huddersfield canal society ltd - huddersfield narrow canal · huddersfield canal society ltd 239...

Huddersfield Canal Society Ltd 239 Mossley Road, Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, OL6 6LN Tel: 0161 339 1332 Fax: 0161 343 2262 EMail: [email protected] Website: www.hcanals.demon.co.uk Volunteer Co-ordinator - Frank Smith Office Manager - Robert Cough

David Sumner Chairman

Trevor Ellis Vice-Chairman

John Sully Treasurer

John Fryer Company Secretary

Keith Gibson HCS Restoration Ltd

jack Carr West Side Social Chairman

josephine Young Membership Secretary

Brian Minor Festivals Officer

Ken Wright Editor - Pennine Link

Vince Willey Boats Officer

Alwyn Ogborn Special Events Co-ordinator

Alien Brett General Council Member

Neville Kenyon General Council Member

Keith Noble General Council Member

Alec Ramsden General Council Member

4 Whiteoak Close, Marple, Stockport, Cheshire SK6 6NT Tel: 0161 449 9084

20 Batley Avenue, Marsh, Huddersfield, HD1 4NA Tel: 01484 534666

19 Kingfishers, Peterborough, Cambridge, PE2 6YH Tel: 01733 236650 ·

Ramsdens Solicitors, Ramsden Street, Huddersfield, HD1

Syke Cottage, Scholes Moor Road, Holmfirth, HD9 1 SJ Tel: 01484 681245

19 Sycamore Avenue, Euxton, Chorley, Lancashire, PR7 E Tei:01257265786 ·

HCS Ltd, 239 Mossley Road, Ashton-u-Lyne, Lancs., OL6 Tel: 0161 339 1332

45 Carton Street, Peel Green, Eccles, Manchester, M30 7 Tel: 0161 288 5324

Bridge House, Dobcross, Oldham, Lancashire, OL3 5NL Tel: 01457 873599

45 Egmont Street, Ashton-u-Lyne, Lancashire, OL5 9NB Tel: 0161 339 1332

14 Stanhope Street, Mossley, Ashton-u-Lyne, Lancs., OL5 Tel: 01457 833329

31 Woodlands Road, Milnrow, Rochdale, Lancs., OL 16 4E Tel: 01706 641203

Meadow Head, Tottington, Bury, Lancashire, BL8 3PP

The De ne, Triangle, Sowerby Briqge, West Yorkshire, HXE Tel: 01422 823562

16 Edgemoor Road, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD7 2 Tel: 01484 662246

The opinions expressed in Pennine Link are not necessarily those of the Huddersfield Canal Society Permission to repeat any of the features in Pennine Link is granted, provided that the source is acknowledged.

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Spring 2001 - Pennine Link - 3

PennineSpring 2001 Issue 136

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HCC Report 6Project Director Alan Stopher continues hisround-up of the progress in restoration nowthings are getting close to completion.

Gough Wedding 22Assistant Editor Bob Gough marries the folksinger Lyubimka Bisserova in traditionalBulgarian style.

Sue Day - Horseboating Woman 25Sue Day reports on the success of her longdistance horseboat journey and the formationof a new society.

Regeneration through restoration 32A reprint of Alan Stopher’s article published inthe Proceedings of the Institution of CivilEngineers Municipal Engineer.

Safe and Friendly Cruising 40Part one of ‘Some thoughts on boatingetiquette for the experienced and lessexperienced boater’.

Harwood’s Corinth 52John Harwood looks at the Corinth Canal.

Editorial 4Chairman’s Report 5Bits and Pieces 23Crossword - 32 43HCS Council News 44IWA News 45What the Papers Say 47Letters to the Editor 50Reviews 53

Front Cover: Not so much ‘Castles’ as ‘Bridges in the air’.Queen Street South bridge has a decidedly elevated aspectwith construction of the deepened channel which will allowboaters to cruise through the tunnel under Bates & Co.Photo: K. Wright

Back Cover: It may be water under the bridge now, but then,Bates & Co. was a real challenge and could have convincedthe faint-hearted that the dream really was ‘impossible’.Photo: HCS

WeddingBulgarian style

Safe BoatingBoaters’ guide to

enjoying ourwaterways

StandedgeSide wall packingand repairs

PuzzlePicture

Archive picture,but where?12 24

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EditorialWell, things arecertainly hotting-up! By the timeyou read this weshall only be amonth or so awayfrom the BIG DAY.

According to local hire boat brochuresthat will be the 30th April – or in one casethe 31st April, which is probably the firstof May! One way or another everythingseems to be in order for hire boats to setout on May 1st , confident of getting alongthe full length of Huddersfield NarrowCanal. What a thrill to be on those firstboats. British Waterways are putting agreat deal of effort into making the routepassable, not just in completing the“secondary restoration” jobs like finaldredging and paddle easing, but also inintroducing working arrangements for thetunnel boats, bookings, and the rest. Nopositive news when writing in earlyFebruary, and only three months to go!The adrenalin is up!

Incidentally, one of the hire boat pieces ofinfo. is “there are plenty of locks, but theyare of course Narrow, so dead easy towork, and quick to fill, all locks have onlyone top and bottom gate, and everypaddle is hydraulic, so incredibly easy tooperate, so all in all a fairly easy water-way”. The only accurate bit of all that isthat the canal is Narrow!

And we must share our excitement withthe Anderton Lift, the Rochdale Canal andthe Ribble Link – all fantastic projects wellunder way on the canals of the NorthWest.

On the down side a bit you will notice atotal absence of “letters to the editor” in

this issue. I have used two letters – notwritten to me – to make some sort of itembut I can’t help being a little disappointedthat out of well over 1000 readers nobodyhas anything to say! I fear that it may be asymptom of the “its all over now, whybother?” condition when the reality is sodifferent. We need volunteers now, morethan ever, to help us to run the canal withour partners, British Waterways. Theleaflet recently sent out is an importantread for all members (and others) who arewithin reach of the canal. A richly reward-ing hobby is waiting to be grabbed at.

Have you noticed how many articles innewspapers and magazines these dayshave the cryptic www. letters at the end?Soon we won’t need to buy the publica-tion. It will only be necessary to consult“the net”. What an awful thought.

Still, it might solve a problem for Hud-dersfield Canal Society. Instead of PennineLink you will only get a website address.And you won’t need an editor, so the factthat no-one has yet shown the slightestinterest in taking over from me doesn’tmatter one jot. But then, I don’t supposethe website writes itself! Ah, well.

The news that a new bit of the RochdaleCanal won’t take 72’-0” long wide-beamcanal barges is disappointing but notirrevocable. What beats me is whyanybody wants to accommodate thesewaterway dinosaurs. Let ‘em stick towide river navigations, I say. It’s like stilllaying a third rail for Brunel’s long de-parted wide gauge trains. (“Thinks. Thatshould start the correspondence columnup again!”)

Ken Wright


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Chairman’s Report

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Standing on the canalbed under Bates &Co I had to pinchmyself. Are we reallyseeing thecompletion of theImpossibleRestoration? The

visit to the site organised by Alan Stopher forthe benefit of the press brought home theenormity of the task undertaken twenty sevenyears ago by John Maynard, Bob Dewey,Margaret Sinfield and the late Ralph Kirkhamin Huddersfield at the Zetland Hotel. Whilstwe had confidence in the ultimate goal no onecould foresee how through navigation couldbe achieved. We talked of diversions intorivers in Stalybridge and Huddersfield to keepthe dream alive. We even looked at thepossibility of the canalisation of the redundantrailway track in Stalybridge.

Now we are weeks away from the restoredcanal and barring delays to the re-opening bythe current foot and mouth epidemic, testingof the new structures will commence shortlyand working methods for the operation of thenew sections of canal such as Stalybridge,Slaithwaite, the Tunnel and Huddersfield willbe evaluated probably by acombination of design and trialand error.

Some purists may bedisappointed to note that thecanal will be significantlydifferent from its state beforeits decline. I have spoken tomany canal enthusiasts whosee the new arrangements as achallenge and a newexperience. How many willremember the canal navigationas it was? It is nearly fifty fiveyears since the last recordedpassage. Perhaps the authoressElizabeth Jane Howard whoaccompanied Robert Aickmancan provide reminiscences.

Certainly navigating Huddersfield will be thebiggest surprise for those who can remember.New tunnels and rearranged lock positions willfeature. The absence of a towpath after theold lock No. 2E is a small price to pay toregain navigation under two businesses whichuntil the Millennium Project seemed to be apermanent bar to through navigation. We willmarvel at these modern civil engineering featsand recall that most projects of this naturecompromise to achieve a workable solution.

Already the good burghers of Stalybridge andSlaithwaite are praising the new canal and allthat restoration has done for the environment.Stalybridge has already been transformed.The restoration has, as predicted, been theengine for regeneration for these towns. Withthe coming of boats and life to the canal I amconfident that these communities will enjoy arenaissance.

With tunnel tug boat testing now underwayand the near completion of the StandedgeVisitor Centre, Marsden too will benefit. It isto the great credit of our partners that thescheme will soon be completed on time andto budget.

I look forward to meeting many of ourmembers and friends past andpresent in celebrating theculmination of twenty sevenyears of work by the Society topersuade the authorities, thenraise the monies to finish thetask, commenced by theSociety in Uppermill in 1981.2001 will be our annusmirabilis and an example tothe nation of how true public,private and voluntary sectorpartnerships operate for thebenefit of the wholecommunity.

David Sumner

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Huddersfield CanalCompany ReportBy the time youread this article themammoth projectto complete therestoration of theHuddersfield

Narrow Canal will be nearing completion.Reopening is on target for 1st May 2001.The photographs give members the bestimpression of the restoration activity alongthe canal but for the record I will briefly runthrough the latest progress.

At Stalybridge, Caroline Street Bridge iscomplete and open to traffic and as I writethere are only a few days work to finish theentire €8 million restoration scheme. Waterwas let into the upstream part of the newchannel in the week before Christmas andwhat a difference it has made. The towpathfrom Armentieres Square to Mottram roadhas been open for a few weeks and thiscombined with the opening of Tesco storeon 12th February means that Stalybridgenow has a lively waterfront as a centrepieceto its regeneration. All we need now is theboats and we won’t have long to wait.

British Waterways has completed dredgingwork between Division Bridge and HighStreet part of which was a separately fundedreclamation scheme. Their workforce hasalso started on the water supply worksprincipally at the Swineshaw feeder.

At High Street Bridge Uppermill, poorweather has meant that work carried on intothe new year. It is always difficult startingand finishing civil engineering works inwinter and this scheme has been noexception. The high quality finishes canonly be placed in dry weather when thetemperature is above freezing so that therehave been some short working days!Nevertheless the removal of traffic lights

over the Christmas period was welcomed bylocal people and of late only off peak lightshave been required to offload materials andcomplete the kerbing. Work is nowdrawing to a close and the results are verypleasing.

At Standedge Tunnel structural works arecomplete and the full length is back inwater. A work boat is being used to fitfenders at appropriate places. The tidyingup by the site contractor is well underwayand towpath surfacing is in hand at Diggle.Off site the three tug boats and two towedpassenger modules are being constructed.

Excellent progress has been made onconverting Tunnel End warehouse forStandedge Visitor Centre in time for theplanned opening date on 12th April.Flooring has been laid, heating is installedand the link to the canal arm is almostcomplete. The mechanical jacks for theboat lift have been fitted in the recesseseither side of the arm and the glazed coverto the arm is also in place. Work oninterpretative displays continues off site untilthe third week of March when a start will bemade on installation. Tunnel End Cottageshave been refurbished as a caf€ restaurantand a large hole indicates the location of thesewage plant for the whole development.The car park construction has started as partof the Yorkshire Forward fundedreclamation of the old Marsden stationgoods yard. Your Society intends to use two12 seat boats for the start of the water taxiuntil a suitable replacement is obtained.

At Slaithwaite work has continued on thefinishes to walls and pavements as well asthe last section of canal channel below PlattLane Bridge. The road across the newbridge was reopened for traffic inDecember and the full length of the


towpath between here and Britannia Roadis now accessible by the public. Therestoration through the village is provingpopular to residents and visitors. A mediacall to mark the re-watering of the canaldeveloped into a public event after the localpaper gave advanced warning and it waspleasing to hear all the favourablecomments from the gathered throng.Another ceremony involved the locally-renowned glacial-borne rock from the LakeDistrict (Slaithwaite’s oldest incomer) whichhas gained pride of place in a stone wallnear Britannia Road bridge with a plaqueprovided by the Civic Society.

In Huddersfield, at Sellers Engineers, thetwo-storey replacement grinding shed andelectrician’s shop is in use, the redundantbuilding has been demolished and finallength of tunnel is being built in similarmanner to the first phase. Two rows ofsheet piles have been driven to form thewalls. Concrete capping beams and crossmembers have been cast and excavation ofthe tunnel is making excellent progress. Atnearby Bates Mill fenders are being fittedwithin the tunnel and the tubular struts havebeen installed to brace the sides of thedeepened channel between Queen StreetSouth bridge and the old lock 2E. A mediaday was held in February to allow journaliststo inspect the tunnel before this section isflooded.

On the ‘secondary restoration’ front, BritishWaterways is making progress with dredgingand lock repairs in the Colne Valley.

Plans are being made for local openingevents. British Waterways is planning acelebratory opening event when theStandedge Visitor Centre opens to thepublic on 12th April. The Mayor of Kirklees,Councillor Ann Denham has agreed to heada small cavalcade of boats in Huddersfieldto publicise the canal opening for navigationon 1st May. Oldham Council has earmarkedFriday 18th May for a celebration to

commemorate the completion of therestoration at Uppermill. Tameside Councilis organising Stalybridge Renaissance, alively street festival to celebrate the rebirthof the town around its new water-front.This will take place on Bank HolidayMonday 28th May. By the time you readthis quarterly article the information onevents is sure to be out of date so look outfor articles in the press and on the officialwebsite (www.hcanals.demon.uk).

Although the restoration project is almost atan end, in many ways this is just thebeginning of a new era for the canal and thecommunities of the Colne and Tame Valleys.The Canal Company’s role in delivering theMillennium Project is drawing to a close andthe partners are starting to consider how tocontinue their liaison during the operationalphase. The Canal Society is embarking on anew venture in partnership with BritishWaterways with Frank Smith linking theefforts of both organisations in his role asVolunteer Coordination Officer. The localauthorities and businesses are eager tocapitalise on the regenerational effect of thereopening canal. The Standedge VisitorCentre is sure to bring tourists to this part ofthe Pennines and by complementing otherlocal attractions make a longer stay in thelocality really worthwhile. What a splendidway to celebrate the new Millennium.

Alan Stopher

2001 Annual General Meeting

The twenty first Annual GeneralMeeting of the HuddersfieldCanal Society Ltd will be held atthe Wool Road TanshipmentWarehouse, Dobcross on Fridaythe 15th of June 2001 at 7.30pm.

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StalybridgeTop Left: Caroline Street bridge is now complete and looks temptingly ready for navigation inthis view from Staley Wharf. (AS)Top Right: The complete Lock 6W has pride of place in Armentieres Square. (AS)Middle Right: The upstream approach to Lock 6W. The fence on the left temporarily preventsaccess down the towpath ramp towards Caroline Street. (AS)Middle Left: ‘The first boat through!’ Two operatives test out the canal as they beddingmaterials to the aquatic plant baskets. (AS)Bottom Left: The completed Tesco waterfront with a new footbridge linking the car parkareas. (AS)Bottom Right: The fenced and lit towpath under Mottram Road bridge with the tail gates ofLock 7W in the distance. (KW)

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Mann’s Wharf, GreenfieldHigh Street, UppermillDiggle & Standedge TunnelTop Left: Dredger and mud-hopper at Well’i’hole (Mann’s Wharf Bridge). (AS)Top Right: The completed bridge portal at the west end of High Street Bridge. Once railingshave been installed, the flat section above the portal will become a “gongoozling” area. (AS)Above Middle Left: This is what a ‘bed valve’ looks like! (AS)Below Middle Left: The first boat into the restored tunnel was a BW work boat used for fittingfenders. (AS)Bottom Left: One of the four emergency exits to the oldest railway tunnel. (AS)Bottom Right: Water bounces off the newly installed timber base to Flint Shaft. The canalpasses underneath the large timber joists. (AS)

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Standedge Tunnel and Visitor CentreTop Left: The last phase of structural work in Standedge Tunnel involved sections of sidewall mesh and sprayed concrete. Here brickwork has been used to pack up under canalwater level where an earlier repair has been made. The packing was due to receive a meshand sprayed concrete finish. The tunnel roof in this section is of brick faced arches,probably added when the railway tunnels were built. (AS)Top Right: Side wall mesh being fixed inside Standedge Tunnel. (AS)Middle Left: The control panel within the old boat house at Tunnel End Cottages. From thispoint the Tunnel Captain will be able to monitor progress of the convoys as they pass eachof the four emergency refuge adits. (AS)Bottom Left: Installation of the boat lift beams and frame is in progress inside the VisitorCentre. Visible is one of the four motorised screw jacking points. The two spindles wrappedin protective plastic are a synchronised pair of ball screw jacks. (AS)Bottom Right: Construction of the entrance to the canal arm using reinforced concrete wallswhich are to be stone-faced above water level. (AS)

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Standedge Visitor CentreSlaithwaite Town CentreTop Left: First floor of the Visitor Centre with traditional style radiators delivered. A staircaseis to be installed in the far corner. (AS)Top Right: The first section of framing for the glass tube which will cover the canal arm withinthe Centre. This was being prepared for fitting against the gable wall at the canal end. (AS)Above Middle Left: Tunnel End Cottages from the A62 showing concrete rings and excavationfor the sewage treatment plant and temporary struts being loaded onto a lorry. (AS)Below Middle Left: Passing point between Lock 23E (view from the packhorse bridge) and OldBank bridge, in the distance. (AS)Bottom Left: Carr Lane and the new canal channel viewed from the Globe Mill fire escape inJanuary 2001. (AS)Bottom Right: Landing stage/passing place between Old Bank bridge in the distance andBritannia Road bridge. (AS)

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Slaithwaite Town CentreLinthwaite DredgingTop Left: Carr Lane and canal channel in early February. Water will reach the chains belowthe fender when the channel is in normal use. The towpath on the right still awaits its finalcourse. (AS)Top Right: Canal Society member and horse boater Sue Day opens the paddle on Lock 22Efor the assembled media on 1st February 2001. (JS)Above Middle Left: Ramps at the tail of Lock 22E and the winding hole in the middledistance. (KW)Middle Right: New Lock 21E nearing completion. Stone copings and setts have been laid tofinish the reinforced concrete structure. (AS)Below Middle Left: Deepened channel between Platt Lane bridge and the old Lock 21E.Work is in hand on reducing the level of the old lock to match the top of the channel. (AS)Bottom Left: Upper masonry courses being removed from old Lock 21E to match the copinglevel of the new concrete channel at the eastern end of the Slaithwaite scheme. Lock 20Eand Lees Mill bridge are visible in the distance. (AS)Bottom Right: Blue Boar Farm Services dredging excavator and mud hopper on duty belowLowestwood. (AS)

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Sellers EngineeringBates & CoTop Left: New Lock 3E at the upstream end of the Sellers section on the 21st February2001. The excavator in the distance is removing spoil from the last phase of the ‘cut andcover’ tunnel on the site of Sellers original grinding shed. (AS)Top Right: Demolition of the old Sellers grinding shed in early January 2001 with new,permanent piles for the final section of tunnel closely following up behind. (AS)Middle Right: Final section of ‘cut and cover’ tunnel under construction on the site of theold grinding shed. Two rows of sheet piles have been driven to form the walls. Concretecapping beams and struts have been cast and a mini excavator working in the bottom and alarge one on the surface are removing the ground from in between the rows of piles. (AS)Bottom Left: The reshaped channel between Bates and Sellers with Chapel Hill bridge in thedistance. A pensive Society Chairman, David Sumner, can hardly believe the dream iscoming true. (KW)Bottom Right: The western entrance to Bates tunnel with Lock 2E landing stage on the right.(AS)

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Bates & CoTop Left: Scaffolding in place for fender installation in Bates tunnel. The arch of QueenStreet South bridge is visible along with the tubular steel struts spanning the deepenedchannel. (KW)Top Right: A temporary prop is being removed from the deepened channel downstream ofBates following installation of the permanent tubular struts which have an arched feature. (AS)Bottom Left: Completed channel downstream of Queen Street South. The arched feature onthe struts mirror the curve of the listed Queen Street South bridge. (KW)Bottom Right: Deepened head chamber area of the old Lock 2E with temporary props still inplace. The view is looking upstream towards Bates & Co. (AS)Photo credits: AS - Alan Stopher JS - John Sully KW - Ken Wright

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‘Warehouse Hill’ by The Mikron Theatre Co.

Mersey FerriesSea and Canal Trips

Once again a full programme of water-based events including the famous ShipCanal Cruises, 70s and 80s nights, Carib-bean Cruise (On the Ship Canal, the mindboggles!), Firework Spectaculars, Christ-mas Party Nights, and much more.

Seventeen special cruises between Apriland December 2001, plus the regulartrips on the Manchester Ship Canal thatwe have praised many times in PennineLink.

Pick up a leaflet from travel offices, ringMersey Ferries on 0151 330 1444 or visittheir web-site at www.merseyferries.co.uk

Who is this, using our name? We alreadyhave concerns over the naming of ourown local interest guide as “The PennineLink” – only a definite article separates us!So, what is it? It is, in fact, a 3-day guidedtour of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal,promoted by Kingdom Tours of Aylesbury,Bucks, and centred at the Posthouse,Brighouse. €175 per person will buy youthe tour, 2 nights bed and breakfast,admission charges and boat trips.

AND – your tour guide is FRANK SMITHand the guest speaker is ALAN STOPHER,very familiar names to you, dear reader!If you can’t wait to find out more, ringKingdom Tours on 01296 433999 ore-mail at [email protected]

Restoration Study TourThe Pennine Link 5-7 May

As part of the celebrations marking there-opening of the Huddersfield NarrowCanal, the Marsden-based Mikron TheatreCompany are producing a new showentitled ‘Warehouse Hill’, recounting therise, fall and restoration of our uniquewaterway. And recently, the CanalSociety became one of the production’sfirst sponsors by donating €5,000 towardsthe Company’s costs.

Warehouse Hill will premier at theHuddersfield University, Queensgate,Huddersfield on Tuesday, May 1st andthen appear at various venues along thecanal before touring the country aboardMikron’s traditional narrowboat, Tyseley,as part of their 30th national waterwaystour.

Tour dates for Warehouse Hill:

MAY 2001

Tue. 1st - Huddersfield UniversityWed. 2nd - Milnsbridge Socialist ClubThu. 3rd - Colne Valley High SchoolFri. 4th - Orlando’s Italian Restaurant,New Street, SlaithwaiteSat. 5th - Swan Inn, The Square, DobcrossSun. 6th - Hey Green Hotel, MarsdenMon. 7th - Brownhill Visitors CentreWed. 9th - Saddleworth MuseumThu. 10th - The Railway, GreenfieldFri. 11th - The Wharf Tavern, StalybridgeSat. 12th - Portland Basin Museum

Contact The Mikron on 01484 843701for more details.


Tameside Festival 1999

Anderton Boat Lift AppealExciting News from the Anderton front is that thepublic Anderton Boat Lift Appeal has comfortablyreached its target of €250,000 – and all since lastMay!

That is the good news. The bad news is that acouple of major funders expected from the privatesector did not come forth and, consequently, it hasbeen decided to leave the appeal open, to raisean additional €100,000. The organisers remainconfident that charitable trusts and companies willcome up with the balance of the funds needed.

So, if you haven’t signed up yet – and put yourselfup for a brass plaque and a free ride – now is yourchance. Telephone Rosslyn Colderley, the AppealManager on 01606 77415 or E-mail her [email protected]

A gentleman’s day out in Victorian times.But where? Can anybody help to satisfy ourcuriosity? All we know is that the original 2”square slide was found in the possessions of a

Saddleworth man who lived mostly inGreenfield and Oldham and would have beenaround at the time of the photograph. AndNO, it is none of the Saddleworth bridges!


You will remember the article in PennineLink 134 about Sue Day taking herhorseboat to London for the Millenniumand to raise money for cancer researchcharities following the death of herhusband.

Sue has written to tell us that Mariereturned to her boatyard and Bonny theBoathorse returned to the rest of Sue’sherd, which totals 9 horses.

Presentations to charities took place onDecember 18th, last; the three charitiesgetting over €2000 each and the WoodenBoat Society over €700, a grand total infact, of €7223.77p.

The trip covered 310 miles and 298 locks,all by horse- or human-power. We forgetabout arm-killing operations like liftingwet, gritty towlines over and over again toavoid moored boats, trees and noticeposts. Stopping a boat requires greateffort – with the horse usually at thewrong end to help much! Bowhaulingand shafting are all part of the day’s work.Not an easy life.

Sue Day and The Horseboating SocietyHowever, undeterred as ever, Sue hasbeen instrumental in forming TheHorseboat Society, whose inaugral generalmeeting was held on January 19th, whenofficers were elected and constitutionalmatters were discussed and adopted. Thegeneral purpose behind the Society isclearly to promote horseboating andvarious events have already taken place.The following events will take place laterthis year.

1. Horsedrawn boats on HuddersfieldNarrow Canal. (Dates to be confirmed)

2. Easter at Ellesmere Port Boat Museum.Plans are, hopefully, to have the Muse-um’s own horseboat in action.

3. Huddersfield Narrow Canal, May 28th.Fun and games and a horseboat inStalybridge at the official Tameside“Renaissance” weekend.

4. A journey by horseboat round most ofthe Pennine “Ring of Roses”, from Ashtonto Littleborough.

5. Taking a (loaded) horseboat to theIWA National Waterways Festival atMilton Keynes over June/July/August andmaking a video of the journey.

6. A centenary voyage of Lilith, awooden horseboat belonging to theWooden Canal Boat Society.August/September 2001.

If you want to know more about any ofthe above, or to join The HorseboatSociety, write to Sue Day, 12, OakwoodView, Lower Beestow, Ashton-under-Lyne,OL5 9QL

Ken WrightSue Day and Bonny on the Grand Union Canal. Photo: J. Sully

The Stamford Group are delighted to beassociated with the Huddersfield Canal

Society and wish them continued success

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THE FOUR SEASONS RESTAURANT BOAT Enjoy a cruise on board our traditionally styled narrow boat as we serve you with our home cooked meals.

SUMMER SPRITE Have a day out on our self-steer day boat, fully equipped with galley and toilet. Boat handling instruction given.

Top Lock House, 5 Lime Kiln Lane, Marple, Stockport, SK6 6BX Tel: 0161 427 5712 Email: [email protected] Website: www.toplockmarine.co.uk

GUESTHOUSE FOREST FARM BUNK HOUSE

300 year old fannhouse accommodation in the heart of the Pennines (Last of the Summer Wine Country). Family, double or twinned rooms available. B & B I Evening Meal.

Provides accommodation for up to 19 people all year round.

Meals or self catering plus usual short stay facilities for walkers.

Pennine Way close by.

Further de\8Jis contact- May & Ted Fussey Tel: 01484 842687 Mount Road, Marsden, Hudders11eld, W. Yorkshire, HD7 6NN

Bed & Breakfast in 14 bedrooms (all with en-suite facilities) Camping •••• All at very reasonable rates

Contact: Jean Mayall, Globe Farm, Huddersfield Road, Delph, Nr. Oldham For details, Telephone: 01457 873040 • Member H.C.S.

Meals available

Restoration Progress - Spring 2001

A. Stopher

Health & Hygiene Certificate and Heartbeat Award

BED & BREAKFAST at NEWBARN A warm welcome awaits tourists & business people from a local couple at this modern farmhouse on a working sheep farm. Lovely views over the village and just 5 minutes from Standedge Tunnel. Parking for any size of vehicle. Caravan & camping by prior arrangement. OS Pathfinder Map 714 (GR 010090).

Newbarn, Harrop Green, Diggle, Saddleworth, OL3 5LW. Tel: 01457 873937 or 07979 598232

Canal Cruises 'PENNINE MOONRAKER'

Why not join us for a while on a relaxing canal boat trip in Saddleworth?

Contact: J. Lund 7 Alva Road, Watersheddings, OLDHAM, OL4 2NS. Tel: 0161 652 6331

Labels and nameplates in plastic and metal Clear domed badges Dials, fascia and control panels

Full colour photo ID cards and badges for company and store Etched and engraved signs and plaques in brass and steel

Safety signs Precision screenprinting service Desk plates Door plates Mimic diagrams

~ -w~ mockridge

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So. All these years, as people askedwhy we didn’t run wide-beam boats, we’vebeen replying ‘we have to be ready for theHuddersfield Narrow’. They thought wewere joking, but we weren’t - any morethan you were. As we get ready for ourcustomers to be delighted by your canal,we congratulate HCS for the drive whichenabled it so triumphantly to achieve itsvision, a superb example for thewhole country to admire.

YORKSHIRE’S LEADING HIRE FLEET

HCS CASUAL WEAR

Stylish T-Shirts, Polo Shirts and Sweatshirtsin Royal Blue with our unique logo and theopportunity to personalise with your boatname or similar are available to order.Call 0161 339 1332 or write to the SocietyOffice for an Order Form. MARY ROSE


For some years the section of the Institution ofCivil Engineers whose members work largely inconnection with local authority affairs has beenpersuading the Society to prepare a learnedpaper on the subject of our canal restoration.The time never seemed right until recently and,luckily for Keith Gibson and me, who werelikely to have to get down to some seriouswriting, the music stopped when the pen wasin Alan Stopher’s hand!

Proc. Instn Civ. Engrs Mun. Engr, 2000, 139The result is here for you to read – a brilliantand concise history of the Huddersfield NarrowCanal; its ups and downs and the finalachievement of restoring through navigation.We have published similar articles in the pastbut, at a time when the “impossiblerestoration” is weeks from completion, it seemsright to put it all down again – for the record.

Ken Wright

Alan Stopher BSc(Eng) MIMM CEng

The Huddersfield Narrow Canaltransformed the economy of the Colne andTame Valleys when it was built 200 yearsago. Its restoration at the start of the thirdMillennium will be the key to therevitalisation of the same communities.This paper deals with the history andheritage of the canal and its corridor, therestoration over the last 25 years, theregeneration and other benefits which willaccrue from the completed project,assembly of the Millennium Commission/English Partnerships funding package andmanagement of the restoration works.

Key words: urban regeneration, waterways& canals, environment

History

The Huddersfield Narrow Canal has laid claimto being the country’s most spectacular canal.Born out of the enthusiasm for canal buildingin the late eighteenth century and the haulageneeds of local businesses, the initial €200,000for its construction was raised by publicsubscription following a public meeting on 30th

May 1793 and Benjamin Outram was engagedas engineer. Begun in 1794 and completed in1811 the canal ran for 32 kilometres (20miles) between Huddersfield and Ashton-

Regeneration through restoration: theHuddersfield Narrow Canal project

under-Lyne, and required 74 locks to climbthe Tame and Colne Valleys. At its centre wasStandedge Tunnel 5.2 kilometres (3.25 miles)in length and the longest, highest in altitudeand the deepest underground of any canaltunnel in the country. Figure 1 shows thelocation of the canal in the present daynorthern canals network.

The canal was a major civil engineeringachievement, being constructed against theelements with its tunnel blasted through thePennines using crude explosives and sheerhuman effort and courage. By 1800 theconstruction of the canal with its locks up thevalleys from Ashton and Huddersfield

Fig. 1. Plan of Northern Canals Network (Huddersfield CanalCompany)


generated local traffic but the full opening wasstill some years away. Significant problemsassociated with excessive ground water, hardrock and inaccurate surveying wereencountered during building of the tunnel.This, together with disastrous floods in 1799and difficulties encountered in establishing asatisfactory water supply meant that moremoney had to be raised to complete theflagging enterprise. A further €100,000 wasobtained and following the death of BenjaminOutram, prominent engineer, Thomas Telford,was engaged in 1806 to advise on finishing thework. He provided the impetus for the tunnelto be completed and the canal was duly opento traffic in April 1811 although by then thetotal cost had reached €396,267 of whichStandedge tunnel had consumed €123,804according to Fox.1

The canal was instrumental in thedevelopment of local communities as theindustrial revolution took hold. Commoditiessuch as coal, cotton and limestone weretransported in much larger quantities than bypackhorse and at significantly lower unit rates.This resulted in the expansion of the textilemanufacturing in the Pennine valleys and thecommunities, which relied upon theemployment provided. Once trade haddeveloped, the Huddersfield Canal Companypaid increasing dividends to its shareholdersbetween 1830 and 1845 when theHuddersfield and Manchester Railway andCanal Company was formed following amerger with the company promoting the newrailway line. In 1848 records showed that169,487 tonnes of goods were carried.1 Fig. 2

and 3 show early photographs of the canal.

Decline

From the opening of the first railway linethrough Standedge in 1849, there was asteady decline of canal traffic which was to lastalmost a hundred years. Successive expansionof the railway along with new tunnels throughStandedge in 1871 and 1894 (see Fig. 4)made the canal largely redundant as a through

Fig. 2. Canal Lock near Holme Mill, Slaithwaite (frompostcard by E.G. & Co. Huddersfield)

Fig. 3. Narrow boat being loaded at Stalybridge (Courtesy ofMr A. Cooke)

Fig. 4. Cross-section through the four Standedgetunnels viewed towards Diggle (Ove Arup)


transport route although tonnage carriedremained at around 160,000 tonnes perannum until the turn of the century.1 By 1911it was rare for boats to pass through the tunneland the meagre trade was generated by localbusiness within the valleys. The last loadedboat through the tunnel from east to westmade the journey in November 1922. Thecanal officially closed by Act of Parliament in1944 and fell into dereliction thereafter (seeFig. 5). Some sections were sold off in the1960’s and 1970’s and built over, locks werecapped, cascaded or weired, and bridges weredemolished and replaced with pipe culverts.Under the Transport Act, 1968 the canal wasclassified as “remainder” in status servingprimarily a water supply role.

The Impossible Restoration

Moves to restore the canal started in 1974. Inthe same year volunteers succeeded with there-opening to navigation of the connectingAshton and Lower Peak Forest Canals, also“remainder” waterways at the time. Thesecanals now form part of the popular CheshireRing cruising system. This achievement gaveimpetus to a group of canal enthusiasts toform the Huddersfield Canal Societydedicated to reopening the HuddersfieldNarrow Canal.

The project was dubbed the “ImpossibleRestoration” before work began. Undeterred,Canal Society volunteers started the work in1981 restoring 2 locks and a kilometre ofchannel in Uppermill to enable a trip boat tooperate. Figure 6 shows early restoration inprogress.

Partnership formed

From 1984 the local authorities joined in byrunning projects funded through theCommunity Programme. The following yearsaw the formation of a Joint Committeepartnership between the Canal Society, BritishWaterways and the three local authorities(Kirklees Metropolitan Council, OldhamMetropolitan Borough Council and Tameside

Metropolitan Borough Council ) together withthe metropolitan counties of GreaterManchester and West Yorkshire. The lastnamed were abolished through localgovernment reorganisation in 1986 butGreater Manchester demonstrated a lastingcommitment to the restoration by leaving a€1.2 million legacy for the project. The CanalSociety was unusual in the inland waterwaysrestoration movement in setting up its own

Fig 5. A dumped car indicates the impending dereliction ofthe Huddersfield Narrow in the 1950s. (Courtesy ofHuddersfield Canal Society, author unknown)

Fig. 6. Early Restoration of a lock on the Huddersfield NarrowCanal (Courtesy of R. Dewey, Huddersfield Canal Society)


trading subsidiary, HCS (Restoration) Ltd.,which acted as a small civil engineeringcontracting firm to undertake many of therestoration schemes.

In the second half of the 1980s, a number ofstudies confirmed the potential benefits ofrestoration and assessed the cost of reopeningthe canal through the most challengingblockages.2-5 Further restoration funded bythe Department of the Environment throughits Derelict Land Grant ensured that by 1996nearly 14 miles of channel and 64 of the 74locks had been restored to navigable standardat a cost of around €10 million. Thereremained however significant blockagesbetween Stalybridge and Huddersfield, whichisolated the navigable sections from the canalnetwork.

Making the case for restoration

It was evident by the mid 1990s that a majorfunding package would be required tocomplete restoration of the canal and that thiswould need to have a firm commercial basis ifit was to succeed.

In 1994, economists, Coopers & Lybrand6 hadbeen commissioned by the Canal Society toexplore the potential economic benefits ofrestoration. Their report concluded that ‘thelong term potential of the canal to encouragenew activity and to act as a focus fordevelopment in all sectors is very substantial,and offers significant gains to the localeconomy. In particular, the canal is likely toplay a key part in the strategies of thoseinvolved in stimulating economic growth andinvestment, providing the opportunity towiden and diversify the area’s economic base’.This was followed by British WaterwaysMarketing Research Unit7 report on the likelydemand for boating and informal recreationactivities on a fully restored canal. Thepotential annual visitor figures and spendattributable to five years after re-opening areshown in Table 1.

The introduction of the National Lottery andan indication of continuing support from the

Government’s regeneration agency, EnglishPartnerships gave extra impetus to therestoration and in 1996 the HuddersfieldCanal Society submitted the ‘Completing thePennine Ring’ business plan8 to theMillennium Commission on behalf of thepartnership to seek €14.8 million towards the€31 million restoration to through navigation.

The Millennium Project

In December 1996 the partnership succeededin its bid for Millennium Commission funds tocomplete the whole restoration. The aims ofthe project were to:

· Reopen the 32 kilometre long canal betweenStalybridge and Huddersfield by April 2001.

· Create the Standedge Visitor Centre atMarsden.

· Operate and maintain the canal to cruisingstandard for 125 years.

· Help celebrate the old and new Millenniumsin the Tame and Colne Valleys.

Planned work

Nineteen separate engineering schemes wereplanned as shown on Figure 7, most of theminvolving removable of significant blockages tothrough navigation. The largest was atStalybridge where an 800 metre section ofreopened canal would provide a new focusand improved environment for the town.

Table 1 Estimated annual figures and spend for boats andvisitors 5 years after canal re-opening7

Numbers Spend (£)

Permanently moored boats 213 525,000Visiting private boats (average trips) 2059 250,000Visiting trail boats (trips) 750 55,000Day hire boats 5 33,000Holiday hire boats 15 315,000Visiting hire boats (average trips) 650 167,000Trip boats 3 333,000Restaurant Boat 2 300,000Unpowered Boating 10,620 32,000Anglers 69,620 305,000Informal Visitors 1,458,580 1,290,000

Total 3,606,000


The recent closure of the Delta Cromptoncable works had enabled the reopening of theold canal line to be pursued in place of theproblematical river route alternative. Work atStandedge Tunnel involved desilting the fulllength of tunnel, removal of rock falls, repairsto air shafts and stabilisation of the sections ofbare rock and lined tunnel. Figure 8 shows anunlined section of tunnel. Major blockageswere also to be removed in Kirklees atSlaithwaite, where the new 600 metre sectionof canal would recreate the unique canalfrontage to this Pennine village, and throughBates Mill and Sellers Engineering Works inHuddersfield where new tunnels would berequired to take the canal under businesspremises.

Funding regime

In 1997 a new company, the HuddersfieldCanal Company, was set up by partnersKirklees, Oldham and Tameside Councils,British Waterways and the Huddersfield CanalSociety to promote the €30 million project.This company, limited by guarantee, hasengaged its own Project Director to co-ordinate the work.

With ‘in principle’ approval obtained from theMillennium Commission, the match-fundingneeded to be secured. Much work wasrequired by the partners to demonstrate toEnglish Partnerships that the project deliveredsufficient regeneration outputs to satisfy that

organisation’s criteria and could be deliveredto time and budget. British Waterways agreedto underwrite the project subject to back-to-back arrangements with the local authoritiesfor certain aspects of the project.

In Spring 1999, British Waterways signedfunding agreements with the MillenniumCommission to secure a €14.85 million grantand with English Partnerships, to provide €12million for the project through theDevelopment Agencies for the Yorkshire andHumber and the North West. The balance offunds to complete the restoration to throughnavigation by April 2001 was committed bythe partners either in cash or in kind as shownin Table 2.

Delivering the Project

Each of the partners had an important role toplay in the project delivery. The Canal Society

Fig. 7. Plan and list of engineering schemes within theMillennium Commission funded restoration project(Huddersfield Canal Company)

Fig. 8. An unlined section of the Standedge Tunnel (Courtesyof Huddersfield Canal Society)


would continue to promote the canal throughits festivals, boat trips and regular newsletters.The local authorities had key planning andhighway responsibilities. British Waterwayswere operators of the canal as a “remainder”waterway and would maintain it as a cruisingwaterway on completion. Each individualscheme would be led and managed on a day-to day basis by one of the partners. BritishWaterways would lead on the canal trackworks and Standedge Visitor Centre. The localauthorities would lead on highway andmunicipal works.

11 reservoirs supplied the canal in its heyday.All but one of these was still available for watersupply. Five reservoirs had supplied drinkingwater since the 1970s with a compensationarrangement feeding water back to the canalat Marsden to maintain canal levels. BritishWaterways prepared a water resources study9,which showed that water supplies would besecure for cruising nine years in ten.

In urban areas some sections of canal hadbeen sold for development. UsingCompulsory Purchase Powers the localauthorities for Kirklees and Tameside haveacquired the freehold and, where appropriate,rights for navigation through these sections.The intention is for title to be transferred backto British Waterways by the time the canal isoperational.

Design work was complete by mid 1999.Construction work was soon under waythroughout the length of the canal andremains on schedule for canal reopening atthe end of April 2001.

Ensuring sustainability

Some lengths of the canal had beendesignated as national Sites of SpecialScientific Interest (SSSI) and others have morelocal and regional importance on account ofthe aquatic species present. These includeprotected species such as white-clawedcrayfish and floating water plantain. BritishWaterways and English Nature have signed animportant Site Management Statement10 toprotect the Tameside SSSI and allow forpassage of boats. Detailed environmentalmanagement arrangements have been put inplace by British Waterways’ ecologists toprotect habitats and permit throughnavigation.

An Operation and Maintenance Agreementbetween British Waterways, HuddersfieldCanal Company, Millennium Commission,Kirklees, Oldham and Tameside Councils hasbeen signed to ensure maintenance to cruisingstandard for 125 years after reopening, clearlydemonstrating the sustainability of the project.This involved the local authorities agreeing toprovide a total of €150,000 each year fortwenty years from 2001 for a sinking fund,which, together with British Waterways’contribution from their income, wouldprovide sufficient funds for British Waterwaysto operate and maintain the canal.

In 1996, the Civic Trust was commissioned bythe Huddersfield Canal Society to undertakean Environmental Heritage Audit of theHuddersfield Narrow Canal.11 This concludedthat the canal was ‘an industrial andtransportation heritage asset of local, regionaland national importance’. Figure 9 shows thecanal passing historic mills as it follows theColne Valley near Linthwaite.

In 1998, the deliverability and sustainability ofthe project resulted in the HuddersfieldNarrow Canal being identified as one of thethree premier canal restoration schemes inBritain by the Inland Waterways AmenityAdvisory Council’s report12 commissioned bythe Department of Environment Transport andthe Regions.

Table 2 Project Funding Schedule

Funder Amount:£ million

Millennium Commission 14.85English Partnerships 11.91English Partnerships (contingency) 0.93Huddersfield Canal Society 0.55British Waterways 0.43Kirklees Metropolitan Council 0.5Partners in kind 0.25Voluntary Sector in kind 1.19Per Cent for Arts from various sources 0.15

Total 30.76

38 - Pennine Link - Spring 200138 - Pennine Link - Autumn 2000

A boater’s dream or claustrophobe’s nightmare?

A Visitor Experience

An integral part of the ‘Completing thePennine Ring’ business plan10 was theproposed Standedge Visitor Centre, which atthe time was described as ‘The StandedgeExperience’. The concept had beendeveloped over a number of years insuccessive reports produced by leisurebusiness consultants5,13,14 and planned as aunique visitor attraction providing boat tripsinto the restored Standedge Tunnel. Based ina refurbished Grade II listed waterwaywarehouse building at Marsden, an exhibitionwould bring to life the history of transportationthrough the Pennines, the story of the buildingof the tunnels and the natural environment ofthe area. It would provide an educationalresource as well as catering and shop facilities.Phase 1 of the attraction includingrefurbishment of the warehouse, ground floorinterpretation and the trip boat into the tunnelis to be created as part of the Millenniumproject to open at the same time as the canal.Figure 10 shows the warehouse beforerestoration. Expansion of the attraction to usethe available space on the upper floors forfurther interpretation and educational facilitieswill depend on additional funds.

Celebrating the Millennium through Art

The project has set aside one per cent of thebudget for arts. A comprehensive programmehas been developed to stimulate interest inthe restored canal, involve community groups

as well as professional artists, and assist theMillennium celebrations.

Benefits of the project

Completion of the restoration of theHuddersfield Narrow Canal to throughnavigation will provide a second Trans-Pennine waterway link between the existingcanal networks in Yorkshire and the NorthWest, the Leeds & Liverpool being the onlycurrently operating link. Significant progress isbeing made on the plans to restore theRochdale Canal, which, together with theHuddersfield Narrow, will create a new SouthPennine Ring.

Restoration will act as a catalyst for the rebirthand revitalisation of the valleys, towns andcommunities through which it passes and theregeneration of the wider canal corridor.Figure 11 shows the canal-side Burdett Mill atMilnsbridge recently refurbished for flats inanticipation of the canal reopening and figure12 shows an artist’s impression of the newlock 6 which will be sited in ArmentieresSquare, Stalybridge and form a newenvironmental focus for the town.

Completing the restoration of theHuddersfield Narrow Canal is set to:

· Transform the environment and image of thecanal corridor.

· Promote a vibrant and dynamic tourismindustry.

· Stimulate investment in property and jobcreation.

Fig. 9. View of Huddersfield Narrow Canal following the ColneValley near Linthwaite (Courtesy of R. Dewey, HuddersfieldCanal Society)

Fig. 10. The British Waterways warehouse at Tunnel EndMarsden before restoration. (Courtesy of Huddersfield CanalSociety)


· Bring about redevelopment of brown fieldsites.

· Provide a safe, high quality environment forleisure and recreation.

· Provide an accessible education resource forthe many school children along the corridor.

· Conserve and enhance the waterway andassociated heritage for future generations.

English Partnerships’ economists, KPMG haveappraised the project15 and concluded that thedirect regeneration outputs shown in Table 3will result from their investment in therestoration.

The resurgence in the country’s inlandwaterways and associated waterfronts hasgained Government recognition andencouragement through the recentlypublished report ‘Waterways for Tomorrow’.16

Public Consultation

Recent public consultation exercises haveconfirmed the popularity of the restorationproject. It has wide support from thecommunities through the canal corridor andmany businesses are looking forward to thenew opportunities presented by a restoredand vibrant waterway. It is clear that therestoration of the historic HuddersfieldNarrow Canal is recognised as the best thingthat has happened in the Tame and ColneValleys for many years and on its reopening,will provide a fitting celebration of the newMillennium.

Acknowledgements

The author is grateful for the assistance ofofficers of the partner organisations whoprovided information and figures and helpedcheck the text.

Fig. 11. Flats in Burdett Mill at Navigation Rise, Milnsbridge(A. Stopher)

Fig. 12. Artist’s impression of Stalybridge (Courtesy ofTameside Metropolitan District Council)

Table 3 KPMG direct regeneration outputs resulting fromEnglish Partnerships investment in the restoration project15.

Regeneration Output Figures

Derelict land reclaimed 31 hectaresFull time equivalent jobs (excl. construction) 398 jobsCommercial floor space constructed 11,727m2

Residential units 106 units

1. Fox M. and P., Pennine Passage: A History of the Huddersfield NarrowCanal, Huddersfield Canal Society, 1988.

2. L & R Leisure Consultants, Huddersfield Narrow Canal: The Benefitsof Restoration Development, 1986.

3. W S Atkins & Partners (Wales), The Huddersfield Narrow Canal: Astudy presenting suggested alternative routes for the canal acrossStalybridge, Jan 1986.

4. Ove Arup & Partners, Standedge Tunnel Condition Study final reportSeptember 1989.

5. L & R Leisure PLC, The Standedge Experience final report October1989.

6. Coopers & Lybrand, Study to assess the impact of the restoration ofthe Huddersfield Narrow Canal, final report September 1994.

7. British Waterways Marketing Research Unit, The Huddersfield NarrowCanal: A demand analysis for boating and informal recreation activities onthe re-opening of the navigation, final report March 1995.

8. Pieda PLC, Completing the Pennine Ring: The Huddersfield NarrowCanal Millennium Project Business Plan, October 1996.

9. British Waterways Water Development, Huddersfield Narrow Canal:Water Resources Study, February 199610. English Nature, Site Management Statement: Huddersfield NarrowCanal SSSI, June 1998.

11. Civic Trust, Huddersfield Narrow Canal Environment Heritage Audit,April 1996.

12. Inland Waterways Amenity Advisory Council, Report on WaterwayRestoration Priorities, June 1998.

13. Brook Miller Peden Architects, Standedge Experience; Final Report,October 1996.

14. Sykes Leisure Projects, The Standedge Experience Tunnel TripBusiness Plan: Final Report, July 1999.

15. KPMG project appraisal report for English Partnerships, 1998.

16. Department of Environment Transport and the Regions, Waterwaysfor Tomorrow, June 2000.

References


SAFE AND FRIENDLY CRUISING

Some thoughts on boating etiquette for theexperienced and less experienced boater

orThings you knew you needed to knowabout boating but were afraid to ask!

All that is the full title of a document Imentioned last time in “IWA News”! In aneffort to drag us all into the world ofboating, now that restoration is all butcomplete, we are printing this new guide inserial form. It is presented by a consortiumof boating and waterway organisations butthey welcome contributions from anybodyfor future editions. Details will be given atthe end of the final chapter! Ken Wright.

Welcome to Britain’s Inland Waterways

Most guide books and ‘how to do it’publications about the waterwaysconcentrate on technical aspects – howthings work, how to operate locks and boatsetc. They do not deal with the interactionbetween boaters. These notes are intendedto encourage everyone to help each otherenjoy cruising the waterways. They highlightsome common situations where this mightbe appropriate, where aggravation could be

Safe & Friendly Cruising - Part 1prevented by mutual help, thoughtfulnessand understanding.

We hope to encourage the moreexperienced boater to offer advice andassistance in appropriate circumstances in aspirit of friendship; and the less experiencedto seek advice or ideas and to evaluateadvice given in good part. Not all hirers arenovices; some private or shared ownershipboaters are. Many hire boaters have severalyears’ experience and some private boatershave very little! We are all people with acommon interest in the waterways whohave just not yet become friends. Theorganizations which have produced thesenotes hope they will help you do just that.The notes have been written mainly withcanals in mind, but are just as relevant forriver boating. Currents, weirs and changingwater levels on rivers may bring extrahazards and lock procedures may bedifferent.

Be happy, polite and considerate

It has been a tradition since the days of theworking boats to acknowledge each otherwith a cheery wave – join in! Don’t beselective about whom you acknowledge anddon’t forget other waterway users – we areall trying to enjoy the same experience.There really is room for all lovers of thewaterways whatever their interest.

It costs nothing to beconsiderate and allowfor the other person’sinexperience. Adisagreement or afrustrating experiencecan stay with you allday, make you lessrelaxed and morelikely to makemistakes. Take it easy –there are no prizes forbeing first!

This ….. or This …..?


Speed

Boating is the fastest way to slow down – sotry doing just that! If you are reading this ona boat then you are already well on yourway to that well earned rest. Relax, take iteasy, don’t plan to do too much in a day.Allow some slack time in your schedule forholdups, because there will be some! Donot cause a breaking wash – this can easilyhappen in shallow water even at low speed– it erodes banks, reducing depth with theresulting silt, and eventually making boatingmore difficult for everyone.

Be aware that a boat draws water fromahead and the stern goes deeper into thewater the faster the speed – reducing theavailable depth of water and increasing thelikelihood of grounding, particularly nearthe bank. Slow down passing on-comingboats because there is less room availablefor each boat, so less room for error. Themovement of water can cause one of theboats (if not both) to end up aground.

Slow to tick over (max 2mph) before youpass moored boats – otherwise you maycause the moored boat to rock significantlywhich is a safety hazard if someone on it ispouring boiling water or using a power tool,for instance. You might also pull out themoored boat’s mooring pins and set it adrift.

It is rare for there to be a need, let alone asafe opportunity, to overtake a slower boat.Best to relax and enjoy the view. If you areconsistently being caught by another boatand you don’t wish to increase your ownspeed, find a suitable straight stretch andslow or stop to enable the other boat to passsafely. Indicate your willingness to beovertaken.

Legs and arms and other bits

Legs and arms are not designed to stop orfend off boats from other boats, bridges orother structures. Limbs will break first!Similarly, keep limbs within the boat when

cruising – don’t sit astride the bow with legsdangling – you could lose them in anemergency. And watch out for bridges if youare on the roof!

The steerer of a ‘trad’ or ‘semi trad’narrowboat should not stand on the edge ofthe rear deck. If the boat hits something youcould get tipped into the water, and withthe propeller turning ….

Don’t be offended if a passing boatermentions these things; it could just preventa nasty accident.

Mooring up

Use rings or bollards where you can, theywill be firmer than spikes. Tie ropes fairlytightly to reduce movement caused bypassing boats which can pull outspikes or break ropes. Drivemooring spikes deeply into theground, to reduce the chance ofthem being pulled out by apassing boat. And tie the rope asclose to the ground as you can. Tie the lineto the spike, don’t just pass it around – if thespike comes out at least it will stay attachedto the rope! Where there are steel pilings,try placing the spike immediately behind apile – it reduces the chance of it beingpulled out and keeps the spike off thefootpath. Where the spike is close to thetowing path, attach some means of warning.

Are you fed up with having your mooringpins pulled out by boats going by too fast?


Fed up with being rocked? Trymooring like this – it is calledsetting spring lines. You take amooring rope forward andbehind the mooring cleat toreduce the potential for the boat to swingback and forth.

Please don’t leave spaces between boats onpopular moorings – very often the sum ofthe spaces left by not sharing bollards orrings would have enabled another boat tomoor.

Be prepared to ‘breast up’ side by side atcrowded moorings where the waterway iswide enough. Offer an incoming boat theopportunity to moor alongside you – itcould be the start of an enduring friendship.

Don’t block the towing path by tying to afence or tree in the hedge – eventemporarily. It can be dangerous as well asannoying to tow path users.

Centre ropes are useful for holding a boat inposition temporarily but don’t rely on themwhen mooring properly. A well moored boatshould need no more than bow and sternlines.

Mooring at waterpoints andlock landings

Don’t moor in such a way asto prevent another boatarriving from using the facility

– leave all the space (70 feet if you can!)ahead or astern rather than a short bit ateach end!

Moor only to use the facility, and then moveoff. Don’t stop there for a meal or – worse –leave the boat moored up with no one inattendance. If you don’t have an alternative,at least leave your hose connected to offerto others wishing to fill with water, andinvite them to come alongside. It takes theaggravation away!

Next time! Bridges and working locks.

Photo Competition PresentationPhoto competition winner Anita Crosby ispresented with the Challenge Shield and apair of Minolta binoculars by Anthony Carterof Arcade Photo Services, Imperial Arcade,New Street, Huddersfield, who donated the

binoculars. Whilst taking the presentationphoto near the newly restored canal inSlaithwaite, your Editor took the opportunityto capture ‘The Oldest Comer-in’ (below); aglacial erratic mounted in a low wall near the

Britannia Road bridge. Membersmight like to consult their osteopathbefore reading the adjacent,interpretative plaque. (Photos: K. Wright)


Canal Crossword - 33

ACROSSACROSSACROSSACROSSACROSS1 Inferred begel would be served whilstcruising L & L summit locks (13).7 Nestles closely together crossing shallowwater at a junction on the Coventry canal (11).9 Go east with the London, Midland &Scottish to find diseased trees (4).10 Cruising after the third boat on a Scottishriver we hear (5).12 We edge closer to the hatch looking forunwanted rubbish (4).13 Large 18thC residence in Fulhamby the Thames, now the centre of thecroquet world (10,5).14 Myself and Miss Mowlam writing a note tothe editor (4).15 Spies looking for grooves in tyres (5).16 Within Rossini’s ‘Barber of Seville’ find thepoint of a fishing implememnt (4).

19 Backbreakingstairway to heaven onthe Grand Union (6,5).20 Recipient of canaldues (4,9).

DOWNDOWNDOWNDOWNDOWN2 Arachnid definitelyseen at Nun Monkton onthe River Ouse (4).3 Early Devonianwaterway (6,4,5).4 That is very loudmusic for a smallinstrument bought at ajumble sale (4).5 Look! HM charterboat available for a lift onthe Sheffield and SouthYorks navigation (9,4).6 Where to get a rise intriplicate on theLlangollen (8,5).

7 A good pounding given to an iron workerhalf way along the boat race course (11).8 Ault degrees ordered by the captain asgovernment interference reduces (11).10 Detective sergeant has fun raising moneyfor canal restoration (5).11 Found quite often when crossing canalbridges! (5).17 Oh for credit to enable me to afford anear operation (4).18 Lengthy talker with no subject found onthe Severn and the Trent (4).

Solution at the foot of page 55


HCS Council News20TH November, 2000

We reported briefly, in the last issue, on thepresentation to Council by Mike Marshallfrom British Waterways on the plans foroperating Standedge Tunnel.

Also, at the meeting, some other businessmatters arose. Alec Ramsden remindedCouncil that we no longer had a PressOfficer. There has been confusion andduplication with HCC partners and othersdoing their own thing but the Society will beon its own again soon in forging its role inthe working of the re-opened canal.

Any offers? A good job for a retiredJournalist or anybody else of a nosey naturewith the gift of the gab! A great opportunityto get seriously involved In the working ofthe Society.

Reported that the Alliance Charter was nowin a position to be agreed and signed and adate had been set (29.11.00).

2001 Tameside Canals Festival would be thelast in the present format. See Brian Minor’sreport on page 51.

The Society is to invite all members to a dayvisit to the canal with an informal eveningmeal. Several guest speakers to be invited.Could be ‘grand opening’ day or aweekend. Could be the transshipment shedor Huddersfield Town Hall (Joke!). But youmembers all know about this already, don’tyou?

Council members still looking for ideas for“works of art” to complement the restoredcanal.

24th January, 2001

A draft of the document for recruitingvolunteers was discussed and you should allhave had one by now. Please don’t bin it,your contribution would be greatlyrewarding.

Council agreed to subsidise signs, inOldham, marking where the canal passesunder public roads – so long as theymention the Society in some way!

An update on progress at the StandedgeVisitor Centre was well received. Less wellreceived was the news that the boat/s forthe water taxi will not be ready in time. Bigproblems with deciding on a specificationacceptable to boat inspectors. We willprobably make do, temporarily, with amodified version of the “Oldham Otter”.(Since the Marsden car park is also unlikelyto be finished in time there is perhaps nogreat problem! Ed.)

A discussion took place on the possibility ofthe Society helping BW to fund sanitarystations along the canal. Under the rightcircumstances this could be a usefulinvestment and BW are to be asked tosupply some details.

It was suggested, and agreed, that a brassplaque be produced, to be purchased byboaters who traversed the full length of thecanal (or perhaps just visited). Frank Smithto design.

The “grand opening” was discussed but, sofar, very little is known, except that it will bein Marsden! District “mini-openings” arealso being planned but only Tameside seemsto have set a date (May 26/28 – Stalybridge“Renaissance”). (Later, we heard thatOldham will have an event in Uppermill onMay 18th. Ed.)

Council heard about the forthcomingwedding of your able assistant editor/officeadministrator Bob Gough, on February 16th,and wished him and his future bride all thevery best for the future.

Ken Wright


IWA NewsThe Inland Waterways Association hasproduced a plethora of Press Releasessince I last wrote so I shall only commenton a selection of them.

At the National Conference for WaterwaySocieties (platform party speaker oneDavid Sumner, HCS Chairman) IWAannounced a new training award. A bi-annual prize of up to €750 which will begiven to volunteers to assist with the costof training in skills associated with inlandwaterway restoration.

IWA has appointed five new Vice Presi-dents, one of whom is Chris Coburn, ofwhom you have sometimes read in thismagazine. Mainly to do with his exploitsat sea in narrowboat “Progress” but alsobecause THE WIFE and I seemed to keepbumping into him (not literally!) on ourtravels.

In September 2001 there is to be a BoatGathering at Banbury to celebrate thecompletion of canal-side redevelopment –and not a single word in the press releaseabout Tooley’s Yard, the famous boatyardglorified in LTC Rolt’s “Narrow Boat”which is being restored in all its ram-shackle glory (the yard not the boat!) – orso I understand?

IWA is supporting British Waterways “takeover” of Environment Agency navigationsi.e. River Thames, Medway, Nene andGreat Ouse and other bits. This wouldbring all the publicly owned inlandwaterways under one banner. Makessense to me.

The IWA Manchester Branch Chairman’sNewsletter (12 x A5 pages!) contains astrange statement – “Looking ahead into

the next two years seems a busy time forthe North West. We should see theofficial openings of the HuddersfieldNarrow Canal and the Anderton Lift,although we will not be encouraged touse them”. Really? (My bold, Ed.)

A clean-up of the Ashton Canal wasmooted but abandoned because “to oursurprise, we found the state of the canalwould not justify a national effort.”Apparently the canal is in “fairly goodshape” which must be good news forthose preparing for the nearby Common-wealth Games in 2002.

Head Office Bulletins come monthly andmy December one is just about readable.IWA definitely need to put more ink intheir copier! Tales of severe flooding, twomore Millennium Bridges (York andGateshead) delayed – because of weatherthis time, not wobbles. DownstreamWorcester nearly disappeared.

Freephone Canals

The new freephone number is 0800 47999 47, probably not free from mobilesand non-BT lines. Existing number 01384215 785 will still be available for severalmonths, until about the end of 2001.

How about this for a lovely piece ofgobbledegook?

“These partnerships are multi-agency,multi-sectoral, umbrella partnerships thatwill be set up by local authorities toimprove the quality of life and governancein particular localities. The ‘partnerships’aim to bring together representatives fromlocal government, the community, busi-ness and voluntary sectors to provide a


single overarching local co-ordinationframework within which other, morespecific local partnerships can operate”.

I mean, I ask you! Find out more onDETR’s website:ww.regneration.detr.gov.uk/conindex.htm(that is if you can get through – I reckonthere are at least two errors in thataddress!)

IWA have lodged objections to proposalsby Railtrack to close compulsorily parts ofthree canals more or less willy-nilly forbridge construction works. A publicinquiry will take most of this year! Notsurprisingly!

The public sector appeal for funds for therestoration of Anderton Lift fairly easilyreached its target of €250,000. Unfortu-nately the similar appeal to the businesssector has fallen short so the public sectorone is being continued. (As an individualsupporter I must say I have been im-pressed by the paperwork issued so far –and I am looking forward to my free ride!Ed).

According to figures calculated from thenumbers of boats so far certified underthe Boat Safety Scheme there are justover 40,000 boats currently in use on themain, connected non-tidal inland water-ways (i.e. excludes The Broads and tidalrivers). Most of them will be trying to getup our canal soon!

The Heritage Lottery Fund is encouragingapplications for grants under €1 millionand seems to have a lot of dosh sloppingabout. IWA have lots of expertise to helpapplicants to put in realistic claims.

A full set of the notes from the ‘NationalConference for Waterway Societies’ isavailable on the IWA website(www.waterways.org.uk). This site is

updated every few days and you can findall the Head Office Bulletins there. (Whyam I writing all this, then? Ed).

The surplus from the 2000 Festival atWaltham Abbey is likely to be about€25,000. Excellent work.

Some interesting bits of the Countrysideand Rights of Way Act came into force on30th January. For instance powers to orderthe removal of obstructions on highways;requiring overhanging vegetation to be cutback (As an ex-highways man I thoughtthese two had been on the cards forever!Just shows. Ed); to begin mapping the fourmillion acres (one ninth of the country) tobe opened up to public access, etc. Don’tforget the small print!

Lock gate design is to be rationalised, (butnot standardised) to prevent boats getting“hung up” on gates with holes and ledgeswhere they shouldn’t be. But please, don’tban gate paddles!

IWA have responded to consultation on“Walking in towns and cities”, citing theimportance of canal towpaths as traffic-free havens. The final bullet point says“There’s a need to address potentialconflicts between cyclists and other usersof towing paths.( I’ll say! Ed.)

Nice progress report on HNC in Febru-ary’s HQ Bulletin. “Below Lock 23, thecanal passes under the lock tail bridgethat used to span grass”. No, I don’tunderstand it, either. And the canal willbe open “by the beginning of May”. HQobviously better informed than theManchester Chairman.

Ken Wright


What the Papers SayI don’t know about Tameside (I NEVER knowabout Tameside!) but the Oldham area hasbeen a bit quiet again.This issue I rely a loton the Kirklees news sent in by Keith Sykes.The tone of the articles is changingnoticeably, too, with fringe issues creeping inamongst the purely restoration items.

13 Nov – Oldham Chronicle13 Nov – Oldham Chronicle13 Nov – Oldham Chronicle13 Nov – Oldham Chronicle13 Nov – Oldham Chronicle

A lot of the Rochdale Canal is in OldhamBorough and the Chron reported the launchof the restoration scheme – at long last – byEnvironment Minister Michael Meacher,who is also an Oldham MP.


Another Environment Minister, Chris Mullin,launches British Waterways RegenerationTask Force in Manchester. 30 professionalstaff will help to transform “the canals inand around Greater Manchester into a high-quality busy network, playing their full partin the sustainable improvements in allaspects of life in the city.”

17 Nov – Colne V17 Nov – Colne V17 Nov – Colne V17 Nov – Colne V17 Nov – Colne Valley Chroniclealley Chroniclealley Chroniclealley Chroniclealley Chronicle

“On Course for Breakthrough”. Article andtwo large colour pictures on Slaithwaitetown centre work.

23 Nov – Oldham Chronicle23 Nov – Oldham Chronicle23 Nov – Oldham Chronicle23 Nov – Oldham Chronicle23 Nov – Oldham ChronicleContract of €150,000 for Standedge VisitorCentre awarded to Headland DesignAssociates, Chester. They will produce theinteractive exhibition with canal-themed fundisplays and state-of-the-art attractions –and a “daring boat-trip experience venturinginto the Standedge tunnel”.

27 Nov – Huddersfield Daily Examiner27 Nov – Huddersfield Daily Examiner27 Nov – Huddersfield Daily Examiner27 Nov – Huddersfield Daily Examiner27 Nov – Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Similar article but mentioning the reopeningof the canal arm in to the warehouse andlow level features in “a trail for under-fives”.Hopefully opening on April 12th.


The David Ford art group exhibition in thetranshipment shed gets an airing, withpicture of group members.


Nearly full page article (with pictureincluding yours truly) telling of the signing ofthe historic Alliance charter between BritishWaterways and the Society.

1 Dec – Colne V1 Dec – Colne V1 Dec – Colne V1 Dec – Colne V1 Dec – Colne Valley Chroniclealley Chroniclealley Chroniclealley Chroniclealley Chronicle

Article and picture on the openingceremony for the three Kirklees bridges nearMilnsbridge.

6 Dec – Examiner6 Dec – Examiner6 Dec – Examiner6 Dec – Examiner6 Dec – Examiner

British Waterways advert. For tunnel Guides/Pilots at Marsden. Full or part-time. About€6.00 per hour. (Apparently BW have beeninundated with applications. Ed.)


A letter from ex-HCS Council member DaveFinnis, now the National Trust’s highlysuccessful manager of Marsden Moor, aboutcanals in winter. (See Letters to the Editor,where I have reproduced this letter in full.Ed.)


Burying a time capsule in Slaithwaite and apicture of 93 year-old May Cowgill and 5year-old Elise Skelly, who performed theceremony.


Article and two pictures showing thepresentation of the Society’s cheque for€250,000 to British Waterways, as ourcontribution to Standedge Visitor Centre.


14 Dec – Oldham Chronicle14 Dec – Oldham Chronicle14 Dec – Oldham Chronicle14 Dec – Oldham Chronicle14 Dec – Oldham Chronicle

Article on the increasing likelihood of arailway station, canalside almost, at Diggle –and a lovely photograph of the old Digglestation in 1956.

14 Dec – New Civil Engineer14 Dec – New Civil Engineer14 Dec – New Civil Engineer14 Dec – New Civil Engineer14 Dec – New Civil Engineer

Contractor Gleeson has won the €6 millionBritish Waterways contract for construction,maintenance and operation of theMillennium Ribble Link canal, which willconnect the Lancaster Canal at Preston withthe country’s canal system by way of a bit ofthe River Ribble. Just part of all the excitingthings happening to canals in the NorthWest.


Visitor centre cheque presentation. Largeheadline “Centre to be jewel in the crown”.Excellent article and three large pictures.


First details of proposed largeredevelopment canal-side at Frenches,Greenfield. Planned are a smallsupermarket, 96 homes, a pub/restaurantwith some bedrooms, a marina canal basin,a few canal-related shops.


Barry Sheerman, MP for Huddersfieldpraises the high quality of the work inSlaithwaite. “This is not just a canal project,which justifies the vision and faith of canalenthusiasts who never lost faith, it is also aproject which will regenerate the whole ofthe Huddersfield and Lancashire link.”

5 Jan – Examiner5 Jan – Examiner5 Jan – Examiner5 Jan – Examiner5 Jan – Examiner

Progress report on Standedge Visitor Centre.Three tugs and two passenger boats arebeing built in Bristol.

5 Jan – Colne V5 Jan – Colne V5 Jan – Colne V5 Jan – Colne V5 Jan – Colne Valley Chroniclealley Chroniclealley Chroniclealley Chroniclealley Chronicle

Launch of brochure encouraging tourism“Kirklees Visitor Strategy” and a canalsidepicture showing representatives inpromoting tourism.


What a headline – “Waterway restorationnears completion”. We’ve waited 27 yearsfor that! And an excellent photograph of theunique “strutted” channel downstream ofQueen Street South bridge in Huddersfield.


A rather belated article about the Decembercheque presentation but reminding us thatStandedge Tunnel is in the Guinness Bookof Records as the longest, highest, deepestcanal tunnel in Britain.


“Celebrations in valley over ambitiousrestoration project.” Progress report oncompletion at Slaithwaite and ongoing workat Standedge Visitor Centre.

23 Jan – Oldham Chronicle23 Jan – Oldham Chronicle23 Jan – Oldham Chronicle23 Jan – Oldham Chronicle23 Jan – Oldham Chronicle

Royal Opening for canal reported toSaddleworth Parish Council meeting. “It wasthought a minor royal might be opening the20-mile long canal”. Do they knowsomething nobody else does?


Article about a new restaurant near thecanal at Diggle and called “Leggers”. Theowner “hopes that Leggers will benefit fromthe surge of tourism that is expected tofollow (the opening of Standedge Tunnel)”.


Notice of public meeting to discuss theproposed redevelopment at Frenches,Greenfield.



Progress report on work at Wade Lock, HighSt. Uppermill and unavoidable delayscaused by the atrocious weather beforeChristmas.


‘Leaked’ report on the ‘re-watering’ ofSlaithwaite (1 Feb) which had the effect ofdrawing the crowds for the actual event.Excellent photograph.

2 F2 F2 F2 F2 Feb – Examinereb – Examinereb – Examinereb – Examinereb – Examiner

More of the same and some nice supportivequotes from the locals. Another brilliantphoto of a group of local folk lined up on alock bridge.

2 F2 F2 F2 F2 Feb – Colne Veb – Colne Veb – Colne Veb – Colne Veb – Colne Valley Chroniclealley Chroniclealley Chroniclealley Chroniclealley Chronicle

“Flood Gates Open”. More aboutSlaithwaites ‘new look’.

6 F6 F6 F6 F6 Feb – Oldham Chronicleeb – Oldham Chronicleeb – Oldham Chronicleeb – Oldham Chronicleeb – Oldham Chronicle

Shock! Horror! “NEW CANAL TOONARROW TO USE” What a headline tosplash on the front page! Closer readingshows that it is the poor old Rochdale Canalin trouble again. A bit of the new canalchannel, where it passes under the newM60 Motorway in Chadderton, has notbeen constructed wide enough toaccommodate 72’-0” long wide-beambarges.(And there aren’t a lot of them about!Ed.) Millennium Commission is insisting thatthe error be rectified – at some considerablecost. Hope they’re picking up the bill!

Ken Wright


Letters to the EditorWell, for the first time ever, there are none! Ican only assume you have all run out ofsteam in the warm glow of knowing that ourquest is nearing its goal. Or is it that there isnothing to talk about now the tunnelcorrespondence is closed? Anyway, as I saidin the editorial, I have cobbled somethingtogether out of two letters, written bymembers to other bodies, but well worthrepeating.

The first is from Keith Noble to TheIndependent, following one of the Indi’s on7 December, 2000.

“Today you reported that work has at laststarted on the Ribble Link which willconnect the Lancaster Canal to the mainnetwork of English navigable rivers andcanals. You also mentioned the Forth &Clyde Canal which is due to be restored bynext Summer. All this is good news.

Your readers will also be interested to knowthat the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, nearly20 miles long and closed in l944, willreopen following restoration on 30th Aprilnext year (2001). Work on completingrestoration of the Rochdale Canal is alsoabout to begin, being due for completionthe following year. Both these canalsstraddle the Pennines and when reopenedwill form a ring of canals, the Ring of Roses,bringing economic benefits to towns andcities in West Yorkshire and GreaterManchester.

Restoration of both canals bears testimonyto the faith of volunteers who struggled for aquarter of a century or more to transformofficial discouragement and scepticism intopolitical enthusiasm.

Keith Noble, Triangle.”

The second is a beauty from Dave Finnis,who signs himself “canal enthusiast” but

who also has a day job with the NationalTrust on Marsden Moor! His letter waswritten in response to some comments madeby British Waterways Regional DirectorDerek Cochrane about closing canals formaintenance work in winter.

Canals in winter can be great

It was very interesting to read the abovearticle in the Examiner and I am full of praisefor the local authorities and HuddersfieldCanal Society for their admirable work inrestoring Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

However, I really must take exception to thecomments made by Derek Cochrane, theregional director from British Waterways,“that no-one wants to go out onnarrowboats in the winter”!

It is becoming increasingly difficult to goboating in winter with the extendedstoppages imposed by British Waterwaysbut, on the occasions it is possible to find alength of canal open, winter cruising canactually be superb.

Just imagine, a frosty morning with 12-18inof mist on the water, the sunlight justbreaking through the trees at dawn, thestove burning in the back cabin on the boat,snowflakes gently fluttering to the ground, itis really a magnificent and memorablefeeling. Obviously, there are down sides towinter boating as well, but they are soonforgotten after days like I have justmentioned.

It is a real shame that Derek Cochrane hasmade these comments, as it tends to givecredence to those who wish to see a boatingseason – April to October – and a stoppageseason the rest of the year. Winter is great!

David L. Finnis,Canal enthusiast, Marsden”


The Festival scene this year will be somewhatabbreviated. Only the Tameside (Ashton)Canals Festival is scheduled. The UppermillFestival was suspended a couple of years agomainly because it was felt that the work onrestoring the two bridges at each end of thevillage and the resultant traffic dislocationwas likely to be a PR disaster for the Festival!The Huddersfield Rally was put intoabeyance for the practical problem of notenough volunteers to do all the necessaryjobs.

With the canal due to reopen this year,council member Alwyn Ogborn had tried toorganise a celebratory event in Stalybridge,but British Waterways couldn’t guarantee thenecessary supply of water to enable boats tocome ‘over the hill’ and so this has been putback until the canal is actually back inoperation.

The Local Authorities and B.W. are planningto have a series of small events along thecanal as it opens, and perhaps, even a RoyalPersonage to finally declare the job done.We have offered the services of our wellexperienced volunteers to assist in this, butto date have had no response from B.W.

Tameside will be at its usual site on thesecond weekend in July, but this will be forthe last time. The situation with the mainfestival area cut off by Canal and River andthe towpath effectively blocked by the lowarch of the railway bridge means thateverything has to be carried in by hand.Although we have found a small tractor andtrailer that can get under the arch. Thisobviously badly affects the traders, who haveto work out what percentage of their goodsare readily transportable, and means that weare losing many of the ones who havesupported us over the past twenty years.Artists coming on site have to carry theirinstruments quite long distances sometimesas car parking is not easy. Also due to Healthand Safety regulations (All hail to Brussels!)

Canal Festivals in 2001we need water and lighting all over the site.Wiring needs to provide for lights at 110volts and power for musicians and bar at adomestic 240 volts. Most of the power isfrom a generator, but it needs back up andconstant monitoring. One year we even hadone stolen! We need sufficient waterpressure to get a decent supply in the bar forwashing purposes. The erection of cablesand pipes takes a dozen people the best partof three days to fit together andunfortunately we have lost a couple of thecommittee members with the relevantexpertise for this task. We also need to buildthe swing footbridge over the ‘narrows’, thisis in itself an interesting engineeringproblem. And of course the nearest foulwater drain is near the lift bridge, nearly aquarter of a mile from the main site.Someone worked out that a commercialcompany contracting for the job we do in afew days, would want at least four weeks,and charge about €50K!

We have been short-handed through the lastcouple of festivals as we have been runningthe bar ourselves since CAMRA decided thatthere was not sufficient profit in it. Those ofyou who have had the odd pint will haverealised just how many bodies are needed torun this part of the festivities and don’t forgeteveryone is a volunteer doing the job forfun!

Although the Ladies on the Committee areemulating Dorian Gray and have this portraitin the attic - they all seem to look youngereach year - those of us poor males arerealising that Anno Domini does meansomething. So we are looking at placesfurther along the canal where we can getvehicles on site to deliver, put items at theplace they should be to save all the handlingcurrently necessary and have water, powerand drainage more readily available.

Brian Minor, Festivals Officer


Harwood’s CorinthAs my canal interest has always centredaround the canals of this country, espe-cially the narrow ones, it has come assome surprise to me in researching thesearticles on world canals to find how farback the history of waterways goes. Wehave already had dealings with thePharaohs and the Vikings and now wemeet the ancient Greeks (and that is not alegend).

An article on the Internet surprisinglyinforms us that the Corinthians were thefirst to have the idea of a waterwaythrough the Isthmus of Corinth! Thishowever, never came to anything morethan a paved slipway (the diolkos) overwhich boats could be hauled. Well theisthmus is only six kilometres wide, whichis a sight less than the Vikings werehauling last time.

In 67BC Nero got as far as digging a bigtrench but this project lapsed with hisdeath and it was not until some time later,in 1890, that the canal we see today wasstarted, being completed in 1893.

Whilst some canals like the Panama arejudged by the scale of their engineeringthe most striking feature of the Corinthcanal is that it is cut through a solid rockoutcrop and for some of its length hasnear vertical sides up to 70 degrees, andup to 250 feet high. The canal, whichlinks the Ionian and Aegean seas, iscompletely tidal (although, of course, thetidal range of the Mediterranean issomewhat limited) and can save 200miles on the trip around southern Greece.

There is water depth of 26 feet (8m), andthe width varies from 69 feet at thebottom to 82 feet at the surface whichmeans there is probably a one-waysystem in operation – for large shipsanyway.

Detailed information about this canalseems to be hard to come by, even atBritannica level and I have been unabletherefore to get any details of engineers orthe actual building.

John Harwood

The original (French) CorinthCanal company at work.Cutting is being done in aseries of levels, spoil beingloaded into small tippingwagons which are run byinclined plane to the lowestlevel, 5ft above the sea.There they are pushed bylocomotive to a heavy steamdredger and lines of barges.These last, when loaded, aretaken out to sea to beemptied.(Hadfield, C., 1986, WorldCanals, David and Charles)


ReviewsBENJAMIN OUTRAM

by Prof. R B Schofield

Review by Keith Noble

At IWA’s Canal Societies’ Conference inNovember, someone said to me, indiscussing the Huddersfield Narrow, “It’s apity there’s no biography of BenjaminOutram”. I agreed, forgetting that somemonths before I’d ordered a copy ofProfessor R.B. Schofield’s recently pub-lished volume. It dropped on my doormatthe very next morning.

As the author regrets in his introduction,little is known of Outram’s private life,which explains the title and sub-title:-

BENJAMIN OUTRAM1764 – 1805An Engineering Biography

Fortunately whatever lack there may be ofpersonal details is made up for by richsources of material covering Outram’sprofessional career. Rather more than halfthe book is devoted to his canal works,notably on the Ashton, Peak Forest,Cromford and AshbyCanals in addition tothe HuddersfieldNarrow.

However, Outram was,as they say “a manahead of his time”. Hesaw tramroads, railwaysand plateways, not justas feeders to canals butalso as having anindependent existence.His father in law, asearly as 1803, hadwritten a treatise

envisaging a network of railways servingthe whole of mainland Britain. Inciden-tally, Professor Schofield dismisses themyth that the word ‘tram’ derives fromBenjamin Outram.

Despite the lack of personal sources,Outram comes across as a competentengineer who took on too many commis-sions during the canal mania, when goodassistants were hard to recruit and he wasill-served by those he had to employ. Thatmay to some extent explain the problemshe encountered in completing the Hud-dersfield Narrow but he died before itwas finished.

Whilst building the Cromford Canal,Outram spotted an opportunity to estab-lish an ironworks at Butterley. His enthusi-asm for railways may have been not alittle influenced by the prospect ofBenjamin Outram & Co. supplyingmaterials but there is no suggestion that isdistorted his engineering judgement. Afterhis death the firm was renamed TheButterley Company and, as a young

“Benjamin Outram lives on at Buckley Mill development in Uppermill” (Ken Wright)


engineer with British Railways, I had theprivilege of working with them in the early1960s rebuilding a bridge over the tidalTrent. Before being taken over them-selves, Butterleys bought and operatedbrickworks in Elland.

Outram was not alone among the earlyengineers in making less money from hismany operations than would have beenexpected. He died intestate and theadministrators had trouble disentanglinghis personal affairs from those of thecompany. They eventually established that

he was in debt to his partners in BenjaminOutram & Co. This led to litigation and asa result the book ends on a rather sournote.

Nevertheless, Outram still deserves to beseen as one of the greats among the earlycivil engineers, though perhaps not in thefirst rank, and this book will serve tosecure his place with them.

Benjamin Outram by R.B. Schofield (ISBN1 898937 42 7) is published by MertonPriory Press with a cover price of €24.95.

CANCANCANCANCANAL TUNNELAL TUNNELAL TUNNELAL TUNNELAL TUNNEL SSSSSofofofofof ENGL ENGL ENGL ENGL ENGLAND and WAND and WAND and WAND and WAND and WALESALESALESALESALES

Available on Interactive CD-ROM(abridged version soon to be published in paperback - £9.75)

Just click* your way thru’ hundreds of photos,maps, histories, biographies, loads of technical

data and even the odd ghost !

CD-ROM for PC : £14.95 incl. P & PCheques made out to Click Click

Only available by mail order from :Click Click Interactive Limited

Unit 13 Fazeley Industrial Estate160 Fazeley Street

BIRMINGHAM B5 5RS Enquiries by e-mail : [email protected]

*Runs from disc -no computer

know-how required

The next review, by Ken Wright, is of a CD-ROM and in it we learn that BejaminOutram was named after Benjamin Franklin.Thought you ought to know!

CANAL TUNNELS OFENGLAND AND WALES

I’m sure you all noticed a newadvertisement in the last issue of Plink. OnPage 49 we carried a small ad. for “CanalTunnels of England and Wales”, available oninteractive CD-ROM from Click ClickInteractive Limited.

We now have a copy of the CD in the officeand a very interesting and satisfyingdocument it is. Not only for the enthusiastbut for anybody with a passing interest inour industrial and engineering heritage.Over 100 tunnels are included and they aresimple to find under several separate

headings. (Even for a relative novice, likeme! Ed.)

For each tunnel one can investigate thehistory, restoration possibilities or action,technical talk, several photographs andlocation maps. Excellent cross-referencinghighlights personalities, biographies, etc.Additionally, there are sections on tunnelingin general; the who, the how and the whyof tunneling and a canal glossary (Which is abit limited compared to John Harwood’sefforts in earlier Plinks! Ed.) This is anexample of some first-class research andmakes a most refreshing “browse” awayfrom the usual humdrum crop of“educational” CD-ROMs.

Available only by mail order, but very goodvalue for the money.

The Back Page

THE SOCIETY WELCOMES THE FOLLOWING NEW MEMBERS:

2604 2605 2606 2607 2608 2609 2610 2611 2612 2613 2614 2615 2616 2617 2618 2619

Mr Wainwright, Mr Mortimer, Mr Reed, Mr Hamilton, Dr Smith, Ms Howarth, Mr & Mrs McDermott, Mr & Mrs Hewitt, Mr & Mrs Weatherley, Mr & Mrs Roberts, Mr Hambleton, Mr & Mrs Thomas, Mr Amende, Mr Lane, Mr Moss, Mr & Mrs Bradford,

WEST SIDE SOCIAL MEETINGS:

As usual, the venue is the Tollemache Arms, Manchester Road, Mossley (Roaches) on the second Wednesday of the month commencing at 8.00pm. Forthcoming meetings are: 11th April, 9th May & 13th June

PENNINE LINK ARCHIVE:

The following back issues are available free from John Maynard, 29 Thick Hollins Drive, Meltham, Yorkshire, HD7 3DL. Please send an AS stamped, addressed envelope (44p) or A4 sized envelope (76p) for joint issue 81/82.

24, 25, 38, 47, 54, 56, 58, 59, 64 to 66, 74, 75, 77, 79, 80 to 83, 85 to 89, 92 to 97, 99, 101,103,104, 117to119, 121 to135.

MEMBERSHIP RATES

Individual £9.00 Family £11.00 Life £90.00 Associate £15.00 Corporate £150.00

These are the only back issues available, please do not request issues which are not on this list.

COPY DATE ADVERTISING RATES Articles, letters and Per Issue Per Year

comments for Issue 137 of Quarter £9.38 £37.50 Pennine Link should reach

the Editor at Bridge House, Half £18.50 £75.00 Dobcross, Old ham,. OL3

Full 5NL by 18th May 2001 £37.50 £150.00

Across: 1. Greenberfield 7. Huddlesford 9. Elms 10. Forth 12. Weed 13. Hurlinghamhouse 14. Memo 15. Sipes 16. Barb 19. Hattonlocks 20. Tollcollector Down: 2. Nidd 3. Exetershipcanal 4. Fife 5. Rotherhamlock 6. Grindleybrook 7. Hammersmith 8. Deregulates 10. Funds 11. Humps 17. Otic 18. Bore


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