parts of their overall schemes, and that the apparent 'low' ranking in the report could adversely affect their ability to secure the grants they need to progress their projects. Furthermore, the adoption of the single criterion to produce the 'rankings' creates the opportunity for new, smaller and easier schemes to enter the lists in a 'high' position, further eroding the prospect of the larger, and strategically more significant, schemes making progress.

IWA is aware that there are a number of inconsistencies, and indeed IWAAC concedes in the report itself that, in some instances, other factors of a more subjective nature have contributed to the ranking of the schemes. IWA asks that IWAAC consider these issues very carefully in subsequent updates to the report, and in any further advice that it may offer to funding agencies.

IWA also asks that all funding agencies continue to consider all applications, whether for staged or main funding, on their own criteria and on the merits of each individual project as presented to them, and to bear in mind that the single criterion which drives the IWAAC report's listings does not of itself confer any degree of priority, and may indeed have little or no relevance to the individual applications which come before them.

IWA Head Office Bulletin and Press Release - Sept 1998

Winter's Coming

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With the cold, damp, dreary winter months almost upon us, the time is nigh for armchair cruising and planning next year's excursions.

GeoProjects have recently published a new map in their increasing range on the waterways. So if you're thinking about exploring the Coventry and/or Ashby Canals, why not order your copy from the Society's Sales Stand?

Even if you have no plans to go anywhere near these two waterways, why not just start / add to your collection of canal maps?

See Paul Herbert or Ray Brooks and order your map now.

They also have other maps already in stock, see the advert on Page 3 [not included in archive].

September Meeting

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The meeting had been billed as "An Evening with our Chairman" and Brian in his inimitable style treated us to with pictures and comments on places most of us never have and never will visit. The bulk of the slides were taken on his trip to Hong Kong. We were shown a variety of boats from liners to sampans, from tankers to junks. It appears that the term "junk" is applied in the area to almost any boat that floats! In addition, some of the myriad and unusual sights of the Orient were put before us.

The evening was rounded off with a few slides taken on the upper end of the now derelict Buckingham Arm of the Grand Union. These slides provided a complete contrast with the scenes earlier in the show: the hustle and bustle of a busy metropolis seemed so at odds with the peace and quiet of the English countryside. They could have been a world apart!

Bits and Pieces

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Power lead for the Society's slide projector has gone missing over the last few months. If anyone has seen it, knows where it is, have it in their possession or can otherwise help with re-uniting it with the projector, please contact Eric Lewis.

Thanks have been received from Tony Yeoman, Treasurer of IWA Solent & Arun Branch, for the donation of £50.00 the the Society made towards the Arun Campaign Cruise which took place in May. Normally, our member Peter Glover gets sponsorship for taking part in this event, but this year was unable to do so. To see some of Peter's exploits, come to the November meeting.

The waterways quiz will be taking place in the December meeting as usual this year. If anyone would like to be on the team representing SCS, please contact your editor.

Subscriptions

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This is just a further reminder to members that subscriptions to the Society for the year 1998-9 became due back at the AGM in July. Please also note that the rates were not increased at that meeting remaining as: Single £6.00 and £9.00 for the Family rate. By any reckoning still a bargain for 12 meetings, newsletters etc!

The Waterways Ombudsman

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Your Chairman has received a copy of the Ombudsman's annual report for the year to 31 March 1998. If you would like to see this, contact Brian Evans.

Events and Meetings in 1998

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The following is a list of waterway oriented events happening around our area. This list proves there is plenty of waterway interest within a moderate distance of Southampton. Something on this list must interest you! Phone numbers of contacts are given at the end of the list.

1st October (Thu) - Southampton CS meeting - Black Country Waterways with Ron Cousens. Details from Eric Lewis.

19th October (Mon) - A Journey around the Canals of Southern England by Roger Leishman. IWA Guildford & Reading Branch at Byfleet Boat Club at 8.00pm. Details from Paul Fisher.

5th November (Thu) - Southampton CS meeting - A Small Boat on Local Waterways by Peter Glover. Details from Eric Lewis.

19th November (Thu) - Canalware Painting by Bocraft. Salisbury Rugby Club, Castle Road, Salisbury at 7.30pm. Details from Tony Fry.

23rd November (Mon) - Grand Surrey Canal and Surrey Commercial Docks by Arthur Farrand Radley MBE. IWA Guildford & Reading Branch at Byfleet Boat Club at 8.00pm. Details from Paul Fisher.

28th November - 24th December - Father Christmas Trips daily on the Chichester Canal. Details from John Cooper.

4th December (Thu) - Southampton CS meeting - Annual Inter-Society Quiz and American Supper. Details Eric Lewis.

First Wednesday in most months - IWA Dorchester Group meets. Information Graham Pugh 01305 262305.

Throughout the year - Wey & Arun Canal Trust run cruises on n/b Zachariah Keppel on the restored canal. Information from John Lisk.

Throughout the year - Chichester Canal Society run cruises on n/b Egremont on the canal from Chichester. Information from John Cooper.

Telephone numbers of contacts are:

Peter Boyce (IWA Solent & Arun Branch) 01705 269642
John Cooper (Chichester Canal Society) 01243 671051
Tony Fry (IWA Salisbury Group) 01722 710192
Eric Lewis (Southampton Canal Society) 01703 860384
John Lisk (Wey & Arun Canal Trust) 01493 752403
Alan White (IWA Solent & Arun Branch) 01243 573765
Paul Fisher (IWA Guildford & Reading Br) 01932 401505

Change of Address

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From 28th September, the address of IWA's Head Office has been:

Inland Waterways Association
P O Box 114
RICKMANSWORTH
WD3 1ZY

Tel: 01923 711114
Fax: 01923 897000
E-Mail: iwa@waterway.demon.co.uk
Web: http://waterway.demon.co.uk

IWA / WRG STAMP BANK

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The Society has recently received a letter from Steve Morley of Waterway Recovery Group about the Stamp Bank.

I am sure you are aware of the Stamp Bank, operated by the IWA and Waterway Recovery Group, which over the years has raised considerable amounts for canal restoration projects around the country. Although it has declined somewhat from the days when we 'bought' a Smalley Excavator with Green Shield Stamps, useful amounts are still raised and distributed to specific projects or as grant aid as requested from the IWA Restoration & Development Fund.

Having taken over the "post office" role about a year ago, the backlog of unsorted stamps and aluminium which came with it has now been cleared. We are now in a position to actively seek more material.

So I am asking your readers to help canal restoration schemes around the country - and I'm not asking for their money!

The Stamp Bank turns old postage stamps, petrol vouchers, trading stamps, aluminium foil and cans etc into goods or cash which can be used to provide equipment or funds for waterway schemes.

We can 'recycle' the following (and more) -

• Used postage stamps - GB and overseas, preferably trimmed about 5mm all round the stamp, but we will cut from envelopes if necessary
• Trading stamps - Green Shield, Co-op or any other - even if obsolete
• Post cards, especially old ones
• Used phone cards
• Petrol vouchers and smart cards, even if expired - we can often do deals with the promoter
• Air Miles
• Aluminium cans, ring pulls and foil
• Coins and banknotes - foreign, obsolete, etc
• Bric a brac, memorabilia, collectables.

Your contributions to the Stamp Bank can be given to committee member Martin Cripps (or indeed any other committee member). Martin will arrange for the resultant collection to be forwarded to the Bank. The only limit to what can be achieved is the supply of material. Thank you for your support

True or False? (Answers next month)

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1. Locomotives were once used to haul boats on the Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal.
2. Rudyard Kipling's parents named him after the Trent & Mersey Canal's main water supply, Rudyard Reservoir.
3. A ship navigating the Panama Canal causes over 1 million gallons of water to pass from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
4. Female navvies were employed on the construction of Greywell Tunnel on the Basingstoke Canal.

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September 1998

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Archive Index

November 1998