The Story of the BCN Boundary Post
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Boundary Edition 207 Post Winter 2015 On the Main Line close to Smethwick Junction a wall fell down from a factory on the left side tow path coming away from Birmingham. It broke the BCNS sign directing boaters to Wolverhampton, Birmingham and Spon Lane Junction via Old Main Line. It remained in this broken state for a couple of years while it was agreed who was to blame. The photo on the right shows how this sign looks now. It has lost it’s BCNS sign on the polo at the top and now just says Smethwick Junction. This is a shame but it does now direct the boaters once more. The Journal of the Birmingham Canal Navigations Society Free to members 50p when sold bcnsociety.com Boundary Post Winter 2015 Edition 207 Council Members - 2014 - 2015 President : Martin O’Keeffe Vice-Presidents: Ron Cousens, Phil Clayton, Cllr. David Sparks, Rob Starkey, Chairman & web man: Press & Publicity: CHARLEY JOHNSTON 07825816623 Kath O’’Keeffe [email protected] [email protected] Vice Chair & Rally Organiser Press & Publicity Assistant BARRIE JOHNSON 0121 422 4373 Martin O’Keeffe [email protected] [email protected] Treasurer: Sales: DAVE DENT REBECCA SMITH KEARY 38 Greenland Mews, London, SE8 5JW [email protected] 01562 850234 020 8691 9190 [email protected] Health & Safety Secretary: & Planning Officer ARTHUR FARGE tel: 0121 745 4266 IVOR CAPLAN email: [email protected] tel: 07778685764 [email protected] Supporting members to Council Membership ALAN VENESS tel: 0121 355 4732 Talks and Presentations 43 Pilkington Ave, Sutton Coldfield, B72 PHIL CLAYTON 07890921413 1LA email: [email protected] [email protected] Work Party Co-ordinator: Work Party Administrator MIKE ROLFE 07763 171735 Michael Smith-Keary 01562 850234 [email protected] Buildings & Heritage Vacant position BCNS Explorer Cruise Stuart & Marie Sherratt 07510167288 Boundary Post Editor [email protected] BRENDA WARD [email protected] 0121 355 6351 BCNS 24 Hour Challenge Roy Kenn 01922 428644 Youth Liaison Officer John Carrington KATE SELF [email protected] [email protected] 07929401682 Fundraiser: Archives & Heritage Boats MIKE BUTLER IVOR CHAMBERS tel: 0121 707 1690 tel: 01299 879923 [email protected] Official Photographer New Council Member Kevin Maslin GEOFF WINSLOW [email protected] [email protected] Atlas & Malus Manager Paul Smith: [email protected] 2 Boundary Post Winter 2015 Edition 207 Contents Page Council Details 2 Editorial 3 Chairman’s notes 4 Atlas & Malus 5 BCN Boundary Posts 6 New President’s Report 7 Happy New Year to you all. Society’s Artefacts 8 Photo Quiz 9 This is my first Boundary Post since BCN Cruise 10 relinquishing my position of Chairman and it Beery Boaters 12 is taking a bit of getting used to but the new Atlas & Malus 2015 13 year will see our new Chairman, Charley Dudley Canal Trust News 14 Johnston getting into the job with much Ray Shill Paradise ST. Wharf 15 enthusiasm. We know he is keen and ready Bridge Moving 60 Years Ago 18 to learn supported by all the members of Trap Makers Bridge 20 the Society’s Council. Bob - A Tribute 21 Book Reviews 22 I enjoy editing this journal as I continue to Walking forgotten BCN 23 receive such interesting items from so many Lapal Canal £5,000 Grant 25 members. This time I received a letter from New Members & Letters 26 a member who had just joined & lives in Work Party Report 28 Edinburgh but was brought up in the Tribute to Bob & Geoff 29 Bradley Canal area. Ray Shill’s article this Social Meetings 30 time is slightly different to his usual and I found it particularly interesting. The contact from the Beery Boaters could be beneficial to those of you who like your real ale! Next Boundary It was most pleasing to see the diary for Post Atlas & Malus’s movements. Though before Editor welcomes any next season Atlas needs a great deal of work & requires helpers to carry this out. interesting and Please don’t leave it to the few - even if you relevant information relating to can only manage a day contact Paul Smith. the BCN in the form of news items, My favourite article this time is the one from Fred Heritage & Sadie related after 60 photographs, letters, notes or years with illustrations including a couple of articles to be sent by photos from the Will King collection. This March 1st just shows that there are likely to be many interesting stories out there about the BCN. Email: [email protected] If you have a tale to tell - let me know about it & it can be shared with all our members! Address: 9 Wylde Green Road, Sutton Coldfield B72 1HB I look forward to hearing from you! Tel: 01213556351 Brenda Mobile: 07961177553 3 Boundary Post Winter 2015 Edition 207 We do a lot – meetings, rallies, cruis- es, challenges, running historic boats Chairman’s and work boats, a truck, burger bar, bar, websites, Facebook, Notes Boundary Post and many other things. Should we do more? Should we do less? Should we do things in the same way? Should we do things I was honoured (and some what differently? Are we sharing the work- surprised) to be asked to chair our load in the best way? Society, and I am looking forward to There are many in the Society who I helping to bring the Society on in to don’t know, and even more who I the new year and the further future. don’t know as well as I should. Where from here? Please contact me with your ideas as to how we should move forward, Firstly I need to learn a lot. I am because one thing is certain, as with acutely aware that I am new to the every other organisation, if we do not BCN, and simple arithmetic means move on to adapt to changing circum- that I will never have the experience stances, we will wither and decay. of members like Fred Heritage, Roy We have too much to hold on to for and Jean Dobbs and others of you that to be a good move. who have spent a lifetime around this outstanding canal system. So I will Finally (and this comes a bit oddly as depend heavily on others experience, I am writing in early December) I wish to which hopefully I can add a new- all of you and the Society all the very comers view. So if I come to you best for 2015. asking “What are we doing?”, and “Why are we doing it this way?” it ****************** simply means that I am trying learn I would like to add to Charley’s notes what is happening. as out going Chairman & as Boundary Post Editor. Charley has emphasised We have a great canal system (The his lack of knowledge about the BCN BCN is one of the reasons that I am & people associated with it but being living here in the West Midlands), and the man Charley is it won’t be long a great Society dedicated to this before he catches up. The first year in system, thanks to the commitment and work of those of you who started any job is a time for learning as I and ran it. A particular thank you found myself but once into the swing here to Brenda, who has provided me of it it will become an enjoyable task with the challenge of having run as I discovered. I along with all mem- things so well. (It is much easier to bers of our Council will support and take over from someone who has advice appropriate to Charley’s done a poor job.) needs. We wish him all the very best. 4 Boundary Post Winter 2015 Edition 207 End of Season Report Traditionally September is a busy month for A&M, and this year was no exception with three events over three consecutive weekends. The first to be attended was the Black Country Boating Festival at Windmill End. Unlike last year the weather was fine and dry helping to bring out a lot of A letter of thanks from visitors. The following weekend saw A&M in Tipton for John Carrington: their annual community canal festival. The final rally in Atlas and Malus – Thank you September was at Parkhead which was as popular as Paul & Jeff ever. The last event of the year for A&M was the BCNS Bonfire Rally at Smethwick. The boats Although I have regularly hired attendance this year was very different from previous narrow boats for nearly 15 years the years as it was part of a Duke of Edinburgh awards thought of crewing an ex working residential with twelve young adults staying on board, boat and butty was quite daunting. learning to crew and help build the bonfire. Ivor did a Nevertheless when volunteers were fantastic job of getting the boats ready in time, required to crew Atlas and Malus I thank you Ivor. eagerly put my name forward. Very soon I was contacted by Paul Smith Now with winter upon us it's time for some who offered me a number of much needed maintenance. If you're interested opportunities to help. I was in helping out please let me know. immediately impressed by his See page 13 for next years programme prompt response, efficiency and I duly arrived at my allotted time, still slightly apprehensive, but satisfied that if the welcome and ‘training’ was as good as the management of the volunteer process I was obviously in safe hands.