No. 143
WINTER 2008
95p
THE MAGAZINE FOR MEMBERS & FRIENDS
WORKING TO RESTORE THE COTSWOLD CANALS
COFFEE SHOP
GALLERY
Open daily for lunch, tea,
coffee. and cake
Ilam 4pm
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01153 837514
0. Bristol Road, Nailworth, C i l a , GL6 (U 014s) 837500
For even4 or to add your name to oar malbg W tek 01453 837537
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Day Boat &Bicycle Hire
Ucensed Canalslde Tea Room
Ice Cream Drinks
Selection of Convenience Foods
Gifts Chandlery mhlng Tackle
Solid & BBQFuel Diesel -Gas
Permanent Moorings
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Web: www.ja).beeplant.w.uk
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The Cotswold Canals Trust
is a member of
44 Black Jack Street, Cirencester,
Glos., GL7 2AA
Phone 01285 643440
Fax: 01285 659149 [email protected]
TRUST ADMINISTRATOR: Karen Grainger
Useful
Websites:
Cotswold Canals Trust:
ENews Registration:
Volunteers:
VICE PRESIDENTS:
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP
Chris Coburn MBE
David Drew MP
Dr David Fletcher CBE
Peter Gadsden
Rt Hon. Sir Richard Needham
HONORARY STRATEGIC
PLANNING CONSULTANTS:
Neville Nelder
Tim Cox
THE COTSWOLD CANALS TRUST IS A
REGISTERED CHARITY AND ITS AIMS ARE:
1 To promote for the benefit of the
community, the reopening of the
Cotswold Canals.
2. To promote the restoration of the
two waterways to give a balance
between the needs of navigation,
development, recreation, heritage,
landscape conservation, wildlife
and natural habitats.
3. To promote the use of all the
towpath as The Thames & Severn Way.
4. To achieve restoration of the
Cotswold Canals as a navigable
route from Saul Junction to
the River Thames
REGISTERED CHARITY NO. 269721
Reg Co: The Cotswold Canals Trust
Registered in England No. 1207787
Registered Office: Island House, Moor
Road, Chesham, HP5 1NZ
www.cotswoldcanals.com
www.cctmembers-newsletter.co.uk
www.cct.teamconnect.org.uk
is published by the
Cotswold Canals Trust
The magazine takes its name from the
historic Severn sailing vessels
COMPILATION, LAYOUT &
PHOTOGRAPHS (unless credited)
David Jowett 01453 755535
([email protected])
11 Upper Leazes, Stroud, Glos., GL5 1LA
Design & print liaison: Sharon Kemmett
of The Design Co-operative
01453 751778
Printed by AST 02920 497901
ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES TO
Peter Perry [email protected]
TEL: 01376 346705
MOBILE: 07957 859429
FAX:01376 348550
137 Notley Road, Braintree, Essex, CM7 1HF
PLEASE MENTION THE TROW WHEN
RESPONDING TO ADVERTS
THE VIEWS & OPINIONS EXPRESSED
IN THE TROW DO NOT NECESSARILY
REPRESENT THOSE OF THE
COTSWOLD CANALS TRUST
COPY DATE
5 JAN
5 APR
5 JUL
5 OCT
Publishes
1 Mar
1 Jun
1 Sep
1 Dec
Front Cover: - The Roadshow at the IWA’s show in August.
Note the grass that was a rarity on the site
4
Chairman’s Notes
Liz Payne
A Wet Summer (Again)
What a summer! It would be very easy to be despondent;
the poor weather has affected all our activities. From the
boat trips, restoration works and our festival, the weather
has severely hindered our work and affected our income.
Liz Payne receives the IWA Restoration Award on behalf of
Neville Nelder and the Cotswold Canals Trust. Presenting
is Vaughan Welch, Chairman of The Inland Waterways
Association’s Restoration Committee. Bruce Hall and Ken
Burgin were recipients too - more details on Page 10.
Saul Canal Festival
Trust Council has to regularly assess our fund raising
methods and has made the very difficult decision not to
hold the festival at Saul next year. I cannot emphasise too
much the indebtedness the Trust owes to all those who
have been involved in Saul Canal Festival & Folk on the
Water and raised much needed funds for the restoration.
Lots of Other Work
Although our focus has inevitably been on the Phase 1A
section, much effort has gone into work elsewhere on the
canal with continuing work at Eisey Lock, Latton Basin
and Gough’s Orchard and of course essential
maintenance along the towpath so that walkers can
continue to enjoy our canal. Thanks to all those who have
worked hard, despite the weather, to keep the vegetation
under control so that the path is clearly defined.
We all need to look to the future, the gloomy economic
forecasts seem to indicate that sponsorship will be even
more difficult to obtain so innovative and imaginative
ways of raising funds and alternative venues along the
length of the canal need to be thought about. Please
don't be shy about sharing ideas, or even volunteering to
run an event.
Spreading the Word
Stroud District Council’s Meeting
The Road Show too has been out and about in all sorts of
weather and successfully recruited new members for the
Trust and spread the word that the Trust and the
restoration are still very much alive.
It would seem that we are betwixt and between at the
moment, still waiting for Stroud District Council to
formally accept the offer from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Hopes were high in July when we heard that SDC’s plan
had been accepted by HLF but time has gone by and we
are still waiting.
To the Brighter Future
A new year will soon be here and I am sure that you will
join me in hoping for a bright future for our restoration,
with good weather and without the traumas that 2008 has
delivered!
I am writing this in early October so by the time this
magazine is circulated hopefully the vital decision will
have been made. Then we can look forward to action
taking place on the Brimscombe to Ocean section, it is
envisaged that there will be plenty of work for volunteers,
details will be circulated via E-news and Team Connect.
I wish you all a Happy Christmas and a successful and
peaceful New Year.
5
6
From the Chief Executive
Ken Burgin
Chief Executive, Cotswold Canals Trust
Waiting for the Go-Ahead
At the time of writing, the answer to the question to "When
is Stroud District Council going to have its meeting?" is still
unknown. The meeting in question is the one that should
give the go ahead for the Phase 1A project with SDC as the
lead partner; it was expected to take place in late
September or early October.
Preparing for the Project
In spite of the delay in the decision, there has been some
progress and SDC have advertised the position of Project
Manager. The Trust will be helping in the selection
process for this critical role and we need to find a highly
motivated and skilled person to fulfil it.
The reason given for the delay is that information is still
being assembled to enable the right decision to be made.
Whist appreciating the levels of frustration many of our
members are feeling, there is not actually very much that
the Cotswold Canals Trust can do about this apart from offer
as much encouragement as possible, and wait.
Even when this post is filled, it will take time for the new
project manager to get up to speed, build a team, secure
all the regulatory approvals, the planning permissions
needed and resolve outstanding land issues.
It is not quite certain what effect all the recent turbulence in
the economy will have on the project. My own observations,
based on past experience, are that canal restoration tends
to flourish when the economy is doing well (because there
is money available) and when the economy is in a mess
(because anything that helps generate employment is
positively encouraged).
In the meantime, there is quite a lot that the Trust can and
is doing to help the project get going once SDC has made
its (hopefully) positive and historic decision. The aim is not
to let yet another year go by without some tangible
progress on the ground.
A downturn would certainly relieve inflationary pressures
and encourage potential contractors to offer keen prices.
However, it also depresses land values and could make
finding willing partners from the private sector to help
regenerate Brimscombe Port more difficult. Certainly any
more banks going bust with our funding partner's money
in them would not be at all helpful.
Phase 1A
A Trust volunteer project management group has been
formed from some of our members who have relevant
experience in making projects happen and this is meeting
regularly. Quite a lot of work is going into the design of a
bridge at Upper Mills where an impasse had been reached
between BW and the industrial estate with the former
insisting that it had to be a movable bridge and the latter
only willing to accept a fixed bridge because of the
disruption to access. There are still some quite complex
issues to resolve with a number of parties, but on the basis
of the work carried out to date and assuming the goodwill
of all affected, we believe that a fixed bridge is feasible and
It would be quite wrong to discard the project because
of the current economic climate and, in doing so, dash
the widely held aspirations of the community to see the
canal restored. If anything, the actual process of
carrying out the work at this time has increased in
value because it creates jobs at a time of rising
unemployment and helps sustain economic activity.
7
8
Phase 2
would be the better solution. Details are now being worked
up so that meaningful discussions can take place with all
parties and to establish the cost of building this bridge.
Immediately prior to writing this, I was attending a Cotswold
Canals Project Board meeting. A year ago, these meetings
were very Phase 1/western end centric. At today's meeting,
there was probably more time spent talking about Phase 2 or
the eastern end than on Phase 1 and this is very encouraging.
We are also carrying out planning work on a dredging
project in the Stonehouse area aimed at clearing the
channel and the massive banks of reeds growing right
across the canal in places. This should help reduce the
incidence of the sort of flooding that has occurred over the
last couple of years due to these obstructions as well as
improve the water supply to the Eastington flight of locks.
There has been useful progress on the ground at Eisey Lock,
Rucks Bridge and at Latton.What is perhaps less visible to Trust
members is the high profile of the eastern T&S Canal in the new
Cotswold Water Park Master Plan or the role it could play in
linking a regenerated central Swindon (complete with a restored
length of the Wilts & Berks Canal running through it) to the rest
of the inland waterway network via the North Wilts Canal.
Dredging sounds like an easy job but the ever increasing
regulations associated with the disposal of waste has
made this sort of thing very complex with all kinds of
restrictions, requirements for testing of the silt, testing the
land it might be spread on (very thinly), the need to obtain
licenses and the like. Then add the bird nesting season,
protected species, alien invasive species, Health & Safety,
MCA working boat regulations on top and it becomes a
wonder that anything ever gets done - and that's just part
of the regulatory environment we live in these days.
Over the coming months, it is hoped that a plan can be
developed for Phase 2. This will involve identifying the
opportunities offered by the ongoing gravel extraction and
talking to various interests and landowners in the area. This,
plus the recently re-established Eastern Consultative group
of the Cotswold Canals Partnership should help move this
length of the project forward.
Anyway, if we can get all this sorted out and, with the
assistance of WRG Forestry to trim back the overhanging
branches on the off-side, we will be well on the way to
getting the mile and a half long Ryeford pound usable
from Ocean Swing Bridge to Ryeford Double Lock. Can we
do it in 2009? - I don't know and it will depend to some
extent on when control of the canal is passed from BW to
others but we should try our best. From 2010 onwards,
the rest of the Phase 1A project should be delivering
frequent excuses for re-openings and celebrations.
New Impetus
Over recent months, I have been impressed with the level
and quality of new offers to volunteer and help the Trust;
often from people with strong business or technical
backgrounds. Long standing volunteers have also captured
the need for the Trust to be more proactive in the project now
that BW have gone. Together I am sure we will achieve
impressive results as we bring about the restoration of the
Stroudwater Navigation and the Thames & Severn Canal.
9
AGM Day Out
by David Jowett
An day out based around an AGM may not be
everybody’s idea of a good time, but it was certainly the
case this year. Early morning mist gave way to a glorious
day of overdue sunshine which was especially welcome
as this was 20th September.
The New Inn Hotel in Lechlade proved a good choice of
venue with parking by the Thames and a function room
at the rear of the building which was light and airy.
After arrivals, tea, coffee and biscuits, the official
business of the AGM (which covered the year to March
2008) was underway and soon over. Ken Burgin, the
Trust’s Chief Executive, brought everyone right up to date
on the state of play. His balanced report covered the
whole canal route, not just the Phase 1A restoration
which everyone agreed was eagerly awaited.
We were then treated to a short video by John Morin who
had travelled all the way from Crewe. His work featured
the recent project at Latton which is described in more
detail on page 12. The film was well appreciated and
prepared the way for site visits planned for later in the day.
A surprise (to most) followed. Vaughan Welch stepped
forward to announce that he was about present the
Inland Waterways Association Restoration Award. This
was recommended by their Restoration Committee, of
which Vaughan is Chairman, and was presented to the
This Page from the top
Members gather - by the time the AGM got underway, it
was standing room only
Vaughan Welch presents Bruce Hall with the IWA
Restoration Award 2008
The same award to Ken Burgin
The “Latton” film presentation
10
Cotswold Canals Trust “In recognition of the tireless work
of Bruce Hall, Ken Burgin and Neville Nelder in ensuring
that the Heritage Lottery Fund award to the Cotswold
Canals was secured”. The level of applause indicated
the support of those present.
A break for lunch saw many heading into the main hotel
for a bar meal and a refreshing drink before the
afternoon’s programme of visits. The nature of the sites
to be visited meant that individuals were grouped
together in as few cars as possible and then split into two
with visits to the sites in turn.
As the site at Eisey Lock and Rucks Bridge is on private
land and access limited to organised work parties, this
was a great opportunity to make a visit. A Waterways
Recovery Group work party was in residence for the
weekend, so their leader was able to explain what was
happening.
A short drive from Eisey was the Latton site which can be
seen from public footpaths so was much easier to
access. It was less than three weeks since the major
work party (see page 12) and it was now much easier to
make sense of the whole junction area. Members from
the Wilts & Berks Trust were hard at work just to the
south of the junction on the North Wilts Canal, so this was
a good chance to see what they were doing too.
This had been a very successful day and most enjoyable.
Next year, if you don’t fancy a “stuffy” AGM, make sure
that you find out what else is on offer and your efforts to
join in should be rewarded.
This page from the top
Ken Burgin explains the work at Rucks Bridge.....
...and down the towpath at Eisey Lock too
Inspecting the Latton worksite
Doug Small of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust tells the
group about the work on the North Wilts Canal
11
A Week at Latton
by Keith Harding
As August turned into September, we completed a
week’s work at Latton which consisted of eight
twelve hour days. We fully restored a hundred yards
of the main line Thames & Severn Canal to full
navigable depth together with the Junction Basin
which makes a most impressive sight from the road.
This is an extremely important heritage site, being the
original connection to the Wilts and Berks Canal via
the North Wilts Canal to Swindon. Thames Barges
could come up the wide canal, under Weymoor
Bridge, swing left through the Junction Basin, under
the towpath bridge, over a beautiful Georgian stone
aqueduct, (since demolished) over the Churn Mill
Leat, and into the stone lined Latton Basin where they
could transfer goods into the narrow boats on the
North Wilts. The basin has been cleared by our
colleagues from the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust.
Our first job was to construct a bund upstream, and
to pump out the water below it. Eventually we
borrowed a six inch pump to do the job, and then
kept the area clear of water with a three inch
pump. Unfortunately on the first day someone
accidentally cut a water pipe laid on the bed to
supply the farmer’s cattle troughs, so after abortive
attempts over two days to repair it we were obliged
to put in a new pipe, well below the bed and buried
in clay, and take it across two fields in a trench.
Ninety years accumulation of silt and reeds was
removed from the bed of the canal and basin,
which was up to eighteen inches in depth, using an
eight ton excavator and two dumper trucks, one of
six tons and one of three tons. The towpath was
much improved and topped with gravely material.
On the second day a helicopter landed at the site to
see what we were doing, as a major fuel pipe line
crosses the canal just above where we were
working. They were carrying out one of their routine
fortnightly inspections.
NATIONAL GRID REFERENCE
SU 087 955
12
Interestingly, the bottom of the basin was clay puddle.
Handford and Viner say in their books that most of the
canal in this area was not puddled as it is dug into the
gravel aquifer. Unfortunately the large amount of
quarrying in the area will have interfered with the
water table. The canal was completed in 1789, some
years before the Basin was dug in 1818.
On the last evening of our week we were able to
breach the bund upstream and let the water pour
back in, raising the level in the canal to about six feet
in the deepest places. This was a most spectacular
and enjoyable experience.
Everyone involved, and there were only a few, should
be justly proud of what we have achieved in just over
a week, of most carefully planned effort. It just shows
what can be done by determined volunteers.
Photos were taken by Doug Small of the Wilts & Berks
Canal Trust
Clockwise from the top:
A nearby fuel pipe was being inspected so this helicopter
landed to see what was happening
At the interprtation board on the old Junction Bridge, Keith
and John tell walkers about the project.
Excavation underway
Letting the water in through the temporary bund
The canal slowly fills. The junction is to the right
www.lattonbasin.gentle-highway.info
13
Wolverhampton Ahoy !
by David Jowett
After another washout summer, what would the IWA
National Festival throw at us at the end of August? The
answer was a mixed bag.
First sign of trouble was a phone message a few days
before we set off with CCT marquee and personal tents.
The traders’ campsite was waterlogged so would be
relocated to Wolverhampton Racecourse, the main
campsite, two miles from the showground. On arrival, the
show site was being rescued from the mudbath, mainly by
the volunteers from the Waterway Recovery Group. It was
a delight to find that the best ground conditions were
around our pitch away from the main thoroughfares.
Weather during the show was mainly kind although the
wind threw some problems our way (quite literally) on the
Monday. The show was a great success despite the
14
muddy conditions around most of the site. Thanks to the
IWA for allowing us to pitch our marquee at their show.
Next year the festival moves to a less urban setting by
the River Soar near Nottingham.
Top Left: A nice dry corner site for the marquee
Bottom Left: The strangest campsite - two miles from the
showground, in front of the grandstand at Wolverhampton
Racecourse - result: an early morning 45 minute towpath
walk to the showground or use the shuttle bus later.
Top Right: On Monday, the RSPB stand flew onto the roof
of the CCT marquee - photographed after it had been
pulled off. Thankfully, no-one hurt. Our marquee
undamaged - corner just visible on right.
Bottom Right: Regular traders (& CCT Members) Margot &
Terry Stroud of Waterways Pictures. This was their last
appearance before retiring from the show circuit, hence the
sold-out stand! They still plan to do some work from home.
15
Eisey Lock &
Rucks Bridge
A 14 tonne excavator was hired with a special grab
attachment to remove the silt and rubble from the main
chamber of the lock. The same digger was used to
remove a number of tree stumps including a huge one
that was located at the tail of the lock on the off-side.
Report & Photos by Ken Burgin
The summer activities at Eisey have been very
successful with a one week long camp in August
followed by three weekends in September, all
involving various groups from Dig Deep.
The coping stones were removed from the walls for
safekeeping and it was found that the outer skin of
the brickwork on virtually the whole of both sides of
the lock had been separated from the main walls by
16
dense tree roots. The loose brickwork was
encouraged to fall into the lock by the digger to
remove the danger of the walls falling on to people
when work on the main chamber starts.
On 20th September, members attending the Trust
AGM at Lechlade were given the opportunity to visit
Latton and Eisey during the course of the afternoon.
With work advancing apace on the upper lock
chamber and lower wing walls, the next main task
will be to erect scaffolding in the main chamber so
that the long task of stripping down the main walls
until a firm structure is found can commence. This
will be followed by rebuilding the face of both walls
using lime mortar, not a small task as this is an
original unshortened 90 ft lock chamber.
A new set of stop plank grooves are being built into the
walls at the tail of the lock so that it can be isolated
from the pound below which remains in water. The
base of the lock, the invert, was partially built of stone and
partly brick which reinforces the view that by the time this
eastern end of the canal was built and money was
running low, those building the canal used whatever was
to hand. At Rucks Bridge, we even think a couple of reject
sections probably intended for the pillars of the Coates
Portal of Sapperton Tunnel were pressed into service as
coping stones on the offside channel walls.
Special thanks are due to the visiting Dig Deep
groups and the Trust's local Team Leader, John
Pontefract, and to Karen Shaw who has ensured
that each visiting group has been provided with the
accommodation they need. Karen is leaving the UK
on her travels and we are keen to find someone to
pick up the task of liaising with visiting groups and
book various village halls or other accommodation
and to make sure they have what they need.
By the end of September, the coping stones were being
remounted on the towpath top wing wall following a
substantial rebuild of the front part of the wall.
Opposite: An excavator was hired in to remove silt and
rubble form the chamber of the lock
A small but dedicated team continues to work on the
channel walls at Rucks Bridge on selected
Wednesdays and they would also welcome new
people. One of the four walls is complete with a
second well advanced and the heavy coping stones
have been removed from the third ready for
preparation work whilst the fourth has been
substantially demolished by trees (now removed).
Below: Before and after. The same part of the lock with
photos taken five months apart
17
New Cafe at Saul
The Stables Cafe opened in September just to the south of the Heritage Centre.
The old stables and hay loft in the building alongside Sandfield Bridge have been refurbished for indoor seating whilst a
double deck timber structure allows outside dining on picnic tables. New views of the canalside scene can be seen from
the upper deck. The cafe will be run by Carla Mason and Mitch Workman (son of Jack, the well-known retired bridge-keeper
at Saul Junction). They plan to increase the menu which initially featured
sandwiches and baguettes, paninis, jacket potatoes,
salads and home-made cakes. More at
www.thestablescafe.co.uk.
18
Christmas Cards
Still Time To
Order by Mail !
Remember the launch of our Christmas
Cards for 2008 in the last issue? Well,
there is still time to order your last
minute purchases!
The cards are still available from the
Heritage Centre at Saul. You may just
catch a late roadshow event too.
Alternatively, we are offering a mail
order service for members who can’t
get to one of the sales outlets. If you
order quickly, we can get the cards to you in time.
To order cards by mail, please send:
Taken from an original painting kindly offered by Paul
Joyce, this year’s subject is St Cyr’s Church at
Stonehouse next to the Stroudwater. Members may well
be familiar with Paul’s work which has featured on
several cards over the years - thanks again Paul.
Details of your name and address together with
A cheque payable to CCT (Trading) Ltd to
Linda Amery, 13 Bowbridge Lock, Stroud, Glos, GL5 2JZ.
Cards cost £3.95 per pack of 10 which includes P&P.
19
Trading Company Report
to 31 March 2008 - by Jack Telling
In the Winter 2007 edition of The Trow I warned that the
cancellation of the Saul Festival that year, because of
flooding, would have a significant adverse impact on
the Trading Company accounts for the year 2007/08.
The out-turn was an operating loss of £3,671 on a
turnover of £82,091 as compared with a profit of
£40,009 on a turnover of £193,771 the year before.
This means that the Trading Company will not, this year, be
able to covenant any money to the Cotswold Canals Trust.
Despite this overall loss attributable to the Saul Festival
all other Trading Company activities were profitable:
Sales £8,619; Ice Cream £4,767; Boat Trips Perseverance £4,913; Boat Trips - Inglesham £6,362
Profits from Saul Heritage Centre are included in Sales and Ice Cream.
A big thank you to all our volunteers and particularly to
those involved in planning the 2007 Saul Festival whose
efforts were thwarted by torrential rain.
20
Why Not Remember the
Cotswold Canals Trust in
Your Will ?
The full restoration of the Cotswold Canals cannot be
taken for granted.
The withdrawal of British
Waterways from the Cotswold Canals Partnership last
February was an unforeseen setback. The declared
intention of Stroud District Council to assume the
mantle of Lead Partner has, however, given a fresh
impetus to restore the canal between The Ocean,
Stonehouse and Brimscombe Port.
The coming years will also be full of opportunities to link
Stonehouse with Saul Junction and Brimscombe to
Inglesham and we must be in a position to respond with
significant matched funding. It is also very important that
we continue to restore structures along the Thames &
Severn Canal between Brimscombe Port and Inglesham.
What we can achieve will depend heavily on voluntary
gifts and legacies from our supporters.
Legacy Guide
Contact details are: Tel: 01285 643440
E-mail: [email protected]
Leaving a legacy to the Cotswold Canals Trust is an ideal
way of passing on the maximum benefits of your estate
as it will be entirely free from inheritance tax. You can
make a bequest either:
Bequests should be made payable to Cotswold Canals
Trust (Reg.Charity No. 269721)
As a charity we rely on voluntary contributions to provide
funds for the restoration of the Cotswold Canals. By
including us in your will you can have the satisfaction of
securing these Canals for the enjoyment of future
generations.
(a) as a specific sum or item of value such as jewellry or
shares, or
(b) as the residue of your estate i.e. what is left after all
your specific bequests have been made and debts, tax
and costs accounted for.
Memories of the
Stroudwater Canal DVD
If you would like to leave something to the Cotswold
Canals Trust, simply ask your solicitor to include your
bequest in your will.
A quick reminder that this 20 minute DVD was released
earlier this year which features interviews with various
individuals. It is available for a minimum donation of £3 at
Roadshow events, the Heritage Centre at Saul, Cotswold
Water Park Coots Centre, Stroud Museum in the Park and
Stroud Tourist Information Centre.
If you have already made a will it can be amended, without
having to make a new one, by means of a Codicil. This can
be done through your solicitor or by completing a simple
form which can be obtained from the Trust Office.
21
Double Thanks at Saul
when the other is busy, feeding, offers of accommodation,
pushing wheelchairs up slopes, finding electricity. The list
of help we have received is both long and varied, exceeded
only by the variety and willingness of those giving it.
from Nadine & John Preece
First, let us say a big thank you to those responsible for
the award of the Morrison Construction Cup at Saul Canal
Festival. As we stood listening to the commendation
being made by Graham, we found ourselves looking
around for signs of those of you that we thought he was
talking about. What a total surprise it was to hear our own
names called out. Not only a big surprise but also a odd
sort of feeling, difficult to express, that the ‘powers that
be’ should consider our efforts more than others, worthy
of the award this year.
The second ‘Thank You’ refers to a prime example of what
we are talking about. As some of you know, Nadine
needed hospital care on the Monday after the Festival.
Without ado, Sue Attwood came with us to make sure we
found Stroud Hospital OK! (I think she enjoyed the bit
where she was able to tell me where to go!!). At the same
time, Anna Watts took off with Alan’s 4X4, commandeered
some likely looking ‘other people’s husbands’ and rescued
our caravan from impending flood. Twice in two years
that’s happened (It was Bungle’s turn last year). Is that
some kind of record, we wonder?
On leaving the presentation our words to Clive Field were
“We are resigning from all future CCT activities on grounds
of embarrassment”. Seriously, though, we must point out
that we could not do what we have done, nor continue to
do so, without the support of all our friends and fellow
volunteers. Moral support, keeping one of us entertained
We shall continue to try to do our bit for as long as we
enjoy being part of the restoration effort, but we know that
can only do that as long as you all continue to enjoy
helping us. Thank you everybody.
Club 100
Administered by John Carter
The latest Draw was held at the Western Branch meeting
on Monday 6th October.
1st
2nd
3rd
22
£110.00
£55.00
£28.00
Mr M H Streatfield Bristol
Mr M D Perring Sunninghill, Ascot
Mr J R Harris Upleadon, Newent
In The Garden Shed ?
Thanks to our Donors
by Richard Attwood
During the last quarter
When did you last look in your garden shed?
Alan & Anna Watts
M C Hyde
Russell Newbery Register Ltd
Braunston Marina Ltd
DW & J Hunt (proceeds from the sale of a watercolour)
Macclesfield Canal Society
HSBC Bank plc
In memory of Gerald Lloyd
In memory of Barry Akeroyd Horne
The Trust has need for all sorts of tools etc for use by
our volunteers. Normally these are bought, but you
may have just what we need lurking in the back of
your shed unused for many years.
This is what we need :Mattocks
Petrol brushcutters with a 32cc engine or larger
(not light weight strimmers)
Draw Results
by Anna Watts
Petrol hedge cutters
We should like to congratulate Amanda Young who won
the Rosie & Jim dolls that were prizes in a raffle held
recently. We should like to acknowledge the donation
of the dolls by members Chris Warren and his partner
Liz. Over £200 was raised for CCT funds.
Builders wheel barrows with pneumatic tyres
Steel bar, angle, RSJ girders of all shapes and sizes
Scaffold towers
4 wheel builders trailers - 2.5 tonne capacity
Ratchet operated loppers
Standoffs for ladders
Electric hand tools
Any of the above can be collected locally to Stroud.
If you have any of the above talk to
Dudley Greenslade or Roger Wells or
email [email protected]
23
Membership Matters
Robert Palmer, Uplands, STROUD, Glos
John Cole, STROUD, Glos
Susan Blandford & Andy Stayte, STROUD, Glos
Nevil & Jeanette Bathe, STROUD, Glos
David Coley, IPSWICH, Suffolk
Rachel Lyons, STROUD, Glos
Richard & Stephanie Barsby, CHELTENHAM, Glos
Monty Hill, Frampton-on-Severn, GLOUCESTER
David Lane, Bishops Norton, GLOUCESTER
Barry Hinchliffe, Quedgeley, GLOUCESTER
Colin Brookes, Hartshill, NUNEATON
Patricia Southgate, Nailsworth, STROUD, Glos
Christopher & Jill Wright, MORETON-IN-MARSH, Glos
Patrick & Jenny Prosser, Abbeymead, GLOUCESTER
Tony & Clive Kelman, CHEPSTOW, Mon
Ian & Patricia Kirkwood, NEWBURY, Berks
Michael & Rebecca Smith-Keary, KIDDERMINSTER, Worcs
Mr H.M. Davis, Cam, DURSLEY, Glos
Kevin Wilson, Easthampstead, BRACKNELL, Berks
Keith Barber, East Ham, LONDON
Mr N. Pearson & Family, CHELTENHAM, Glos
Roger Clay, Barford, WARWICK
Membership Secretary, Des Pinnock
Trust Membership is now 5421 - another record for our
Trust. A warm welcome to all these new members listed
below - our special thanks both to our volunteers who
staff the stalls at outside events and those new members
who joined at them.
The weather has been unkind (to say the least) at most of
these functions and thanks are even more warmly
deserved than usual!
Members joining since the last Trow are:
John & Pat Cresswell, STROUD, Glos
Mr A.P. Palmer, Yate, BRISTOL
David Bainbridge, LECHLADE, Glos
Julian Johns, Longlevens, GLOUCESTER
Arnold & June Jowett, BARROW-UPON-HUMBER, Lincs
Joy Hasler, Lockleaze, BRISTOL
24
Cairen Stedman, BRIDGNORTH,
Stephen Foote, ROYSTON,
Andrew Lee, NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYNE, Staffs
Graham & Christine Stubbs, Thurmaston, LEICESTER
Edward Owen, FLEETWOOD, Lancs
Steve & Emma Coulston, WITNEY, Oxon
Edward Brown, Nth Woodchester, STROUD, Glos
Karen & Stewart Hayllar, Twyford, BANBURY, Oxon
Mr E.H. Cheers, WOLVERHAMPTON, West Mids
James & Kate Hughes, BANBURY, Oxon
Mr J.A. Hall, DUDLEY,
Paul Cleary, Up Hatherley, CHELTENHAM, Glos
Peter Caswell, Pudleston, LEOMINSTER, Herefordshire
Robert Smith, Hinkley, Leics
Mr P.A. Hourd, Bridlington, E. Yorks
Nici Reynolds & Maria Walsh, BADMINTON, S. Glos
Debbie & Dave Grosvenor, Frampton Cotterell, BRISTOL
Mr P.B. Candy, Bearley, STRATFORD-ON-AVON, Warks
Tony & Mavis Webb, STROUD, Glos
Mr N.D. Murrell, Upton St Leonards, GLOUCESTER
Rick & Harri Barnes, STONEHOUSE, Glos
Mr A.& Mrs J. Kilburn, STROUD, Glos
Tamsin Treverton-Jones, STROUD, Glos
Dawn Mallinson & Austin Weltman, Painswick, STROUD
Mervyn Cave, STROUD, Glos
Philip Jones, STROUD, Glos
Robert Goldstone, STROUD, Glos
Mrs Alison Cantle, STROUD, Glos
Peter & Ruth Howell, Cainscross, STROUD, Glos
John & Sheila Bonehill, TEIGNMOUTH, Devon
Michael & Debbie Turvey, CHELTENHAM, Glos
Caroline Foster, Madley, HEREFORD
Roland & Susan Panes, DURSLEY, Glos
Karl & Sarah Davies, Brimscombe, STROUD, Glos
Mr & Mrs I. Wright, STROUD, Glos
David Workman, CIRENCESTER, Glos
Mr D.R. Huddleston, TEWKESBURY, Glos
John Crellin, DURSLEY, Glos
Mrs P.E. Wilkins, STONEHOUSE, Glos
Robert Allen, CIRENCESTER, Glos
Dee & Mark Drinan, CIRENCESTER, Glos
Tony O'Donnell, BANBURY, Oxon
Wendy & Peter Rogers, Newport, BERKELEY, Glos
Andy Newstead, STROUD, Glos
25
Information for Members on
Mailing Labels & Membership Records
2. Family Memberships count as two, Adult as one,
Corporate and Affiliate as four. These quirks may explain
why our Membership total is always at variance with
currently issued Membership numbers.
1. The code at the top of your mailing label is as follows:
First, a letter showing Membership Class
L or Lx2 = Life Members single or joint,
F
= Family,
A
= Adult,
P
= Senior Citizen (obsolete category)
S
= Affiliated organisation,
C
= Corporate
3. The name and address portion of the label is usually
taken directly from your Membership Application form. If
you would like any changes, including change of address,
do please contact me.
4. Annual subscription rates. Existing members still
£10/family and £8/Adult - rates unchanged for 20 years.
Now reluctantly raised to cope with postage etc. to
£15/family and £10/Adult. If any existing members are
willing to raise their Subscriptions we would be grateful
but please do not feel pressured to do this - we do not
want to lose your valuable support. I normally send out
Subscription reminders at the end of each month for the
month ahead, after 2 months send a reminder and then after
2 more months a final letter. It would help greatly if you
would let me know if you do not intend to renew or have
cancelled a Bankers Order - I am a volunteer (fortunately
Second comes the (Membership Number) , a number
allocated at the time of joining, issued sequentially with
lapsed members numbers not being re-allocated.
Third is a B or M Bankers Order or money payment
Fourth, a number 1 to 12, the month that an annual
subscription is due (Life Members with no further
payments = 99 and monthly payments = 13)
26
retired) and with the increasing size of our Membership,
these extra letters are becoming quite a burden.
8. Finally - our records are held on a Computer in
compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998 - if you
would like a copy of yours, please send me a Stamped
Addressed Envelope.
5. My address is now 1 Dunstan Glen, Churchdown, Glos.
GL3 2PY (Tel No. as before 01452 - 856233 as is Email
[email protected])
David Cottrell
6. A reminder that we do not use Direct Debits - only
Bankers (Standing) Orders which once sent to your Bank,
only you can change. On renewals, I always offer a
Bankers Order option - needless to say these help me
greatly - no more annual reminders!
Obituary by Des Pinnock
We regret to have to tell you of the death on 16th
September of David Cottrell. David was not only a
Life Member of our Trust since 1994 but was
influential in all the waterways of our Region for the
past 50 or more years through the Inland Waterways
Association (IWA) and many other Canal Trusts.
7. For those using new technology and who wish to set
up their own B/Os - do please put your Membership
Number and name as a reference for your Bank to quote.
I see these references on monthly Bank Statements and
they do make my life easier. But please let me know what
to expect as our monthly Bank Statements are now some
24 A4 pages long and looking for mystery payments can
be difficult. Our Bank is Barclays, Sort Code 20-33-83,
Acc. No. 80867861
Our condolences go to his widow, Leontine. David’s
past contribution to the Waterways movement has
been greatly appreciated and will he sorely missed in
the future.
27
The World Still Owes Me
12 Minutes of Fame !
by Tom Low
In September last year, Jan and I were offered the chance
to appear on the TV programme Waterworld. Wow, we
thought ! Fame at last we thought! On the telly! It came
about because we were holidaying on a narrowboat that
was totally electric-powered; these are available for hire
on that canal in Wales (the Mon & Brec - we didn’t break
it, honest) where the hire company have installed
charging points along its length. We were very keen to
try one of these almost silent, throb-free, eco-friendly
boats, and the idea had also, it seemed, appealed to the
Waterworld people doing this Welsh-based series.
The experience of the electric boat was absolutely
brilliant, living up to all expectations and more. The
experience of being filmed, however, was a little more
prosaic. Not for us the Hollywood treatment of lights
and make-up and sound crews and shouts of “Camera
- Action”. We were met by the side of the lock at
8.30am by Geoff. Just Geoff. Geoff with the outdoorbroadcast heavyweight camera grafted onto his
shoulder. Oh well, we’ll still be on the telly, I suppose,
and it’s a nice day anyway.
28
I had worn my best CCT green polo shirt for the camera(s!)
and Jan had one of her own-painted Buckby cans on the
roof. Nothing but the best. Geoff went enthusiastically about
his task, filming us into the lock, out of the lock, round the
corner, through the bridge. He rode with us on the boat,
even climbing onto the roof to take mood shots when the
trees overhead gently dappled the light - all good
Waterworld stuff and we could see fame reaching out to us.
We filmed and chatted all morning, the filming including
some footage of swans and cygnets which later got a
star role in the permanent title sequence - (without us!).
Geoff chose a spectacular view-point to do The Interview.
Sound, yet! Causing mayhem with dog-walkers, cyclists
and ramblers, we were interviewed for a full hour on the
towpath with the Brecon Beacons resplendent over our
shoulders. The CCT logo on my polo shirt was well to the
fore. Funny thing was, Geoff never said anything onto the
tape - he prompted us for answers, the questions to which
might get added in later - cameraman, sound engineer,
producer and director he was, but not actually Timothy West,
who had finished filming there the previous week. Humph.
Geoff said that Waterworld was going out in Jan/Feb 2008
on Central TV first and the only other channel taking it was
HTV Cymru, maybe in the summer of 2008. We only get
ITV West and so wouldn’t see it! Aargh - but they promised
to send us a DVD. Limited fame - but it is still fame isn’t it?
we were shown being interviewed for, well, must be at least
half a minute! Never mind, the CCT emblem on the polo
showed up well, giving a name-check for the Trust. Then blink - a shot of me plugging into the re-charging point blink - cut to the owners of the hiring company for their
story- blink - up come the blinkin’ adverts, and it’s all over.
Blink - did you miss it?
Three minutes of fame? If that? I thought everyone
was entitled to 15 minutes; didn’t someone promise us
15 minutes? The world still owes me 12 minutes then.
Never mind says my neighbour, by the time it’s been on HTV,
Discovery, Discovery-plus-One and National Geographic
that’ll be your full 15 minutes, then, won’t it? Suppose so !
ITV Central were brilliant, phoning us in January (after all
those months we had forgotten about Fame) telling us we
were on - in the first programme of the series no less.
Must be brilliant after the hours Geoff spent with us, can’t
wait. A friend with Sky-Plus was recording it for us.
SCREEN IMAGES courtesy PEAKTIME PRODUCTIONS
This series of Waterworld is unlikely to be repeated on
ITV, but since October 2008 is now being shown at
intervals on Discovery Real Time
(Sky 240) (Virgin 271) (Tiscali 24)
www.discoverychannel.co.uk/web/realtime
The programme is the first in the series dated 2008.
Look out for the synopsis that says
“In this first episode Timothy West and Heledd Fychan
explore one of the quietest canals in Britain, and find a
man who reckons his narrowboat has saved his life”.
Excitement mounts...... Look - there’s us in the opening
shots - yellow-and-green 50-footer, fuzzy kind-of mood
shot, but definitely us! Fame! The programme gets
underway; first some general chat from Timothy and
Heledd, then a long sequence about another boat, then
Timothy says “there’s a silent boat on a very quiet canal”
and - blink- cut straight to us sitting on the towpath where
29
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