Boundary Edition 209 Summer Post 2015 Daniel Penn is one of the latest volunteers to crew Atlas & Malus. At 13 years of age he is also the youngest. We are so keen to encourage such young people to share an interest in the boats and in the canal in general. We look forward to seeing Daniel along with his Dad Jon enjoying this experience. Photo Jon Penn The Journal of the Birmingham Canal Navigations Society Free to members 50p when sold bcnsociety.com Boundary Post Summer2015 Edition 209 Boundary Post Summer 2015 Edition 209 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] [email protected] Buildings & Heritage BCNS Explorer Cruise Vacant position Stuart & Marie Sherratt 07510167288 [email protected] Boundary Post Editor BRENDA WARD BCNS 24 Hour Challenge [email protected] 0121 355 6351 Roy Kenn 01922 428644 John Carrington Youth/Community Liaison Officer [email protected] KATE SELF [email protected] 07929401682 Fundraiser: MIKE BUTLER Archives & Heritage Boats tel: 01299 879923 IVOR CHAMBERS tel: 0121 707 1690 [email protected] Official Photographer Kevin Maslin Social Secretary [email protected] GEOFF WINSLOW [email protected] Atlas & Malus Manager Paul Smith: [email protected] 2 31 Boundary Post Summer2015 Edition 209 Boundary Post Summer 2015 Edition 209 BCNS Social Meetings Contents Page Council Details 2 Notes from are held on the first Thursday in the month start at 7-30pm Editorial 3 Titford Pumphouse Engine Street Oldbury B69 4NL Chairman’s notes 4 the Editor All Welcome! Sales Report & Photo Quiz 5 Canal Tunnel “Pepperpots” 6 Letters 7 The busiest time of the August 6th - Walk with Ray Shill - 6-45pm Titford Canal Memories 8 year for me has just come to an end, “Canoeing to Rio” 10 There was the Titford Rally, followed a This time Ray is taking us off the BCN …. but only Atlas & Malus Report 11 week later by the 24 Hour Challenge just! Building at Pelsall 12 and just last week the Longwood Canal Challenge Results 12 Festival. Brian & I did the Burger Bar We will meet at Great Barr Street close to the bridge to get on Winter Stoppages 13 on all three events and although Brian the Grand Union (Warwick & Birmingham Canal). BCNS president Retires 14 had a hip replacement in April he was Ray will take the walk to Bordesley Junction & up Camp Hill Ray Shill 15 the main worker in this, ably assisted Locks to Sampson Road Depot returning on the same route. Walsall’s Town Wharf 19 by Brian Holmes for most of the time. Book Reviews 21 Explorer Cruise Report 22 You can imagine that getting Boundary September 3rd - Canals from the Air - Martin Walking forgotten BCN 23 Post together while all this went on was O’Keeffe Society’s Artefacts 25 quite a task. It is so difficult getting eve- New Members 26 rything that has happened over the October 1st - Managing Water - too little, too much, Work Party Report 28 past month or two in this edition. Yet Social Meetings 30 again I have had many items sent in so just right - Adam Comerford thank you for those. If you think I’ve missed something tell me & it will be in October 31st - AGM & Bonfire Rally at Smethwick next time. Next Boundary Enterprise Centre Post Photo Quiz, I think is easy this time. Wait until next edition Chris Clegg has November 5th - Canals of the Stourbridge Area - sent in an interesting one.& I think you Ned Williams Editor welcomes will have quite a challenge. any interesting and There’s rather a lot of history in this December 4th - Christmas Social - Marriott Hotel relevant information relating to edition but that’s how it goes some- Birmingham (Five Ways) Dave Dent has secured a good deal so the BCN in the form of news times. items, photographs, letters, notes we are “going up market”. There is a superb menu - email Dave I know it’s a bit early for Christmas but to book your place & I will email details later by mass email - or articles to be sent by Dave has worked hard to secure a bit make sure I have your email address. September 1st of luxury this time. (see page 30) It will be a good excuse to get your glad rags Email: [email protected] The opinions and views expressed in Boundary Post are not necessarily the views of either the Society or its Officials. on & feel really special - see you there? Address: 9 Wylde Green Road, The BCN Society, a Company Limited by Guarantee, is a registered charity (1091760) first formed in 1968, which exists to conserve, improve and encourage a wide range of interests in the 100 mile network of Birmingham & Black Country waterways known as the Birmingham Canal Sutton Coldfield B72 1HB I look forward to any good items from Navigations. Boundary Post is the journal of the BCNS and is issued quarterly. Readers are invited to submit items of news, general or histori- you relating to the BCN - past, present cal interest to: Tel: 01213556351 The Editor, Brenda Ward. 9 Wylde Green Road, Sutton Coldfield B72 1HB or future tel: 0121 355 6351 email: [email protected] Mobile: 07961177553 Brenda 30 3 Boundary Post Summer2015 Edition 209 Boundary Post Summer 2015 Edition 209 maintenance of the canal and the pools, May 2nd. Pre-Rally Work party on were looking at the way ahead, and the the Titford canal. Phoenix was taken Chairman’s work needed. The most exciting bit is up to the Pools along with Mike the very real possibility of available Anson on his tug 'Joanna', Mike Notes funding - otherwise it all just becomes so going first to check the depth in the much hot air! What would be great is to bridge holes. Two of these were get the pools to the point where we cleared, the haul producing fencing, The year is flying past, and it is really would be able to hold a rally there to bikes, tyres, barriers and a petrol good to see how it has gone well for celebrate the major anniversaries com- hedge cutter. A fallen tree was also the Society. ing up for the both the BCN and the removed which was lying across the Society. canal. This took a fair amount of saw- The Titford Pumphouse Rally went ing before Joanna's fore end man- well. In addition to the boaters and our Success depends heavily on a wide aged to snap the partially cut through regulars, (without whom it would not community involvement, so we really trunk. A heavy safe was pulled from have happened) we had a lot of local have to work hard at this. Billie Spake the top pound of the flight, but it only visitors, many of whom seemed to be Mon and friends coming round for an contained mud and water. The skip meeting the canal for the first time. evenings entertainment is the next step, was rather full after we had unloaded This is great, for if we are to keep the and will have happened by the time you Phoenix! canals as attractive for all as they can read this. The tickets sold out weeks be for all, we need to help them to think before, so again, this looks like some- Future Work parties. of it as “their” canal, rather than thing we can build on. September 5th. Pre-Rally Clean up While bringing Phoenix to Longwood “somewhere to dump rubbish”. in Tipton. 10am start. for their Canal Festival Mike, Stuart We had another successful Marathon We added to this progress with a Challenge - the biggest yet, I believe. & Rob (our latest work party recruit October 24th. Pre-Bonfire Rally development meeting of the Titford Thanks again to Roy, John and all of the pictured here) collected a load of Project, led by Ivor Caplan. The others who made it such a success. I Clean up on the Engine Branch. rubbish including a mattress. groups and organisations with an suspect there were more boats at interest in the regeneration and Bradley than have been there for a long time - indeed possibly ever! Talking to Plans for New Bridge at Pelsall Rejected people around the canal on the way back Proposals to build a new two carriage- emphasised to me the way were given the green light last year. point that was made Planning chiefs hoped to save the exist- around Titford, that ing historic Yorks Bridge, in Norton canal use is appreci- Road, plus use additional land from the ated. Again, we need common for the new bridge and widen to build on it. the road which is a commuter route from Staffordshire to Walsall.