British Waterways has drained the Grade I listed structure for maintenance revealing the bottom of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal . . . → Read More: Visitors to get rare glimpse of Bingley engineering masterpiece]]> Tuesday 10th January 2012 in Aire Valley

Visitors to Bingley’s world-famous Five Rise Locks will this month get a rare glimpse of parts of the engineering masterpiece normally hidden underwater.

British Waterways has drained the Grade I listed structure for maintenance revealing the bottom of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal and the impressive 23ft high brick walls that line it.

The work, which includes replacing four of the six gates on the 18th century structure to improve safety, is expected to cost £250,000 and is likely to take seven weeks to complete.

Peter Carter, construction supervisor for the Bingley lock gate replacement project, said: “Every time we get in to the bottom of the locks it is fascinating to see what our ancestors did.

“We are using hydraulic cranes to lift the gates but they just had A frames, block and tackles, shovels and picks. We are working on something that is part of our history and that is what me and the team love about it.”

The existing lock gates have been in place for 25 years. They will be replaced by new oak gates made at Stanley Ferry Workshop in Wakefield – one of only two lock gate workshops in the country.

The water is being kept out of the lock chamber while the gates are removed using stop planks laid on top of each other to form a watertight seal. This will also enable the team to carry out repairs to the lock chamber brickwork, using traditional lime mortar to preserve the heritage of the structure.

The towpath will be kept open during much of the maintenance but will be closed at short notice when the three-and-a-half tonne lock gates are removed and replaced using the giant cranes.

It will take two days to replace all four lock gates using two cranes located at the top and bottom of the flight of locks.

The cranes cost £4,000 per day to hire and are so heavy the towpath walls have been reinforced with 85 tonnes of stone ballast to take the weight. They are fitted with an instrument to measure wind speed and will shut down automatically if gusts get too strong.

To prevent water levels dropping further down the canal, a pump will feed eight mega-litres of water every day from the top end of the locks in to a by-wash, which flows in to the canal at the bottom of the lock and on to Leeds.

An open weekend will take place on January 28 and 29 from 10am to 3pm, when there will be a chance to descend deep into the lock to walk along the canal bottom and speak with British Waterways experts.

Mr Carter added: “These works usually happen on closed sites but we’re inviting local people to come and discover what’s going on at Bingley.

“It’s skilful work and the tours will give visitors an opportunity to learn more about what we do in winter to maintain good navigation for our boating customers.”

Bingley Five Rise Locks were built by John Longbotham and are one of the major landmarks of the national waterway network.

When completed in 1774, thousands gathered to watch the first boats make the 60 foot descent, which can take up to 90 minutes.

More than 200 years later, the flight is still in daily use providing access to a 16 mile stretch of lock-free cruising on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal.

e-mail: kathryn.bradley @telegraphandargus.co.uk

WORK could begin as early as next year to clear miles of overgrown canal which could eventually link Pocklington in Yorkshire’s East Riding back into the region’s historic waterways.

A study into restoring the abandoned section of Pocklington Canal between Canal Head and Melbourne has been given “overwhelming” . . . → Read More: Pocklington Canal – work ‘could start next year’]]> Published on Monday 19 September 2011 11:53

WORK could begin as early as next year to clear miles of overgrown canal which could eventually link Pocklington in Yorkshire’s East Riding back into the region’s historic waterways.

A study into restoring the abandoned section of Pocklington Canal between Canal Head and Melbourne has been given “overwhelming” support by the locals, according to heritage expert Marion Blockley, who has been tasked by British Waterways and the Leader Waterways Partnership to carry out the report.

She hopes to submit it in the coming months and, if approved, work could potentially begin by next summer.

After surveying around 300 people around the town since beginning the report several months ago, she says 99.9 per cent of those asked had given it the thumbs up.

“The support for restoration has been overwhelming, and I’m very excited and impressed by the great deal of interest, to get detailed comments from 300 people is impressive,” she explained.

“It’s one of the best canals for wildlife nationally and has the potential to be remarkable.”

The canal, which was built in 1818 and was operational until 1934, runs for over nine miles through the East Riding eventually meeting with the River Derwent.

In recent years it has become a magnet for wildlife enthusiasts and walkers, yet virtually half of the waterway between Pocklington and Melbourne has silted up and become clogged with weed, despite the best efforts of Pocklington Canal Amenity Society (PCAS).

The local group took over the old waterway in 1969 and helped restore locks and the section between Melbourne and the River Derwent, running regular pleasure boat cruises.

Unable to secure funding for the Pocklington end of the canal, spreading vegetation has meant the stretch is unnavigatable by canal boats and also lacks the clear water that attracts the rare dragonflies and damselflies.

Mrs Blockley hopes this could soon be reversed and hopes funding of up to £1 million could be secured to kick-start the revival.

Natural England has confirmed that the section of the canal is in a declining state and wildlife experts have agreed that work is needed.

She explained: “British Waterways engineers are currently working on costs for dredging and restoration of the locals, this is likely to run into the region of £2 million.

“Realistically, a bid to the Heritage Lottery fund just below £1 million stands more chance of success as it will compete against projects regionally rather than nationally. Any work will have to be carried out in phases and this will also be better for the wildlife.”

While securing funds is key, British Waterways is moving towards a charity status in 2012 and is urging communities to take responsibility for their local waterways, a move that Mrs Blockley is keen on.

She said: “PCAS members are getting older and need help from the younger people – scouts, local schools, other youth organisations and community groups to help bring the canal back to a healthy state with clear water, unclogged by weeds.”

The grand plan has been given the backing of the Mayor of Pocklington, Councillor Graham Perry, who said: “If we could get a complete canal, capable of taking boats the full length, it would really be a beautiful piece of countryside that you could sail through.

“It would be an extra attraction to Pocklington, bring people into the town and be a bonus to the local economy.

“The council would be delighted to support this.”

via Canal work ‘could start next year’ – Community – Pocklington Post.

Canal Project Manager

£66,783 p.a. + benefits. Based Stroud, Gloucestershire

Your job is to deliver 6 miles of navigable water through an industrial heritage conservation area within budget and on time. You will be mindful of its carbon footprint, environmental impacts and renewable energy opportunities. . . . → Read More: Canal Project Manager wanted with Stroud District Council]]> £33M OF INVESTMENT; FAR FROM A DROP IN THE OCEAN

Canal Project Manager

£66,783 p.a. + benefits. Based Stroud, Gloucestershire

Your job is to deliver 6 miles of navigable water through an industrial heritage conservation area within budget and on time. You will be mindful of its carbon footprint, environmental impacts and renewable energy opportunities. Your project – the District’s largest and most complex – will be in the full glare of community, business and media interest. Our reputation is on the line with this £33 million project.

Your project is part of an ambitious plan to re-connect the Severn to the Thames. Successful delivery will give partners the confidence to invest in the next phase and connect to the national network. You can expect to lead this too, if you meet the challenge of phase one!

Your career will have the professional leadership and management skills and experience that shows us you are up to the challenge. You will have led multi-disciplinary teams of construction professionals and have senior level experience of complex partnership arrangements and procurement.

To apply for the role as Canal Project Manager, please Apply now

Stroud District Council

via Canal Project Manager with Stroud District Council | 305612.

A new era begins in Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire, this summer with the completion of a 35-year project to re-open the town’s canals.

Originally the Droitwich barge canal was built by James Brindley and opened in 1771. It served the Droitwich salt industry, linking the town to the river Severn and the world beyond. . . . → Read More: Droitwich Canal Opening Will Be Music To Your Ears!]]> 24/05/2011

A new era begins in Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire, this summer with the completion of a 35-year project to re-open the town’s canals.

Originally the Droitwich barge canal was built by James Brindley and opened in 1771. It served the Droitwich salt industry, linking the town to the river Severn and the world beyond. The Droitwich junction canal was built by R Boddington and opened in 1854 and was one of the last canals to be completed. Both canals declined due to competition from the railways and were officially abandoned in 1939. In 2011, over 70 years on they are open for business once again, albeit of a very different kind!

The dedication and determination of the Droitwich Canals Trust and more recently by the project partners were the catalyst to restoring the canals, which are now set to attract thousands more visitors to the area and bring a major long-term boost to the local economy, generating an additional £2.75m a year in the local community.

As part of the canal restoration, a linear park has been created providing picnic sites, fishing pegs, and new stop off points for boaters, walkers and cyclists with new and improved access points and 26 new visitor moorings. Now these hidden gems and vibrant urban centres are yours to explore. Journey along this newly created 21-mile cruising ring on a voyage of discovery that will unlock the very best this stunning county has to offer.

The Droitwich Canals Partnership has timed the launch with a packed weekend of celebrations to mark the momentous occasion between Friday 1st July and Sunday 3rd July. The weekends Water Festival will take place in Vines Park featuring a display of canal boats and the opportunity to experience a boat trip and canoe taster session. A host of guided walks and cycle rides will be available plus a packed programme of live music in the beer tent including performances by Meet on the Ledge, Tom Hill and the Roving Crows. There will also be craft and trade stalls, information stands and competitions plus demonstrations by the Fire Service plus much much more. The event will coincide with the annual Droitwich Spa Music and Arts Festival with live performances in the town centre on Saturday 2nd July.

For more information on the weekend please visit www.wychavon.gov.uk and if you would like to travel to the festival by boat please contact David Wheeler, Droitwich Canals Trust david@eurotexsales.com.

The money will be used to kick start restoration worth at least £600 million to improve the health of more than 880 lakes, streams and other water bodies, while boosting . . . → Read More: DEFRA announces £110 million revamp for England’s rivers]]> A £110 million revamp which will bring more otters, salmon and other fish back to England’s rivers was announced by Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman today.

The money will be used to kick start restoration worth at least £600 million to improve the health of more than 880 lakes, streams and other water bodies, while boosting local involvement in caring for our blue spaces enjoyed by millions every year.

Announcing the funding, Mrs Spelman said:

“The health of our rivers has come along in leaps and bounds, but we still see nasty invasive weeds and lifeless waters blight blue spaces in cities and across our countryside.

“With this funding, we’ll help all our waterways and streams thrive by tackling problems that until now have been sitting in the ‘too hard’ basket.

“Our new grass-roots approach to boosting healthier waterways and flourishing wildlife has local experience and knowledge at its heart.”

Our Rivers campaign coordinator Ralph Underhill said:

“This announcement is fantastic news for our rivers and the wildlife they support.

“This new funding may not solve all the problems overnight but it is a significant step towards securing the future of the river environment in England and Wales which is under great pressure from a variety of threats including pollution and abstraction.

“Rivers are a national asset and in the current financial climate it is great to see a new investment being made in their future. We hope that a significant amount of the money announced will be spent on the rivers and wetland areas of international importance to conservation that the Government has committed itself to improving.”

£92 million will be provided over the next four years to remove non-native invasive weeds and animals, clear up pollution, and remove redundant dams, weirs, landings and other man-made structures so that wildlife can thrive in water catchments across England.

The funding will be shared between the Environment Agency, Natural England and civil society associations such as the Association of Rivers Trust to build on successful work, and a significant portion of the funding will support new local projects across the country through a Catchment Restoration fund.

Funding from the Catchment Restoration fund will be available from next year to co-fund projects that restore and protect the health of our water catchments by bringing together those responsible for causing pollution, with those who want to see cleaner waters and the agencies that provide scientific evidence to base decisions on.

An additional £18 million will be provided this year to continue providing help to farmers to put in such measures as buffer strips and fences to protect water courses and take other action to prevent agricultural pollution, under the successful Catchment Sensitive Farming programme.

Last month the Government announced its new, more locally-focussed catchment-based approach to be trialled in ten areas in England.

The Natural Environment White Paper later this year will set out a wider vision for the protection of our environment.

via £110 million revamp for England’s rivers « Defra News.

The National Waterways Museum on the Shropshire Union Canal has received a very tasty £10,000 donation towards the restoration of the narrowboat Mendip from confectionary company Cadbury.

The canal narrowboat Mendip, which spent much of its working life carrying chocolate crumb between the Cadbury factories at Knighton and Bournville, is currently being . . . → Read More: Sweet donation for the National Waterways Museum]]> 16th Feb 2011

The National Waterways Museum on the Shropshire Union Canal has received a very tasty £10,000 donation towards the restoration of the narrowboat Mendip from confectionary company Cadbury.

The canal narrowboat Mendip, which spent much of its working life carrying chocolate crumb between the Cadbury factories at Knighton and Bournville, is currently being restored at the Museum’s Heritage Boatyard.

The ex-working boat now has had new wooden bottoms fitted and repairs made to the steel hull. Soon she will be craned back into the water, where the refurbished diesel engine will be refitted and painting and other work will be completed.

The Heritage Boatyard is a project working with range of partners and funders. Its aim is to preserve traditional boat building skills relating to inland waterways craft and pass on these skills to a new generation.

Passing on skills

In September, once the work is finished, the boat will make the trip through the canal network back to the Bournville headquarters of the chocolate maker mirroring the trips the boat made by Charlie Atkins ‘Chocolate Charlie,’ the canal personality who was known to all the children who lived near the canal.

Museum general manager John Inch said: “Mendip is an important part of our collection and we’re delighted that Cadbury are supporting its restoration with this generous grant. Mendip, Chocolate Charlie and his cargo of chocolate crumb was a real fixture of the canal scene in the Midlands in the 1950s and we’re excited to be able to re-create the journey in September.”

via Sweet donation for the National Waterways Museum | News | Waterscape.

Volunteers are planning an ambitious project for the New Year, as part of their ongoing campaign to restore a former waterway through North Wiltshire.

The Wilts and Berks Canal Trust has almost finished dredging the former line from Pewsham to Reybridge, rebuilding the . . . → Read More: Wilts and Berks Canal takes shape]]>

Volunteers are planning an ambitious project for the New Year, as part of their ongoing campaign to restore a former waterway through North Wiltshire.

The Wilts and Berks Canal Trust has almost finished dredging the former line from Pewsham to Reybridge, rebuilding the towpath and filling the canal bed with water for the first time in more than a century.

Their next step is to consider how to make the most of the locks and dry-dock which have been cleared of rubbish and undergrowth.

The charity hopes to restore the structures and eventually have them filled with water and connected to the rest of the canal.

But it is also keen to receive any photographs, drawings or other documents which might reveal how they once looked.

Trust director Colin Fletcher said: “We have been delighted with the progress made in dredging the canal over the last few months.

“We have received so many kind comments from walkers, cyclists and other residents who have been impressed by everything that has been achieved so far and asking about our plans for the future.

“Our next step will be to breathe new life into Pewsham Locks, which once raised the canal almost 30 feet on the journey north towards Chippenham.

“Excavations suggest it would have been a busy site, with a carpenters’ workshop, sawpit, dry-dock and lime-kilns, as well as the lock-keeper’s cottage.”

The aim of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust is to restore the waterway from the Kennet & Avon Canal near Melksham to the Thames & Severn Canal near Cricklade and the River Thames near Abingdon, connecting Chippenham, Calne, Wootton Bassett and Swindon.

Mr Fletcher said: “We have already found several pieces of metalwork and pottery and even a handrail from the top of one of the lockgates, still attached to the gate itself, but we are keen to learn even more about the history of this site.”

Trust member Peter Williams said maintaining the canal and its locks was an important cultural duty.

He said: “It is part of our heritage.

“The canal was the equivalent of the M4. It would have been very busy, bringing trade and helping to grow Chippenham.”

To offer information or to volunteer, call Mr Fletcher on (01380) 828254 or email colin.fletcher@wbct.org.uk.

via Wilts and Berks Canal takes shape (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald).

Hundreds of people have signed a petition calling for a stretch of a Derbyshire waterway to be cleaned up so it can be used by tourists and school children.

Friends of Cromford Canal has more than 650 signatures from people urging Derbyshire County Council to help foot the estimated £200,000 bill . . . → Read More: Petitioners ask Derbyshire council for £200k to turn canal into tourist draw]]> By chris mallett cmallett@derbytelegraph.co.uk

Hundreds of people have signed a petition calling for a stretch of a Derbyshire waterway to be cleaned up so it can be used by tourists and school children.

Friends of Cromford Canal has more than 650 signatures from people urging Derbyshire County Council to help foot the estimated £200,000 bill for dredging of the three-quarters-of-a-mile stretch.

Chairman of the group Patrick Morriss said the charity wanted to use the canal to run a horse-drawn boat during school holidays. At other times the boat would be used as a “floating classroom” for school parties.

The targeted part of the waterway runs between its Cromford terminus and the point where it meets the start of the High Peak Trail. The county council said it was already working with the Friends to submit a funding bid to help with the clean-up work but would “consider the petition in due course”.

But Mr Morriss said the bid for Leader funding, which comes from Defra and the European Union, would amount to only £50,000. He said: “Even if we got that money, we would still be looking for funding from elsewhere.”

Mr Morris said the Friends wanted the section of canal cleared by spring 2012, as dredging needed to be done in winter so as not to disturb wildlife such as water voles. The cleared area of canal would combine well with plans to create a new visitor centre at the Grade-I listed Cromford Mill.

He said: “Visitors would be able to come down from the mill to see a working canal and it would get them into a part of the Derwent Valley which they perhaps wouldn’t normally visit, by horse-drawn boat. We don’t just want to have a boat there for the holidays, we also want to have it there more permanently as a floating classroom.”

“It would be a trip boat on high days and holidays and an educational resource at other times.”

Mr Morriss said he understood that the £200,000 estimated cost would be a lot for the county council, which has said it must make about £84.4m of savings in the next four financial years.  He added: “The canal is in the only World Heritage Site in the East Midlands.

“The more there is on offer for visitors, the more likely they are to spend the night and improve economic activity in the area.”

A county council spokeswoman confirmed the authority was putting together the bid for the Leader funding. She said: “We are still waiting to identify what the full cost would be. “The £200,000 figure is a very rough estimate.”

The Friends of Cromford Canal aims to make the waterway’s full 17-mile length – from Langley Mill to Cromford and Pinxton – navigable by boat.

via HUNDREDS of people have signed a petition calling for a stretch of a Derbyshire waterway to be cleaned up so it can be used by tourists and school children..

The group met at Burslem’s School of Art to work towards creating a new organisation to back the Burslem Port Project, which aims to restore the old Burslem Branch Canal, in Middleport.

It was decided the team . . . → Read More: Burslem canal restoration – new charitable group to take the scheme forward.]]> SUPPORTERS of a canal restoration project have agreed to form a not-for-profit group to take the scheme forward.

The group met at Burslem’s School of Art to work towards creating a new organisation to back the Burslem Port Project, which aims to restore the old Burslem Branch Canal, in Middleport.

It was decided the team of experts in law, finance, local government, heritage, and higher education would team up with the Burslem Port team of waterways enthusiasts, to undertake research.

They will also write a new constitution.

Burslem Port’s chairman Roger Savage said: “We are delighted to get such influential support for our project, which will set the stage for the next exciting steps forward.”

Project officer David Dumbelton added: “After many years of research, planning and negotiation we are now able to call on the experience and professionalism of current and retired senior managers in industry, commerce and the professions to help us achieve our ambition.”

via SUPPORTERS of a canal restoration project have agreed to form a not-for-profit group to take the scheme forward..

4th Nov 2010

As part of its scheduled move to the charitable sector, British Waterways has been developing its volunteer programme to improve the volunteering experience for those donating their time and increase the value they bring to the nation’s canals.

Integral to the plans has been the recruitment of . . . → Read More: British Waterways ‘unlocks’ the potential of volunteering]]>

4th Nov 2010

As part of its scheduled move to the charitable sector, British Waterways has been developing its volunteer programme to improve the volunteering experience for those donating their time and increase the value they bring to the nation’s canals.

Integral to the plans has been the recruitment of five dedicated volunteer managers, implementation of a company-wide training programme and an overhaul of British Waterways’ online communication with both existing and potential volunteers.

In the past six months British Waterways has recruited its team of volunteer leaders to liaise with partner groups and manage the many enthusiasts volunteering across the waterways. The dedicated resource allows volunteers to have closer contact with British Waterways staff in a much broader range of locations and roles and gives greater scope to develop both new and existing projects.

The organisation will be implementing a company-wide training and communications programme over the next six months to increase awareness of the importance of volunteers to the canal network and the opportunities that the waterways provide to volunteers.

As more British Waterways staff than ever are working closely with volunteers – from community canal wardens to web developers and even a lawyer – the organisation will be running in-depth volunteer management training to ensure both staff and volunteers are confident in the relationship.

Accessible volunteering

British Waterways is aiming to make volunteering as accessible as possible to a wide audience and work continues on developing the volunteering sections of the organisation’s corporate and consumer facing websites. Both sites now offer comprehensive information on volunteering opportunities, including details of roles currently available. Waterscape also celebrates volunteer achievements through volunteer case studies and blogs, and provides information on different initiatives such as community or corporate canal adoptions.

Nigel Johnson, corporate services director at BW, said: “This is a really exciting time for British Waterways and our volunteers, who will have a greater role than ever in the running of their local canal or river. With our goal of forming a new ‘national trust’ for the waterways ratified by government, this offers a window on to the future of how we can work with volunteers as a charity, and the changing and expanding nature of volunteering across our canals and rivers. As we grow as a volunteering organisation we want to ensure that our staff and volunteers work side by side to achieve the best possible results for British Waterways and for themselves.”

via British Waterways ‘unlocks’ the potential of volunteering | News | Waterscape.