1 THE EASTERLING JOURNAL OF THE EAST ANGLIAN WATERWAYS ASSOCIATION VOLUME EIGHT, NUMBER NINETEEN FEBRUARY 2011 Edited by Alan H. Faulkner 43 Oaks Drive, Colchester, Essex CO3 3PS Phone 01206 767023 E-mail [email protected] THE MINISTER’S LETTER As a measure of our concern about the lack of progress on the repairs to Welches Dam Lock and on other outstanding matters, our Secretary Ivan Cane felt the need to air these matters in higher quarters and, on 24 August last year, wrote to Richard Benyon MP, the Minister at DEFRA who deals with the Environment Agency. Ivan’s letter featured first on Welches Dam, which was last repaired by the National River Authority but with a major input of volunteer labour, and was formally re- opened by Lady Helen De Freitas on 30 March 1991. The lock has effectively been closed since the middle of 2006 as it was in a dangerous state and the Environment Agency has been trying to disclaim any responsibility for the work, as the lock is not included in the schedule of waterways in the Anglian Water Authority’s Act of 1977 which supposedly governs its responsibilities. Ivan’s letter went on to touch on other causes for concern such as the state of the Old Bedford River which has deteriorated seriously and is no longer passable, on the state of locks on the Great Ouse, such as Castle Mill and Offord Locks which have seen emergency closures, on the situation on the river Stour where volunteers and prisoners from Hollesley Bay Prison have been prevented from continuing with the restoration work at Stratford St. Mary Lock, on the closure of Swaffham Bulbeck Lode by downgrading the entrance lock to a flood control weir without any consultation, and on the recent loss of grant monies for the Fens Waterways Link due to slippage in the EA’s work. The Minister came back on 21 October with a detailed response stressing that despite the delays that had caused the loss of grant monies, the EA was still fully committed to the Fens Waterways Link project. The claim about Welches Dam Lock and the 1977 Act was repeated – but one wonders how the NRA was able to justify 2 its 1991 involvement. Likewise Swaffham Bulbeck Lode, which has been a statutory navigation for centuries, is not now regarded as such, simply by its being omitted from the 1977 Act. The supposed ability of apparently being able to remove statutory protection simply by being omitted from a list and without any other reference, can only raise serious legal questions. Ivan’s letter, and the Minister’s reply, underlines the necessity for the Association to remain eternally vigilant and especially with a period of financial stringency upon us which can only adversely affect the whole future of the waterways in Eastern England. ASSOCIATION AFFAIRS The Annual General Meeting is to be held on Sunday 8 May and will be based in Norfolk. Whilst full details will be circulated to members nearer the time, the plan is to assemble in the morning at The Museum of the Broads, which is based at The Poors Staithe, Stalham where members will have the opportunity to visit the museum, take a trip on the Victorian steam boat “Falcon” and spend money at a boat jumble sale that is being held there that morning. It is hoped that a new gazebo, recently acquired by the Association for publicity purposes, will be on display and in full use. This will be followed by a carvery luncheon at the Sutton Staithe Hotel in Stalham with the short formal AGM following on immediately after in a room at the hotel. Normally the AGM would be followed by a Council Meeting, to which members were always welcome to attend, but instead this year there will be a presentation on the North Walsham and Dilham Canal setting out achievements and outlining plans and aims for the future. It is then hoped the North Walsham and Dilham Canal Trust will be able to arrange a tour of the main areas where the working parties have been active – Honing Lock and pound, Honing Staithe Cut, Briggate, Ebridge Lock, Bacton Wood Lock and possibly the breach site upstream of the lock, and even as far upstream as the former Wherry Inn. THE EASTERLING Going through his files, recently, your Editor has found he has three complete sets of “The Easterling” from when he first took over as Editor to date. The run starts at Volume 6, Number 1 in September 1991 to Volume 8, No 18 in 2010. There are twenty issues in each volume. Whilst one set is kept to form part of the Association’s archives, and one is the Editor’s personal copy, the third set seems somewhat unnecessary and is available to a good home. Anyone interested, please contact the editor, details on page 16. Meanwhile we are still looking at systems whereby “The Easterling” can be e-mailed direct to members but there was a very limited response to the note in the last issue. 3 HERE AND THERE NEW MEMBERS: We would wish to extend a very warm welcome to all those new members who have joined us between October 2010 and January 2011. Mr & Mrs John Bedingfield, Dorridge, South Midlands Michael Brett, Rockland St. Mary, Norfolk Mr & Mrs Bryan Colley, Briggate, Norfolk Bruce Elson, Ludham, Norfolk David Flood, Benfleet, Essex Mr & Mrs Philip Harrison, Coltishall, Norfolk Andrew Mitchell, North Walsham, Norfolk John Parker, Lakenheath, Suffolk Mr & Mrs Richard Sanders, Warwick Ms Denise Troughton, Willington, Bedfordshire Ms Diana Velhagen, North Walsham, Norfolk Peter Webb, Leamington Spa, Warwick WEILS DISEASE: Otherwise known as Leptospirosis this is a disease that can be caught through contaminated water. Recently the skipper of a narrow boat had to be hospitalised due to the disease and an Olympic rower was similarly affected. The disease can be extremely serious and indeed fatal in some cases. The infection is spread to humans through water contaminated by infected animals, particularly rats. It can occur after swimming or partial immersion in such water. Children, young adults, especially males, are most likely affected. The incubation period is usually ten days and the symptoms are headache, fever and muscle pains, which may be followed by jaundice, blood in the urine, meningitis or kidney failure. With bed-rest, antibiotics and treatment for any complications, the outlook is good and most patients recover. With working party involvement with water the recent cases serve as a sharp reminder of the need to be aware of the disease. FOSSDYKE TRAIL: This trail was originally planned to run from Saxilby alongside the main A.57 road and roughly parallel with the Fossdyke Canal to join an existing trail at the Pyewipe Inn near Lincoln. The route of the southern section has now been amended to follow the top of the canal’s flood bank which is a much more attractive option. Both routes would involve having to cross the river Till at Odder, and the bridge there has now been completed. Some work has also been carried out on the next section which involves a crossing of the A.57 to enable the path to reach the canal but it is expected the main work will take place in the spring with the materials needed being brought in by barge. WITHAM NAVIGABLE DRAINS: The Lincolnshire Branch of the IWA is organising a campaign cruise on the drains over the late May Bank Holiday 28-30 May weekend A new map of the system with details of winding points, bridge heights and availability of services is now available along with cruising notes and an informative street map of Boston. 4 RIVER SLEA: A well illustrated and informative article entitled “No Progress? Cobblers?” by restoration expert Martin Ludgate was published in the January 2011 edition of the monthly “Canal Boat” magazine. On the front page of our last issue we attributed the boat shown, “Bobbles” owned by John Parker of Lakenheath, as being the first to use the new slipway. In fact that privilege fell to another Wilderness boat – “Olive” owned by Derek & Jean Smith of Cheshire. Our picture, taken across the river whilst the new the slipway was being officially opened, shows “Olive” at the far end, then “Bobbles” and then “Schandelle” that was launched after the ribbon had been cut. We apologise for this error. Also in our last issue we reported that the Council had offered the Sleaford Navigation Trust £500 each towards two projects to improve the river in Sleaford. It has since appeared that both these projects may take some time to materialise. As a result Council decided at its meeting in November to switch its offer to help with an improvement scheme that is taking place at South Kyme in conjunction with the villagers and the Parish Council. This is the creation of a new mooring and water access point to make the village a focal point for visiting boats. The money has now been paid over and we have received a grateful letter from Mrs Chris Hayes, Chairman of the SLT. WISBECH CANAL: Tests have revealed that the material used to fill in the five-mile long Wisbech Canal some forty years ago were not toxic as had at one time been feared. Following proposals last year to redevelop parts of the land and hence disturb the in-fill material the local authorities in the area issued warnings about possible toxicity. Five months of tests, however have revealed no risks. DOG IN A DOUBLET SLUICE: This sluice, which was built in 1937 and controls the water level through Peterborough, has been undergoing work costing £1.2m.