ennine Link PMagazine of the Canal Society

Issue 204 Winter 2018 Huddersfield Canal Society Ltd Registered in No. 1498800 Registered Charity No. 510201 Registered Address: Progress House 396 Wilmslow Road Withington M20 3BN ennine Transhipment Warehouse, Wool Road, Dobcross, , Lancashire, OL3 5QR Link Office Hours: Monday - Thursday 08.30 -16.00 Friday 08.30 -13.00 P Issue 204 Telephone: 01457 871800 EMail: [email protected] Bob Gough Website: www.huddersfieldcanal.com Patrons: Timothy West & Prunella Scales President: David Sumner MBE

Council of Management Alan Stopher 101 Birkby Hall Road, Birkby, Huddersfield, Chairman West , HD2 2XE Tel: 01484 511499 Trevor Ellis 20 Batley Avenue, Marsh, Huddersfield, Vice-Chairman , HD1 4NA Tel: 01484 534666 Mike McHugh The Old Chapel, Netherton Fold, Huddersfield, Treasurer & Co. Secretary West Yorkshire, HD4 7HB Tel: 01484 661799 Patricia Bayley 17 Greenroyd Croft, Birkby Hall Road, Huddersfield, Council Member West Yorkshire, HD2 2DQ Graham Birch HCS Ltd, Transhipment Warehouse, Wool Road, Dobcross, Council Member Oldham, Lancashire, OL3 5QR Tel: 01457 871800 Martin Clark HCS Ltd, Transhipment Warehouse, Wool Road, Dobcross, Council Member Oldham, Lancashire, OL3 5QR Tel: 01457 871800 Keith Noble The Dene, Triangle, Sowerby Bridge, Council Member West Yorkshire, HX6 3EA Tel: 01422 823562 Peter Rawson 45 Boulderstone Road, Stalybridge, Cheshire, SK15 1HJ Council Member Tel: 0161 303 8003 Keith Sykes BEM 1 Follingworth, , West Yorkshire, HD7 5XD Gate components in store at the Wool Road car park. As part of CRT’s Winter maintenance programme Council Member Tel: 01484 841519 on the Narrow, the single tailgates at Locks 27 & 28W on the Diggle Flight will be replaced. The substantial steelwork sits in the workboat and supports each gate at an angle so it can pass under Eric Woulds HCS Ltd, Transhipment Warehouse, Wool Road, Dobcross, Wool Road Bridge during transport ‘upstream’ to each Lock; not enough headroom for vertical stacking. Council Member Oldham, Lancashire, OL3 5QR Tel: 01457 871800 Tony Zajac HCS Ltd, Transhipment Warehouse, Wool Road, Dobcross, Council Member Oldham, Lancashire, OL3 5QR Tel: 01457 871800 Editorial 4 Towpath Works Completed 20 Chairman’s Report 7 Street Scene Greenfield Group 22 NON-COUNCIL POST Scary Shuttle Rides Again 10 UCAN 23 Bob Gough Administrator Stalybridge Town Centre 12 Minutes, Quills & J Hasslegreave 24 HCS Volunteer Activities 2018 16 Bugsworth Basin Heritage Trust 26 Do You Like Boating? 18 Solution to Quiz 30 Christmas Quiz 19 220 Club - Nineteenth Draw 31

The views expressed in Pennine Link are not necessarily those of Huddersfield Canal Society Ltd Cover: A wintry scene at Lock 4E, Longroyd Bridge, Huddersfield. Photo: Alan Stopher

2 - Pennine Link Pennine Link - 3 impossible to work out in financial terms It also means that we don’t have to worry Editorial the true value of the operation that is so much about our income if there are no attached to our volunteers. passengers about. In organisations, people Welcome along to We wouldn’t have any heritage railways are the biggest resource. In commercial the Winter edition or aircraft or boats or anything to do with It is the same up and down the country. everyday life staff and what they do cost. of Pennine Link transport, or the National Trust, parent It is sometimes a little more obvious with Everything has a price. Volunteering works magazine. It is teachers associations in schools, or some attractions such as heritage railways. for a lot of organisations because it means right and fitting churches or museums themselves, because But, whether it is a railway or a canal, the that a number of people can share one that we have these and similar organisations depend running of such attractions costs time and particular job or post. just seen the and rely on volunteers for their very money. The importance of volunteers end of the Great existence either totally or in part. within our own canal society cannot be It works because volunteers on the whole, War being commemorated in deep and underestimated. do the job because they want to, they get When people work they give up their penetrating detail. Now, a hundred years something out of it. In a lot of positions, if time and get paid for it. Everything you Just imagine, for a moment, that we had later, most people are educated enough to this wasn’t the case we would not be able purchase is a product of someone else’s no volunteers working for and within the understand what that war meant. to attract and keep our volunteers. time and effort. You really don’t pay for HCS, but instead we had to pay each People from villages, towns and cities the materials, you pay for the amount of person, say an hourly rate to come and do Let’s look at one of the volunteer positions up and down the land were asked to time each person has spent assembling their particular task within the society. in the HCS which exists today, that of volunteer to join up. Some lied about their bit of it as part of the whole. The wages bill would be horrendous skipper on the Marsden Shuttle. We their age, enthused and persuaded, and we would be bankrupt within the advertise for volunteers to help run the This then I hope, is a way of revealing that sometimes embarrassed or enticed to take month. But because we have people who boat. The boat needs crew and before we society as a whole, despite what people the King’s shilling! Whatever the reasons; volunteer and offer their time, skills and can take it along the canal and give rides say about it, still has elements contained they went. knowledge to the society on a “no charge” to the public, the crew have to undergo within it which drive people and allow basis, (and don’t claim expenses!) it means training at various levels so that they are Volunteering was for most, seen as a them to donate their time to perceived that we can keep boat trip prices at a competent and can operate the boat safely step in the right direction towards glory, good causes. reasonable level. heroism or altruism or all three. At that We, as a canal society, benefit greatly time, the sense of comradeship was a very from people who give up some of their strong thing. After a fairly long period in time freely. If all the volunteers in the training camps they went, but within a Huddersfield Canal Society, at every level, very short space of time spent on the front just walked away from their positions, line, it dawned on each and every one of then we would cease to exist as a canal them that there was absolutely no glory in society. The canal would immediately be it, in a way not dissimilar to finding out on dependent upon a handful of individuals one’s first visit, that the streets of London who would try to maintain it initially but are not actually paved with Gold! But because of the controls on funding and once discovered; there is then no going the myriad of jobs that go into keeping back. Disappointment is a very polite a venture of this nature going, then I’m noun. afraid it would go downhill very quickly. However, a hundred years on in this Since closure of the canal in the 1940s green and pleasant land people still and the subsequent restoration work that volunteer; thank goodness! If the action Emma Liversidge was put in to bring it back to life, initially of volunteering had fizzled out of fashion by unpaid volunteers together with the years ago, we would not be in the funding and the massive collaboration wonderful position of having preserved of local authorities etc., we now find canals or societies like the Huddersfield ourselves in a position whereby it is Volunteers afloat at Tunnel End; operating the Marsden Shuttle for the Halloween event this year. Canal Society. As they say, a volunteer is worth two, or ten, pressed men - depending on your source.

4 - Pennine Link Pennine Link - 5 and properly. It’s not like a bike whereby Some people like to drive out and spend you just jump on and go. the day on a boat in a rural location in Chairman’s Report the fresh air, some find it a way of getting There are different levels of training The autumn colours • Manns Wharf embankment - Repairs a break from their normal everyday job depending on what your position of in the to prevent leakage and some just like messing about in responsibility is on board the boat. are particularly boats but whatever their answer is, the • Lock 27W - Replacement tailgate, We can therefore immediately see that good this year but common thread is, they do it mainly lock ladder and carrying out repairs to volunteers who work on our boat have to there is a wintry for the enjoyment that it gives them or improve by-wash leakage be prepared to undergo at last some basic chill in the air as I the pleasure that they get out of it and form of training to begin with and so a write this piece in • Lock 28W - Replacement tailgate because it rewards both sides it exists certain level of commitment is required. early November. Some sort of normality almost like a form of symbiotic relationship • Lock 29W - Repairs to lock gate gradually returned to the Pennine Now before I go any further it might whereby they get satisfaction from it at the waterways during late September but • Lock 30W and Lock 32W - Grouting seem to be all give, give, give but in this same time as giving a service and pleasure there was not much of a window for boats of the lock walls in order to reduce situation those who volunteer have all said to others. to traverse the Huddersfield Narrow Canal leakage and repairs to the wash-wall that they get a real sense of enjoyment Sometimes in life you do things just for the before the start of the winter maintenance where required in the area. (The and pleasure in return for operating the fun of it and those experiences become, in programme. photograph on the Contents page boat. Ask each person who operates the a lot of cases; priceless! shows the scene adjacent to Wool Road Marsden Shuttle what they get out of it At first, passage on the previously closed Tony Zajac car park occupied with new lock gates east side, from Locks 1E to 42E, was and you will receive as many different for the Diggle flight) answers as there are volunteers operating permitted on Monday mornings as a trial the boat. from 31st August. This continued for • Between the eastern portal of 3 or 4 weeks until there was sufficient Standedge Tunnel and the first bridge - water to lift restrictions. Unfortunately Wash wall repairs and refurbishment of an unplanned stoppage in mid-October the sluice and weir resulted from ‘sink holes’ appearing in • Between Aqueduct & Lock 12E . This led to Locks 9E and - Stonemasonry repairs on the spillway 11E being padlocked for 10 days until of the weir the problem could be investigated and temporary repairs made. Reopening gave • Lock 1E - Repairs to the head and tail little time for through navigation before gates the end of the main cruising season and Although not directly affecting navigation, the start of winter maintenance closures. CRT has also started to repair the spillway The closures which are now underway on at March Haigh Reservoir. The piece the Narrow Canal should all be completed in the Huddersfield Examiner reported before Christmas. Sensibly, the Rochdale the use of a helicopter to carry over 20 planned works start after Christmas which tonnes of material, operational pipework implies that at least one of these Trans- and ducting to obviate damage to the Pennine passages should be available surrounding Site of Special Scientific throughout the winter. From west to east Interest. The article quoted the Trust’s the main works are: construction manager as saying “The work will take a few weeks to complete and will • Locks 9W and 10W - Grouting of lock ensure that the reservoir can operate and walls to prevent leakage Trevor Ellis continue to feed the Huddersfield Narrow • Lock 17W - Replacement of tailgates, Canal for everyone to enjoy.” From this lock ladder and carrying out of masonry one might assume that the reservoir feeds Coincidentally afloat: The Society maintenance volunteers tackling overhanging trees below Lock 1E. and other repairs the canal directly but this has not been

6 - Pennine Link Pennine Link - 7 the case for some years. CRT continue to been made to help pay for a Sustrans- period since 1910. The prolonged dry Society. His knowledge and enthusiasm maintain March Haigh, and other Pennine led feasibility study for the proposed weather this summer had particularly for the northern part of the South Pennine reservoirs which formerly supplied the Greenway between Slaithwaite and affected Pennine areas, Lancashire Ring will be a great loss to the waterway canal, as a commitment under the so- Marsden. Informal investigations have suffering the lowest rainfall with only 25% fraternity. called Scammonden Agreement in which taken place to map out walking and horse- of the normal average. Adam went on to My wife Ali and I took a break from UK Huddersfield Corporation took the water riding routes in this part of the valley and explain some of the mitigating measures waterways and travelled by train to a for drinking in exchange for a supply this may result in improved signage of taken this summer and updated us on how number of Spanish cities in October and piped from Scammonden Reservoir to the routes away from the busy roads such as the Water Resources Strategy is planning it gave us the chance to meet up with valve chamber at Lock 42E in Marsden. the A62. There is a continuing recognition for investment over the next 50 years. President David Sumner and his wife This agreement is up for renewal in the that the eventual scheme will be ‘braided’ These meetings give waterway societies Diana in their new home city of Valencia. coming years so we will hear more about and not focus wholly on the canal towpath a chance to share information and It was a good opportunity to catch up face it in the future. with its general narrowness and pinch– learn from each other. We finished to face after a period of two years. points. The work at Tunnel End described above with a walk around two sites in the As we approach Christmas I was will mean a suspension of tunnel trip The new towpath surface between Churnet Valley which are the focus of pleased to see the Inland Waterways operations until 9th January 2019 and it Longroyd Bridge and Milnsbridge has at restoration by CUCT as well as a restored Association are selling a card with a new will also affect our own Marsden Shuttle. last been completed and photographs of accommodation bridge over the Uttoxeter design featuring Lime Kiln Lock and the This has been the most successful year the completed work can be viewed in this Canal (below). Saddleworth Viaduct. I wish our readers for the Shuttle for a long time. More edition on pages 20-21. We were saddened to learn of the death the compliments of the season and hope crews have been recruited and trained The autumn Customer Forum has now of Brian Holden, the former Chairman they do receive lots of cards with such a and our little boat has run more days taken place in the North West Region of and guiding light of the Rochdale Canal design. than in previous years as a result. Our the Canal & River Trust and some idea Alan Stopher close working relationship with the staff of the new structure is emerging. The at Standedge Visitor Centre has meant usual autumn Operation & Maintenance that there will be many couples with meeting has been delayed to allow for happy memories of their Shuttle trip the new organisation to bed in but I’m to their wedding reception. The HCS hopeful that something can be arranged Maintenance team have been busy on a before Christmas. number of tasks and the occasional use of a CRT workboat has extended their efforts Fellow Council members continue to to hard to reach sections. Both groups of attend meetings with organisations other volunteers have a continuing and positive than the Canal and River Trust. Keith impact on the way that the Huddersfield Sykes and I attended the October meeting Narrow Canal is appreciated by local of the Northern Canals Association which people and visitors. I would like to put on was hosted by the Caldon and Uttoxeter record my thanks for the efforts put in by Canals Trust (CUCT) at Denstone near the maintenance and boat teams this year. Uttoxeter. We had an informative presentation from Adam Comerford, Your Society has continued to contribute CRT’s National Hydrology Manager, who to consultations on towpath improvements showed some intriguing maps analysing in the Colne Valley. Funding decisions are Alan Stopher the weather impact on the UK waterways awaited on whether any money can be in 2018 and comparing it with earlier allocated through Cycle City Connect to years, particularly the driest ones. The the section of towpath from Milnsbridge period from June to August 2018 was the to Slaithwaite. The case for this will be Crumpwood Weir: Steve Wood will be known to those who were involved in the Pennine Explorer cruise joint hottest summer quarter recorded in 2017. Here he explains the restoration work planned at Crumpwood Weir on the Uttoxeter Canal. weighed against other schemes in West along with 2003, 2006 and 1976 but In the background is the River Churnet and the weir is behind the substantial abutment to the right. Yorkshire. In a bid for funds has in England it had been the hottest such The canal crossed the river at this point and entered the foreground chamber on its way towards Uttoxeter.

8 - Pennine Link Pennine Link - 9 The shout of, “Sorry, we can only take Will the Scary Shuttle ride again? You bet! The Scary Shuttle Rides Again ... 12 at a time!” was made several times Roll on Halloween 2019 ... come if you that day, from under my skeleton mask. dare! Preparations for the (now) annual The ‘Scary Shuttle 2018’ made its maiden John M Liversidge Perhaps they had not heard, as they surged Halloween Scary Shuttle (Marsden Shuttle) voyage on Sunday 28th with everybody forward? It was a good job that Mick and Syd Barnett sailing from the Standedge Tunnel to Lock getting into their role and enjoying a Martin had turned up to help on bank side 42E were under way early this year. fairly steady day; even though the typical ... bet they didn’t know they would be The ‘Skull’ takes the tiller Marsden weather tried to spoil things. The team, Terry Lomas, Syd Barnett doing crowd control! Bring it on, I thought. However, it was a successful day and and myself, were concocting an array everybody had got into the spirit of things The day continued apace, the Shuttle was of scariness as early as the August Bank ready for the big day on Halloween. running with full trips most of the day and Holiday, so that by the second week of I reckon, over the two days, we must have October we had our eye-catching scary Halloween morning dawned, quite carried about three hundred passengers! posters and flyers (designed by Eric Woulds) unbelievably, with a blue sky and sunshine ready to hit the un-expecting public and - we could not have wished for a better I’ve got to say that all the effort made by draw in the thrill seekers. day. Another early start for me ensured the everybody concerned was well worthwhile outside of the Shuttle was trimmed ‘up to and we were rewarded by the looks on the Syd and I distributed these to local schools, the nines’ with skeletons, spiders, balloons children’s faces and their comments: shops, libraries, camera clubs, you name and ‘Halloween Beware’ tape. Terry and “See, I told you it was scary.” it, they got a poster! Also, crew members Syd, joining me later, completed the scary “Can we go on again?” Mick Hunter and Martin Durkin targeted task before we set sail with lights flashing, “Wait till I tell them at school.” Marsden village centre with the scary skeletons swinging and scary music drifting posters, whilst Eric kindly put it on our The raffle (expertly devised and run by out of the cabin. We were on our way ... Facebook page. We were also grateful to Terry) was drawn and now, with a degree Iain Weston and Alice Patefield at CRT for As we turned the blind corner and of sadness, we started to take all the their help in promoting the event. went under the low bridge towards the trimmings down and pack them away. Standedge Tunnel we were met with It had been such good fun and a good Costumes and props were dug out and crowds of eagerly awaiting children some laugh. It had been a long, but extremely revamped(!) and further decorations were accompanied by their terrified parents: worthwhile, two days. donated by the crew to help transform the Shuttle into a chilling horror ride for ”Dare we go on?” children and adults alike.

John ‘the Skull’ Liversidge with Count-er Syd Barnett on the tiller of the Marsden Shuttle - Scary for the occasion. Emma Liversidge Mike McHugh

A quick ‘snapchat’ before losing all hope aboard ...

10 - Pennine Link Pennine Link - 11 • Working to improve the landscaping of underused and derelict brownfield sites Stalybridge Town Centre alongside the canal with particular and their redevelopment will help provide attention to the approach to the town new homes to repopulate the town centre Stalybridge Volunteer Group such as supermarket trolleys for example, centre at Staly Wharf. The original whilst also helping to protect against new have made this happen. The Group has This Group, organised by Staybridge Town tree planting from 1994 has got out development in the surrounding Greenbelt. removed significant quantities of such items Team, has been helping keep the canal of hand here with many self-seeded These are exciting times for the town. from the canal, and although there will no and part of the town centre clear of litter trees and bushes that need to be The recent completion of the Summers doubt be more yet to be removed, this will and debris for over four years. It is well thinned out. Despite previous work Quay Development at Armentières Square mean there are much fewer instances of supported by Tesco Stalybridge, Holy Trinity here there is plenty of trapped litter in has provided 69 apartments and a further grounding here. Church, Local Councillors and indeed the undergrowth and original access redevelopment of land at Castle Street is the whole community. The difference Our current main thrust is to try and paths through the trees have totally bringing more people to live in the town our monthly Clear Up session makes is remove and control the abundance of disappeared. Additionally, a long length centre. These successful developments tremendous and much appreciated. A new weeds that are taking over the offside of decorative railings which separates should give investors the confidence to volunteers’ cabin should be in place over towpath particularly opposite the Tesco the landscaped embankment from High bring forward their plans to redevelop in the coming months which will be more in Store. This area is mainly frequented by a Street above the canal is in dire need other areas of the town centre. keeping with its prominent location in the flock of Canada Geese who use this area as of some attention. Repainting this in I have been asked to sit on the STCC Board town centre. Funding for the cabin has a toilet to dispose of the processed remains its original colours would make such a and to lead a sub group entitled River been secured through the Canal and River of the large quantities of bread provided difference to the whole area. and Canal. We will be looking at ways of Trust’s Community Roots programme and by some of the local residents. Our main • Improving the lock surrounds and improving the environment around these Tesco’s Bags of Help scheme. enemy here though is the prolific Buddleia painting the lock gates and gearing at two major assets of the town centre and at plants which seem to be able to thrive The canal through Stalybridge was built Locks 4W to 7W. Lock 6W is in the the potential for greening up other areas anywhere in town including atop some of with 1.5m (about 5ft) clear depth of centre of Armentières Square and is a of the town. We will also consider if there the buildings. Their root systems can cause water right up to the wash walls except prominent feature of the town centre. are locations where better access could significant damage if the plants are not kept close to Mottram Road where the depth be made alongside the river and how in check. • Using a workboat to remove otherwise reduces to 1.2m (about 4ft) and plenty better links could be made from the town inaccessible self-seeded trees, shrubs of mooring rings were provided. In In addition to our normal clear up centre to nearby local attractions such as and weeds and to refurbish and restock these circumstances you wouldn’t expect campaign we hope next year, with Cheetham Park and Gorse Hall. the canal side planters that help soften narrow boats to be bottoming out. There assistance from colleagues at the Canal and the edge of the canal. In terms of the canal, you will be aware have been times however when items, River Trust (the Trust), to be: - that the town appears to have developed Whilst we have a great group of committed a poor reputation amongst the boating volunteers and good attendance at our A dedicated Group with Peter Rawson, far right. community through instances of anti-social sessions, the more people we have, the behaviour. We are looking to improve this more we can achieve. If you would like situation by initially considering, with Trust to volunteer to help here in Stalybridge or colleagues, the provision of some secure indeed anywhere else on the Huddersfield Narrow then please contact Dr Bob Gough at the HCS office. Town Centre canal at its best following restoration. Stalybridge Town Centre Challenge (STCC) Each Metropolitan Borough in the Greater Manchester conurbation has chosen a small town to take part in the Town Challenge Tameside MBC Dave Sweeton initiative promoted by the ‘Metro‘ Mayor Andy Burnham. The idea being to promote and support the redevelopment of these towns. Stalybridge has many areas

12 - Pennine Link Pennine Link - 13 moorings within the town centre. An early ‘quick win’ proposal is being considered Happy Volunteers, one and all! which would provide secure moorings Photos: Dave Sweeton for up to three boats on the offside at Millers Wharf, which is just downstream of Mottram Road. This will be subject to approval by the Trust and Planning Approval but we already have funding pledged through HCS, Stalybridge Town Team and nine local Tameside Councillors who represent the town. Proposals for secure moorings at other sites will follow on including alongside development sites at Castle Street and Staly Wharf where these can be integrated into the development proposals and the provision of power and other service facilities for boaters can be considered. As the population in the town centre increases there will inevitably be some element of self-policing but we will be working with the integrated Neighbourhood team to develop better links with the Police and looking at the various CCTV Security Systems across the town. A well-used and maintained canal and the activity and colour that narrow boats can bring on the water is a really important component in the redevelopment of Stalybridge. Peter Rawson

14 - Pennine Link By May, the boat had escaped from 26E HCS Volunteer Activities in 2018 and was located on the isolated length Our activities below Kirklees College at Lock 2E. There used to settle into had been a frequent source of boaters’ something of a complaints during the previous season; pattern, with the the chamber of the old Lock 2E, where winter months dangling brambles were making the spent cutting back passage uncomfortable. The whole of vegetation and May and June were spent there, before collecting litter and the Summer mainly the boat was needed for some work in painting. This year has been somewhat , repairing Lock ladders. It different with the arrival of a work boat would be some time before it would on the scene. We started off in January be useable again as the drought set in, in Ashton, cutting back vegetation on leaving it stranded above Lock 17E. both the towpath side and the offside July and August saw us in the Dobcross/ and continued up the locks onto the Diggle area, firstly painting the new gates long pound towards Stalybridge. Given at Lock 25W, followed by a vegetation the state of the weather in the early clearance along the towpath. The HCS part of the year, we lost a couple of office also received some attention, as sessions, but all went well until March, trees were starting to touch the roof and when the boat was needed on the the pathway needed attention. At the east side and we commenced work at end of August we intended to resume West Slaithwaite. As we were moving painting at Ramsden Mills, but the down towards Slaithwaite, we scraped breaking of the weather saw us back to the vegetation off Lock 26E and then vegetation bashing there around Lock discovered two things; firstly we couldn’t 14E and down to Milnsbridge. close one tailgate, and secondly the boat Finally, at the start of October, we was firmly aground in the lock chamber! managed to liberate the boat from This turned out to be some serious silting Linthwaite and we have since been which had found its way into the canal tackling the offside from there to from the river. Contractors had to be Milnsbridge, including the bend below used to tackle the problem, with what Golcar where a stream crosses, causing turned out to be mixed results that would silting and allowing trees to establish drag on into the Summer. themselves in the channel. For the rest While the boat was stranded above 26E, of the year we intend to take advantage we did a quick painting job on Lock 23E, of the need to move the boat to a work followed by litter picking on the stretch site at Lock 33E at Sparth and continue from Milnsbridge down to town, always our efforts in that direction. a fruitful source of material due to the fly Trevor Ellis tipping which takes place around Stoney Battery. More painting followed at Locks We work alternate Fridays and if 25E and 26E; if we couldn’t use the Volunteers tackiling the overhanging locks, they might as well look good! branches below Lock 1E from CRT’s you would like to join us, simply workboat. Photo: Trevor Ellis give me a call on 01484 534666

16 - Pennine Link Pennine Link - 17 DO YOU LIKE BOATING? Christmas Quiz Huddersfield Canal Society Needs You!

We need crew to help run the Marsden Shuttle. No previous experience required, just an interest in boats, canals and people! Full training if you’d like to join us. Hop aboard and have a chat with our friendly crew, or contact the HCS office for more information. Solution on Page 30, so don’t look too soon! 30, so don’t Solution on Page Eric Woulds

THE MARSDEN SHUTTLE AT TUNNEL END Huddersfield Canal Society volunteers crew the Society’s own boat, the Marsden Shuttle, operating a ‘water taxi’ service between Marsden Station and Tunnel End for visitors to Standedge Visitor Centre. We try to do this every weekend between Easter and the end of October but we need the crew. Commitment is as much or as little as you like - every day we have a Skipper and Crew is a day the Shuttle can operate. Crew just need one day training, but there’s the opportunity to train for the ‘Skippers’ Certificate’ too. It’s not too difficult, and learning to steer and control a boat is great fun. We also meet lots of people who come to admire the scenery, and want to know more about our part of the world. It’s a chance to spend days out on the most scenic stretches of canal in the country, and we have occasional trips further afield when we visit canal-side festivals, often travelling through the longest, highest and deepest tunnel on the canal network.

Looking forward to having you on board!

HUDDERSFIELD CANAL SOCIETY Though there are a number of possible answers, only one place fits the bill; not pointless at all. Tel: 01457 871800 [email protected] www.huddersfieldcanal.com

18 - Pennine Link Pennine Link - 19 Towpath Works Completed Photos: Alan Stopher 3 The Cycle City Connect project to improve 6 months over the job seems excessive. the towpath towpath work between Despite the promise of phased towpath Longroyd Bridge, Lock 4E and Milnsbridge closure, the whole stretch from Longroyd Lock 11E was finally completed in early Bridge to Lock 8E has been out of bounds November 2018. for a lengthy period during the summer There is no doubt that the finished job which has been a bone of contention with will be welcomed by towpath users. local walkers and cyclists. It is hoped that The pictures here show examples of the lessons will be learnt should funding be finished work following completion to the obtained for extending the work up the Milnsbridge end. Colne Valley. As previously reported in Plink 202 work Another issue that HCS raised with the started at Lock 4E in mid-May. The project managers during consultation straight-forward task of stripping off the was the difficulty of mooring boats when old surface and laying the new stone the paving runs to the back of the wash- base-course and Flexipave surface is no wall coping stones. There had been the doubt made more challenging by the promise of mooring rings at Stoney Battery need to ensure that any damaged canal and above Lock 6E but these will now wash-walls are reconstructed ahead of have to be installed afterwards. the footpath gang. Nevertheless, taking Alan Stopher 1 2 4

1 - A puddle marks the end of the new surfacing beside Lock 11E at Milnsbridge. 2 – Mooring rings would have been useful upstream of the lock landing stage in this location above Lock 6E. Here the Flexipave reaches the back of the wash-wall leaving no room for mooring pins. 3 – Believe it or not there is a completed good quality surface under these recently fallen leaves near Backhouse Lane bridge. 4 – It is good to see stone setts retained where they existed before. This marks an historic canal arm to Fisher’s Silk Mill which, remarkably, had to be accommodated under the pier of the Longroyd Viaduct when constructed in 1849/50.

20 - Pennine Link Pennine Link - 21 Uppermill Community Action Network Street Scene Greenfield Group

October Towpath volunteers continue their valuable work UCAN turned out in We’ve calculated that the Greenfield adopted section from Division Bridge to bad weather to clear Group met more than 22 times, amounting Manchester Road. fallen trees brought to almost 500 volunteer hours, during 2018 Many thanks to all the volunteers who down by the high winds to carry out much needed work: laying worked tirelessly over the last 12 months. of Storm Callum. Trees 22 tonnes of gravel, repairing fencing, had fallen in the picnic cutting back foliage, and repairing and/or Project dates in January 2019 are: area near Limekiln Lock repainting locks. Saturday 5th and Thursday 17th and also blocked the canal towpath near the As already published, three sessions If you haven’t volunteered beforehand and viaduct (pictured right). were helping the Uppermill group clear would like to be included on the mailing Volunteers spent the day an extensive area near the viaduct in list for future dates and details of our work, cutting through branches, Uppermill and in November, the Group please contact the Project Leader, helped Canal & River Trust cut back trees Gill McCulley on 07963 521195 or

clearing up and making UCAN the area safe. at Roaches Lock, to improve an area of email: [email protected] Special Scientific Interest (pictured below). Everyone is always warmly welcomed! November In addition, the Group has extended its Earlier in the month the team had tackled lock gate painting at Dungebooth Lock, bulb planting in the raised beds near Wade Lock (pictured left) as well as the usual litter picking along the towpath. Volunteers planted over 800 spring bulbs in the areas surrounding the Lime Kiln and Dungebooth Locks and we are really hoping for a

UCAN good display next Spring.

Work has also continued in the viaduct If you would like to get involved in our woodland in preparation for Decembers’ project days for next year, please contact tree planting session and willow stakes UCAN’s Group Leader Peter Killan on: have been cut from previously felled trees 01457 878361, or e-mail at:

to help support the new saplings. Native [email protected] SSGG wild flower bulbs have also been planted Of course, you can keep updated on our SSGG IS GREENFIELD-BASED COMMUNITY ACTION WORKING FOR in this area and UCAN would like to Groups activities by visiting our Facebook YOU TO BUILD CONFIDENCE AND PRIDE IN OUR COMMUNITY thank everyone concerned who has kindly page, listed under: (A sub-group of Greenfield & Grasscroft Residents Association) donated bulbs. There is still much more to groups/1899154207069001 - YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE - do and we are always pleased to welcome New Members welcome [email protected] or ring: 01457 597666 new members. Sheila Chapman

22 - Pennine Link Pennine Link - 23 Mr Hasslegreave would have been a quills were still considered something of a Minutes, Quills & Joseph Hasslegreave professional scribe and, as indicated by the ‘gold-standard’ for penmanship. Company, his tool of trade was the quill Members may well be familiar with As is so often the case, the identity of the Birmingham factories mass-produced steel pen. The popular image of a fully plumed some key dates for the Huddersfield minor players is not recorded, but in a nibs and at their height, supplied 90% of feather is somewhat ‘Hollywood’ as they Canal, specifically the Act authorising report to a Meeting in January 1818, it world demand. I fear I recall using ‘dip in’ were stripped before ‘dressing’ the central its construction which was passed in was “Resolved that Mr John Bower do .... pens at Junior School, practicing Marion rachis with controlled heat and cutting the April 1794 and the Proprietors of the pay Mr Joseph Hasslegreave all the arrears Richardson script; never made ink monitor! nib. Although commercially available at so-formed Huddersfield Canal Company of his salary to this day and also the further the time, he is likely to have been adept Part of my responsibilities as Administrator, elected a Committee to manage its affairs. sum of thirty guineas for his good conduct at preparing them or at least re-cutting is to take the Minutes at the Canal Society’s Records of their meetings and decisions, in the service of this Company and for his the nib, as it inevitably wore out with use. bi-monthly Council of Management or Resolutions, where duly written down handsome manner of quilling the same.” There is a fascinating page (below) that meetings. I resort to abbreviated notes in in formal Minute Books and the originals The honorarium of thirty guineas (£31.50) records the dissolving of the 24th June 1818 biro, which I subsequently translate and are preserved at the National Archives, would be equivalent to some £1200, today. meeting and illustrates the use of a new, or type up into a computer file for circulating. Kew. Many years ago, these Books were He was also entitled to live rent free in a re-cut, quill mid-session? Our technology has reduced penmanship copied on to microfilm and deposited with Company house. to the preserve of calligraphers cutting their relevant Reference Libraries, including Quills remained popular well into the 19th It may seem curious as to why the own quills, but I often think of Joseph as I Ashton-u-Lyne where, 12 years ago (to century until they were superseded by Company would dispense with his services, ‘quill’ with the keyboard. the day that I’m writing this!), they kindly steel nibs. There is a brief, but wonderful, especially as they would need to employ Bob Gough allowed me to photograph all the pages. advertisement in the April 1866 Leeds Leeds Intelligencer further scribes to record the proceedings Intelligencer newspaper for the ‘Waverley’ I had always been struck by the quality of of their meetings, which continued until steel pen which ‘writes like a quill’ (right) so the writing and the skill of whoever wrote 1843. Maybe it is not coincidental that his the Minutes. Having said that, the style of ‘pay-off’ was listed in a report of a sub- penmanship reveals a number of different committee who had considered a number scribes had been involved, including one of complaints against the Company, or was whose hand was not up to the mark and this simply a ‘gold-watch’ moment and the only used for one meeting in March 1795. Company really needed the property?

A sample of the March 1795 Minutes by an unknown hand, only used for one meeting. A new nib makes all the difference: fanciful to think the scribe was lent a new-fangled A sample of Joseph steel nib to try! Hasslegreave’s ‘handsome manner of quilling’ from the Company Minutes. Ashton Local Studies & Archives

24 - Pennine Link Pennine Link - 25 installed a new feed in the Middle Basin Bugsworth Basin Heritage Trust Arm to provide more water for the Peak It is just 50 years since volunteers of the of the site for the many visitors. In 2014 Forest Canal, BBHT sourced and planted Inland Waterways Protection Society the name was changed to the Bugsworth new indigenous trees and bushes on the started work on the restoration of Basin Heritage Trust (BBHT) disturbed land. Bugsworth Basin, initially led by Bessie When Bugsworth Basin was an industrial Leaks are still a constant concern, Bunker and since 1974 by Ian Edgar. area there was hardly a tree to be seen, holes which appear alongside the arms Various hurdles were overcome – the now there are an abundance of plants regularly have to be plugged with clay. threat of a marina ruining the historical and wildlife around the Basin. In 2016 Due to the water shortages this year the site and then the A6 bypass, as a result the Peak Forest Canal from Marple basin has been temporarily stanked off of which Ancient Monument status was aqueduct to Bugsworth gained Green which may give us chance to monitor the applied for and granted which protected Flag status and we have a wildlife leakage. the Basin – plus the problem of leaks volunteer who is monitoring wildlife On the historical side, the Trust installed (The river course was altered during around the basin, creating an interactive a heritage trail around the basin, with construction of the basin and as this display for children and planning wildlife interpretive panels and a diorama area is built up on glacial drift it is quite watches. showing the basin in its heyday. unstable). The Basin was opened and closed again twice before finally re- The downside of all the trees that now Ideally, we would have a building with opening in 2005 after a large part of the populate the area is that their roots exhibitions of the history and restoration damage the infrastructure, so keeping bottom of the channel was lined with Cutting trees in the retaining wall of the Basin, along with a shop and café. concrete. walls and the limekilns free of trees Over the years proposals have been put takes up a lot of volunteer time. Access forward to rebuild one of the warehouses The role of the volunteers now changed However, some jobs are too big for the in some places can be quite tricky for this purpose, unfortunately this to management, maintenance and Trust and we then have to call on Canal and sometimes specialist equipment is turned out to be too complex. Another providing information and interpretation & River Trust (CRT), with whom we have needed. a good relationship. So, when large idea was for a new building on land trees were cut down last year, volunteers at the bottom of the roadway where cleared the debris and when CRT the containers housing the workshop,

Boats return to Bugsworth The Trust replanting the bund.

26 - Pennine Link Pennine Link - 27 Timeline and Cinema Room

beams and modern laser cutting was Following the success of this, further used for the steel body. Wheels, stub projects are in the pipeline, subject to axles and other bits and pieces had been the necessary approvals. found during restoration of the basin. Bugsworth Basin Heritage Trust

The Exhibition space. equipment and mess room are. CRT’s painted and timelines attached along predecessor, British Waterways, wouldn’t with a panel of artwork, based around allow this due to the close proximity of the basin, produced by pupils of the high retaining wall which separates Buxworth Primary School. the Basin from the Black Brook that runs Using redundant balance beams, alongside. volunteers are going to be making Spot the definitions ... Reluctantly, the Trust had to shelve benches and planters, which will be the idea of a permanent building and filled with sensory plants, for the area make the most of ‘container city’. One alongside. was turned into an exhibition space, Being unable to rebuild any permanent another has recently been fitted out as a historical structures, attention has turned cinema room which will have a running to removable artefacts/structures. display of historic images of the working All photos courtesy of BBHT basin including some glass plates, the Recently installed on original tramway restoration by volunteers and a CRT film lines in the lower basin is a replica Peak of canals in general. Forest Tramway wagon which has been constructed by our volunteers. Using As CRT now have a welcome station traditional techniques, the base was at the basin this will key in with their made from redundant oak balance activities. The exteriors have been Replica wagon on lengths of original tramway.

28 - Pennine Link Pennine Link - 29 Solution to the Christmas Quiz 220 Club - 19th Draw This quarter, the For legal reasons, only Huddersfield Canal Club benefits from Society members are eligible to subscribe 60 subscriptions, to HCS 220 Club, so if you are reading 220 so we can offer a this and not a Society member, join us and C Prize Fund of £144 then sign up to the 220 Club. B L U which means the first prize is £96 and AND here are the results of our the second prize, £48. The more who nineteenth quarterly draw: subscribe, the higher the prize fund offered Total Subscribers: 60 for your £2 a month stake. Total Prize Fund: £144 To join, you need to complete the form 1st Prize: which can be downloaded from our Mr P Rawson winning £96 website by following the Members’ Area 2nd Prize: link, or if you prefer, call the office and Mr F Hodson £48 we’ll send you a paper copy by post. Do consider completing a Standing Order and Congratulations to the prize winners! then you’ll never miss a draw.

It is always a bit of a challenge to come To fit the bill, I was pleased at there being up with an idea for the quiz and ‘rod for six (duck) bills in the picture (Williams my own back’ comes to mind. However, excepted), so that rules out three of the HUDDERSFIELD CANAL SOCIETY this year, it was finding a suitable picture places: Linthwaite, Frenches and Scout. welcomes the following new members in 2018 to use that was the tricky bit. 2903 Mr Andy Brown, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. Of course, ‘not pointless at all’, means 2904 Mr Jeffrey Taylor, Slaithwaite, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. The caption stated there were a number it must be ‘pointed’ and there are six 2905 Mrs Lynda Beresford, Holmfirth, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. of possible answers and you could have truncated features in the picture that 2906 Mr Sydney Barnett, Crosland Moor, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. Golcar or Linthwaite or Sparth or Diggle point to a sequence of letters which spell 2907 Mr Michael Hunter, Marsden, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. or Frenches or Scout or Heyrod or the correct solution. This explains the 2908 Mr Martin Durkin, Marsden, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. indeed, Ashton; all contained in the strict rather odd base to the foremost railing 2909 Mr Ian Taylor, Shelly, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. sequence of letters making up the rather stanchion, edited to avoid an extra and 2910 Mr Paul Thompson, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. stilted prose surrounding the image. unwanted letter ‘E’. So, that just leaves ... 2911 Mr Mark McSparran, Marsden, Huddersfield West Yorkshire. 2912 Mr Andrew Watkins, Stalybridge, Cheshire. 2913 Mr Roger Brice, Wilmslow, Cheshire. Huddersfield Central Lodge 2914 Ms Anita Traynor, , Holmfirth, West Yorkshire. 3 Star Metro Hotel 2915 Ms Alison Heathcote, Delph, Oldham, Lancashire. Pleased to support the Huddersfield Canal Society

11-15 Beast Market T: 01484 515551 MEMBERSHIP RATES COPY DATE ADVERTISING RATES Huddersfield E: [email protected] Individual £9.00 Articles, letters and comments Page Per Issue Per Year for Issue 205 of Pennine Link HD1 1QF W: www.centrallodge.com Family £11.00 Qtr £12.50 £50.00 should reach the Editor at Life £90.00 Transhipment Warehouse, Half £25.00 £100.00 Associate £15.00 Award Winning Hotel in the Heart of Huddersfield Town Centre Wool Rd, Dobcross, OL3 5QR Full £50.00 £200.00 Corporate £150.00 by 25th February 2019

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