February 2014.Pub
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1Endeavour to attempt (eg the fulfilment of an obligation) by exertion of effort; 2 archaic to strive to achieve or reach ~ vi to make an effort to do something n a serious determined effort Northampton Branch Newsletter - February 2014 IT’S BOAT GATHERING TIME AT BRAUNSTON Please get your entries in early The historic Nurser’s Dock at Braunston is the venue for our Branch’s annual Boat Gathering this year – an entry form for the May Day Bank Holiday event is included with this issue of Endeavour. This will be only the second time the Gathering has been intentionally canal based in a history stretching back to the late 1970s and the first time the event has been held in the western part of the Branch’s area. The usual venue has al- ways been on the River Nene Continued on page 18 The iron bridge over the entrance to Braunston Marina with Nurser’s Dock ahead The IWA was founded in 1946 to campaign for the retention, restoration and development of Britain’s navigable waterways and for their fullest commercial and recreational use. The IWA is a registered Charity (no. 212342) , whose work is supported by members’ subscriptions. 2 AA unique opportunity to experience the delicate flavours of Indian cuisine at its best! TAK E AWAY S E RVI CE AVAI L AB L E 10% DISCOUNT ON COLLECTION WHEN PAID BY CASH TRY OUR NEW BRINJOL SPECIALIST DISHES £9.95* 01327 3 EDITORIAL MUSINGS I was intrigued to read in February’s issue of Waterways World of a proposal to roof over the Southern Oxford at Banbury town centre. It would seem planners would like to envelope a length of the canal with a glass canopy as part of a major development in the area which would include a food superstore, a 92-bed hotel, cinema and shops along the towpath. The mind boggles — a tunnel with a see-through roof! It isn’t stated how long the roofed-over section would be, but judging from the artist’s impression reproduced in WW, I would guess we’re talking maybe a couple of hundred yards or so. Not very long, but a tunnel nevertheless. So could this be a forerunner of the future, 21st century-style, of canal restoration and new build — plastic tunnels (and why not plastic balance beams and bollards for good measure). But what could be done almost immediately? Well, there’s the obvi- ous opportunity also on the S. Oxford not far from Banbury, to the north at Fenny Compton, where the existing cutting is known as The Tunnel. Probably most of us have passed this way — easy-peasy to stick a few panels of plastic (or even glass, as envisaged at Banbury) from bank to bank, over the top. Then you can get seriously wet negotiating Foxton Flight in the rain. A covered stair- case — now that would be a genuine rival attraction to the inclined plane. Nearer to home, is it too ridiculous to suggest the top be taken off Blisworth Tunnel to be re- placed so we can stay in daylight as we go through? Taking into account that all the work might disturb the ghosts in there, and even though some of us enjoy being in the dark, such a scheme would certainly come to the aid of those of nervous disposition who at the moment opt to bail out and proceed on foot over the top. But how would Milton Keynes view the challenge? Over the years the perceived en- terprise demonstrated by burghers of MK has appeared to open up areas of funding and speed of building which others elsewhere have not been able to emulate and con- sequently has led to a variety of innovative developments of urban “progress”. A roof over the canal at Newlands linking with a covered walkway through Campbell Park to MK Centre shouldn’t be beyond their capabilities! I merely pass on the idea... Items needed for Boat Gathering tombola We are holding a fundraising tombola for waterway causes at our Boat Gathering in May. Would you able to gift prizes for this? Please bring items along to any Branch Meeting and hand them to a committee member. Otherwise, offerings will be gratefully accepted at the Gathering. Very many thanks. 4 DIARY DATES March 11th 8pm IWA Northampton Branch AGM at The Walnut Tree Inn, Blisworth, followed by Tony Conder –- Gloucester Docks. 18th 7.30 IWA Eastern Region AGM, Peterborough Indoor Bowls Club, Burton Street, Peterborough, PE1 5HA. 22 & 23rd Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership Needs You. More details see page 23. 24th 7.45 Milton Keynes Branch Meeting at MK Village Pavilion, Worelle Ave- nue, Middleton, MK. Lee King and Neil Owen from CRT — Lock Gates - building, repair and abuse. April 8th 8pm IWA Northampton Branch Meeting at The Walnut Tree Inn, Blisworth. Speaker: James Griffin — History of Wyvern Shipping. 11th &12th Milton Keynes Branch canal clean-up, Fenny Stratford to Wolverton. Those attending by boat are asked to be at Fenny Lock Thursday /Friday for Health and Safety briefing at 9.30am. Details from www.waterways.org.uk/miltonkeynes/cleanups. 13th 10am Reminiscing Day at Stoke Bruerne. For more details see page 23. 17th 8pm Friends of Canal Museum talk by Steve Morley — Tale of Two Canals. Venue to be confirmed. www.friendsofcanalmuseum.org.uk. 28th 7.45 Milton Keynes Branch Meeting at MK Village Pavilion, Worelle Ave- nue, Middleton, MK. Speaker: Mathew Armitage, Director of Tooleys Boatyard. — Tooleys Boatyard-past and present. May 13th 8pm IWA Northampton Branch Meeting at The Walnut Tree Inn, Blisworth. Speaker: David Ingleby — Huddersfield Narrows. Branch Task Party dates on the Northampton Arm February 9th, 18th, 23rd. March 11th, 23rd. April 8th, 27th. May 13th. June 1st. For details see web site or contact [email protected] Buckingham Canal Society Work Party dates March 6th, 9th, 20th. April 3rd, 13th, 17th. May 1st, 11th, 15th, 29th. June 8th, 12th, 26th. Further details contact Athina Beckett on 01908 662127 IWA Northampton Branch web site www.waterways.org.uk/northampton Please visit it regularly to see any updates 5 6 Stowe Hill Wharf, Heyford Lane, Weedon, Northants NN7 4SF Tel: 01327 341365 Proprietor Robert Gudgeon welcomes you to Stowe Hill Workshop Full Repaints Hull Blacking/Stern Gear Inspection and Repairs Engine Repairs and Maintenance Complete Fit-Out and Woodwork Alterations Plumbing Installations and Repairs Electrical Installations and Repairs Stockists of Morris Oils and Grease Full range of Batteries always available (please let us know your requirements) By road we are easily found, a few yards off the A5 at Stowe Hill towards Nether Heyford. By boat close to Bridge 26 ALL WORK UNDERTAKEN, FROM SIMPLE TASKS TO COMPLETE FIT-OUTS 7 Branch Chairman’s Jottings by Bernard Morton What a baptism of excess water the early part of 2014 produced. And 2013 hardly bowed out waterless, either. The levels on the Nene remained high for several weeks, with flood waters gushing through the fully opened locks a familiar and somewhat frightening sight. On the canals, levels were consistently high, too, which made you realise their vital importance as a flood conduit although the water escap- ing down the Northampton Arm to the Nene only inevitably added to the swollen levels there. As always in these conditions, moorers in the River Tove at Stoke Bruerne bottom lock had their own particular flooding problems to deal with – some- thing well described and pictured in Endeavour over the years. I feel a vote of thanks must go to EA personnel who must have faced daily challeng- es. On the ground especially did anyone actually have a restful and peaceful Christ- mas and New Year period? I doubt it. Sincere thanks for all your efforts – we may grouse from time to time but appreciation where and when it is due. Looking into my crystal ball, I see I may be commenting on a drought later in the year – but don’t count on it … 2015 BECKET’S PARK RALLY. Possibility is turning into probability about a major national IWA boat festival or gathering on the Nene at Becket’s Park, North- ampton, in 2015. Next year is the year, as you are probably by now well aware, which marks the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Northampton Arm when, of course, as a Branch we want to organise something special to celebrate the occasion. As I mentioned in last Endeavour, Northampton Borough Council, the Environment Agency, the Canal & River Trust and other relevant bodies are all in favour of what I have called a “Becket’s Park spectacular”. Exploratory meetings involving the vari- ous groups have already been held and by the time you read this a decision regarding the status of the event could well have been taken by IWA’s trustees. We shall up- date the latest situation on the Branch website. The favoured date seems to be the August Bank Holiday weekend. Meanwhile, detailed planning for this year’s Branch Boat Gathering at Braunston is now well underway. The dates of Friday to Monday 2nd – 5th May coincide with the May Day Bank Holiday weekend, and an entry form is included with this issue of Endeavour or can be obtained off the Branch website. Further details of the event are given on pages 1 & 18 while Tim Coghlan, who runs Braunston Marina where we shall be based, has contributed an article starting on page 20. Our sincere thanks to Tim for his generosity in allowing us to hold our Gathering at the marina and also to his colleagues for their invaluable guidance and general back up in its organisation.