Quarterly Magazine of the Wey & Arun Canal Trust Issue 179 June/July/August 2017 Above: Spot the crew! Steve Harmes (in yellow) and Derek Heath (in green) have seen the Easter Bunny before. Below: Spectacular displays of bluebells have been a feature of the canal banks this spring - here close to the Thriscutt Slipway site on the Summit Level. 2 Wey-South 179 Contents 20 GUILDFORD Shalford 4 Annual Meeting at Cranleigh 16 Trust News 7 6 An exciting update on land ownership Bramley B2128 Gosden Aqueduct A281 7 Substantial grant for flood relief channel design 9 Boat Group News Another excellent year in 2016 4 Gennets Bridge Lock 14 Cranleigh 10 Digger drivers trained for winding hole work Dunsfold Easter Bunny Trips A281 12 18 Compasses Bridge Alfold Surrey 14 Viewing platform opened to the public 10 W. Sussex Loxwood 16 Hedge planted in Hunt Park 17 Tripboats refurbished 22 B2133 18 Summit Level Update Dashwood 150 celebrations Wisborough 20 Green Relive Mr D’s 1867 adventure Billingshurst New board at Loxwood A272 22 N 23 Working Party Roundup All the latest from our frontline teams A29 2 miles (approx.) PULBOROUGH Loxwood Office Mon-Fri 9.30am-1.30pm 01403 752403 ([email protected]) Wey-South team: Sue Batey The Granary, Flitchfold Farm, Vicarage Hill, (proofreader), David Jessop Loxwood, Billingshurst RH14 0RH (proofreader), Julian Morgan, Rob Searle, Bill Thomson (Working Party Roundup) Shalford (Northern) Office (Administration, Accounts and Publicity). Visitors by appointment only. Trust website: 01483 505566 ([email protected]) www.weyandarun.co.uk Facebook: weyandaruncanal Bridge End, Somerswey, Shalford, Guildford GU4 8EQ Twitter: @weyandarun Front cover: Now (mainly) Canal Trust property - the downstream face of Gosden Aqueduct is visible thanks to vegetation clearance by the Midweek Working Party. Wey-South 179 3 Our 2017 Annual Meeting at Cranleigh ositive, upbeat and businesslike is the Reviewing progress on our three key sites, Pway we prefer our meetings in the Canal Sally said that in 2017 we can look forward to Trust. The meeting at Cranleigh on April 29th completion of the Thriscutt Slipway (not far followed the recommended recipe. Deviating from Compasses Bridge) and, optimistically, slightly from recent practice (and also because having all permissions in place for a start Cranleigh Village Hall during the refreshment break. (All pictures on these pages by Stephen Batey) she had a heavy cold), Chairman Sally Schupke on a new canal crossing at Tickner’s Heath. opted to give her full report in writing and Also, Gennets Bridge Lock should be only to highlight some of the key points. substantially complete by the end of the The hot news was the announcement year. Demonstrating substantial progress in that, since the start of 2017, the Trust has the north, Philip Oliver had the latest plans acquired some significant sections of canal for Phase 1 of the Bramley Link (River Wey to route. The highlight of the previous year Gosden Aqueduct) on display in the hall. had undoubtedly been the October 2016 Although the three key sites (Shalford/Bramley, Bicentenary weekend, with the Official Dunsfold/Alfold and Loxwood/Ifold) continue Opening of Compasses Bridge by Dame to be our focus, we are also exploring other Penelope Keith. Six months later, work on the opportunities with the help of some newly bridge site was approaching completion, with recruited engineers and project managers, the viewing platform now open to the public. including Brian King, Gary Courtnadge and Nigel Yarwood. 4 Wey-South 179 Reporting on the financial position, Julian Morgan said that The Quarterly Magazine of two years of heavy spending had depleted Trust reserves. The Wey & Arun Canal Trust There was probably enough in the coffers to fund 2017 plans, but members should be prepared for a major fundraising Registered Charity no. CC265331 appeal to advance our ambitious plans for 2018 and beyond. The aim of the Wey & Arun Canal James Field, Chairman of our trading company, W&A Trust is the preservation and Enterprises Ltd (WAEL), was happy to announce some restoration of the former inland excellent results for 2016. However, James warned that a dry waterway route between the Rivers summer could reduce the number of possible boat trips. A Wey and Arun, with a view to shortage of trained boat crew was also putting pressure on reopening this to navigation. the operation. All communications and copy The refreshment break gave either by post to: plenty of opportunities for Wey-South, Wey & Arun Canal Trust ‘networking’ and face- Bridge End, Somerswey to-face updates. After Shalford, Guildford the break, there was a Surrey showing of extracts from GU4 8EQ the professionally made Or e-mail to: DVD of the Bicentenary [email protected] weekend (some copies are still available). Tony Ford Address changes, non-delivery, reviewed prospects for the etc: please notify the Membership canal’s Summit Level and Secretary at the address above or members were able to see e-mail to: the Lordings area from [email protected] an unusual angle - from a Tony Ford with the drone hovering over this Material published in Wey-South John East Trophy. showpiece site. represents the views of the contributors and should not, unless Finally there were the specifically indicated, be assumed to cups for outstanding be the policy of the Trust. achievement in the last year. For the John East © 2017 The Wey & Arun Canal Trophy, who else could it Trust Ltd be but Tony Ford and his Wey-South is normally published team? The Jack King Cup in the 2nd week of March, June, went to Derek Wright September and December. Please for making online boat submit copy by the end of January, trip bookings a reality. This had been a dream April, July and October. for many years, but too If at all possible please e-mail copy by often put into the ‘too attachment in Microsoft Word format. difficult’ box. Online Typed copy is also acceptable. Photos bookings have been a are always welcome – prints or hi-res huge success and Derek digital please. has now added a self- service crew rostering Sally Schupke, Derek Wright Issue 179 system to his portfolio. and the Jack King Cup. June/July/August 2017 Wey-South 179 5 Trust News We are now landowners a significant section of canal in the Alfold and Ifold area. longside our achievements in canal We have acquired all these sections at either restoration, we can celebrate a huge A no cost or for a nominal price, although we breakthrough in the first part of 2017. For have had to pay legal fees. Owning sections of the first time, the Trust now owns significant the canal in strategic areas is a massive benefit sections of land on and near the canal route. for us; for the first time we can talk to other Up to now our land acquisitions have been landowners as neighbours with a long-term limited to small pieces of land that were interest in the area, rather than as tenants essential to restoration projects (for example or outsiders. We have other negotiations in a narrow strip along the north bank opposite progress that could expand our holdings the Loxwood Canal Centre). For the Annual Meeting, our Mobile Display Vehicle was on a highly visible site outside Cranleigh Village Hall. Peter Marchi and Dave Verrall are in attendance. (Julian Nowell) After a very long legal process, we finally further. Land ownership of course comes with signed the documents to acquire the Hunt responsibilities as well as rights, but we believe Nature Park site in Shalford from Surrey we are right to seize these opportunities when County Council. Thanks to another generous they become available. transfer from a local landowner, we also own most of Gosden Aqueduct between Shalford Finances and Bramley. Further south, Waverley Borough ecognising that we have not succeeded in Council has transferred ownership of the identifying a volunteer to act as Treasurer, Whipley Manor Railway Bridge site, near R the Trust’s Board has named John Talbot and Cranleigh, to us. Our latest acquisition, again Julian Morgan as Joint Financial Directors. Our thanks to extremely generous landowners, is 6 Wey-South 179 former Treasurer Jim Phillips used to handle z Thames Water has given us £12,000 nearly all aspects of savings, receipts, bill towards the design of a flood relief channel payments, Gift Aid and VAT, to name just some for the Bramley Link (more on this below). of the most important matters. Nowadays we z Guildford Borough Council and iGas are sharing these responsibilities among a provided grants totalling £5,125 towards larger group. the proposed Shalford Visitor Centre. Reporting to the Trust’s Annual Meeting, Julian z A member gave £37,500 towards the Morgan highlighted the following points: Bramley Link project. In 2016, the Trust had income of £455,000 z Jean Gibbs, widow of Colin Gibbs, the and spent £647,000, meaning that we took founder of the Midweek Working Party, left £192,000 from our reserves. It is good news us a legacy of £10,000. that we have been able to spend money on the restoration of the canal, rather than z Another member made a donation of leaving it in the bank. However, to fulfil our £10,000. ambitious plans for 2018 and beyond, we will z A long-term sponsor agreed to meet the need to replenish our reserves. cost of the 2016 Bicentenary celebrations Looking at our position very broadly, if our (just over £4,000). income and spending for 2017 is in line with We are often overwhelmed by the wonderful expectations we will be able to finance the generosity shown by our members, supporters work that we have already planned for this and sponsors.