Issue 144 7 - hcs2012.com

Members Quarterly Journal - Issue 144 - Spring 2003Members Quarterly Journal - Issue 144 - Spring 2003

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239 Mossley Road, Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, OL6 6LNTel: 0161 339 1332 Fax: 0161 343 2262EMail: [email protected] Website: www.hcanals.demon.co.ukVolunteer Co-ordinator - Frank Smith Office Manager - Robert Gough

Huddersfield Canal Society Ltd

David Sumner 4 Whiteoak Close, Marple, Stockport, Cheshire SK6 6NTChairman Tel: 0161 449 9084

Trevor Ellis 20 Batley Avenue, Marsh, Huddersfield, HD1 4NAVice-Chairman Tel: 01484 534666

John Sully 19 Kingfishers, Orton Wistow, Peterborough, Cambs. PE2 6YHTreasurer Tel: 01733 236650

John Fryer Ramsdens, Freeman & Co., 18 Lewisham Road, Slaithwaite,Company Secretary Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD7 5AL

Keith Gibson Syke Cottage, Scholes Moor Road, Holmfirth, HD9 1SJHCS Restoration Ltd Tel: 01484 681245

Jack Carr 19 Sycamore Avenue, Euxton, Chorley, Lancashire, PR7 6JRWest Side Social Chairman Tel: 01257 265786

Neville Kenyon HCS Ltd, 239 Mossley Road, Ashton-u-Lyne, Lancs., OL6 6LNMembership Secretary Tel: 0161 339 1332

Brian Minor 45 Gorton Street, Peel Green, Eccles, Manchester, M30 7LZEditor, Pennine Link Tel: 0161 288 5324 [email protected]

David Finnis Fall Bottom, Oliver Lane, Marsden, Huddersfield, HD7 6BZPress Officer Tel: 01484 847016Allan Knott 64 High Street, Godley, Hyde, Cheshire, SK14 2PU

W.Side Boats Co-ordinator Tel: 0161 343 6400Mo O’Neill 6 Leak Hall Crescent, Denby Dale, Huddersfield, HD8 8RZ

E.Side Boats Co-ordinator Tel: 01484 865430Vince Willey 45 Egmont Street, Mossley, Ashton-u-Lyne, Lancs., OL5 9NBBoats Officer Tel: 0161 339 1332

Alwyn Ogborn 14 Stanhope Street, Mossley, Ashton-u-Lyne, Lancs., OL5 9LXSpecial Events Co-ordinator Tel: 01457 833329

Allen Brett 31 Woodlands Road, Milnrow, Rochdale, Lancs., OL16 4EYGeneral Council Member Tel: 01706 641203

Keith Noble The Dene, Triangle, Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire, HX6 3EAGeneral Council Member Tel: 01422 823562

Alec Ramsden 16 Edgemoor Road, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD7 2HPGeneral Council Member Tel: 01484 662246

Ken Wright Bridge House, Dobcross, Oldham, Lancashire, OL3 5NLGeneral Council Member Tel: 01457 873599

2 - Pennine Link - Spring 2003

Spring 2003 - Pennine Link - 3

PennineSpring 2003 Issue 144

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Keith’s Disconnected Jottings 7Restoration Chairman Keith Gibson continueshis thoughts on the new ‘boom’ in canalrestoration schemes throughout the country.

The Hollinwood Branch 10Society member, Ed Mortimer, muses over afuture for the abandoned Hollinwood Branch ofthe Ashton Canal.

New Facilities for Boaters 18British Waterways continues its drive to add tothe existing services for boaters along theHuddersfield Narrow Canal.

The Huddersfield (Too) Narrow 21Extracts from British Waterways recentlypublished ‘Huddersfield Narrow Canal - Reporton Implementing 7ft Standard’

Scottish Marathon - Part 2 44Society member, Andrew Shortridge, concludeshis account of cruising the Scottish waterways.

Members hoping to read the conclusion to AnneWright’s account aboard Challenger Syndicate’s‘Blackbird’, will have to wait for the SummerIssue, I’m afraid. Ed.

Editorial 4Chairman’s Report 5Towpath Games 6The Other Societies 16Volunteer Rembrandts 25The Anderton Lift 32Manchester Ship Canal Cruises 35Tameside Canals Festival 36Canal Crossword - 40 37Pennine Inter Canal Society Quiz 38Comical Cruising 39The Basingstoke Canal 40IWA News 41What the Papers Said 42Litter Squad 43Letters to the Editor 51Notice of the 2003 AGM 53Volunteer Recognition 54

Front Cover: A convoy of boats arrives at Marsden havingpassed through Standedge Tunnel en route to the 2002National Festival. And boaters will be celebrating after thenews that transit charges are to be scrapped. From 1stApril, British Waterways will allow boaters through theTunnel for free! Photo: K. Wright

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Volunteer boat crew on a towpath clean-up


EditorialIt’s a quiet time ofthe year just now, alittle too cold forholding a tiller forlong periods, a timefor hot toddiesrather than the clinkof the ice in the

G&T’s! However the last few days havebeen bright and the sun has shone albeit notvery warmly. So Summer and the joys ofthe waterways are not far away.

In this Issue there are some reminders ofpast glories and a few ideas for places tovisit in the new season. The ScottishOdyssey of member Andrew Shortridgereaches its conclusion and there is anintroduction to the delights of theBasingstoke.

A possible new crusade for some of us inthe Hollinwood Branch restorationsuggested by Ed Mortimer might send a fewof us walking on new territory. On our ownCanal, we detail BW’s report on thenecessary works to achieve perfection.

The Inter Canal Society Quiz will be on usshortly, (see page 38) and the Society wouldlike to put a team or teams in for this. Ihave been in the HCS team on a couple ofoccasions and although we have thoroughlyenjoyed the evening, we were each timeabysmally bottom! Its not that our team wasparticularly dim but some of the localboaters have an encyclopaedic knowledgeof obscure corners of the Waterway system.So please – there MUST be some keenboaters out there who can restore thehonour of HCS! Ring Frank in the Office tojoin a team or ring Alwyn Ogborn for thefull horror story of our past failure! I noticethat the MBBC Society who are running itthis year have chosen a pub with decentbeer, must have been me complaining, a

couple of years ago, about the fizzy kegrubbish the venue was dispensing.

We haven’t had many letters to the Editorthis quarter, I am sure it is not that theCouncil have got everything right this time!This is your magazine and it must reflect theviews of all our members. Brickbats orbouquets are both welcome, if possible,please e.mail letters to me or directly to theOffice. If you aren’t on the electronichighway don’t worry, just send them inanyway.

Chairman David hasn’t been too well inrecent months – I hear he is back at workagain now. The work that David has donefor the canal is phenomenal. He smoothsout squabbles in council, acts as spokesmanwith groups as diverse as ParliamentaryCommissions and local anglers, knowseveryone who is anyone in the canal andlocal authority world and usually gets thefirst round in after meetings! Glad you’reback, boss. We need you!

The news that BW are to waive the Tunnelcharges from the 1st of April has delightedall members of the Council. Although thecharge did not deter a dedicated boaterfrom making the trip along the length of thecanal, it would certainly have been aconsideration for the less adventurous. Thework being done on smoothing out the highspots on the problem locks and removingthe ‘pinch points’ also means that thepioneering days of the Huddersfield NarrowCanal as a cruising waterway are over. Ourcanal can take its place with the rest of thesystem as a superb place to visit selling itselfon the outstanding beauty of the bordercountry and the friendliness of the localpeople.

Brian Minor


Chairman’s ReportI stated in the lastissue that BW, HCSand our partners arecommitted toimprove thewaterway year onyear. At the User

Group meeting on 3rd December atStandedge Visitor Centre, MikeMarshall(BW) presented a report on theHNC and Rochdale Canal.

In the months since reopening there hasbeen much discussion and criticism aboutthe navigation and facilities for boaters.I note the letter in the last issue by MartySeymour and her observations which wereforwarded to BW. Whilst the comments arehelpful, Mrs Seymour and the manyhundreds of boaters fortunate enough tonavigate our new waterway, will of coursebe aware of the struggle we had to achievethe funding necessary to reopen the Canalto ANY standard.

We knew that the first few years would bedifficult and challenging, but BW’scommitment to improve the navigationshould reassure all. Indeed budgetedexpenditure is in excess of €500,000 for thecurrent year, including emergency repairworks to Locks 3W and 20W. Facilityimprovements include a new sanitarystation at Mossley, to which HCS iscontributing €50,000, and works to upgradethe Wool Road facilities and at Slaithwaite.

We all read of the visit by Tyseley - MikeLucas’s narrowboat - in 2001 and of thedisappointment by a few that the Canal hadnot been restored to accommodate allnarrowboats. We are all aware of thedifficulties and BW has stated that theyare”commited to developing a network thatis capable of enabling boats of 7ft. gauge tonavigate freely.....”.

As reported in the last issue, a survey of theCanal has been completed and BW is nowat the first stage of meeting thatcommitment. A report was produced bythe BW Waterways Regeneration Task Forceand every pinch point has been mappedand remedial works costed. Certain lockswere rebuilt “ as original” ie. prior torestoration. All new Locks were constructedto “over 7ft”. Problem Locks include 21W,22W and 41E, 42E. The tunnel profile alsohas pinch points which relate more to the“wriggle” of the walls and the impact ofchanges in water levels. However, craftover 6.10ins. may navigate by priorarrangement with BW.

Two phases of works are proposed and havebeen costed. The estimated total costs(November 2002) are €8.26m. Some worksto Locks will be undertaken under normalrepair and maintenance regimes. Otherworks will need third party funding and notimetable has been set. Tunnel re-profilingcosts are estimated at over €3.5m and theseand other major works are necessary toallow the full navigation standards asdescibed above. With our partners, weshall discuss how best to achieve the raisedstandard, including prioritising to producethe optimum benefits for the canal corridor.Like the Kennet and Avon Canal, it might beten years after the opening before everyonewill be satisfied with our Canal.

Meanwhile the Society has plans for thefuture. I look forward to outling these at ourAGM at Standedge in June, at which BWwill also attend and report on the first twoyears of operation and the plans for thefuture.

David Sumner


Towpath GamesVisitors to the canal towpath betweenWard Lane and the Tunnel portal atDiggle can see one of the ‘Percent forArts’ projects in the form of a towpathgame.

A variation on that old board gamefavourite, Snakes and Ladders, significantnegative and positive events in the historyof the Canal have been used to controlprogress along the linear flagstone ‘board’.And dice are provided in the form ofbespoke, stainless steel tumblers, framemounted, alongside the ‘course’.

Bob Gough

The towpath game between Ward Lane and the Diggle portal.Volunteer Co-ordinator, Frank Smith, in the distance, weighsup his chances. Inset: One of the ‘ladders’ indicating thebenefit of joining the Canal Society! Above: One of the framemounted dice. Photos: R. Gough


Keith’s Disconnected JottingsI finished the lastissue on anoptimistic noteabout the Barnsleyand Dearne & DoveCanals. The currentissue of ‘The Keel’,the journal of the

Barnsley, Dearne & Dove Canals Trust,reports that, after their visit to see theHuddersfield Narrow, the ScrutinyCommission of Barnsley Council isrecommending the Council to adopt apolicy of supporting restoration of thecanals. This could be the key step in at lastpersuading Barnsley Council to join withWakefield and Rotherham Councils andBritish Waterways in a consortium toconsider regeneration of the canal corridor.Keep your fingers crossed!

Talking of the Dearne & Dove, I see thatWaterway Recovery Group has a new linein “pre-soiled” T shirts for budding naviesavailable in various colours including ElsecarBlack! Maybe the B, D & D Canals Trustshould start bottling the mud from Elsecaragain. It was a splendid sales gimmick.

Major national charitable heritageorganisations including the National Trust,the Civic Trust, the Council for theProtection of Rural England, the WaterwaysTrust and the Inland Waterways Associationhave linked together to form The HeritageLink, with the intention of having greaterstrength for lobbying government onheritage and environmental issues. It hasbeen apparent for some time that there wasa need for these organisations to speak withone voice. I hope that they will press for thereturn of an environmental projects grantsscheme – a belated successor to DerelictLand Grant. You might remember that DLGwas very helpful in restoring our canal (theDiggle flight and bridges in Saddleworth)

and the Rochdale (Tuel Lane at SowerbyBridge) in the short window of opportunitywhilst that grant scheme allowed forenvironment-based works between periodsof major government grants being basedlargely on economic and communityregeneration benefits.

It’s all very well basing grants onregeneration in an urban environment, butit has proved very difficult for ruralwaterways – that’s why it is taking so long torestore the Montgomery, for instance. It’ssimply not in the right place to be eligiblefor grants. Still our friend, Regional Directorof British Waterways, Derek Cochrane, hasconfirmed to the Montgomery Canal Trustand the Shropshire Union Canal Societythat restoration of that canal still has thesupport of BW, and that he hopes the canalwill be restored up to Montgomery by 2007.Although there are still no clear ideas forprogress beyond on the section not in BWownership to Newtown, BW’s confirmationof support for the Montgomery gives theSUCS more confidence to continue withrestoration of Newhouse Lock on thatsection. And at last the Aston to Maesburysection of the canal is to be formally openedon 4th April after many years work byWaterway Recovery Group to restore theAston lock flight.

Still on the subject of long runningrestoration sagas of derelict rural waterways,it is good to hear that IWA Vice President(and recently retired Chief Executive ofBW), Dave Fletcher, is to formally open thenew Drungewick Aqueduct on the Wey &Arun Canal in May built by the Wey & ArunCanal Trust at a cost of €276,000. This wasmet partly by grants from charitable trusts,local authorities, the IWA and funds fromthe Landfill Tax Credits scheme but, like allthese rural canals, a large amount had to befound by the Trust and local fundraising.


It’s very hard to make progress on theserural waterways – even in the affluent southeast.

Staying in the south, did you see the photoin the waterways magazines of thefloodlighting of the Caen Hill flight of locksat Devizes on the Kennet & Avon Canalover Christmas to celebrate the completionof the €30m Heritage Lottery Fund backedimprovement works to that canal? Not thatwork is actually complete even then as a€1m restoration of John Rennie’smagnificent Dundas Aqueduct near Bathhas commenced. As I mentioned in the lastissue, British Waterways is commissioning astudy of the economic benefits that haveactually been achieved by restoration of theKennet & Avon Canal. Economicconsultants, Ecotec have now beenappointed to carry out this study, and theirbrief is crucially extended to look also at thelikely benefits of restoring the CotswoldCanals (the Thames and Severn Canal andthe Stroudwater Navigation). At the sametime BW themselves are beginningconsideration of the economics of restoringthe North Wilts Canal from the Thames &Severn towards Swindon.

As part of our application to the MillenniumCommission we included a Heritage Studyof our Canal. That obviously is part of theway forward for largely rural waterways tofind funding for restoration. Nigel Crowe,Heritage Manager at British Waterways, is tobe the manager of a project to carry out asimilar study of the Cotswold Canals withthe help of grants of €19,200 from theHeritage Lottery Fund and €10,000 fromthe Inland Waterways Association. Andthere is actual physical progress, if only in asmall way, on these waterways which areexpected to be a centrepoint of the nextgeneration of large restoration schemes. Anew bridge is under construction to take theThames & Severn under the so-calledWestern Spine Road to the Cotswold Water

Park near South Cerney, at a cost of nearly€500,000, with funding from theCountryside Agency (Aggregates Tax),Landfill Tax Credits, Gloucestershire CountyCouncil and the IWA, but more than€100,000 has had to be found by theCotswold Canals Trust.

The Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Trust mustnow have joined the big league of waterwayrestoration societies with all the newmembers who have joined them as a resultof the publicity for the fantasticallysuccessful David Suchet fund-raising appealto raise money for the crossings of theircanals by the new M6 Toll motorway. Themoney raised by the appeal has largely beenspent on culverts under the motorway atChurchbridge to the south of Cannockrequired for the restoration of the CannockExtension & Hatherton Canals, but theTrust’s efforts are now largely concentratedon building the aqueduct required to takethe Lichfield Canal (as they haveappropriately renamed the derelict sectionof the Wyrley & Essington Canal) over themotorway further east near Brownhillswhere the side abutments and the centrecolumn to support the steel aqueducttrough have been built. The motorwaycould open like that, with only a limitedamount of disruption to put the trough inplace later, but it will cost much less if theaqueduct trough can be constructed beforethe motorway is complete. This section isexpected to be finished by August. TheDavid Suchet appeal and a large grant tothe Trust from the Manifold Trust accountfor about two-thirds of the money needed,but the Trust were still €100,000 short last Iheard, and there seems little chance of anymore government money for these roadcrossings. Donations, payable to theLichfield & Hatherton Canals Trust, areurgently required by their Treasurer, BobWilliams, Norfolk House, 29 Hall Lane,Hammerwich, WS7 0JP.


The Lichfield & Hatherton Canals arefurther in the news, having been offered a€267,250 grant from the European RegionalDevelopment Fund towards consultant’sreports on the Hatherton Canal providing adetailed route definition and engineeringreport, including water supply andhydrology, and an economic benefit studyand an environmental assessment. Inaddition a small part of the grant will gotowards acquisition of key sections of landin private ownership, and to pay for furtherwork associated with the M6 Toll motorwayat Churchbridge, although it may be too latefor the full benefits of that to be obtained atthis late stage in the road constructionprogramme.

Nearer home, the Friends of the CromfordCanal have had what could be an importantearly success. Bolsover District Council hasagreed to protect the line of the canal, andto consider its restoration as a navigable

waterway in a forthcoming review of theLocal Plan. Possibly more on this subjectnext time as the next Northern CanalsAssociation meeting is at Ironville on theroute of that canal. Even nearer andreturning to the subject of grants, the NorthWest Regional Development Agency haveoffered €150,000 to British Waterways tofund an engineering report on theManchester, Bolton & Bury Canal to followfrom the economic benefit report by DTZPieda which showed that spending €32mon restoring the canal would lead to thecreation of 6,000 new jobs and trainingopportunities, €180m in privatedevelopment investment, 1,300 new homesand an annual leisure spend of €5.6m in thelocal economy. With those figures themoney for restoration should beforthcoming too.

Keith Gibson

HCS lost a great friend and ally with thedeath in February of Alex Thomson.

Appointed as coordinator for job creationand training schemes by the BritishWaterways Board in 1982, we first met Alexon the Huddersfield Narrow when hechaired the regular progress meetings for thejob creation schemes run by Kirklees on theEast side and HCS on the West. Ours wereBritish Waterways’ first big job creationrestoration schemes after the Kennet &Avon.

Alex had learned a lot from those schemesand put that experience to good use. Hedelighted in cutting through bureaucracyand inspired both BW and local authorityofficers to do next week what they wouldotherwise have done next month. His solidpresence as chairman of the officers workinggroups was crucial.

When we moved on from job creation totraining schemes he was appointed to theBoard of HCS Restoration, displaying aremarkable ability to discuss issues from anHCS perspective, separate from any BWviews.

Then, after the change from governmentschemes to grant aided work, Alex stayed onthe Board, coming to meetings in Ashtonregularly from his home in Gloucester at hisown expense if he had no other BWbusiness in the North West, and even afterhis retirement.

In the early years, middle level BW stafffound it hard to believe that a group ofvolunteers could manage a schemeemploying over 100 people restoring theircanal, but Alex had faith in us and wavedaway the doubts with his characteristic senseof humour. We owe a lot to him.

Keith Gibson

Obituary - Alex Thomsom, MBE


The Hollinwood Branch

Walking the PastIn 1975 I walked from Portland Basin upthe Huddersfield Narrow Canal toStalybridge. Most of the canal was builtover, and I knew nothing could be done:the canal through Stalybridge was lostforever.

Now it is 2003 and I live in a house rightnext to the canal in Stalybridge. Thecanal has been rebuilt and the towntransformed. There is a new town squareand I walk the towpath to do my weeklyshopping.

Recently I walked the route of theHollinwood Branch. I’d walked itbefore. Derelict and forgotten.Bits built over. It reminded me ofmy walk along the HNC 28years ago.

When I got back home, Ilooked again at themaps. I could seethat a short linkhad been

proposed in 1791 between theHollinwood Branch and theRochdale Canal. If this wasbuilt, could Hollinwood andDroylsden experience the sameregeneration as Stalybridge.Should anything be done?

Society member, Ed Mortimer, muses overa future for the abandoned HollinwoodBranch of the Ashton Canal.

Short History of the Ashton CanalThe Ashton Canal was proposed as theManchester, Ashton and Oldham Canaland opened in 1797. The canal includedbranches to Hollinwood and Stockportand a short spur at Dukinfield. Extensionsincluded the Fairbottom Branch, off theHollinwood, and the uncompleted BeatBank Branch, off the Stockport.

The opening of the Ashton enabled theHuddersfield Narrow Canal to have adirect link into Manchester. Two yearslater, the Peak Forest Canal, constructedmainly to carry Derbyshire limestone,opened, joining the Ashton Canal atDukinfield Junction.

The Hollinwood and Stockport Branchesfell into disuse for commercial traffic inthe 1930’s followed by the mainAshton line in 1957.

Restoration work in the mid1970s reopened theAshton Canal fromManchester toDukinfield Junction

and today, withthe restored PeakForest Canal,forms part of thevery popular‘Cheshire Ring’.

The Hollinwood,Fairbottom andStockport Branchesare all now derelictand partially infilledor built over.


Lime Side

Hollinwood

Woodhouses

Daisy Nook

Country Park

Littlemoss

DROYLSDEN

A662

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Rochdale

Can

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M60

Crime Lake

Ashton C lana

Fairfield Jcn.

A62

LINK?

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ai

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ttom

ncBra

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A62

7

Bardsley

Limehurst

FAILSWORTH

Locks

19-22

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

1

2

11

ASHTON MOSS

Dis

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A635

Much of the route of the

canal can be explored on

foot. It can easily be

followed using the

Ordnance Survey maps or

the Manchester A-Z map.

The area around

Waterhouses Junction in

Daisy Nook Country Park

is especially worth visiting.

Some parts of the canal

route in Droylsden and in

Hollinwood are not

accessible.

The Hollinwood Branch

Fairfield Junction to Hollinwood Wharf: 4 miles

Locks: 4 (at Daisy Nook Country Park)

4 (Bradley Bent Bridge to Hollinwood Top Wharf)

A new through route: The first 4 miles and four locks of the

Hollinwood Branch with a new canal (as first proposed in 1791)

800 metres long with 2 new locks.

¾

Built-up area

Railway

Road network

Motorway

Photo Location

M60

1

Scale of metres

0500


Let’s go to HollinwoodMy walk to Hollinwood started at FairfieldJunction, (the start of the HollinwoodBranch), above the 18 locks that drop theAshton Canal down to Manchester. Nowthe junction is just a wide winding hole.The start of the Branch is filled in. Almostimmediately on the left there was a shortarm (also filled in) with a towpath bridgeover it; the remains of which are clearlyvisible.

Entrance to the Hollinwood Branch at Fairfield Junction on the Ashton Canal in 1960. Inset: The view in 2003.

Man

ches

ter

Cen

tral

Lib

rary

The towpath is on the left hand side andremains so all the way to Hollinwood.

This first section of the Branch is currentlythe subject of redevelopment proposals.The proposals do not include the provi-sion of the canal route through to the firstbridge. The bridge still exists, carrying thepresent day A662. I had the feeling ofbeing at a ‘canal zoo’ peering through thesafety railings at the time-locked exhibitbelow!

Manchester Road Bridge (A662), Droylsden. Beneath Manchester Road Bridge

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Beyond the bridge is Tesco’s Superstoreand a gap by the side of it where thecanal once ran. Trying to restore the canallooks impossible and so I decided I wouldturn back on my expedition. Then Iremembered that same feeling inStalybridge 28 years ago. This time I mustcontinue!

A short distance further is Greenside LaneBridge, which still exists. Maybe thingsare not so bad after all!

The canal cannot be followed untilCliffords Bridge (now Sunnyside Road).This was originally a swing bridge (and afootbridge). Beyond here the canal routecan be more easily spotted. The route isinfilled and is a grassy, public footpath.

A little further, past some playing fieldsand a rather forlorn running track, thecanal skirted Lumb Clough and crossedthe railway on an aqueduct. Now there isonly a modern footbridge.

Shortly after crossing the railway, thefootpath follows the line of the towpaththrough the Medlock Valley all the way toDaisy Nook Country Park.

Quite a lot of this stretch of the canal isweeded up, and partly in water. Some ofit shows the effects of mining subsidence(the towpath wall has been raised up).

When I last walked along the Branch, theM60 had not been built. Now thismotorway slices across the canal, and onlya footpath bridge was constructed. Thereis no canal, and getting the Branchrestored here looks expensive!

Once again I wanted to turn back. Butjust a short distance further is the ‘fairy-tale’ location at Daisy Nook: aqueducts, ajunction, four locks (two as a staircasepair), all forming an amazing sight.Footbridge over the railway

Canal route, beyond Sunnyside Road

Motorway crossing and footbridge

The Branch in the Medlock Valley

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5

6

7


The locks are capped and some of thestonework has been taken down, butmany details are still to be seen (such asthe brackets, or so-called ‘A’ frames, thatused to hold the lock gates.)

Above the fourth lock (Lock No. 22 - thenumbering continues in sequence fromthe 18 locks on the Ashton Canal) isWaterhouses Junction. Turning right takesyou along the Fairbottom Branch toBardsley; about a mile in length.

The canal is in water at the junction, andit is easy to imagine that a boat couldappear any minute! Keeping on theHollinwood Branch, beyond the junctionis Crime Lake.

This was a lake created by flooding asmall valley. The lake was never planned,but during the construction of the canal

embankment, the stream culvert under-neath it became blocked and was nevercleared. Instead, the valley was allowedto slowly fill up and only the towpath bankof the embankment was completed soforming a dam across the valley.

The area is popular now for walking andfishing. But it used to be popular forpleasure boating as well: up until the1930s, rowing boats could be hired out.And for one year, around 1897, a steamlaunch even operated on the lake, as partof a timetabled service from Hollinwoodto Bardsley Bridge.

Beyond Crime Lake, and the infilled canalat Bank Bridge, the route enters anovergrown cutting. This cutting is nowitself crossed by the M60, also in a cutting.

From here to the Roxy Cinema atHollinwood the line of the canal is mostlydifficult to follow, though there are re-mains to be spotted if you look carefully.

The Hollinwood Branch is crossed by theM60 motorway (again!) and then therewere originally four more locks toHollinwood Wharf.

A new link to the Rochdale could leavethe Hollinwood Branch before the finalfour locks, to follow a similar line to theproposed route of 1791.

Crime Lake, Daisy Nook Country Park

Infilled canal beyond Bank Bridge

Staircase pair and ‘A’ Framedetail, Daisy Nook Country Park

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9

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I do not know how this link could now bebuilt, but the actual distance is not verygreat (about 800 metres). There is noeasy route on foot either, but lookingacross the A62 from behind the RoxyCinema, I could orientate on someprominent stacks of blue pallets on landacquired by Manchester Cabins.

Following the road under the railway lineand then left by the transporter car parkfor the Mirror Group printing works, Icould see the pallets again, on the hori-zon, from a vantage point on extensivewaste ground adjacent to the car park.

I scrambled on through the trees, andthere it was, the Rochdale Canal!

A Link Too Far?Too far fetched - a link from the Hudders-field Narrow / Ashton to the RochdaleCanal? Is there a danger of thinking thatevery disused canal must be restored? Orshould we be looking now into the hugepotential benefits that a route back toHollinwood and the Rochdale couldbring?

All those years ago I did not believe thatStalybridge would ever have a canalagain, or that it could cause such apositive transformation. I was provedwrong.

Would anyone else like to look at going toHollinwood? If so, please contact me on0161 303 7635, write to me at 68 KnowlStreet, Stalybridge, SK15 3AJ, or EMail theSociety office: [email protected]

Ed MortimerAll photos: R Gough, unless otherwise credited

Journey’s end, the Rochdale Canal

11


The Other SocietiesOne of the nice things about the job ofEditor is reading the magazines of othersocieties and seeing how they go about thejob of restoration.

Endeavour – the publication of theNorthampton branch of the IWA has apicture on the cover of the Rose and CastleMorris Dancers performing at Stoke Bruerneon New Years Day. A first glance made methink they were our very own SaddleworthMorris Men, as these guys wear a verysimilar costume with flowered bowler hatsand even bear a resemblance to some of thelads I see in the Church at Uppermill!

There is also the latest instalment of the sagaof one Anthony Finch who makes a livingfrom stealing from moored boats in theMilton Keynes area. Apparently this manwas released on bail after serving time forthis offence but headed straight back to thetowpath. However, a local boaterrecognized him and called the police andfriend Anthony is back behind bars!

They also mention that plans for theBedford to Milton Keynes link are not goingtoo well due to English Partnerships notwanting a waterway through land it owns.

They have a crossword prepared by ourcontributor John Harwood, but it is one thathas appeared in our pages first. Rememberyou saw it here first folks!!

There is a mention that the Waterways Trustare compiling a book of ghost stories aboutthe whole network and mentions that thereis one inside Blisworth Tunnel. They saythat any such stories can be e.mailed [email protected]

It contains an application form for theNorthampton Boat Gathering on 2nd to 5th

may this year. If anyone is interested, letme know and I will pass on the details.

The magazine of the Manchester Boltonand Bury Society (which took the award atthe National for the best Society Magazine)has three articles by chairman MargaretFletcher as well as her Chairmans page! Tobe fair, Margaret travels extensively aroundthe canal network and attends meetings ofboth North and South Canals groups.

There is a very interesting article about theMBBC on old maps. There is a list of whatis happening at their monthly meetings, towhich everyone is invited – I’ve been andhad a warm welcome.

The article about the BW trailer and teamtraveling the area and talking to locals showshow much effort BW are putting in to therestoration of the MB&BC and bodes wellfor its opening in the near future.

The third Canal Magazine I have seen isDragonfly, the quarterly of the Wilts &Berks Canal Trust. I believe the namecomes from the Inspection launch used onthe canal in 1893.

The canal ran from the K & A at Melkshamto the Thames at Abingdon with a NorthWilts branch to the Thames and SevernCanal at Cricklade, the whole lot about 80miles long. There are 8 or 9 sections fullyrestored and most of the line is evident,apart from the section through Swindon.

The canal seems to run through somepleasant country and would be an asset,when restored, to the network. They haverecently celebrated their 25th anniversaryand seem to be very well organised. TheTrust has 10 or 11 branches operating alongthe length of the canal and the magazinekeeps them up to date on what all theothers are doing. There are many nicestories of restoration, all of which seems tobe done by voluntary effort.

Brian Minor


SOCIETY VOLUNTEERS‘Wanted’

From its formation in 1974, the Society has relied upon itsvolunteers to manage its resources, promote restoration, andmaintain momentum, continuity and general interest. As a result,27 years and 12 days later the dream, which was once dubbed‘The Impossible Restoration’, became a reality when the H.N.C.was re-opened to navigation in May 2001.

The financial cost to the Society escalated over the years asrestoration gained pace. Coincidentally, the Society both startedand finished its restoration work on the Uppermill to Dobcrosssection. The initial project undertaken by volunteers cost a fewhundred pounds, whereas the final and similar scheme completedby the Society’s subsidiary company, H.C.S. Restoration Limited,cost approximately €300,000.

Although the day-to-day restoration work was taken over by theSociety’s full-time workforce, members continued to undertakesmaller canal projects. Other volunteers, as now, crewed andmaintained trip boats, and organised the various annual canalfestivals, e.g. Ashton ran for 24 years.

Although the canal has re-opened there is still work to be done.The Society’s aim, in support of British Waterways, is to enhance,maintain and develop the Huddersfield Narrow. For example,we hope to provide additional mooring rings, bollards, seats, signs,bridge plates and service stations for boaters etc, i.e. items whichwe could not provide at the time.

This is why we need more volunteers than ever before, a fewhours once or twice a month can make all the difference. Anymember requiring further information or an update on any ofthe Society’s activities, with a view to volunteering their services,please contact the Society’s Ashton office.

CANAL ENHANCEMENT PROMOTIONS

TRIP BOATS DREDGING RESEARCH

FUND

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AGAZ

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& A

DMIN

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AISO

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RECRUITMENT

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AINTENANCE

EVENTS

FESTIVALS


New Facilities for Boaters on the H.N.C.British Waterways continues its drive to addto the existing services for boaters along theH.N.C.

Boaters who have already travelled alongthe Huddersfield Narrow will rememberthat during the first 18 months since re-opening, facilities were somewhat limited tosay the least. A toilet, water tap and Elsanpoint at Wool Road, Dobcross and a watertap at Tunnel End were just aboutthe lot

B.W. did promise that as moneybecame available they would

improve and create additional facilities forboaters. A €200,000 programme ofimprovement works is currently underway,and is anticipated to be completed by thestart of the boating season. This is of coursein addition to the general repairs andmaintenance to the canal itself. Thefollowing article illustrates where and whathas been installed so far.

Mid-way in the Colne Valley is Slaithwaite.Adjacent to Lock 21E is a water tap and a

large wheelie-bin for refuse. An ElsanDisposal Unit is proposed but not yet

installed. The wording on the sign over thebin has caused some debate in that it

refers to barges not narrow boats.However, it is generally accepted that the

majority of the non-boating public refers toall types of canal boats as ‘barges’ - it is

presumably up to those who know differentto re-educate people!

Opened last year in time for the I.W.A.National, albeit by B.W. N.E. Region, is a

brand new service station at Aspley Basin,Huddersfield (Broad Canal). On the same

side as Sainsbury’s, it provides Water,Toilets, Chemical Closet Disposal,

Showers, Pump-Out and Refuse Disposal.

At Milnsbridge, and the site of the formerswing bridge, is a sign advertising HolmeMills Services. This is probably more foremergencies, as boaters who wish to usethe service are required to telephone the

agent who will bring along water and amobile pump-out. Being a private service,

boaters will obviously have to pay the agent.

Water point

Sign

Lock 21E, Slaithwaite

Milnsbridge

Aspley Basin, Huddersfield


At Tunnel End, Marsden, boaters could beexcused for missing the water point in theirhaste to connect up to the tunnel convoy,however, there is a water tap there locatedon one of the tug charging point columnsadjacent to the Standedge Visitor Centre.

A similar situation exists at the Diggle endof the tunnel. The water point is a fewyards from the tunnel entrance. In anyrespects, water is now available for thosewho need it.

At the bottom of the Diggle Flight (belowLock 24W) is the Wool Road Services.Formally a male/female toilet built by theSociety for the Transhipment Warehouse, ithas been converted by B.W. into a ServiceStation. Services now include Water, ElsanDisposal, and a newly installed Pump-out.Due to no road access, refuse disposal isbeing arranged on the towpath side(opposite) so that council refuse wagonscan collect.

In Uppermill, B.W. have installed a new waterpoint. It’s on the towpath side and is nearlyopposite the museum and winding hole.

Tunnel End, Marsden

Tunnel Portal, Diggle

Wool Road, Dobcross

Uppermill


Between Mossley and Stalybridge is Grove Road,a B.W. Section Office adjacent to Lock 8W. This isthe site for a new service station, incorporatingfacilities for the disabled, providing water, toilets,Elsan and refuse disposal. The water point isinstalled and the new building is underconstruction.

That’s the lot so far on the H.N.C.However, in Ashton-u-Lyne(Dukinfield Junction), a pump-outservice is provided by PortlandBasin Marina, and water isavailable, courtesy of PortlandBasin Museum. (The tap, lurking inthe shadows, is located on the wallof the water wheel pump house,detailed.)

Words: Frank SmithPictures: Bob Gough

Grove Road, Millbrook

Water point

Portland Basin Museum

Water tap


The Huddersfield (Too) Narrow CanalSince the canal re-opened on 1 May 2001British Waterways have recommended thatonly craft within certain limiting dimensionscan safely navigate the canal.

Most boats are within these dimensions and‘fit’ the canal – but for many that fit is ‘onlyjust’, and some boats, even within thesedimensions, have had difficulties becausethey did not sit vertically in the water orbecause of particular problems at certaintight spots. Some of these have beenresolved by minor work already.

But the real problems are for historictraditional working boats which are broaderthan 6’ 10”, even though some havemanaged to traverse the canal. Thedifficulties for these and other boats broaderthan 6’ 10” relate both to locks and toStandedge Tunnel. There has been criticismthat the canal was not restored to a suitablegauge for all narrow beam boats.

But, as I have become tired of pointing out,we did the best we could with the moneyavailable to create a canal that could benavigated by most boats; that was quitesome achievement. Critics have forgottenthat twenty years ago the HuddersfieldNarrow was described as ‘The ImpossibleRestoration.”

British Waterways have now carried out anextensive survey of the dimensions of locksand Standedge Tunnel and in November2002, British Waterways’ South Pennine RingWaterways Regeneration Task Forcepublished a report entitled ‘HuddersfieldNarrow Canal - Report on Implementing 7ftStandard’. We are grateful to Mike Marshallin giving permission to quote from thereport.

Keith Gibson

‘Huddersfield Narrow Canal - Report onImplementing 7ft Standard’

1. Aim

The Huddersfield Narrow Canal reopenedon 1st May 2001 after 25 years ofrestoration, culminating in the MillenniumCommission / English Partnerships fundedproject to reopen the final 12 out of 74locks. This restoration work resulted in thefollowing limiting craft dimensions:-

Width 6’10”Length 70’0”Height above water 6’2”Draught 3’0”

Because of the arch of the roof, StandedgeTunnel also has an above water profilerestriction of 6’10” to a height above waterof 4’10”, then tapering in to 4’10” wide at amaximum height of 6’2” above water level.

The desirable profile to meet somecustomers’ needs was compromised due tolimited funding. However, BritishWaterways aspiration is as follows:

“British Waterways is committed todeveloping a network that is capable ofenabling boats of 7ft gauge to navigatefreely … we will identify and publish thepinch points and there will be a forwardprogramme of works to remedy”

2. Known problems prior to survey

In addition to correspondence, alloperational issues reported to bankside staffand office staff are logged. From this datawe have recorded the following locations:

2.1 East Side

* Old lock 21E chamber at Slaithwaite(problem with draught, not width; dealtwith by BW) - Problem resolved.


The Falkirk Wheel from the air

* Lock 22E (historic lock in Slaithwaite, dugout and partially rebuilt by BW as part ofrestoration)

* Lock 32E (historic lock, tapers towardheadgate end)

* Lock 41E (historic lock, tight at headgateend)

* Lock 42E (historic lock, walls outside lockon tail approach taper inwards from coping)

2.2 Standedge Tunnel

* boats measuring over 6’10” have failedto pass the original masonry lining of theTunnel between Adit Nos. 33 and 34 nearthe Marsden Portal.

* there are numerous other locations withthe tunnel where convoys of boats passthrough tight “squeezes” (where the profileof a given point is close to the minimum) or“wriggles” (where the boats are required tofollow a very tight line because of thealignment of the tunnel).

These are obviously likely to pose more of aproblem to 7’0” boats. During the first fewconvoy trips in 2001 these tight areas wereidentified as requiring care in passage …

2.3 West Side

* Lock 22W (historic lock)

* Lock 21W (historic lock, some protrudingstonework was trimmed off duringrestoration works)

* Lock 13W (historic lock, overhangingcopings have been reset by BW) - ProblemResolved

3. Original and Restored dimensions

Rather than discuss various secondarysources’ differing views on the historicaldimensions of the canal, all that is relevantto this study is the identification of areaswhich may, at present, not allow the safepassage of a 7’0” x 70’ craft.

3.1 HCS have stated (letter from DavidSumner to M. Lucas 18 Dec 2001) that:

“When locks were restored in the early daysno lock wall was taken down to the invert.However, we tried wherever possible tomaintain the width or better.”

3.2 BW’s standard for locks and otherstructures in the final phase of Restoration(Bates’ and Sellers’ Tunnels, new locks inSlaithwaite and Stalybridge, new bridges)was 7’4” or wider.

3.3 Within Standedge Tunnel, works weredesigned to BW’s national minimum profile.

Where this profile would not fit over a 70’length, works were included to increase thetunnel profile. Where stabilisation workswere required, rock was cut back to a largerprofile to ensure that the mesh, rock boltingand concrete added would not then projectinto the minimum profile …

Water level in the Tunnel is critical. Duringthe Restoration water level was loweredback to a level close to original (having beenraised over the years to force Marsden feedwater through to the Diggle side). Thisrestored water level was also essential toprovide a minimum height clearance. TheTunnel is still operated on the basis of anincrease of 2” in water level beingunacceptable for safe boat passage.

In general, the key issue in the Tunnel is notthe width restriction on any given point, butthe “wriggle” - the line a canal boat has totake to get through offset walls. All of thesticking points within the Tunnel are areas oforiginal masonry or stabilised live rock, andwould have obstructed a 7’ x 70’ boat priorto Restoration (i.e. they are not created bywidth reductions arising from Restorationworks such as new walls, fendering, reliningor rock-bolting) …

Sections 4 & 5 give detailed accounts of theSurvey Methods and tabulated Resultsrespectively.


6. What is the target profile?

We already know from the StandedgeTunnel operation the difficulty in meeting arigid target like 6’10”. We have had severalboats which customers are sure are 6’10”still get stuck in the Tunnel. These have allbeen found on closer examination to havean area at 6’11” or greater. This is usuallyassociated with the method of construction,or due to spreading.

It is also easy for boats to list slightly and wehave seen boats stick in locks or the Tunnelbecause they are not true to vertical.

6.1 Locks

Clearly, some tolerance has to be given tothis. In order to allow full “free” navigationby craft of 7’ width and up to 70’0” length,we would need to be sure of at least 1”clearance to each side along the entirelength and height of a lock.

The standard for locks to allow 7’0” widthpassage is therefore at least 7’2”maximum clear opening. Where lock wallshave to be rebuilt, they will be rebuilt toensure a minimum of 7’4” widththroughout.

6.2 Standedge Tunnel

In the Tunnel the issues relate more to the“wriggle” of the walls, and the potential forcraft to strike the rock above water level,and the impact that changes in water levelcan have on the “fit” (with many sectionstapering in below the water line).

For the Tunnel, the minimum requirementis for the 7’2” standard identified aboveto stretch from at least 1m (3’3”) belownormal water level to at least 1.48m(4’10”) above normal water, which iswhere the existing profile tapers inwards.

This minimum profile to be maintained overa straight line so that a 70’ long boat canpass through the “wriggle”. In places thiswill require cutting back to a greater widthor installing fendering to prevent boats

sluing into projecting rock as they passthrough.

6.3 Interim Standard

It is recognised that certain boaters have,despite the stated standard of 6’10” for theHNC, navigated sections of the Canalsuccessfully in 7’0” wide craft since it wasreopened in 2001. These sections includestructures which do not meet the targetstandards above.

While BW maintain that in order to allowfree navigation by all 7’ craft the canalneeds to meet the targets identified, we arekeen to enable navigation by experiencedboaters, probably with the assistance/supervision by BW staff, over the widestpossible area, as soon as possible. To thisend, the following sections (7, 8 …) areprioritised to identify the minimum worksrequired to allow controlled navigation by 7’craft (Phase One works) and we propose thefollowing Interim Arrangements will apply tothe Canal until such time as all structures areto the required standard:

Craft over 6’10” width may navigate theCanal from 1st January 2003 by priorarrangement with the Waterway Office.This booking will allow British Waterwaysto advise of the current status of allstructures, which ones are passable withcare and which will not yet accommodatea 7’0” craft in any circumstances andshould not be attempted. It will alsoallow local staff to be ready to assistcustomers should they encounterdifficulties at any location.

7. Areas that fail the requirements:

Areas which fail the standards set out insection 6 above are …

7.1 Phase One

… priority Phase One works which BW feelare necessary to allow ANY 7’0” boat tonavigate safely. Primarily they are points


where a 7’0” boat will not physically passunder any circumstances at present.

For the Locks, this comprises Nos. 22E, 42E,21W, 22W, 26W, 31W

In the Tunnel, this includes four sectionsbetween Ch. 574 and 840 (near theMarsden end of the Tunnel), sections at Ch.2520 and Ch. 2600-2635 (centre of tunnel)and Ch. 4360 - 4390 near Diggle end.

7.2 Phase Two

Phase Two works are those which arerequired to meet the free navigationstandards set out in section 6 above. Theywill be actioned after Phase One works inmost cases.

They comprise the bulk of the works, butstructures can be physically navigated underthe Interim Arrangements in section 6.3

8. Works proposed

Works proposed …. fall into several keycategories:

- Trimming back stonework- Rebuilding lock walls- Relining tunnel sections- Cutting back rock overhangs andprojections- Guiding through wriggles /fendering through live rock

Trimming back stonework on lock wallscan be carried out by BW staff within thegeneral works programmes (GWP) for smallpatches. Larger areas will require the lockto be set up as a formal work site and maybe put out to contract. BW will take a viewon the appropriateness of cutting back wallsas opposed to rebuilding them based on thelocation and extent of the area to beeffected, given our commitments toconserve the heritage of the structures.Clearly trimming back large areas ofstonework is not desirable from either anaesthetic or structural viewpoint.

Rebuilding lock walls will involve worksduring the winter stoppage seasons, as lockswill have to be closed off. Walls will betaken down stone by stone either to thelock chamber floor or until the projection iscleared and then rebuilt to meet the newprofile. This can also be carried out by BWstaff under the GWP, subject to funding, butwill need to fit within a wider programmebecause of the time required and need tomeet materials and plant costs.

ALL the work in the Standedge Tunnelrequires further detailed design work toensure that the stability of the structure ismaintained. This will include the need topartially or totally de-water the Tunnel forthose sections involving re-lining or worksbelow normal water level.

Tunnel relining will require a Winterstoppage. Masonry sections cannot be cutback, they must be relined, it will not bestructurally safe to take 2” or 3” of masonrywalls bearing tunnel loading. There will besignificant set-up costs in de-watering thetunnel and providing safe access andworking conditions.

Cutting back rock in the Tunnel abovewater level could be carried out by boat atcertain times of the year without disruptingnormal traffic. Those below water level willrequire at least a partial de-watering andconsequently a stoppage. Given the natureof working in the Tunnel, this will always beput out to contract.

Guiding and fendering could be installedby BW staff through the GWP in times oflow traffic, without need for a stoppage. Asthe work has significant materials costs itwould be subject to securing third partyfunding.

Section 9 summarises the costs of the variousPhases of works and estimates the PhaseOne works at €3.61m and the Phase Twoworks at €4.66m.


Volunteer Rembrandts

10 Timetable for achieving raisedstandard:

As works become necessary on structuresalong the canal, we will incorporate repairsand / or rebuild to the higher standards.Apart from these major works and from anyminor improvements which we canaccommodate in our maintenanceprogramme, it is likely that other majorworks required in the next few years willhave to be funded from third party sources.

Phase One works will be given a higherpriority than Phase Two and BW will look atexpediting any lock works which would freeup large areas of canal which are currentlyinaccessible or provide access to keyfeatures (i.e. 22E to open up the upper east

side, 42E to provide access to StandedgeVisitor Centre and 21W to provide access tothe Uppermill facilities and moorings).

There are other constraints on theprogramme, as discussed in section 8. Forinstance:

Detailed design work on tunnel worksrequires de-watering of the Tunnel whichwill require a stoppage of navigation. Thiswill not be possible until winter 2003/04at the earliest. Therefore the tunnelworks could not be undertaken beforestoppages in winter 2004/05.

A complete copy of this report is availablefor reference, by prior arrangement, at the

Society’s office.

Society founder member, John Maynard,snapped these shots of Working Party Co-ordinator, Trevor Ellis (right) and hisvolunteers repainting a balance beam andassociated lock ironwork on the Hudders-field Narrow.

Any members interested in helping Trevorand his gang should, contact ourVolunteer Co-ordinator, Frank Smith, atthe Society offices (0161 339 1332).

The Huddersfield Narrow Canal


The Anderton LiftKeith and Margaret Sykes takea ride on the Anderton Lift.Photos: K & M Sykes

At the end of July 2002, intransit from the LlangollenCanal to the newly restoredRochdale, we took our boat“Morning Mist” down theAnderton Lift.

We had booked passagedown a week earlier, despiteBW saying it wasn’t necessarytill the day before. We wantedto be sure.

Anyway passage was bookedfor the first descent onMonday morning and enroute north along the Trentand Mersey on the Sunday westopped at the Lion SaltWorks but found little im-provement from the last timewe visited seven years earlier,being basically abandonedbuildings with a small oneroom exhibition. The weatherwas hot - so seeking shade,we went along a further mileand stopped on the offside atMarbury Country Park. Herepurpose-made moorings withpicnic tables gave us accessdirectly onto the park’snetwork of paths.

Late in the afternoon wemoved up to Anderton Liftand were surprised by thecontinuous line of towpathside moored boats for the lasthalf mile all the way to the liftentrance - well nearly all way

WAIT FOR IT ...

COME ON THEN ...

GOING DOWN ...


Tameside Festival 1999

for right at the end were two spacesindicating they were reserved for boatsmaking the next passage. That was us andwe joined the boat already there, ourpartner for the next morning’s descent.

The descent is a series of stages, first intothe basin off the main line and there toawait being called on to the approachgantry. Guillotine gates allowed water firstto equalise between the basin andapproach gantry, then after both boatswere called onto the gantry that closedbehind us before the water was equalisedwith the caisson and the second set ofgates lifted to allow us entry onto thecaisson itself ready to descend, the gatesthen being closed behind both boats.

Two narrowboats, each moored to thesides of the caisson, took 21 minutes toreach the level of the River Weaver belowin a series of small jerks. (We understandthe equipment has since been improved,the jerks removed and the time short-ened.)

However, unlike the Standedge Tunnel,for this one you stay on your boat, evenon the stern pretending you are still incharge, but there is only one directionyou are going - down! At the same time

as you are going down the other caisson iscoming up, with two other narrowboats(or the glass roofed wide beam trip boat),and all can pass the time of day as theyslowly pass.

Once down water levels are equalisedagain, the front guillotine gate this time israised and out you go onto the RiverWeaver. We just pulled round the corner,moored and went into the free exhibitionand booked our return passage for twodays later, the last passage on theWednesday. We had heard dire warningson the radio of storms with potentialflooding due late in the week so we didn’twant to be caught up in that on the river.

Then it was off upstream to Northwich,which we had never visited before. By theBW painted black and white Town SwingBridge we found plenty of mooring spaces- spoilt for choice - and a sanitary station.A quick visit into town with its Victorian“Tudor” buildings - built of wood so theycould keep being jacked up when theland below them sank due to salt extrac-tion.

On we then went up through our first twoWeaver locks each having double cham-bers, large and small, the smaller suitable

for four narrowboats. Theinfluence of railway owner-ship showed with themhaving miniature size sema-phore signals to indicate theirstate of readiness and towhich side you should go,only a pity they, the signals,were no longer operational.Each lock is worked by akeeper to whom you simplypass up your ropes.

The guide books mention lowswing bridges, but for our

AND OUT ...


narrowboat none had to be swung exceptfor one, a footbridge in the middle of ValeRoyal Lock that has to be wound open bythe lock keeper every time the lock isused.

The whole of the area is dominated by itssalt connection and no more so than asyou approach the Winsford mine that hasbecome the sole supplier of grit and saltfor Britain’s roads. The area is overshad-owed by huge mountains of the stuff.

On the way to Anderton we had spokento others about their experience andheard of moorings at Winsford BottomFlash, the head of the navigation, that cost€3 a night - no way were we, who haddone the whole of the Thames withoutpaying for a mooring, going to pay €3.

Well that is untilsuddenly we came outof the industry ofWinsford and onto theflash itself. The viewwas stunning, the sunstill shining down - wepaid our €3 gladly tomoor against mowngrass at the bottom ofa small caravan park.Easy chairs out, into

the shade under the trees again, and wejust watched others float by - well thatwas until one of us fell asleep. Idyllic, andwhat we did come to realise, for therewere several narrow boats about, washow far onto the flash you could go.

The next morning we had a go ourselves,heeding advice, keeping near the bank onthe way out for a half mile, before cross-ing to the other side opposite the sailingclub and keeping near the opposite bankon the return. A few twirls then off backdown the River Weaver, calling atNorthwich again for a longer visit to thetown and its Salt Museum - which wasvery interesting.

The afternoon found us passing Andertonagain and, as we went downstream,meeting up with our partner from the lift

Moorings at Winsford Bottom Flash

Vale Royal Locks; with semaphores!


descent at the fourth and final DuttonLock. Still in sunshine, but with cloudsnow gathering, we both moored up amile further along below Pickering’sWharf. No wharf actually existed, for onthis lower stretch all we found was acontinuous concrete sill about 6” abovethe water line. I managed to get lines onthe bank behind and above the sill level.

Earlier than had been predicted at thebeginning of the week the first of severalthunderstorms arrived. We slackened ourlines, the rains started and continued,with the weather forecast now indicatingstill worse was to come over the next twodays and the week long heat wave over,the monsoon season had arrived. It rainedmost of the evening and night!

That next morning at 5am we awoke andfound the continuous sill was not 6”above, but now 9” below the water line.We monitored the water level, found itwas dropping slightly and by 6am we hadset off back towards Dutton Lock and

moored in Pickering Cut waiting for thelock keeper to arrive. By 10 am, two locksnegotiated, we were back at the bottomof Anderton lift, but with every ascentbooked we had still to wait for our lateafternoon booking.

Luckily by 4pm the rains had stopped andthe rise back was just as exhilarating asthe descent with everything, except theboat, in reverse, chatting with our part-ners about our river experiences.

Storms came again on the next two days,but now as we were back on a propercanal we just sat them out, and heard ofthe devastation they had caused to theeast - houses flooded in July!

So we have now the excuse to return, forwe haven’t seen all the Weaver as weplanned, and next time, we hear, it willalso be free to go down and back up thelift!

Keith and Margaret Sykes

Manchester Ship Canal CruisesMersey Ferries are once again running aseries of cruises from Liverpool toManchester, returning by bus, and then inthe reverse direction the next day, duringthe summer.

These generally leave Liverpool onSaturday and Manchester on Sundayalthough there are two mid-week cruises.The boats used are the large passengerferries with all the usual fittings of bars andsaloons.

The cost is €28.00 per head for the returnjourney. The cruise takes 6 hours and thebus approximately one hour to return.The bars are open during the trip andsnacks are available. There is a discountfor parties of 20 or more.

I made one of these trips a couple of yearsago and found it thoroughly enjoyable anda very civilized way of seeing a canal.(Although I could live without thecommentary!)

The first trip from Liverpool is May 17th andthe final return from Salford Quays is onSunday 12th October with the trip takingplace on most weekends in between.

Full details from Mersey Ferries on 0151330 1444 who will send you a list of sailingdates or you can refer to their website atwww.merseyferries.co.uk

Brian Minor


Tameside Canals Festival - 2003

The 26th Tameside Canals Festival, inassociation with Willow Wood Hospice, willbe held on its traditional site at PortlandBasin, Ashton-under-Lyne, from Friday 11thJuly to Sunday 13th July 2003.

Portland Basin is at the DukinfieldJunction of the Lower Peak Forest andAshton Canals.

The entry charge for boats and caravans is€10 and for tents €8; this includes a plaqueand weekend passes for two persons.Accompanied children will be admittedfree.

Boat Entry forms are available from:

Shirley RowbottomToll House71 Iver LaneCowleyUxbridge UB8 2JE

Caravan/Tent Entry forms from:

Robert Maycock9 Warwick CloseShawLancashire OL2 7DZ

Trade Stall forms from:

Sue Ruffley31 Middle GreenAshton-under-LyneLancashire OL6 9JP

Robert Maycock

Obituary - Colin ThompsonSociety Members will be saddened to hear of the suddendeath of BW engineer, Colin Thompson on the 30th January2003 whilst playing football with BW colleagues.

Colin was closely involved in many of the HuddersfieldNarrow Canal projects west of the Pennines, in the pre-Millennium funding days; especially HCS Restoration’s biggestproject, the Diggle Flight, in 1995/6. It was a testament toColin’s tact and flexibility that the other canal users sufferedthe minimum of disruption during this part of the restorationprogramme.

Festival goers at the 1998 Tameside Canals Festival may recallthat Colin skippered a pair of traditional working boats,bringing them from Northwich to the site at Portland Basin.

Society member Keith Sykes recalls when Colin was based atTunnel End, Marsden, he had contact with him in obtainingpermission for the local Scouts to have access to the canal forexpeditions in the Scout sailing centre’s rigid inflatable boats.For the years that Colin was there he gave permission freely, aslong as we had insurance cover, and was always verysupportive of our efforts to utilise the restored Canal.

Huddersfield Canal Society Colin on the Airdale Valley towpath

Bri

tish

Wat

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Canal Crossword - 40

Across7 Worst boats found on the River Severn? (5)8 Heavy river crossing used by ‘Disgusted’we hear (9)10 Owl Ken saw by the first wide locks southof Birmingham (6)11 Confusing or what - a small ScottishChurch found in an Oldham suburb but onthe East side! (8)12 Grade I BW lock above Bratch (8)13 Find an Armoire that’s lost it’s ROM onthe river in Leeds (4)15 Go most of the way up the Rother, stop,add a Fenland cathedral city and end up onthe banks of the Soar north of Leicester (7)17 Find a far from old flour preparationfacility near Wootton Rivers on the K & A (3,4)20 Pay mooring dues to this college atWindsor (4)22 Monster residence? (4,4)25 Crocodile tears the editor shed when his

article on small highlymanouverable boats wasrefused (8)26 Where a co authorof Steptoe and Sonmight cross the NewMain Line? (6)27 Fluvial one hundredand eighty! (5,4)28 Measure speedwhere two ropes join (5)

Down1 Could the Bard nowdo another play set in acanal tunnel? (9)2 Headingnorthwestward fromNottingham lose thetrend but find a viaductoverlooking the Erewashcanal (8)3 A Trent junction builtby tykes or Romans (7)4 Feelings are baredfighting for the

restoration of a Welsh canal (8)5 A piece of boat equipment still erroneouslycalled the rudder (6)6 Greet a heron? (5)9 BW agree developing banks with naturalgrowth is best (4)14 Births low this year in the tunnel nearSister Mary’s place of work (9)16 SWMBO in a pub or B & B (8)18 After crossing the water the monk landedon a canal in Scotland (8)19 So cruel of BW to stop cruising for canalrepairs (7)21 Water precedes the name of a hire firmbased at Autherley (6)23 Copings with the pin removed give a clueto the heart of a machine (4)24 Prisoner of war initially, is incarcerated in acastle overlooking the canal at Welshpool (5)

Solution on page 54


Pennine Inter Canal Society QuizWe have received this invitation fromMargaret Fletcher, Chairman of the MB&BCS

As the winners of the quiz last year it is ourresponsibility to host the quiz in 2003. Wehave arranged the next Pennine Inter CanalSociety Quiz at 7.30pm on 15 April 2003 atthe Jolly Carter, Church Street Little Lever,Bolton. Directions are included.

The Huddersfield Canal Society is invited totake part in the quiz.

For those who have an interest in suchthings “Real Ales” are served at the JollyCarter.

During the break the following will beserved at €3 per meal.

Meat and Potato Pie.Or for Vegetarians, a vegetarian toastieserved with chips.

If you wish to order a meal please contactme on 01204 844671 before 1.4.2003.Please state which meal you wish to order.Additional meals will not be available onthe night, they must be ordered inadvance.

The Question Master will be Ben Williams amember of council of the ManchesterBolton & Bury Canal Society and a VicePresident of Manchester Branch of theInland Waterways Association.

There is only one over-riding rule and that isthe winner hosts and arranges the quiz forthe following year.

Maximum team size 6. No charge. Youmay enter up to two teams. Supporterswelcome. Mixture of waterway andgeneral knowledge questions.

We look forward to welcomingrepresentatives of your society/group on theevening. It would help us to makearrangements if you confirmed the number

of teams to me. Those of you who have setquiz questions know how much work thisentails and it would be nice if Ben could besupported by your attendance.

Directions to the venue at the Jolly Carter,Church Street, Little Lever, Bolton.

At M60 Junction 15 (formerly M62 Junction14) initially follow M61 Preston, then onreaching a 4 lane section of junction move tothe right two lanes for A666 Bolton.

This becomes two lane section, then as morelanes join from the left get to the extremeleft lane A6053 Farnworth

Up slip road to roundabout. First exit fromroundabout (A6053)

Into right lane immediately - before firstlights in 200 yards, where you bear slightlyright (still A6053). Continue straight on forabout a mile (many lights/crossings).

Immediately after a road trails in from left atlights you may notice Moses Gate Station(very diminutive) on left.

Prepare to turn right at lights (still A6053).Immediately after turning you go under theA666 expressway, descend and cross RiverCroal, ascend far side and after passing aschool on the left the Jolly Carter is the firstpub on the left - car park entranceimmediately BEFORE the pub. It is almostexactly 1 mile from going under theexpressway. Grid reference SD750073.

Margaret Fletcher

(Points may be awarded for contestants’orienteering skills! Any members interestedin forming a team should contact the SocietyOffice in the first instance; contact details onthe inside front cover.)

?????


Comical CruisingTrawling round the world of canals canbring you in touch with some unusualnames and words. We have taken a lookat some strange words for objects withcanal associations in the past so let’s havea look at some canals, junctions and otherlocations.

Birmingham, besides being the hub of theEnglish canal network, also leads theleague table of odd and unusual names.

Let’s start on the Dudley canal withBumblehole Turn which is associatedwith the Boshboil Arm both of whichused to lead to Baptist’s End and Butter-ies Basin.

Moving to the centre of Birmingham, wereach the famous Gas Street Basin withWorcester Bar and Oozells Street Loop.Not far away used to be Friday Bridgewhich is close to Saturday Bridge whichis still there, neither of these were far fromBaskerville Basin.

Moving west on the Old Main line wefind Whimsey Bridge close to the TitfordBranch off which was the Jim Crow Arm,presumably it was this which led toOldbury locks being commonly know asthe ‘Crow’ whilst at the top of Oldburylocks is the Tat Bank Branch. Not faraway on the new Main Line at PuddingGreen Junction used to be the IzonBranch whilst Tipton Green boastedWatery Lane Junction and the ThreeFurnace Branch.

On the former Bradley Branch was aPartridge Bridge which joined on toHowls Bridge (perhaps that’s where theH went when helm became ‘ellum).

Off what is left of the Ridgacre Branchthere used to be a Balls Hill Branch fromwhich, looking down the hill, you wouldhave been able to see Dank’s Branch andDoe Green Junction.

On the Wyrley (pronounced werely) andEssington Canal (the curly Wyrley) youstill pass Sneyd Junction whilst on theway to Ogley Junction. On the way youwould have passed under bridges calledDevil’s Elbow, Coal Pool, Pratt’s Milland Crimea. Making a turn at CatshillJunction on to the Daw (pronouncedDoe) End Branch will lead you undermore bridges like Black Cock andDumble Derry until you arrive atLongwood Junction on to the RushallCanal which boasts Gillity Bridge. Youare now approaching the Tame Valleycanal which has a Crankhall Lane Bridgeand a Spouthouse Aqueduct.

Earlier on I missed a selection like RottonBrunt and Pothouse Bridges and Sally’sMeadow Wharf not to mentionCatchems’ Corner Bridge which isconveniently close to Gibbet Lane Bridgewhich is about 100 yards from the moreromantic sounding Osier Bed Basin.

When all is said and done perhaps weshould finish at Typhoo Basin unless weneed to unload the used tea bags atSalvage Turn.

Birmingham and the Black Country havenow filled a page for us on their own sotaking the worldwide view will have towait for another issue.

John Harwood

40 - Pennine Link - Spring 2003A boater’s dream or claustrophobe’s nightmare?

The Basingstoke CanalHaving now spent some two weeks of our2002 Summer cruise on this beautifulCanal, I would encourage all boaters tovisit this unique waterway.

It is some 150 years since the heyday ofthe Canal which originally ran from theriver Wey to Basingstoke, but is nowtruncated by the collapse of the GreywellTunnel near Odiham. The plan was totransport timber for shipbuilding plusmalt, flour and other produce fromHampshire farms to London. The returnrun would be of coal, china, draperies,groceries and other commodities.

All went well until the 1830s ,when therailway arrived. In 1854 the Canal Com-pany was saved for a short time by thedevelopment of the army camp at Alder-shot, for which large quantities of buildingmaterial were shipped.

The Canal was then left dormant until1960 when interest in full restorationstarted with a rally at Woking. The Surreyand Hampshire Canal Society wasfounded in 1966.

There has always been a shortage of wateron the Canal. It is fed primarily fromsprings near Greywell Tunnel. In fact, ifyou cruise to the limit and moor up, it islike sitting in an aquarium, as the water isso clear!

As our narrowboat “Dill” is moored atStourport on Severn we did have someplanning to do. Not only was theBasingstoke on our agenda, but cruisingthe Tideway from Limehouse plus all theWey navigation, which is owned by theNational Trust, and all of the Thames andKennet and Avon Canal!

A phone-call produced all the informationplus licence application form. In fact youcannot apply for a short-term licenceearlier than one month before yourproposed trip. This is probably becauseof the water problems and may now bechanging.

In the event, the Canal Company werevery helpful and went out of their way toget us and other boats on to the water-way. We were in transit and therefore,although the book says that the licencewill be available for you at Thames Lockon the Wey, the Warden actually arrivedat Lock one with all the paperwork.

Thames Lock on the Wey is interesting asit is ‘keeper operated’ and fornarrowboats is used like two locks in astaircase. A transit fee of €4 is payable tothe National Trust.

The Basingstoke is operated by wardens.Very helpful people who check yourprogress and close lock flights after use atthe end of the day - primarily for waterconservation purposes.

Cruising the Basingstoke is an experience.Don’t expect nice piled mooring places.The message here is moor where you like- bow in, stern out and use your plank.There are some wonderful wooded areasat which to stop and we were just in timeto see the glorious display of rhododen-drons in full bloom. Plenty of wildlife -kingfishers and mink - the lot!

Restoration has not meant lots of locklandings and other structures. The widelocks are not too difficult to work and mywife and I had no problems. Water pointsare relatively few but this is being ad-dressed. What is there is adequate if you


IWA News

plan accordingly. There are only twopump out facilities, so again some plan-ning is required. All this is compensatedfor by a beautiful, quiet canal; unspoilt byprogress.

As to the lack of water, you have no doubtread in various publications that the IWAand other bodies have contributed to thewater back pumping schemes on the St.John’s flight and this, plus use of thescheme on the Woodham flight, should allbut eliminate this difficulty.

Visit Odiham village (Tim Henman wasmarried in the Church). One of the

biggest villages in the country and veryfriendly people. A good shopping centre.We were there over the Golden Jubileeweekend. St John’s Castle can also bevisited. It is from here that King John leftto sign the Magna Carta. Keep your headdown at the end of Farnborough airfieldrunway! And don’t try to keep up withthe soldiers doing their fitness training inthe area.

Don’t hurry. You could do it in a weekbut take at least 10 days or you’ll miss somuch.

David Stubbs

December 2002

IWA have asked BW to set up a newappeals procedure to review decisions ofsubstance by navigation authority manag-ers that affect significant numbers ofwaterway users, where there is no othersensible means of scrutiny for suchdecisions.

IWA Chairman, John Fletcher’s commenton this was “Our main concern is toprovide a mechanism where navigationsauthorities can independently demonstratetheir decisions are fair and reasonable, andwaterway users can have the reassuranceof an independent review of any decisionthat affects them and which they believe isunfair or unreasonable”

January 2003

IWA have given €25K towards the cost ofbuilding a bridge to take the Thames andSevern Canal under the Western SpineRoad, which leads to the Cotswold WaterPark. This is a key step in the canalrestoration programme. Total cost of thebridge will be €447K.

The IWA on behalf of the WaterwayRecovery Group are launching an appealentitled ‘The Right Tool for the Right Job’.

This appeal hopes to raise €75k for thepurchase of a whole variety of equipment.This covers not only basic hand tools andspecialist gear for stone masonry work,but includes minibuses as well!

The Waterway Recovery Group havebeen in existence now for 34 years andbadly need new equipment to keep uptheir standard and scope of work on thecanals still to be restored.

If you would like more information aboutthis Appeal, you can contact the IWA atPO Box 114, Rickmansworth, Hertford-shire, WD3 1ZY.

Brian Minor


What the Papers SaidMany thanks to everyone who sent me cuttings- especially to A Knott, K Sykes and K Wright.

Manchester Evening News

22nd January

Full page article on the price of house in theStalybridge area, illustrated with propertiesavailable and headed with a large picture ofthe HNC in the town centre with the captionthat ‘the reopened HNC has boosted theregeneration of Stalybridge’

Tameside Advertiser

2nd January

Article about the €50,000 statue to be atribute to the canals history as part of theStalybridge renaissance.

Short piece about Keith Gibson’s new book onthe Canal. (Get it from us folks. Copiesavailable at the office! Ed)

23rd January

Article headed €94M jobs bonanza and sayingthat tourism is worth that amount to the localeconomy and also funds 2000 full time jobs inthe borough. The article is illustrated with apicture of the ‘Marsden Shuttle’ in PortlandBasin with a caption that this is one of thehighlights for visitors to Tameside.(Unfortunately, the MS left Portland Basin inMay 2001! Ed)

Tameside Reporter

9th January

Picture of happy crowd of children after acruise on the canal run by the Society as it ranits annual Santa Cruises.

Huddersfield Daily Examiner

26th November 2002

Picture taken in Stalybridge with ChairmanDavid Sumner to the forefront and articleabout the awards won. The headline was‘Prescott gets invite to see restored canal’(That’s nearly three months ago and we ain’tseen him yet! Ed.)

16th December 2002

Story and Picture about the 35th Huddersfieldpack of Cubs holding an investiture ceremonyfor new members inside Standedge tunnel.

12th January

Picture of the road closed over theLocomotive bridge in Huddersfield and anarticle commenting on the fact it has takenseven months to reopen. BW quoted aboutthe difficulties with historic structures causingthe delay.

Colne Valley Chronicle

22nd November 2002

Quite a good issue for the Canal – three itemsprinted about different aspects.

On the front page a colour picture of theyoungsters involved in the Locks Docks andBeyond project in Slaithwaite and adescription of the efforts they had made inthis work (Reported in the last two issues ofPennine Link)

On the inside is the same story as in theHuddersfield Daily Examiner of the awardceremony in Stalybridge and the invitation toMr Prescott.

Next to it is a picture of one of the sculpturesbeing made to decorate the banks of therestored canal. In this, the sculptor is beingassisted by local children. (Unfortunately it isdescribed, twice, as being of a Barge. Hopethe schools teach the kids the real name! Ed.)

New Civil Engineer

November 2002

Nothing to do with ‘our ‘ canal, but a reportabout the Falkirk Wheel winning the Saltaireaward for civil engineering excellence inScotland. Congratulations to BW.

The Oldhamer (Council free newsheet)

November 2002

Story about the council support for the newlyreopened Rochdale Canal.


Oldham Chronicle

9th December 2002

This paper had five copies of Keith Gibson’sBook to give away and listed the winners withthe comment that the book was bound to be abest seller if the number of entries to thecompetition was anything to go by!

7th January

Nice pictures of a cold canal illustrating anarticle about the Winter weather. Same issuehas an article about the row over thedevelopment at Frenches Wharf, with a localresident pointing out that the name actuallyapplies to the land on the other side of thecanal.

20th January

Short review of Keith’s book and details whereit can be purchased. (Incl. the Society Office)

4th February

Report that Standedge Visitor Centre is to

stage a series of theatre workshops during theforthcoming half term break.

4th February

Report on the ‘Kickstart’ project in Failsworthbeing funded by Oldham Council. The 12-seater boat on the Rochdale Canal, which ispart of the scheme, is to be paid for by fundsfrom Oldham Council’s NeighbourhoodRenewal Fund.

Oldham Advertiser

2nd January

Very glowing criticism of Keith’s Book, Fromthe quite lengthy article I think the reviewerhad actually read it!

29th January

A similar article to the Chronicle’s giving thestory of the ‘Kickstart’ project in Failsworth,which is to be based on the Rochdale Canal.

Brian Minor

Litter Squad

Our volunteer boat crews enjoy nothingmore than cruising our local waterways withan appreciative group on board. And yet,they have, quite naturally, beenembarrassed by the amount of rubbish onthe towpath along the course of their route.

Not being ones for sitting back and blamingothers’ inactivity for dealing with theproblem, they have ‘led by example’.

Armed with refuse sacks and ‘litter pickers’,they braved the elements to clear a sectionof towpath from Portland Basin to the ASDASuperstore. Pictured above left are, (left toright) David Hansell, Pam Romanski andyoung Alex Peacock.

The day’s haul is being transported on topof the trip boat (above) to be disposed ofproperly; a magnificent job, well done all!

Ph

otos

: P

Pea

cock


Scottish Marathon - Part 2Society member, Andrew Shortridge,concludes his account of cruising the Scottishwaterways ... Photos: A Shortridge

We started at 8.40 the following morning.The first lift bridge at Bonnybridge is lessthan 30 mins cruise from the wheel. It isoperated by BW staff and they are notallowed to operate it before 9-15. Indeed,we were told that this and the other swing/lift bridges in this area could not beoperated during rush-hour or when anybuses were imminent. We arrived at thebridge just after the appointed time, just towitness another example of car madness.The warning lights were flashing and thebarriers about to come down when a cardrove onto the bridge. Having got onto thebridge, he found his exit blocked by thefallen barrier. Reversing, he got off beforethe other barrier had come down. He waslucky; speaking to the BW men, theautomatic process to lift the bridge isimpossible to stop once started.

Once through Lock 20, and after a cup oftea in the lock with the team who had takenus through, we were passed over to theother team to take us through to Glasgow.We were now on the summit pound andhere the F & C is at its best. For nearly amile before Auchinstarry we went through adead straight section of pound with water-lilies lining the centre of the navigation. PastAuchinstarry, through to the out-skirts ofGlasgow the canal is very peaceful andquiet. It has both very attractive sceneryand appears very remote in places (eventhough you know you are near to Glasgow).Passing Auchinstarry at 12.15 we set ourtime to turn back at 2.45 at the latest.About 2.20 we knew we were nearingGlasgow as we had pylons carrying thenational grid overhead, we could see thehigh rise flats in the near distance and whilstthe area was not built up, we passed two

burned out cars in the canal. We got toMaryhill junction and, instead of headinginto Glasgow, we headed to the top lockdown to the Clyde; we knew there wouldbe a landing stage for us to refuel here.There is no apparent footpath on thesummit pound. Indeed, from the Wheelwestwards, it appears very difficult to moorup. This, together with the fact it was awindy day, meant that we were mostgrateful for the help with the locks andbridges. We had no need to get off ourboat for any locks or bridges on theLowlands Canals – normally I like workinglocks/swing-bridges etc but in theseconditions it was honestly a Godsend.

Arriving back at Auchinstarry(*), Kilsyth’scanal port, at 5.15, the hard work reallystarted. One of the BW workmen kindlygave us a lift to Croy station where we hadto catch two trains. The first was toEdinburgh Haymarket where we changedfor Broxburn. Here we had to get a taxifrom the station to the Leisure centre andthe car and trailer (it was far too far to walk).It wasn’t until nearly 10pm that we got backto the boat. Yes, we had stopped for Fish &Chips in Linlithgow, but we also took awrong turning (Onto the B803 in Falkirkinstead of the A803 and added 10-15 milesof windy roads to our journey).Auchinstarry is a nice little marina in asurprisingly remote area. It is made all thenicer by the valley in which it is situated.We shared the marina with one othernarrowboat on permanent moorings. Also,much to the surprise of Anne at home inSkipton, it was still so light that thestreetlights did not go on until nearly 10.30.The rest of the evening was spent preparingfor the following morning. What could bepacked in the car was etc, etc, etc.

(*) Canal boats were loaded here to supplyGlasgow with coal and ‘whinstone’ basalt topave her streets.


The slipway at Auchinstarry is of lowgradient. I needed the electric winch sothat the trailer could get into deep enoughwater for the boat to float onto it. I henceneeded to go into the water knee deep toget the boat onto the trailer. These twoitems between them must be among themost useful items I have bought for theboat. The winch especially has come inuseful, no longer do I need to fight a silted-up slipway with the clutch of my Mondeo.I had used the slipway of HuddersfieldUniversity after doing the Narrow last year.It wasn’t too bad but there was clearly somesilt there and I had needed to really rev theengine to get sufficient torque to pull theboat out. Whether it would have helpedme on the Macclesfield earlier this year ismore debatable. A slipway with mud onthe hard-core slip and an element of siltcaused me hours of problems. It evenended up where I couldn’t pull the trailerout (without the boat). Hand winching hadfailed as well, as the boat and trailer werepulling the car backwards. The solution hadbeen to commandeer a JCB that was beingused on-site. Ropes were tied around thetrailer and the JCB’s arm and the boat andtrailer came easily out of the water. Plentyof people had stopped on the towpath towitness this. I can see the humorous side ofthis now. It had seemed strange that biggerboats than mine had been pulled out earlierthat week, not so when you realise that aLand-Rover had pulled them out.

Pulling the boat out of the water wentsmoothly. In fact, the only delay was causedby us chatting to the BW man who hadhelped us the day before. He explained theteething problems being faced by users onthe Lowlands Canals. They basicallyamounted to depth problems. Sea goingyachts sailing the F & C would get intoproblems with their keels, and narrow-boatswould get into problems on the Union. Theother big issue was the cost of using thewheel. It costs €35 per return trip, and

there is no concession for multi-users. TheWheel, being where it is, basically splits theCanals here in half, and use of the Wheel isnot included in the cost of the annuallicence and there is no charging structurethat gives unlimited usage in a 12 monthperiod, like at Anderton.

Anyway, onwards and upwards. We set offat 9.30 to head towards Fort William. Aswith the rest of the trip the route selectedhad been taken from the AA’s route planneron their website as suitable for caravans.The route outlined was the M80, M9 toStirling, then the A84 and A85 toCrianlarich, and the A82 over Glencoe toFort William. I had recollections of theGlencoe road from a trip to Fort Williamyears before. I envisaged a long, steep andwindy climb out of Crianlarich to Glencoe(at the foot of Ben Nevis). I had worriedenough to consider heading north on theInverness road and then heading west onthe A86 to Fort William. I need never haveworried. Either the road has beendrastically improved or my memory hasplayed tricks with me. The trip toCrianlarich was uneventful and the climb toGlencoe was done at a steady 40-45 mphall the way. The road, also used byjuggernaughts, does not have hairpin bendsor steep inclines that drop your speed to acrawl. Oddly enough, the worst road fortowing on the whole trip was the A65 KirbyLonsdale to Skipton road taken on thereturn journey. (I didn’t do the A66, A1 onthe return solely because I had missed theturning off the M6 – no other reason). Wegot to Fort William at about 2.30 and putthe boat into the water at Loch Aber YachtClub with the help of Richard Rumney andhis Land-Rover. I was allowed to leave thetrailer at the yacht club and Richard verykindly allowed me to leave my car in hisdriveway. The heavens had opened as theboat was being put into the water and I wasagain reliant on the kindness of Richard whohad loaned me a club’s rowing boat to get


back to the shore from the boat afterlaunching. Both myself and my Mum hadclimbed aboard the boat before Richardhad launched us. After launching I had tiedup to a swinging mooring to row ashore topark up etc. On rowing back out to theboat I tied the rowing boat to the swingingmooring for Richard to collect later and weset off. It was now 4.30.

The lock keeper was expecting us but didnot want us immediately as he was about tosee a cruise ship through. We thereforedecided to sail into Loch Eil for an hour anda half. To enter Loch Eil you need to gothrough The Narrows. The Narrows areonly narrow relatively speaking but it is notstraight, containing a steady right handcurve. At the end of The Narrows, as wecame out into the Loch, the incoming tidecaused little whirlpools which as you sailover throw the boat off centre. Frighteningno, unnerving at first, yes.

It being a fine day now, the view of BenNevis is clear and spectacular. On a morepersonal note, we saw the Linnhe CaravanPark. I had stayed here in a mobile home atnew year in 1995/6 with Anne and six otherfriends. The owner had offered us ourmoney back before coming north as thewater was all frozen but we still went. Itwas cold, it reached minus 20 C whilst wewere there. It was cold at night as well.One night I had left my balaclava up againstthe mirror. The following morning ourcondensation had frozen and stuck thebalaclava to the mirror. It came away with achunk of ice. However, what I will alwaysremember about the holiday was seeing themist rise over the Loch. As in the words ofthe song, it looked just like there wassmoke on the water. Anyway, returning tothe present, we exited the Loch through thenarrows, taking the inside line as the currentwas less strong there. Indeed, it appearedto flow against the prevailing tide in places.

We spent the night in the pound between

the Sea-lock and the two Corpach locks. Inhindsight, it might have been better to havemoored on the floating pontoon outside thesea-lock. It was about a four foot drop fromthe towpath to water level (2 € feet to thestern of the boat). This was OK for me but alot harder for my Mum. To get ashore shehad to climb some steps that I could hangoff the towpath and onto the side of theboat. To get back in, she had to sit down atthe waters-edge and hang her feet over theside. This was made easier by the woodenpole that I could fit into the fishing-rodholder fitted into the stern of the boat. Thishad been done with the intention of makingthings easier for her, the suggestion comingfrom Guy of the Portland Basin Marina. It isbetter than the original idea of a hand-rail asit can be but away when it is not in use. Itwas also cheaper. [This approach is similarto that used on the water taxi at Marsdenthat Guy had installed]. As it was a pleasantScottish evening, the idea of eating in thecockpit with the canopy down appealed.Not for long… Those b***dy midgesbecame unbearable.

Wednesday saw another early start, 8am.The proximity of the Neptune staircase flightmeant that unless we went through theCorpach locks with the first passage at 8.30,we would miss the first passage up the flightat 9.30 and then have to wait until atleast12.30 to go up. We went through the lockswith four other sea going sailing yachts.One had a party of American teenagers onboard and they helped us with our ropes.We arrived at the bottom of the Neptuneflight at Bonavie in plenty of time and hadto hold our boats in the middle of the cutfor about 20 minutes for the first passagedown. The flight is of eight locks that raisethe canal 64 feet in 500 yards. Beforemechanisation, capstans were used to openthe lock gates, 126 turns of which wereneeded to pass through the whole flight.

The entrance to the locks are guarded by


two swing bridges. Onecarries the Fort William- Mallaig road and theother the railway line. Iam also a railwayenthusiast, being amember of the Embsayand Bolton Abbeysteam railway nearSkipton. Myenthusiasm is for Steamtrains, but when Ithought I heard adiesel’s horn I got mycamera ready. I wasmistaken. Putting thecamera down, I untied the boat and threwthe ropes aboard as I prepared to take theboat through to the third lock. At thatmoment ‘The Jacobite’, the daily steamhauled special pulled by LNER class B1 No61264 went onto the swing bridge (picturedabove). I now proceeded to break all therules. I jumped off the boat to take a

number of photographs, returning to findthe boat adrift in the middle of the lock andreliant on the crew of the boat besidesmine.

Clearing the top of the flight at about mid-day, we stopped to fill up with water andhave a proper tidy-up. By the time we hadfinished all our belongings, stores etc weretaken out of boxes and stored in theircorrect locations. This was the first timethat we had unpacked everything. On theLowlands we had decided not to as wewould only have had to repack them thefollowing day.

After a stop of about an hour we headed upthe canal. The scenery along the whole ofthe canal is really stunning. The canal is 60miles long, of which only 22 are cut, theremainder being made up of the four Lochs,Lochy, Oich, Ness and Dochfour. (LochNess itself is 22 miles long). Entering LochLochy (pictured left) gave me the chance toopen up the throttle on Elicasu, but insteadof going up the centre of the Loch we criss-crossed from one side to the other exploringthe various inlets on the Loch. By the timewe had reached the head of the Loch wehad caught up and passed the flottila ofsailing boats that we had earlier shared thelocks with. They had all shut down theirengines and opened their sails up the loch.


Laggan Locks wereshared with the cruiseboat ‘The Spirit of LochNess’. She sails theCaledonian throughoutthe season. After thelock we left spiritbehind and headed upLoch Oich. This is theshallowest of the fourlochs and only fourmiles long. Duringconstruction of thecanal Thomas Telford,realising that it had tobe dredged, used oneof the earliest examples of a steam bucketdredging the loch.

We cleared Loch Oich and arrived at theCullochy Lock at 6pm. This proved to bethe end of our day as the lock-keepers work8am to 5.30pm. Anyway, this didn’t matter.The solitude was ideal, and the floatingpontoon was ideal for mooring up to, andcooking an evening barbeque (a gas firedBBQ I hasten to add). Supper was spent inthe aft cockpit, with the canopy down,enjoying the marvellous scenery, tranquillity,and a couple of bottles of Red wine.

Before the meal we helped some Belgianrowers. A group had come from Belgium torow the length of the canal, each boat hadthree crew, two rowing and one coxing.Before exiting Loch Oich we had seenabout half a dozen of these boats rowingdown the Loch. Apparently, one had had tostop at Fort Augustus for supplies and wastrying to catch the others up who had nowcleared the Loch before mooring up atLaggan. During opening hours these row-boats go through the locks but lifting theseboats out of the water and carrying themaround the lock was not easy for four of us.They are bulky and they weigh 80kgs each.

The following day saw us reach the other

bottle-neck on the canal. The Fort Augustusstaircase locks (above) that takes the canaldown 40ft to Loch Ness in 5 locks.Thursday morning, first passage down isregarded by the lock keepers as one of thebusiest as a number of hire boats have to beback at Caley Marine (our eventualdestination for different reasons) on Fridaymorning. We shared the lock with 14 otherboats, being tied up alongside a Caley hire-cruiser, and entering the lock following theinstructions 3rd on the right. The lock-keepers are very efficient here and areobviously well practised at this maneouvre.To get 14 boats into a lock as quickly as theydid is an art. [Four boats across the front ofthe lock, tied in pairs. Four rows of boatsgoing backward, all those down the righttied in pairs. The middle two boats werethree wide but the back row, like the front,was four across. It was also made up ofsailing yachts. All the other 10 boats werecruisers].

Fort Augustus is a small village built aroundthe flight of locks. It contains shops fromwhich supplies can be bought, a highlandswoollens shop, two museums, one to theHighlands of Scotland and one to theCaledonian Canal, and most practically afilling station.


After stopping here for three hours weheaded out onto the loch. This was theroughest part of the trip, with the windblowing from west to east down the loch itwas really choppy. Apart from slowingdown and taking a closer look at Urquartcastle we basically cleared the Loch asquickly as we could before heading straightinto Loch Dochfour and mooring up for thenight on the pontoon above LockDochgarroch (above). The narrow outletfrom Loch Ness into Loch Dochfour, despitenot appearing to offer much shelter, has avery calming effect on the water and theone mile of Loch Dochfour was cruised incomplete calm.

Friday brought about a change in plan.Rather than continue our cruise intoInverness that would have taken less thantwo hours we decided to spend it collectingour car and trailer. Having obtainedpermission from the lock-keeper to leaveour boat for the day in one of thepermanent moorings we caught the bus forthe two hour journey to Fort-William.Instead of heading straight back to the boat,we headed east to Aviemore for a trip onthe Strathspey Steam Railway, which hasrecently extended its run to BroomhallStation, as seen on the TV series Monarch ofthe Glen. We were hauled by BR Standard

4 tank No 80105. FromAviemore we headed toCulloden to lookaround the battlefield.It is really eirie lookingaround the field andseeing where each unitof the English andJacobite armies stoodon that fateful day.Looking at the terrainand knowing that it haschanged little over theyears, one wonderswhat English historywould be today if the

site chosen for that inevitable battle hadbeen more suited to the Highlanders andthe famous Highland charge.

Returning to the boat soon after six, beforesettling down for a BBQ and a quiet nighton board, we headed back out into LochNess. Despite the fact it had rained heavilyon and off all day it had now cleared up toa nice fine evening. Loch Ness in fineweather is a totally different proposition.We spent a pleasant hour cruising around itseastern end.

Saturday saw us head down to CaleyMarine where the boating part of theholiday finished. However, we still had a383 mile, two day trip, back to Leeds,stopping overnight at a Travel-Inn/Travel-Lodge near Carlisle. (Sods Law- onreturning by taxi from Caley Marine tocollect the car and trailer I discovered I hada flat tyre - luckily I carry a spare tyre. Bothmy trailer tyres had been bought new theweek before we had set off on this trip. Ihave never had a puncture before or since).

So, was it worth it? An eight day holidayhad resulted in four days boating, three daystowing and a day car retrieving. The answeris definitely “Yes”. The Falkirk Wheel, in myopinion, is definitely the wonder of themodern waterways. The only structure that


runs it close is Pontycysilite Aqueduct. OK,we are talking different ages here andAnderton deserves recognition in its ownright. However, the Neptune and FortAugustus staircase-flights of locks, the Avonand Almond aqueducts, in such relativelyshort distances of waterway make thewaterways in Scotland stand out, and add tothat the truly stunning scenery. [TheNeptune flight was in the shortlist for theSeven Wonders of the waterways networkand in my opinion should replace the Five

Rise at Bingley. How the Avon Aqueductdidn’t make the short-list, I do not know].The boating was really relaxing. All thelocks were worked for you. If I could haveplanned differently I would have had a bitlonger, cruised up the Maryhill branch intoGlasgow, possibly spending more time inLoch Linnhe and Loch Eil at Fort William. Ialso would have liked to have visited theBowes Steam railway near Edinburgh.

Andrew Shortridge

A fine evening on Loch Ness, looking westward. (Always knew they’d be a peaceful and relaxing bit at the end! Ed.)

OBITUARYThe Society is saddened to report thedeath of one of its life members MrClaude Hamilton Bradbury.

Hamilton, as he liked to be known, diedpeacefully in Oldham Royal Hospital onthe 29th October 2002.

Though he suffered failing eyesight towardthe end, he had managed to visit the

canal at Huddersfield soon after re-opening and could share in the Society’spride in achieving ‘the impossible’.

It was, in no small part, the ‘armchairsupport’ of members such as Hamilton,that helped secure the major funding tocomplete the canal restoration work.

Bob Gough


Letters to the EditorDear Mr Minor

Mrs Seymour’s response to my letter(Christmas Plink) demonstrated both thesevere difficulties that boaters have toovercome, when disposing of wastewithout polluting the canal, and particu-larly their conscientiousness in attemptingto overcome these difficulties.

However if boaters have to wait until the‘coast is clear’ before emptying theirtoilets and have to rely on public toiletsbeing open, it is not suprising that a smallminority resort to ‘dubious practises’ todispose of the various liquid wastes thatare generated; the greater the numberaboard, the greater the problem ofdisposal.

I share with Mrs Seymour the belief thatboating can only be a force for economicgood along the canal networks if we getthe infrastructure right and I appreciatethe hard work that HCS are undertakingto get these facilities in place.

Any chance of an update?

Sincerely,

M Miles, Greenfield

Coincidentally, we have a feature onsanitary and other facilities on the Canal inthis issue; see page 18 Ed.

Dear Brian

I read your article with interest on themeasurement of locks on the Hudders-field Narrow having watched the processon Lock 22E outside Globe Mills,Slaithwaite. Restored using the old wallsbut supplied by BW with new gates andgearing.

Yes the measurements taken were indicat-ing that the lock sides were suitable for anarrow boat but that missed the point. Allsummer there have been complaints toBW about the bottom set of lock gates notopening fully with some boats gettingstuck as they entered or exited.

I mentioned this to the BW staff doing themeasurements but my comments ap-peared not to be appreciated. I then hada wry smile when, after taking the meas-urements, the new bottom gates, as usual,would not open fully and they struggled toextricate their workboat.

One of the other main problems all theway down the east side, with many of itsgates restored in the initial stages ofrestoration, is that they do not now fitproperly. The leakage through the bottomset at the time of use causing poundsabove to become low and sometimesempty.

In your meetings with BW can youimpress on them that an urgent priority isfor those gates to be made watertight sosaving them the loss of water and assistingthe easier passage of boats over theheavily locked sections from Huddersfieldto Marsden.

Yours sincerely,

Keith W Sykes, Slaithwaite

Facilities at Wool Road, Dobcross


John Lund, proprietor of the PennineMoonraker operating on the HuddersfieldNarrow at Uppermill, responds to MrsSeymour’s observations published in theWinter 2002 issue of Pennine Link.

The Pennine Moonraker is a professionaltrip boat and crew, being examined,passed and operating under the auspicesof the Maritime Coastguard Agency.

I consider some of the objects of mybusiness are to pass on my love andenjoyment of the canal to the manythousands of passengers carried. ‘Roaring’around would not aid this objective.

Our trip already has a 15 minute leewayin case of hold-ups and difficulties, againto avoid haste and aid enjoyment.

As an experienced boater, Mrs. Seymourshould know that even at slow speeds a70ft boat with 2ft 6” draft, in a shallowcanal would still cause disturbance. But,then again what experienced boaterwould moor in ‘soft earth’ instead ofmooring in a more suitable spot.

One point I might agree with in “Boatersin a Hurry” whose impervious conductand lack of willingness to give way causesproblems for all.

Finally, perhaps some of the many ‘boat-ers with problems’ I have helped in thelast couple of years repairing propellers,control cables, water pumps, etc, mightlike to write to H.C.S. in my support.

Yours faithfully

John Lund, SKIPPER

BW are providing ‘48 hour’ moorings inUppermill, but at particularly busy times, itis inevitable that there will be insufficientfixed moorings and use of ground spikeswill have to continue. Ed.

West Side Boats Coordinator, Allan Knott,has written to let us know about theseason’s sailings of our trip boats atPortland Basin and Marsden.

The volunteer boat crews are pleased toannounce that the boats will resume afterthe Winter break a couple of weeksbefore Easter, operating every weekendand Bank Holiday, for public trips,throughout the season until the end ofOctober.

The boat ‘Still Waters’, operating fromPortland Basin, Ashton-u-Lyne, will alsobe available for charter during the week.Please call the Society Office on 0161339 1332 for further details and charterbookings.

And talking of the crew ...

One of our Boat Crew Volunteers, JohnBanks of Huddersfield, has been unableto be actively involved in boat trips for thelast couple of years or so due to beingdependant on dialysis support.

After waiting for 21 months, he wasmatched with a new kidney and we arepleased to hear ‘they’ are getting on welltogether!

HCS wish both John and his wife Gailmuch happiness together as they now re-discover the freedom of not being con-strained by a dialysis machine. We lookforward to seeing them back at the helmagain.

Best wishes,

Allan KnottWest Side Boat Crew Coordinator


HUDDERSFIELD CANALSOCIETY LIMITED

Notice is hereby given that the Twenty Third Annual General Meeting ofthe above named Company will be held at the Waters Edge Restaurant,Tunnel End, Marsden* on Friday the 6th day of June 2003 at 7.30pm toTransact the following Business:

1. To approve the Minutes of the 2002 Annual General Meeting.2. To receive and adopt the Accounts for the Company for the year ending 31stDecember 2002 together with the Report of the Council of Management and of theAuditors thereon.3. To re-elect Mazars of Huddersfield as Auditors and to authorise the Council ofManagement to fix their remuneration.4. To re-elect Mr. J. A. Carr as a member of the Council of Management retiring byrotation.5. To re-elect Mr. K. E. Gibson as a member of the Council of Management retiringby rotation.6. To re-elect Mr. N. A. Kenyon as a member of the Council of Managementretiring by rotation.7. To re-elect Mr. G. B. Minor as a member of the Council of Management retiringby rotation.8. To re-elect Mr. W. A. Ramsden as a member of the Council of Managementretiring by rotation.9. To re-elect Mr. D. M. Sumner as a member of the Council of Managementretiring by rotation.10. To confirm the appointment of Ms M. O’Neill co-opted during the year.11. To consider any other nominations.12. Any other business.

DATED the 3rd day of March 2003By Order of the Council

J.M.Fryer, Company Secretary

N.B. A Member entitled to attend and vote at the Meetingis entitled to appoint a proxy to attend and vote on his/her behalf.A proxy must be a Member of the Company.

* If there are too many members attending to be safely accomodated in the Waters EdgeRestaurant, the AGM will move across to the Standedge Visitors Centre.

Notice of the 2003 AGM


Volunteer RecognitionAs you may have read in the last edition ofPennine Link, HCS Council has decided tostart a system of recognising the time put inby all our volunteers as boat crew, navvies,festival organisers, envelope stuffers; in factthe hundred and one jobs done bymembers helping the cause of restoring and

publicising our canal.

This is for tworeasons, the first isthat it is right and properthat someone who puts anenormous amount of effort in to theSociety should be recognised as such by therest of the membership. Secondly it helpsin any future grant bids if we can accuratelycount the amount of volunteer input to anyscheme.

Although many people have already putthousands of hours of work and effort intorestoring the HNC, this new scheme startedthis year. It would be impossible to do anaccurate count of the time earnedpreviously.

From January 2003, co-ordinators of thevarious Society activities will keep a log ofindividuals’ hours and when reaching therequired recognition levels, e.g. 50 hourscompleted, will submit members’ names tothe HCS Awards Committee.

Many other bodies use a similar type ofsystem. The actual value of the award isnegligible, but it is hoped that members

will receive them with pride as a tangiblerecognition of their efforts.

An ‘awards ceremony’ will be held 3 to 4times per year for these presentations, giving

a chance for members who are heavilyinvolved in one aspect of the society to

socialise with members from other sides.I appreciate that many people

do several

jobs and alreadymeet other

volunteers, but manyothers can only help

out on one activity and wouldwelcome the chance to socialise with

practitioners of other disciplines.

Brian Minor

Solution to Crossword 40

WEST SIDE SOCIAL MEETINGS:

As usual, the venue is the TollemacheArms, Manchester Road, Mossley on thesecond Wednesday of the monthcommencing at 8.00pm.Forthcoming meetings for 2003 are:9th April, 14th May & 11th June.

THE SOCIETY WELCOMES THE FOLLOWING NEW MEMBER:2664 Mr Armitage,

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The following back issues are available freefrom John Maynard, 29 Thick Hollins Drive,Meltham, Yorkshire, HD7 3DL. Please sendan A5 stamped, addressed envelope (44p) orA4 sized envelope (76p) for joint issue 81/82.

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COPY DATE

Articles, letters and commentsfor Issue 145 of Pennine Link

should reach the Editor at45 Gorton Street, Peel Green,Eccles, Manchester, M30 7LZ

by 5th May 2003

PENNINE DREAMS by Keith Gibson

“This is the story of a canal. Not just any canal, but arather special canal … built in the British Isles atStandedge under the Pennines … by people whodreamt an impossible dream - that they might profitfrom a canal taking a collision course with the back-bone of England!”

“Pennine Dreams” is published by Tempus PublishingLtd. and is available from the Society office at €16.99(p&p free to members, €1.50 to non-members) or fromyour local bookseller. ISBN 0 7524 2751 Z.

Documents

Issue 144 7 - hcs2012.com