waterwatch rnli local ambassadors

Amidst all the doom and gloom about Covid 19 it’s a really nice change to have something positive to announce!

Over the past year or so The Merchant Navy Association (MNA) and their Boat Club have agreed an operational partnership with the RNLI whereby MNA Boat Club members have been encouraged to join forces with the RNLI to promote the RNLI’s Respect the Water campaign to reduce the almost 200 fatalities as a result of drowning in and around the UK every year; 70% of those drownings occur on inland waterways where the RNLI has no lifeboat stations and hence no Water Safety officer or Advisers either so the MNA Boat Club have taken the initiative in the form of launching their new “MNA WaterWatch” scheme

MNA WaterWatch, along with the recent introduction by the RNLI of their micro-volunteering “Local Ambassadors” scheme means that all members of the MNA and MNA Boat Club now have the opportunity to become Local Ambassadors for the RNLI to actively promote the Respect the Water Campaign.

Initially the RNLI Local Ambassadors initiative is focusing on promoting safety on and around the UK’s beaches where as a result of Covid 19 many of these beaches have become crowded to a far greater extent than is usual even at this time of year with the result that the RNLI's Lifeguards, and the Coastguard Rescue Service’s resources are being hugely stretched.

However the RNLI are well aware that many of the MNA’s members live inland and are quite often situated close to our rivers, canals, lakes or the Broads and the Fens and are ideally located to act as Local Ambassadors in those areas, so the MNA Boat Club is working with the RNLI to develop a Local Ambassadors focus aimed specifically at promoting safety on and around our inland waters.

In the meantime the MNA Boat Club is already working with various organisations to promote the Respect the Water campaign on the coast and inland waterways of East Anglia and the new RNLI Local Ambassadors scheme, with its very simple and straightforward on-line registration process provides the ideal vehicle for delivering water safety messages both for those taking a holiday either at the coast or afloat on, or near to, our many inland waterways such as the Broads and the Fens.

Further information is available on the MNA Boat Club website and on the RNLI website or by email from Clive Edwards

so you want to live on a narrowboat?

There's been a surge of interest lately in 'living small'. Tiny homes, RVs, repurposed shipping containers, all have seen innovations recently to become more liveable and practical. And it's trendy so what's not to like? Living on a boat, particularly a narrowboat, is very much in this category. However, it comes with some added issues.

First, a little history; narrowboats began as working boats, delivering the goods and supplies that fuelled the Industrial Revolution in Britain in the 18th century. A single horse-drawn narrowboat could supply as much as 50 times the tonnage that a horse and cart could deliver, albeit at about the same speed.

In the early 1800s boat operators began to bring their families aboard, partly to save on rent at home and partly as 'free' crew to help with the work. Of course, living space on the boat was at the expense of profitable cargo space so the 'boatman's cabin' was tiny. Usually about eight feet long and often housing a family of five or more, it was a model of compact efficiency.

Eventually railways took over the majority of the cargo-carrying business throughout Britain. By the early 20th century commercial use of narrowboats was rapidly fading out although some small vestiges (including a few horse-drawn ones) continued into the 1960s.

As the canals themselves fell into disuse, many intrepid volunteers began to resurrect the waterways and the boats for recreational use. The 'modern' narrowboat is typically 50-70 feet long, built of steel, and has a diesel engine. Although it’s now almost all cabin (little or no deck space for cargo) it's still less than seven feet wide (hence; narrowboat) in order to utilise many of the narrow locks.

Most have also retained some of the historical compact efficiency. They have all of the usual modern amenities; central heat, refrigerator, shower, etc. However, there is a big 'but'. Even though the modern narrowboat has many 21st century conveniences, they often come with significant differences from shore-based homes. I'll go through some of them one at a time, although they are often inter-related…

Power

Since my boat has a reasonably powerful diesel engine, raw power isn't usually a problem. There are two alternators to charge a bank of four high-capacity batteries for running all the electrical (and electronic) devices on board.

As with many things however, it's not always that simple. Lead-acid batteries (the usual car type) are quite finicky with their charging regime. They like to be kept charged up, and will break down and may fail if they're run down past about 50% of their capacity. So it's vital that close attention is paid to them. I've recently installed solar panels, which has helped immensely over the summer (not so much in the autumn and winter). They supply enough wattage that I don't have to start the engine for days on end if I'm not travelling.

Most of my equipment on board runs on 12 volts so I don't need to run the inverter to convert to 240v AC, except to charge my laptop (I'll be investing in a 12v charger this year). The inverter itself takes significant power so it reduces the efficiency of the system. I try to only run it when the engine is running (to charge my 'Hoover' for instance).

Water

My boat, like most narrowboats, has a large-capacity water tank. I can go many days or even weeks without needing to refill it, and there are numerous water points around the system so obtaining water isn't a big problem. But again, careful watch must be kept. I've only run out once, and it's a pain. In a house the supply of water is generally seen as an endless thing, not to be worried about (except in an ecological, save-the-planet sort of way). I've grown very accustomed to only running taps, including the shower, as needed. Wet down, turn tap off, shampoo and wash, turn tap on to rinse. This actually goes double for hot water. The only ways to get hot water are by running the engine (cooling water is cycled through a 'calorifier' or hot-water tank) or the central heating system that runs radiators throughout the boat and also cycles through the tank. It's well insulated so I have at least 24 hours of hot water after only a short engine run but it's definitely something that has to be thought about daily.

Waste

Now we've come to perhaps the biggest issue on narrowboats. Get two boaters together for more than 5 minutes and they'll be debating the issue of toilets. Mine is a pump-out type, with a large holding tank, but there are several others, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. I won't get into that here, google it to learn more than you would ever want to know about them and what can cause an argument on a narrowboat online forum.

I have found that I can go several weeks without needing to pump out, and almost every marina has a facility so that hasn't been a problem. I'm quite stingy with how much water I use to flush, as I am with water use in general. Again, it must be thought about and monitored, much different from living ashore.

Groceries

Lots of people, on shore, tend to do a reasonably large shop for groceries every week or two. They have a freezer for much of it, a large refrigerator, and lots of cupboard space. On a narrowboat this isn't often the case. I have a small bar fridge, with a tiny freezer section, so I really do have to be careful how much I buy at one time. Even space to store dry goods is at a premium. To complicate matters, access to a grocery store is a bit hit-and-miss. Often a selected cruising route doesn't go near a town or village for many miles (which translates to many days at 3 miles per hour). Careful planning is necessary; I've learned to keep certain things handy in case the fresh food runs out, like pasta and jars of sauce, beans, soups, etc. And, really, there are always pubs.

Fuel

This really comes under the title of Power. The diesel engine supplies not only propulsion, but also hot water and electrical power. Even the central heating radiators are diesel fired. In a house, these things are just sort of 'there'. Petrol (gas in North America) stations are everywhere for the car, hot water just comes out of the tap, and stuff works when you plug it in. So keeping an eye on the fuel level is important. Having said that, I fill with fuel nearly every time I pump out the holding tank (usually a marina will have both together) so it's not a big problem, just another thing to think about.

Laundry

This isn't really a make-or-break subject, but it is certainly much different than in most homes on land. Very few narrowboats have a washing machine on board (although more and more are installing them), and even fewer have a dryer. The power and water needs make this simply impractical. They also take up considerable valuable space on board. I have found that simply having many more pairs of socks, underwear, and t-shirts helps to solve this. The number of 'launderettes' in Britain is declining like everywhere else so some planning is involved. If I'm going near a village or town, the first thing I check for is a pub, the second is a grocery store, and the third is a launderette. Finding one has become a reason to celebrate and often I'll stay an extra day to clear up the backlog of clothes, linens, and towels that need washing. I do have a clothes drying rack and will wash things in the sink if necessary but that hasn't been much help in summers like 2019 where it seemingly rained every day after June!

Life in general

I've had several wonderful friends visit aboard during the summer of 2018, and I start each one with some instructions. Right after the locations of fire extinguishers and PFDs, first is that "There are no secrets on a narrowboat". We will all know when you go to the bathroom, whether you snore, what you like to eat and drink, and many more intimate details. But that's also part of the fun! Acquaintances become friends, and friends become family. All it takes is a good attitude.

Within the limits of reality life can be very relaxed and carefree on the 'cut'. Where you take the boat is completely up to you (and your guests) as long as you stick to the parts with water. I have made some side trips on land as well, and with the great public transportation system in the UK, almost all of the country is within a few hours of a canal. There is a lot to see and do.

As for meals, the pub culture is alive and well so it's not always necessary to cook for oneself. However, I have found that when sitting out a rainstorm, cooking dinner is a great way to pass an afternoon. Who knew? With a bit of planning I've found that I can produce a pretty good meal, if I do say so myself. Most often in a frying pan, but I'll move on to the oven some day. I've recently discovered that I have one of those…

walking the chesterfield canal

Please note the walks were done before National Lockdown on 23rd March 2020.

My Dad and I walked the Chesterfield canal over a six month period in five stages.

West Stockwith to Clarborough – 7^th September 2019

On our maiden walk, we walked from West Stockwith, where the canal meets the River Trent, to Clarborough, a village near Retford.

We began our quest with a coffee at the Waterfront Inn then had a look at the marina and joined The Cuckoo Way to Clarborough.

It’s a beautiful stretch of the canal with the surrounding countryside and remnants of past industrial activity such as the brickworks near Gringley On the Hill.

Thirteen miles later we reached Clarborough and stopped for a drink at The Kings Arm before returning home.

Clarborough to Worksop – 9^th November 2019

We drove to Retford and caught a bus to Clarborough…our plan was to walk from there to Worksop because catching a bus (as we thought at the time) back to Retford would be easier. It wasn’t a long walk to the outskirts of Retford. I bought a takeaway coffee and used the facilities at the canal side Bay Tree Café Bar and enjoyed the market town’s ambience. We did notice a considerable amount of flooding around the River Idle.

After admiring the autumn colours around the town’s cemetery, we approached and ascended up the Forest Locks.

We stopped at the Forest Middle Top Lock for lunch. We were hoping to stop for a drink at Ranby but it was a long walk to the pub (the canal bridge where we needed to get off was a bit of a walking distance). Instead we soldiered on passing Obserton Hall and reached the outskirts of Worksop as it was getting dark. After 12 miles or so of walking, we had a well earned drink at The Liquorice Gardens before supposedly catching our bus back to Retford.

We learnt that due to the heavy localised flooding, our bus was cancelled! Instead we had to catch a train and it was a bit of walk up a hill to the town’s station (it was tough going after already walking so many miles). We had to wait a bit for the train but we eventually made it to Retford for our return home.

Worksop to Norwood Tunnel (East Portal) – 23^rd December 2019

We continued our adventures on the Chesterfield Canal by parking the car in Sheffield and catching the train to Worksop. We had a quick coffee stop at the station’s café before descending down the hill towards the canal.

We picked up where we left off on our previous walk and walked via Shireoaks to the tunnel. I remember the walk for its many locks set in stunning scenery with the canal travelling through incredible woodlands and reflecting the engineering ingenuity as far as the locks were concerned.

We meant to have stopped for a drink at the Station Pub at Kiveton Park but the pub didn’t open until 4.00pm and we couldn’t hang around till then.

We walked the remaining stretch to the tunnel entrance and continued attempting to walk overland to the other portal but couldn’t find The Cuckoo Way signs so we diverted ourselves through a country park and numerous muddy fields towards Killamarsh.

We eventually went under the motorway (M1) and walked into Woodall village and on its main road we spotted a bus stop and the bus we needed to get back to Sheffield stopped there! With half an hour to spare we had a drink at The Travellers Rest. A hot chocolate with cognac was well received after another tough walk especially the latter stages! Bus bound and on our arrival at Sheffield we went home.

Chesterfield to Renishaw – 11^th January 2020

This was one of our first walks in the new year. We parked the car in Chesterfield where we had breakfast and also had a little look round the town centre including its market square and of course St Mary’s and All Saints Church (which is infamous for its crooked spire). A short walk out of town, we picked up The Cuckoo Way and crossed one of the main roads where we walked along the River Rother until reaching the canal. It was a short walk to Tapton Lock Visitors Centre where we had a coffee and I bought some canal souvenirs including the official canal guide.

The Transpennine trail shares the same path as The Cuckoo Way. After a few more locks we reached Hollingwood Hub where we visited the café and facilities and enjoyed coffee again with cake in its outside seating area. There was a consultation event happening at the same time so we found out more about the canal’s restoration proposals. Their aim is to have the canal completely restored in 2027 and I feel it’s doable as there are only a few miles now that are still yet to be restored. Afterwards, we had a look at the Staveley’s Basin where they usually have annual canal events (though the events in 2020 have sadly been cancelled due to COVID-19 though they will be reinstated in 2021 all being well).

We saw the recently restored town lock and continued our way. The Cuckoo Way appeared to have been blocked so we pick up the Transpennine Trail to finish the remainder of our walk. We finished our walk in Renishaw and after some confusion where we should be catching our bus back to Chesterfield; we eventually caught the bus for our drive home.

Renishaw to Norwood Tunnel (West Portal) – 7^th March 2020

There was one jigsaw puzzle missing for our completion of our Chesterfield Canal adventures and this was to reach Norwood Tunnel (West Portal). We parked our car in Sheffield and got the bus to Renishaw. On arrival we had a lovely breakfast at The Sitwell Arms and afterwards picked up The Cuckoo Way for our walk towards Killamarsh.

We briefly joined the Transpennine Trail and enjoyed a stop at its “town station” (the trail is on a disused railway and there used to be a station). We got slightly lost in Killamarsh and ended up wandering in Rother Valley Country Park. With the help of Google Maps we eventually rejoined the Cuckoo Way for our ascent up to Norwood Tunnel (West Portal). We then retraced our steps back to Killamarsh and caught our bus back to Sheffield where we picked up a take away coffee for our journey home.

Final thoughts

We thoroughly enjoyed our adventures on the Chesterfield Canal.

The canal offers some of the most incredible and rustic scenery I’ve ever seen on a waterway and its set beautifully in its rural settings.

However logical planning needs to be done as the canal (apart from the Chesterfield to Renishaw stretch and of course the towns) do lack canal side facilities and also the lack of public transportation - particularly in Nottinghamshire as the Retford to Gainsborough bus (which runs along the main road near the canal) is every two hours during the day! This was definitely something we had to be mindful about as most of our walks were between 10-13 miles.

The canal isn’t too busy so crowds aren’t an issue (especially with the current situation) whatsoever and it is a perfect waterway to explore. The canal will for sure open up a lot more places once it’s fully restored – only a few miles between Staveley and Kiveton Park.

Further information about Chesterfield Canal Trust can be found here.

Dawn Smallwood
September 2020

featured author – autumn 2020

Carolyn Clark, author

When I talked to Bow resident Kay about the canal, it struck home when she said:

‘It’s always been there, so whatever part of my life from being a child to an adult now, to my son being an adult and eventually, one day, it will be my grandchildren, even though there’s lots and lots of changes, the canal itself, it just still flows. There’s a familiarity about it, a good feeling.’

For forty years, the Regent’s and Hertford Union Canals have been a favourite walk. You could sense the history that lurked in old warehouses and wharves, worn bridges, anglers’ stories, remnants from an industrial past running through the heart of the East End.

Wanting to discover more, I found a lot about the early history of the Regent’s Canal, but was struck by how little there was about the 20^th century, and the eastern reach in particular. Stories of the everyday lives of the people who lived and worked alongside the canal were hard to find.

I live by the Hertford Union Canal, aka Ducketts. It was frustrating to find virtually nothing about this short Cut’s past which was, and is, so much part of many local lives like (Fish) Island born and bred Ron: ‘I loved it meself, to me it was everything, it was a source of living, I could fish down there, we used to swim down there. It was my bath all year round. There was nowhere else to wash.’

Boats turning at the Hertford Union Canal entrance having unloaded timber 1965, London Canal Museum

Read stories about gun-making and the canals in wartime.

Relive childhood memories of diving from ‘the pipe’, watching gamblers play pitch and toss and being chased by the ‘cut runners’.

Join the villains’ search for the holy grail of a boat loaded with gold for the Royal Mint.

Find out what happened in the old buildings like the ironworks, barge builder’s shed, gas holders and lock cottages which have survived over the years.

Learn what it was like to work on the Cut – the camaraderie, tricks of the trade, danger and perks.

Grand Union Canal Company map, 1929

The East End Canal Tales interweaves memories from over 50 people with historical accounts to tell the intriguing, humorous, moving and sometimes surprising stories of life and work on the Hackney and Tower Hamlets reach of the Regent’s and the Hertford Union Canals.

Over 130 photographs and images, many never published before, bring the stories to life.

The book’s maps include one drawn for the book which illustrates the features and industries which used to flourish along the banks.

The 200-year history of the canal is covered, but the focus is on the twentieth century.

Rag and Bone man in his Chisenhale Road garden by Ducketts, 1950s, © Tate Britain 2015

The East End Canal Tales is a contribution to marking the 200th anniversary of the Regent’s Canal this year and is published by London Canal Museum.

Lonely Planet London says:

‘Pick up a copy of the museum’s newly published The East End Canal Tales by Carolyn Clark to sail through the canal’s and its industries' fascinating history, meeting a colourful cast of characters who lived and worked on them along the way. Bon voyage!’

My other books are The Shoreditch Tales and The Lower Clapton Tales.

You can buy a copy of The East End Canal Tales at the London Canal Museum in King’s Cross, on the Shoreditch Tales website and Amazon, as well as in Hackney and East End bookshops.

Regents Canal Heritage now has its very own website! Take a peak at this new site for links to 17 films about the canal over the last 100 years, including our new films for 2020: 'Canal Connections' and YATI production: 'The Canal Tales'. There's also podcasts, book suggestions and a Learning Pack packed with information for people of all ages.

appley bridge

This edition explores the intertidal zone between Community, Canal and Rail.

Appley Bridge: Village in England

Appley Bridge is a small, affluent village crossing the borders of Greater Manchester and West Lancashire, England.

It is located off Junction 27 of the M6 motorway and is nestled in the Douglas Valley alongside the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. Wikipedia

Bridge 42 on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal is in Appley Bridge.

The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a canal in Northern England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool. Over a distance of 127 miles, it crosses the Pennines, and includes 91 locks on the main line. Wikipedia

Community Gardens:

The Appley Bridge Community Association is a community group aimed at promoting, supporting and encouraging activities within Appley Bridge.

The group is responsible for the community centre and The Meadows.

If you want a real down-to-earth special canal treat in this area, a few hundred yards to the west of Bridge 42 you will find a well-tended meadow, woodland walk and community allotments.

The gated entrance is right off the tow path, with the area being between the canal and the River Douglas. An area that is a credit to the Association. Nice paths, seating and peace and tranquillity. Ideal for stretching your legs, walking the dog or just for fresh air. Also, handy if your waiting to use Lock 91 Top Lock or need time to build up your strength!

Railway Station:

I wonder just how many mooring points are within walking distance of a railway station?

Welcome to Appley Bridge with its railway station with routes to Southport, Wigan and Manchester.

Think of it, access to a major city or a trip to the seaside at Southport.

Things To-Do in Southport…

Beaches, Attractions, Arts & Culture, Walking & Cycling, Parks & Gardens, History & Heritage.

Appley Bridge Pubs etc.,

The Wheatsheaf (Food. Friendly dogs welcome)

The Bridge Inn (From Bridge 42, down the hill for 100yds. Including WiFi.)

The Boat House (Up the hill 100yds and turn right, then 300yds. Reservations and wheelchair access)

There is also a unisex hairdresser, post box and kiddie’s playground in the village.

Note(s) no shops or newsagent near to Bridge 42. Appley Bridge is the bridge over the River Douglas, rebuilt in 1903, close to the Bridge Inn.

Interesting:

At around 8.45pm on Tuesday evening of 13 October 1914, the inhabitants of Appley Bridge (indeed Lancashire and Cheshire too) were treated to a sudden and spectacular illumination of the night sky, caused by a meteorite that was found in a farmer's field in the village the following day. Found just 18 inches below the surface of the field, with the appearance of burnt iron, the small rock weighed almost 33 lb (15 kg). An article in the "Scientific News" (No. 2588, 30 October 1914) stated, "a small fragment which had been detached from the larger mass was put on view in a shop-window at Appley Bridge." In September 2014 a book about the meteorite, by local author Russell Parry, was published ( ISBN 0954953126 ) (Wiki)

I hope you enjoyed interacting again in the Intertidal Zone within the world of canals.

Useful Links:

Community Association

Lock 91

Visit Southport

there are less grainy photos, but…

“Why do I have to call him Daddy?” the voice of a little toddler chirped as we glided along the Llangollen Canal on a horse drawn trip boat.

“Because he’s your father!” the exasperated voice of the child’s mother replied.

Also on the boat were two newlyweds on their honeymoon. That’d be Janice and I, who’d tied the knot at Kendal Parish church around a week earlier. Neither of us had much more than a brass farthing to our names, and I do remember sitting in a bank talking about our finances in the run up to all of this.

“I really don’t think you can afford to get married,” the manager said.

I can’t remember our joint reply, but it would have bordered on the wrong edge of polite. Whether or not we had enough cash to wed, we did have a tent, the majority of a Fiat 850 (with some bits missing due to rust) and a month to explore wherever we chose to.

After we had decided to ignore the good or bad financial advice and marry anyway we’d actually chosen Ayr but turned the wrong way on the M6 and decided that, given that Wales was now closer, we’d pay the place a visit. By late afternoon we’d spotted a road sign directing us to Llangollen and, given our rather undistinguished attempt at map reading, we decided it was as good a place as anywhere to go.

After pitching our little green tent, it was a fair walk down to the town and we’d paused to look at the canal when we saw the trip boat and thought it a good idea. The run along the very narrow section of the feeder was very pleasant after the drive and, on arriving back at the town we found that a longer trip was available to take us over the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. Unfortunately we didn’t have enough cash for that. We did have the little Fiat though, and the people at the tea room were more than happy to give us directions.

The next day we headed off to one of the most spectacular structures on the canal system, seeing little snippets of it as we drove. Then we were there!

Sometimes the reality of a famous building isn’t quite what it’s cracked up to be but this was no disappointment.

Janice’s fear of heights wasn’t helped when she looked at the railings. They seemed solid enough but the spacing between them made her feel that it would be relatively simple to sidestep through them, and it looked a hell of a long way down! I’m sure that there is a small indentation in the railing even now, where Janice was gripping it for the photo.

After spending a while walking around the pathways and taking some more photos, we treated ourselves to lunch at the pub before we headed off in the direction of Chirk, to look at the aqueduct there.

“We could walk through the tunnel,” Janice said, after we had crossed the impressive but much less frightening, structure.

If Pontcysyllte had been scary for her, she got her revenge with Chirk tunnel.

I soon discovered that I was more than scared of enclosed spaces but, with a bit of encouragement, we got through to the other end. The towpath though far from even seemed pretty solid even if the wooden handrail did not, and our rather pathetic little torch was not much more use than a candle once we’d got to the centre.

All of that happened in late August 1982, and the little toddler will now be around forty. I like to think that maybe, on one late summers day he took his young family on the same canal trip, only to have one of his little kids pipe up in the same way as he did.

I have no way of knowing whether this happened, but one of the certainties of visiting places that are so interesting is that they make you want to visit again.

About fifteen years later we crossed the aqueduct in the trip boat with our two youngsters (neither of whom asked Janice why they should call me Daddy).

A few years later, when we felt they were big enough to walk across, we visited again and fully infected them with an interest in canals. The place draws you like that and, each time you do visit, you can always bet that you will find something new.

I’d always wondered what one of the little bridges in Trevor Basin was for and it is only yesterday that I found out about the Plas Kynaston Canal (or branch canal) which used to serve industry and mines on the site of what became Monsanto’s chemical works. When the works grew, the canal was in the way and was duly filled in with a total disrespect for its past.

Now the works is gone completely and there is talk of the restoration of the branch. I like to think that it wasn’t totally bulldozed and and that, underneath the concrete, there is sufficient of the course and its artefacts left to bring it back to its former state with a good degree of authenticity.

With the branch being quite short, with no major engineering features, it shouldn’t be too hard to dig the original course back out and make it a feature of whatever the current wasteland left by the old works is destined to become. Such a project would certainly be of benefit to the area and I wish the Plas Kynaston Canal group all the luck that they need.

As someone that always finds interest in old features and tries to follow the courses of old railway lines and canals, I am going to have to return at some point soon to see what is left of the works and, more importantly, the Plas Kynaston branch canal. It’s a harmless enough pursuit I guess.

the diary of Iris Lloyd – hungerford church

I have read the interesting article by Doug Yelland on canalside churches, with his lovely photographs.

He visited St. Nicolas, Newbury, on the K and A canal, but apparently didn’t get as far as St. Lawrence’s in the attractive town of Hungerford. The church stands adjacent to the towpath, by the swing bridge, and the churchyard is reached through the entrance in the fence.

Although a church has stood on this site since early times, the present church was built by the Victorians in 1816, the tower of the former building having collapsed, bringing down part of the church with it.

During lockdown, the church is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for private prayer and exploring. The counter in the porch registers that the church is welcoming about 350 people each week, who come to enjoy the peacefulness of the interior (described as a foretaste of heaven) and admire the 10 stained glass windows created between 1815 and 1900, the oldest, from the previous church, being in the vestry. Many of the memorials have been transferred from the previous building. Before lockdown, when the Visitors’ Book was available, it registered the names of visitors from many parts of the world as well as Britain, some of them coming off the narrow boats. Many visited because their ancestors had been married in the church, and all wrote about the beauty and peace they found there.

The churchyard is now closed and cleared of some gravestones and is maintained by the local town council. They have, however, left one gravestone in situ. It marks the grave of James Dean, a coachman plying between Hungerford and Bath, who was killed in 1827 when a hearse collided with his coach. The poem on his gravestone reads:

Passengers of every age
I safely drove from stage to stage
Till death came by in a hearse unseen
And stop’d the course of my machine.

Part of the churchyard is now dedicated to a wildlife sanctuary.

If you are moored anywhere near the church, do pop in and have a quiet browse. Our vicar, Revd. Michael Saunders (Mike to everyone) and his wife Ali are Waterways Chaplains. The vicarage is nearby and they welcome anyone who comes to their door or rings them for help or a chat (01488 208341).

I am also a Waterways Chaplain, trained online as I am self isolating, so I haven’t yet ventured onto the towpath.

If you wish to know anything about any aspect of Hungerford, we have a wonderful virtual museum – a museum online – that contains thousands of entries, compiled by local historian Dr. Hugh Pihlens. Well worth a browse!

Iris Lloyd

we are back

We are back under what is termed the new norm – so face masks at the ready and off we go again.

I have deliberately left going out and doing too much for quite some time, I am well versed in what happens when people are left in solitary confinement for a while and certainly the term cabin fever. I understood things would be anxious on the cut and this was born out by some kind of incident a mile down hill with an air pistol being waved about in an altercation - really what none of us need thank you.

Anyway first job is the dreaded safety- it really isn’t as bad or as onerous as people think, top tips are, keep the gas taps twiddled apparently the seals dry out, I don’t often use my oven so made sure it was all working. Check the obvious- fuel lines etc and remember the boat needs to be ventilated. Two of mine are much room vents that in theory could be closed – stick a nut on the thread to make sure that they can’t – I was reading some online forum about insulation – just remember you can insulate to your heart's content but you still must have what is actually quite a large air flow going through the cabin. Also label things, gas isolation valves, fuel stop cocks, battery isolation etc so the inspector can see everything. I added another CO detector in the cockpit (more of this later) but have always carried one since the children were small. We passed without issue. I have beetled on about this in the last article but do not be tempted to fill it back up with non-compliant gas heaters etc, you are not getting one over on an authority, you are just endangering yourself and others, boats can and do catch fire and the sad sight of a burnt out barge at Seend is a stark reminder.

Next fire up the engine - But before we start remember none of us have gone anywhere for a while so first things first, clean the prop of weed and growth, next tilt the out board up and down a few times to let whatever muck has found its way up the strainers out - you will be shocked by what does emerge.

Then grease the life out of the steering and tilt mechanism, oil the cables and manually check it goes into neutral on the gear shift. I love this bit because mechanics is a hobby of mine restoring vintage engine from Horticultural machinery through to Motorbikes (a man cannot live on boats alone he needs a varied life). Diesels need three things - decent compression, CLEAN fuel and plenty of air, Petrol needs clean fuel air and a spark to coincide at roughly right place. Winding the guts out of the starter because it won’t fire doesn’t do anything or do yourself any good. There are plenty of decent flow charts for engine trouble shooting on the internet, download, print off, laminate and stick it by the engine. Even those of us who have been doing it a few years make mistakes as a recent telephone call to a tractor engineer proved that sometimes even I rush things and don’t do the bleeding obvious – which was to bleed the air out of the diesel pump properly.

Remember the top tip for outboards – run them out of fuel to stop them when you finished cruising- basically just take the fuel line off – this completely empties the carburettor and the last cough pulls any rubbish through the main jet.

A quick lick of paint just to touch up the areas the weather had got to and some natty grip tape for the deck from an online store – which now is the new norm - and we are ready for the off and a cruise down to Semmington for the first time in ages.

I think the most obvious thing was how overgrown it had all become because the volunteers could not go out an maintain the towpaths and the offside bank.

We encountered quite a large fallen willow with its branches below the water line. Always put the engine in neutral and go and investigate with a boat hook or something- hitting that with a spinning prop can only do damage.

I have always worn leather gloves operating the locks but now sanitiser gell etc are used.

It was good to be back, the pub is still closed as it would seem are some of the rubbish collection points but generally everything was as we left it in March.

Fully inspired leads to a quick cabin project and that ugly joint between a Dawncraft deck and cabin. Originally this had carpet stuck to it but because of its compound curves sticking anything is difficult so I decided to box it in - this required templates and careful measuring ( a tile combe is excellent for this type or work) Lots of sawing cutting and gluing an the first section went in – when it came to the bunk end I realised that the curve in the boat wouldn’t allow for boxing in so just cut a strip of ply and screwed it on at an angle - The result looks ten times better than my boxing in and just shows sometimes simple is best.

diary of a victorian horseboat

I was built sometime in the reign of Victoria, at least 135 years ago, in the Black Country, Birmingham.

The canals were a very different place back then, none of this slowing down to relax and all that they say these days.

The skyline bristled with chimneys and the air was black with smoke. No cars were on the streets and bicycles were still strange contraptions.

Only the fancy boats had engines and they were steam.

I had a horse.

He wasn’t a very good horse but then I was only a maintenance boat, a spoon dredger to be precise. I worked for the Birmingham Canal Navigations Company, number 118 in their fleet, and I worked in the number 2 district around Tipton. My job was to keep the channel deep for the cargo boats, by the simple expedient of what was, in essence, a giant shovel, scooping out silt into my hold.

I had a small cabin then, where the men, usually 3, could have a brew (and occasionally doss down), and in the middle of my hold was a small hand crane, attached to the great iron scoop and its long wooden handle.

Towards my front end was a winch, which was also attached to the scoop, and when they’d lowered the scoop down into the murky depths, they used the winch to drag it forward into the mud. Then they used the crane to lift the scoop out of the water, and a man used its long wooden handle to guide it so they could dump the contents into my hold.

Each scoopful was about a hundredweight of mud and water, and it went everywhere. My decks were slick with mud, and it reeked in high summer! They had to regularly pump the water out so they could get a full load, which was about 25 tonnes at a time.

Sometimes there was a fourth man on the bank with another winch, so they could accurately edge me forward bit by bit, but more often than not it was a case of short straws as to who had to haul me forward by hand.

Dredgers sometimes lifted things that were best left lying: guns, knives, sometimes stolen safes and strongboxes (empty of course). Occasionally a dredger would bring a body up, which was never fun for anyone involved and would invariably hold up traffic. It wasn’t unheard of for a body to be quietly slipped back into the water without telling anyone official.

When they’d made a load up, I was towed away and the mud unloaded into spoil heaps, where it could be reloaded back onto a boat to be taken away. Nothing was wasted then; sometimes the spoil was taken to fields out of the city, sometimes to building sites to help level the ground, and sometimes it was taken back to the canal that needed repairing.

No, a spoon dredger’s life was not a glamorous one. The men would swear a lot, and sometimes drink a lot too; that was usually when my cabin got slept in.

I did that until 1937, when they took away my dredging gear and I was put onto general maintenance. During the war I did whatever was needed; sometimes I carried things like lock gates, sometimes I carried bits of Birmingham away that had been blown up by Mr Hitler. Sometimes I even carried cargo for the war effort.

After the war I carried on doing maintenance. They took my cabin away so I could carry more, and made me smaller, taking some plates out of my middle, so that I could work with a bantam tug. I hauled pilling, scaffolding, bricks. I often worked with a modern dredger, carrying the silt away. I was ignored by everyone and given the frankly ignominious title of a ‘hopper.’

And then, after all that service, more than 100 years dedicated to keeping the canals going, waterways decided they didn’t want me anymore, and that I was “beyond economical repair.”

I was sold. Retirement beckoned at last, perhaps I would be cut again and turned into a motorboat? Perhaps I would just be broken up?

No.

I am now a cargo boat in my own right. I am still unpowered, but I have a motorboat of my own to take me where I wish, and I have my little cabin back. I will be carrying coal and logs for a fuel boat, and maybe tanks of diesel in the summer. I’ll be taking animal feed, and occasionally animals, the pets of my keeper.

Nearly 150 years after I was built, I will still be working. How many other boats can say that?

how to wire a narrowboat – part 2

Now the next thing to do is calculate the Volt-drop for each route through each light.

In the first edition I did not pay sufficient attention to calculating volt-drop and cable selection. So I am going to start from the basic drawing, labelled with measurements of various cables. For this first example I am going to use the rear deck lights circuit.

The first thing is that for running electrical cables for anything around the boat we should use nothing smaller that 1.5mmsq. This is because this is the minimum size that will stand up to the stresses of being strung around a boat that vibrates.

We need to aim for as near as we can for a volt-drop from the batteries to the items on the end of the cables of less than 5%. It is relatively easy to get the volt-drop from the battery to the Fuse-board down into the area of 2%, and the volt-drop from the fuse-board to the items down to less than 3%.

First we need to calculate the volt-drop for the circuit against the various cable sizes we could use. We need three pieces of information to calculate the volt-drop

The voltage of the system; it is 12V for this particular boat.

The second is the current the amps (A). In this case we have two lights each with a rating of 3 Watts (3W x 2 = 6W). But we need to know the current, the amps (A) – Watts/Volts = Amps (W/V = A). We have both of those the Volts 12V and the Watts is 6W. 6/12 = 0.5A

The third is the total length of the cable run from the voltage source positive back to the negative voltage source. We have this on the drawing because we measured it on the scaled boat outline if we start at the positive busbar and add the lengths travelling to the negative busbar - 3+4+3 = 10 metres.

Now we can either do this plugging the values into the standard formulae for volt-drop umpteen times or we can use the volt-drop calculator in the files section of the group, which gives the answer for all the standard cable sizes in one go. It is downloadable from 12 Volt Boating Group

Or you can use this formulae umpteen times

The voltage drop (V) at the load, in volts, can be calculated using the following formula:

Volt-drop = 0,0164 ×I ×L/S

Where

S is the conductor cross-sectional area, in millimetres squared

l is the load current, in amperes.

L is the length, in metres, of conductor from the positive power source to the electrical device and back to the negative source connection.

Below I have plugged the values into the 12 Volts Boating Group volt-drop calculator.

There are several cables that we could use;

1.5mmsq, which has a volt-drop of 0.06V/0.53%
2mmsq, which has a volt-drop of 0.05V/0.39%
2.5mmsq, which has a volt-drop of 0.04V/0.32%
3mmsq, which has a volt-drop of 0.03V/0.25%

We need to look ahead to what will be the heaviest circuit on our lighting circuit in terms of percentage loss. This could be caused by it being high current or just the length of the cable runs. In this case it is the passageway lights because of the length of cables used to give the ability to allow the passageway lights to be switched off at the bow or stern. If we can use the same size cable for the majority of the wiring we will be able to buy reels of that cable that is cheaper than buying by the metre.

Passageway lighting circuits

This is where you, I hope, learn the simple way to calculate the combined volt-drop of several circuits that come together as one on the way to the batteries.

Looking at the circuits they all come together at the switch 2W2 so we can calculate their individual volt-drops and the volt-drop from switch 2W2 to the fuse board.

The currents of each of the circuits are 0.75A, 1.0A and 0.5A, and I have calculated their individual volt drops at 2.06%, 2.98% and 0.90% and the current for switch 2W2 to the fuse board etc is the total of all the circuits 2.25A and the Volt-drop is 2.25% using 3mmsq cable.

Each of the three circuits will take part of the 2W2 switch circuit losses proportional to each circuit's current. So first circuit has a current of 0.75A divide by the total current of 2.25A is 0.333, so the proportion of the Switch 2W2 percentage loss 2.25% x 0.333 gives us the percentage of the Switch 2W2 loss that belongs to the first circuit equals 0.75% which needs adding to circuit one loss of 2.06% which equals 2.81%. We repeat that for each circuit and by using 3mmsq cable for the switch 2W2 to 2W1 and onward to the fuse-board wiring and 2mmsq for the rest of the circuits. I hope that all makes sense

Now you need to work your way through all the drawings working out volt-drop and cable size etc.

Lighting 1 circuit complete

Lighting 2 circuit complete

Tungsten/Halogen Headlight completed

LED Headlight completed

Passageway lighting circuit complete

Gradually you build a set of drawings for the lighting that has all the information on them. From there you can workout the shopping list for cable etc and install the lighting on the boat.

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