2013 06 sfp

Summer 2013Shroppie Fly Paper

Shrewsbury River Festival 2013Held on a gloriously sunny Sunday in early June, the festival in Shrewsbury's QuarryParkandon thebanksof theRiverSeverndrew largecrowds.Wewill havea full reportin thenext issue, including thepresentation to IWANationalChairman,LesEtheridge,of funds from the Severn Navigation Restoration Trust.

Les Etheridge (left) and CllrJon Tandy, Mayor ofShrewsbury, hold thecheque presented by (from3rd right) David Struckett,Christine Wilkinson andArthur Pagett representingSNRT

Shrewsbury-based MorrisLubricants' entry for thepirate-themed raft race onthe river. The four-mile raftcourse from Bicton toShrewsbury was one of the40 sections in MorrisLubricants' CharityChallenge for 2013, "Sevenways to do the Severn Wayfor the Severn Hospice".Other sections of the 214mile long Severn Wayinclude walking, canoeing,cycling, swimming andhorse-riding. Moreinformation about theChallenge and how todonate atmorrislubricants.co.uk

Our front cover shows Barbridge Junction in early summer. Unfortunately it seems the signpost writerhad no access to a spellcheck program!

All images on the outside and inside covers by Michael Haig

Shroppie Fly PaperSummer 2013

The Editor's cut...

The ‘summer’ editionof theShroppieFlyPaper isuponusandmarks my debut as your editor. My predecessor’sdistinguished spell in the editor’s chair has met with generalacclaim, so I think you will be pleased to know that I’m notproposing any radical changes to your newsletter.

Having said that, rather like working locks or mooring up,everyone has their different ways of doing things and I hopeyou’ll like any evolutionary changes you see.

Optimistically dubbing this the ‘summer’ edition means that,by the time it landsonyour doormat or in your inbox,wehope theweatherwill have improvedon a tumultuous April and May.

Fortunately, the organisers of theNorburyCanal Festival enjoyed sparklingEarlyMayBankHoliday weather and record visitor numbers (more on page 30), though the competitors intheMontgomeryTriathlon the followingweekend (report onpage10)werenot so lucky.Let’shope the other festivals and outdoor activities in the area this summer – such as the AudlemFestival of Transport,Middlewich Folk andBoat and our ownHurleston lockwind – see theirfair share of sun.

Finally, I just have room to extend congratulations to our Region Chairman, Alan Platt, whohas been appointed a Deputy National Chairman of the IWA, one of three current holdersof that office.Alan'sappointmentadds toanhonourable record for ourRegion. I am informedthat in the last 40yearsno less than fiveoutofeightNationalChairmenhavebeen from(whatis now) the North West Region.

Shroppie Fly PaperNewsletter Editor Michael Haig, 17 Nantwich Road, Woore, Crewe CW3 9SB

01630 647517 [email protected]

TheShroppieFlyPaper is the newsletter of theShrewsburyDistrict &NorthWalesBranchof The InlandWaterways Association with a membership of about 390. Nationally the IWA has about 18,000members and campaigns for the conservation, use, maintenance, restoration and development of theinland waterways. For further information contact any committee member.

Copy for the Shroppie Fly Paper is welcome by email, on disk or in manuscript form. Photographsmaybe in any common computer format or as prints. Please supply a stamped addressed envelope if yourequire photographs to be returned. ‘Letters to the Editor’ intended for publication are invited, as arecomments for the Editor’s private guidance. Copy and letters submitted for publication may be edited.

The InlandWaterwaysAssociationmaynot agreewith theopinionsexpressed in thisBranchnewsletterbut encourages publicity as a matter of interest. Nothing printed may be construed as official policyunless stated otherwise. The Association accepts no liability for any matter in this newsletter. Anyreproduction must be acknowledged.

The Inland Waterways Association is a non-profit distributing company limited by guarantee.Registered in England No 612245. Registered as a charity No 212342.

Next Copy Date: October 14, 2013 Printed by Downstream Print, Nantwich


The Branch CommitteePresident Michael Limbrey, Greenfields, Weston Lane, Oswestry SY11 2BD

01691 654081 [email protected] Carolyn Theobold, Nb Albion, The Wharf, Norbury Junction ST20 0PN

07976 250681 [email protected] Chairman David Aylwin, Wyndcliff, Pen y Garreg Lane, Pant, Oswestry SY10 8JS

01691 830403 [email protected] Chairman Alan Platt, Argoed, Pen y Cefn Road, Caerwys, Flintshire CH7 5BH

01352 720649 [email protected] Dawn Aylwin, Wyndcliff, Pen y Garreg Lane, Pant, Oswestry SY10 8JS

01691 830403 [email protected] Denis Farmer, 8 Kingbur Place, Audlem, Crewe CW3 0DL

01270 811157 [email protected] & Peter Brown, 34 Waterside Drive, Market Drayton TF9 1HUPlanning Officer 01630 652567 [email protected] Secretary Janet Farmer, 8 Kingbur Place, Audlem, Crewe CW3 0DL

01270 811157 [email protected] Dawn Aylwin, Wyndcliff, Pen y Garreg Lane, Pant, Oswestry SY10 8JSSecretary 01691 830403 [email protected] Alan Wilding, Priory Lodge, 154 Longden Road, Shrewsbury SY3 9ED

01743 359 650 [email protected] Members Gerallt Hughes (General Secretary Committee for Wales)

Ty’n y Coed, Arthog, Gwynedd LL39 1YS01341 250631 [email protected] Wilding, Priory Lodge, 154 Longden Road, Shrewsbury SY3 9ED01743 359 650 [email protected] Appleton, Ann Appleton01691 828124 [email protected]

Branch Web pages www.waterways.org.uk/shrewsburywww.facebook.com/pages/IWA-Shrewsbury-Branch/388651831206061

From the Steerer

It seems to have been a very long winter both on apersonal basis, with the slow process of recovery fromlast summer's stroke, and with the protractedunseasonal weather. But as I write, early summerseems really to be under way at last; early and lateblossom are out in concert, and along the canal therearegreat broodsofmallard, gooseandmoorhenchicksto entertain us.

Theadvent of betterweather hascoincidedwithmy return to something likenormalfitness.Wehave been able to get out boating at last, to theOverwaterMarinaRNLI


Festival (of which more elsewhere) and I have finally been able to resume someof my IWA duties. I must once again record my thanks to fellow Committteemembers for their forbearance and for covering for me so ably on top of their otherduties, both IWA and personal.

Apart from being Branch Chairman, I wear another IWA hat as a member ofRestoration Committee (ResCom); as you may know, this is the IWA Committteewhich promotes and advises on waterway restoration, and visits projects aroundthe country as part of itsmeetings.Recently, theCommitteewasonour “home turf”in a visit to theShrewsbury andNewportCanals. I wasdelighted to see that the visitreport included universally positive and enthusiastic feedback about the canalsand the work of the Shrewsbury & Newport Canals Trust and the Norbury toNewport CIC. It was a similar story when ResCom visited the Montgomery Canala couple of years ago.

Last week I attendedmy first NorthWest Region Committeemeeting in St Helens.We are part of a large and disparate region and it was interesting to meetrepresentatives of other branches and to note their differing styles and the typesof activities they undertake. In particular, it was noticeable that some organisemore hands-on volunteering and domoremonitoring of the waterways within theirarea.

It occurred to me that these are two sides of the same coin. Our Branch is blessedwithmiles of very busywaterways spread over a large geographical area, andwithmany very active restoration projects and waterways societies with their owndedicated bands of volunteers. Other branches have less miles of waterway withfewer such projects and thus perhaps have readier access to a pool of willingvolunteers for their activities. However, whatever our approach, we all share thecommon cause of our love of the waterways and enthusiasm to protect andenhance them.

Our Region has recently begun the process of reviewing how it operates, and hasasked Branches to look again at their roles and how they fulfill them. There willalmost certainly be more about this later in the year, but in the meantime I wouldbe very pleased to hear your views. Do you feel an affinity with your Branch or isit just an administrative convenience for your IWA membership? What activitieswould you like to see? Work parties, more social events, talks, trips? If so, wouldyoubewilling to spenda fewhourshelpingus toorganiseanevent?Youdon't needto join the Committtee, it can be done wherever you live – and might encouragesome of your friends and neighbours to join us! Do drop me an email, the detailsare on page 4 – I look forward to hearing from you.

Carolyn Theobold - Branch Chairman


Region Chairman writes...

The last fewmonths have been interesting ones for theIWA, even if for those of us who are boaters, theunseasonable weather has cramped our stylesomewhat.

The events and rallies season has still to get started,although as I write this the Trailboat Festival is takingplace on the river Rother in Kent. We have theconnected string of events around London coming up,but all these are somewhat remote from us in the NorthWest.

One local event that took place successfully was the second Montgomery CanalTriathlon, organised by the Friends of the Montgomery Canal assisted by localsocieties, including the IWA. I congratulate the organisers on winning theprestigious ‘Recreation and Tourism’ category at the Waterways RenaissanceAwards last week for the 2012 event.

Also on the Montgomery, recently I was able to present the NW Region TetlowTrophy to Mike Friend of the Shropshire Union Canal Society for his sterling workaswork party organizer for theSociety for the last ten years, duringwhich time theyhave done excellent work on the restoration.

In April we also presented the other Region trophy, the Kenwin Cup, to MadelineDean for her work over the years for the Lancashire & Cumbria Branch, the IWAnationally and for the Lancaster Restoration at the other end of our Region. Thispresentation was one of the highlights of the Region Meeting ‘Not an AGM’ heldat Fiddlers Ferry on the Sankey, which was attended by nearly 40 members andmy thanks go to those who helped make it a success.

Nationally, I attended a joint workshop on "working together" in Birminghamrecently, hosted jointly by CRT and the IWA. As an output from that, the localregional CRT Partnership on which I sit is going to look at the position regardingslipways in our area in partnership with the local IWA region and others.

Some of you will be aware that the CRT Partnerships actively encourage theprovision and use of slipways to increase access to the waterways for the generalpublic, so we are disappointed at the news that two in our region are under threatof closure. The affected IWA Branch is actively campaigning on this issue.

We are also making progress on the strategic plan, as are the other CRT


Partnerships throughout the country, and these are being, or will be shortly,brought out for public consultation so that all may see what we’ve been up to forthe last year or so.

As our National Chairman wrote in his piece in the Summer 2013 issue of‘Waterways’, weare concernedabout the proposals for the newhigh speed rail linkHS2. In the North West Region the planned route will have an impact on theMiddlewich branch of the Shropshire Union, the Trent and Mersey in the DaneValley, and theBridgewater at Bollington, aswell as on theManchester ShipCanaland possible interference with the line of the Sankey.

It is not the role of the IWA to comment on the merits or otherwise of HS2 as anational initiative, but it definitely is our job to comment upon the effect on thewaterways of this proposal. This is not just a matter of either approving of orobjecting to a crossing, but of arguing for greater headroom, or screening to reducethe impact of the proposals, etc.

This is being coordinated nationally to have a significant impact, and Mike Carteris involved in our input into this as our Region representative on NavigationCommittee; which is not to say individual branches or members are beingdiscouraged from having their own say.

And finally I dropped in briefly to a recentOpenDay inChester, held to promote the'One City Plan'. The plan includes a vision for improving the waterways in Chesterand specifically of working with other towards enabling navigation on and accessto the Dee. This is a long-term project and it is great that the IWA is working withCRT and other Chester groups to bring this forward.

I knowsomeof youareplanning to go to theNational atCassioburyPark inWatfordat the end of July, and I hope to see you there.

So with June nearly here and the days lengthening, hopefully we can anticipatesome great days on or beside the canals and rivers in our region; which just goesto prove that despite appearances to the contrary, basically I’m an eternal optimist.

Alan Platt

PeterBrown, ourBranchHeritage&PlanningOfficer, commentedon the currentHS2plans:

The proposed new high-speed railway from Birmingham to Manchester, known as HS2,crosses the canal only once in our Branch area, not far from Stanthorne Lock on theMiddlewich Branch. Although this is a pleasant rural spot, it is not exceptionally beautiful orimportant historically, so it is pointless to object. However, the IWA will press for mitigationmeasures such as tree planning to help shield the noise.


Membership Matters

Yes,membership really doesmatter andwearedelighted towelcome the followingmembers who have joined the Branch since the spring edition of this magazine:

Mr Allen from Buckley, Ms Doyle from Reabrook, Mr Elliott from Longhorsley inNorthumberland, Mr & Mrs Franklin from Old Colwyn, Mr & Mrs Gardner fromWoodside near Telford, Mr Gaydon &Mrs Tainton from Llanerchymedd, Mr &MrsGebbels from Market Drayton, Mr Jones from Newtown, and Mr & Mrs Weaverfrom Hadnall.

We look forward to meeting you all at one of the forthcoming events.

I am pleased to announce that the Branch has had one enquiry about taking overfrom Janet Farmer asSocial Secretary. However, we still need a volunteer toworkwithDenisFarmerwith a view to takingover asBranchTreasurer in thenear future.I realise Denis will be a hard act to follow but with 363 memberships (or countingcouples 547) there must be somebody out there willing to step into his shoes.

Dawn Aylwin

Defect Detectives

The prime asset of the IWA, and of thisBranch in particular, is its members and wewould like to ask for your help in making ourpart of the canal network better, safer andmore enjoyable.

One of the valuable areas where we canassist CRT in its job of maintaining andrepairing the waterways infrastructure is toreport significant defects that we encounterin our cruising, cycling, angling orwalking thesystem.

As Dawn mentions above, this Branch isfortunateenough tohaveover500members,all enthusiastic advocates for the canals, wepresume!

Cracking up - the off side coping stonesat Tyrley Locks No 3

Photo: Michael Haig


So when you’re out and about, if you come across problem lock gates, damagedpaddle mechanisms, subsiding lock moorings, excessively overhangingvegetation or any of the other issues that cause problems for waterways users, wewould urge you to report them – preferably with an accompanying photograph –through your Branch Committee.

Our Chairman, Carolyn Theobold, has offered to be the coordinator to bringreported items to CRT’s attention and to press them for action. Please email herat [email protected].

Michael Haig

Appeal for help with hedgerow survey

You may have seen or heard recent BBC television and radio coverage of theCanal & River Trust’s appeal for volunteers to help with a survey of all thehedgerows along our waterway network. This is a national project which aims toassess the condition of our hedgerows and help with identifying whereimprovements can be made with re-planting, gapping up and laying to increasewildlife value.

The North Wales and Borders area contains over 270km of hedgerow and we areseeking volunteers who would be interested in undertaking a basic survey ofvarious sections using a portable computer and with the support of training. If youwould like to take part then it would be great to hear from you and we can then seehowmany people we have to survey hedgerows in their area and allocate suitablesections based on how much time you have.

This is a great opportunity to have a bit of a walk in the sunshine for a few miles orso and at the same time contribute significantly to this project. We can then usethe results of the project to identify a lot of the work that we can do with our taskdays throughout next winter.

If you would like to get involved please contact me [email protected] or 07775 118823. I will put you in touch withCRT waterway ecologist Stuart Moodie, who will arrange training for you andallocate sections.

Glenn Young - Canal & River Trust Volunteer Team Leader


Bikes, Boats 'n' Boots – Montgomery Canal Triathlon 2013

The second Montgomery Canal Triathlon took place on May 11, a few weeksearlier than last year to try to avoid upsetting the breeding swans.

The event attracted over 140 entrants, most of whom completed all three sectionsof the 35-mile route of the canal, starting from Newtown on bicycles, changing to

canoes in Welshpool and finishing onfoot from Llanymynech to WelshFrankton.

Cllr Val Howard, Mayor of Newtown,started the event on the Severn Wayand at Welshpool the Mayor, Cllr JohnMeredith, greeted entrants. The firstparticipants arrived at Frankton Locksinmid-afternoon, some completing theevent in under six hours despite thedisappointing weather conditions.

Notable entrants were John GriffithsAM, Welsh Minister for Culture andSport, who at the end presentedcommemorative medallions to thosewho had taken part, and AndrewStumpf, Head of Wales for GlandŵrCymru/Canal & River Trust.

The youngest entrant, BenHomewood, aged 11, completed thewhole triathlon in 8¾ hours and raised£800 in sponsorship.Many of the otherparticipants also raised sponsorshipmoney, some even entering in fancydress.

Volunteers from CRT and the Friends of the Montgomery Canal had worked hardto clear the canal andmake thecanoesectioneasier. In addition, the cyclewayhadbeen extended a further two miles since last year – leaving only a mile of roughtowpath to be negotiated between Brithdir and Belan.

Friends of the Montgomery Canal Chairman, Christine Palin, praised their efforts,aswell as the contribution of the 60marshalswhohelpedmake the event possible.

John Griffiths AM presents a medallion to AndrewStumpf, top, and below, competitors in fancy dress

Photos: Christine Palin


Tetlow Trophy

On 20 May, during the course of the regular Shropshire Union Canal Societyworkparty byRedwithBridge,Mike Friend from theSocietywas presentedwith theTetlow Trophy for 2013.

The trophy is awarded by the North Western Region of the Inland WaterwaysAssociation to someone other than an IWA member who has made a majorcontribution to the waterways over a period of time.

Presenting theaward,AlanPlatt,Chairmanof theNorthWestRegionandaDeputyNational Chairman of the IWA, referred toMike's ten years aswork party organizerof the SUCS workparties. He has thus been largely responsible for their sterlingwork in the restoration of the Montgomery andmaintaining the profile of the canal,especially during the current period when outside funds are so hard to come by.This was echoed by PatWilson, Chairman of SUCSand byMichael Limbrey of theMontgomery Waterway Restoration Trust. Mike in his turn paid tribute to theworkparties themselves and especially to Jan, his wife, for her patience andsupport.

Pictured below isMike,wearing his famouswhitewellies, receiving the trophy fromAlan, flanked by Pat Wilson and Jan Friend and the SUCS workparty


Accidental drowning ... or murder?

On February 10, 1849 Richard Wilson walked with his wife Anne from their homeat Hankelow (north of Audlem) to Market Drayton to collect his pension. Theystayed in town drinking, before starting to walk home in the starlight.

A witness saw them on the towpath, apparently talking on good terms. Howeverwhen Anne, being drunk and lame, could not walk fast enough, her husbandargued with her, hit her, and threatened to throw her in the canal. She replied thathe would not dare do it, but he said he would do it before she got home. He thenknocked her down, shouted at her, then pulled her up and they walked on. Fiveminutes or so later, the witness heard screams and a cry of ‘Murder’.

Another witness, John Williams,saw them a few minutes later —they were occasionally talkinglovingly and sometimesquarrelling. Both were tipsy;Anne was lame and unable towalk without a stick. Williamswalked with them as far asVictoria Bridge [Bridge 65, by thecoalyard], where Anne said shewas unable to go on, so lay down.Wilson insisted she went on,saying, ‘Damn your eyes, if youdon’t I’ll drown you’. She repliedthat he dare not.

Williams then left them, but anhour later, at aboutseven o’clock, he saw Wilson at Adderley lock-house. Wilson said that he had left his wife atSimon’s Bridge [Bridge 67, now known as Betton Coppice Bridge], waiting for aboat. Wilson walked on, while Williams and another man walked back to beyondSimon’s Bridge but couldn’t find any trace of her.

About ten o’clock that evening Wilson went for a drink at a public house near hishome. When the landlady asked after his wife, he said that he had left her on thecanal side waiting for a boat. When he prepared to leave the landlady asked whyhe was going, and he replied that he wanted to go home to prepare a cup of teaand a good fire for his wife, as the boat would not pass till about half past twelve.She reported that therewasnothingparticular about his look ormanner except thathe appeared as if he was recovering from having had a lot to drink.

Some time later that evening he went to another public house. The landlady said

Bridge 65 from the south - the lastplace Anne Wilson was seen alive

Photo: Michael Haig


it was too late to serve him. Whenshe said that his wife would not likehim stopping out so late, he said shewould not know of it.

The following morning a passingboatman saw Anne floating in thewater nearBettonWoodBridge [66].Both the body and her clothes were‘lying straight’. Her gown waswrapped round her left hand, whichthe boatman said might have beencausedby the flushof thewater. Hershawl was wrapped two or threetimes round her head, which theboatman thought must have beendone by someone. Her cap was nottorn but her bonnet was not found.There was no sign of blood on her, and thesurgeon who later examined her said that hefound no mark whatever of violence.

Williams, the man who had seen Wilson and his wife the previous evening, sawAnne’s body taken out of the canal and found her stick about thirty yards away inthe far side of the high hedge at the top of the steep cutting. He thought it wouldhave been impossible for her to have climbed the bank or to have flung the stickthere from the towpath.

Two police constables questioned Wilson that morning. He admitted not havingmade any enquiries about her, but on being charged with having drowned her, heexclaimed ‘My God, has the poor thing done anything to herself? I hope she is notdead.’

He was escorted to the place to which Anne’s body had been taken. When he gotthere he said, ‘Oh dear, oh dear; I doubt I shall suffer for this. If I do I shall dieinnocent. These hands never put that poor body in the water.’ When the shawlcovering her face was removed, he fainted.

The case was heard before Justice Coltman at the Shrewsbury Assizes thefollowing month. The jury took little time in returning a verdict of Not Guilty.

[Paraphrased from the report in The Times, March 22, 1849, with thanks to AnnaMartin for drawingmyattention to it. Hankelow parish extends almost to the canal, so the Wilsons may have lived close toit, rather than in the village, in which case the public houses may have been in Audlem.]

Peter Brown

From Br. 65, Wilson walked north alongthe towpath towards Audlem

Photo: Michael Haig


Llangollen Canal – Marinas Update

In the Spring 2013 issue of Shroppie Fly Paper, we reported and commented onthe proposals for new marinas at Ellesmere and Wrenbury.

As far as the latter is concerned, the planning application submitted by Enzygo Ltdfor a 178-berth facility atWrenbury Heath (betweenBaddiley Locks andWrenburyHall) has been withdrawn. However campaigners against the development,though relieved, cannot breathe easily just yet.

For on June 5, in a front-page article bylined “exclusive”, the Nantwich Chroniclerevealed new proposals from a different developer, named as Oligra TownPlanning of Shavington, for a 200-berth marina at Wrenbury. The Chroniclereports, “The fields behind St Margaret’s Church and the Cotton Arms pub…couldmake way for the proposed site”.

We will have to see if the proposal develops into a formal planning application.

Meanwhile at Ellesmere Wharf, the proposed “multi-use leisure site includinghotel, 188 berth marina, leisure complex, pub/restaurant, cabins and touringcaravans and 250 dwellings” south of Canal Way is, at the time of going to press,still pending a planning decision from Shropshire Council although the publicconsultation period has ended. Updates can be found at www.shropshire.gov.ukunder application reference 13/00804/SCO.

Coincidentally, in April the British Marine Federation released the results of itslatest survey into supply and demand for marina berths as of January 2013. It saidthat its survey had elicited 53 “valid responses” from marina businesses coveringthe CRT waterways.

The total capacity of the53CRT-basedmarinasat the timeof the surveywas7,710berths, of which the total occupancy was 6,122 berths, giving 1,588 vacant berthsand an average occupancy rate for the 53 CRT-based marinas who responded of79.4% (20.6% vacant) at the time of the survey.

Clearly these occupancy/vacancy rates are an average for the CRT-basedmarinas that responded, and since nationally only about 56% of relevant BMFmembers did respond (totalling 145 marinas including tidal/coastal and thoseunderothernavigationauthorities), itwouldbeunwise toconclude that these levelsof occupancy/vacancy necessarily apply to the Llangollen Canal or other localwaterways.

Nevertheless, readers may wonder whether there is really such pent-up demand


for berths that an additional 350-plus craft would come forward if the proposedLlangollen Canal developments eventually went ahead. Certainly there are somestretches of the SU Main Line in particular where there is a significant number oflinear moorings, but your editor doubts that a lack of marina berths is the mainfactor in their popularity.

Michael Haig

Historic Working Narrow Boats Today -‐ A PictorialRecord

Canal Book Shop, based at AudlemMill has recently published what mustbe one of the finest definitive guides tohistoric working boats. The 110 page,full colour A4 book contains over 590photographs of 465 historic workingnarrow boats still in existence, togetherwith brief notes on each boat. Nearlyall the photographs are by DavidWilliams, a CRT volunteer ranger atAudlem Locks, with text by PeterSilvester of Audlem Mill.

Most of the boats are listed in chaptersrelating to the company or area forwhich they were built, such as Fellows,Morton & Clayton, Grand Union CanalCarrying Company, Midlands & CoastCanal Carriers and Severn & CanalCarrying Company.

The book records significantly morethan half of the approximately 840 historic working narrow boats known by TheHistoric Narrow Boat Club to be still in existence.

The book is available from Audlem Mill at £19.95, or online fromwww.canalbookshop.co.uk (postage extra).

For more information contact Peter Silvester at Audlem Mill, The Wharf,Audlem CW3 0DX, phone 01270 811059 or visit www.audlemmill.co.uk.


IWA Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch

Diary

July 7 Annual Branch Outing to the National Waterways Museum atEllesmere Port. If you are planning to go please contact Janet01270 811157.

July 19-21 Waterways Festival (The IWA National) at Cassiobury Park,Watford, on the Grand Union Canal.

July 21 Church Minshull Aqueduct Marina Open Day. The Branch willhave a stall at the event.

July 27-28 Lock wind and meeting boaters at Hurleston Bottom Lock,Llangollen/Shropshire Union Canals. See facing page andcontact Dawn 01681 830403 for more information and to let usknow if you intend to arrive by boat.

July 28 Audlem Festival of Transport and Historic Boats Gathering.To date 38 historic boats have booked to attend the festival.

August 12 Branch Business Meeting at 7.00pm at the Narrowboat Inn,Whittington. Members are very welcome to join us but pleaseconfirm the date and time with any Committee member beforeattending.

August 16-18 Llanymynech Folk Festival. See page 19 for further details.Please contact Dawn 01691 830403 if you are able to help withWOW (children's) activities on the Sunday.

August 17-18 Friends of the Montgomery Canal annual lock wind at NewMarton Locks (near Whittington on the Llangollen Canal).Contact Judy 01691 831455 if you would like to help.

Sept 21-22 Whitchurch Waterways Trust gathering of boats. Contact MikeParsonage 01984 830447 evenings only. Please support theBranch stall.

October 14 Branch Business Meeting at 7.00pm at the Narrowboat Inn,Whittington. Members are very welcome to join us but pleaseconfirm the date and time with any Committee member beforeattending.


December 8 Welshpool Winter Festival - Christmas street market, charityand craft stalls.

December 9 Branch Business Meeting at 7.00pm at the Narrowboat Inn,Whittington. Members are very welcome to join us but pleaseconfirm the date and time with any Committee member beforeattending.

Branch Lock Wind - Hurleston Bottom Lock27 & 28 July 2013

Once again the annual LockWind will be at Hurleston Bottom Lock during the lastweekend of July. Apart from talking to people and encouraging new members tojoin this is one of our major fund raising events so please support your Branch.

As well as helping boaters through the lock (for a small donation although this isnot essential) wewant to attract other boaters passing along the Shropshire Unionto stop andbuy fromour stall. Soweneed lots of goodies; home-made cakes, pies,pickles and jam are very popular and every year we run out, so please if you canspare the time, we would welcome contributions. If you are unable to come alongand help but still want to bake a cake or pass on surplus garden produce pleaseget in touch with any committee member.

Youare verywelcome to joinusbyboat but please letmeknowbeforehandasCRThave asked how many boats are likely to attend. There are plenty of mooringspaces on themainShropshireUnionwith plenty of space to turn round if you needto return to your mooring after the event.

You are equally welcome if you come by car. There is plenty of parking space onthe old road which is just after Snugbury’s Ice Cream shop on the A51 Chester &Tarporley road out of Nantwich. You can’t miss it. Just turn off themain road by the‘Free Range Eggs’ sign then walk down to the bridge and turn right along the towpath.

Sounds like hard work? Actually it's good fun! Windlasses will be provided.

We look forward to meeting you all.

Dawn Aylwin


From Milk Float to Cheese Boat

Moored next to each other at the Norbury festival were two boats with a commontheme – electric propulsion – but with a very different provenance!

The older boat started life as aworking boat built in 1910 for theGreat Western Railway.

From 1969 she came under theownership of British Waterways,which used her as a maintenanceboat until the Dudley Canal Trustbought her in 1974. The Trust put ina new cabin in 1975 and thefollowing year added an electricmotor andbatteries fromamilk float.

She becameElectra, the first Dudley Canal Trust trip boat to carry people on toursthrough theDudley Tunnels, until replaced by the newElectra, whichwas purposebuilt for the job. The originalElectra's cabin was cut off and a pontoon added to herstern to take a mini digger. So modified, she helped excavate the Singing Cavernand other areas to be included on the DCT’s tours until her retirement in 2001.

In 2004 Kevin Higgs purchased the hull which, though floating, was in poorcondition. He completely rebuilt the stern, restoring her to her original 70’ length.A new cabin was added and a new engine room housing a National DA2 thoughtto be of 1940s vintage. Electra was no longer an electric boat.

Her new owners purchased her in 2012and she continues to be, in their words,“very much a work in progress”.

In contrast, the newer boat, namedSQII, is a contemporary creationcompleted in 2011. Her ownersspecified a 57’ Tyler Wilson shell whichthey could fit out themselves. Theydecided on electric propulsion as amodern, practical way of emulating thenear-silent passage of traditionalhorse-drawn working boats as well askeeping SQII as environmentally

Electra, above left, and SQII at Norbury

Photos: Michael Haig


friendly as possible. Instead of concrete ballast, 24 two-volt battery cells weighing1.5 tonnes sit beneath the oak floor and drive a 20Kw motor – the approximateequivalent of a 38 horsepower diesel.

A four-hour charge can provide up to eight hours cruising, but with all mod cons onboard, theownersaregoing tohave towait for somesignificant advances inbatteryand renewable energy technology before they can dispense with their trusty Betadiesel generator!

SQII may be rather more than a milk float but the dairy theme continues – she ishome to The Borders Cheese Carrying Company and can be seen in our Brancharea at the Aqueduct Marina Family Funday on July 21 and at the Audlem Festivalof Transport on July 27-28.

Val Haig

Llanymynech Folk Festival, August 16-18

The festival in the ‘international’ village of Llanymynech (well, it does lie on theborder!) brings together the folk music and culture of Shropshire and mid-Wales.In addition to the programme below, the organisers are planning a variety ofmusiciansplaying in the local pubsandaround thevillage throughout theweekend.

Friday, August 16 - Concert at Llanymynech Village Hall at 7.30pmFeaturing StephenRees andHuwRoberts, two ofWales’ finest fiddle players, andHuw’s son Sion, a brilliantly talented accompanist. This is traditional Welsh musicat its best, full of fire and vigour, played with an obvious love of the tradition.

Saturday, August 17 - workshops at the VillageHall, ChurchHall andPresbyterianChapel Hall.A chance to brush up on existing skills or perhaps try your hands (or your feet) atsomething you've never tried before. Howabout someWelsh clog dancing?Comeand try out a few different instruments, or go to the English folk song workshop.Saturday night is for dancing at the Village Hall – come to the twmpath/barn dancein the company of the Tanat Valley Dancers.

Sunday, August 18 – Music service at Llanymynech Church, then a processionalong theborder to theHeritageArea for agrandvillage fete–puppets, art andcraftstalls, music, dancers, food and drink – an afternoon for the whole family to enjoy.Therewill also beWOWactivities for the younger visitors. DawnAylwinwould loveto hear from you on 01691 830403 if you could spare some time to help with these.

More information from Gary at [email protected]


North West Region Social Meeting

OnSaturdayApril 20, about40membersof IWANorthWestRegionmetatFiddlersFerry Yacht Haven on the Sankey Canal, the oldest on the system. As regions nolonger need to hold annual general meetings, this was styled as ‘Not an AGM’.

Region Chairman, Alan Platt, welcomed members from all the branches in theRegion, who were then shown a brief compilation of activities during last year(complete with a sound track expertly put together by Mike Carter and now to befound on the NW region page of the website). There was then an open discussionand Q&A session on matters of interest to those present.

The Region awards two trophies annually. The Tetlow Cup is for outstandingservice to thewaterways by anon-IWApersonor groupand this yearwas awardedto Mike Friend for ten years as the work-party organizer for the Shropshire UnionCanal Society on theMontgomeryCanal. UnfortunatelyMikewas unable to attendthe ‘Not an AGM”, so a separate presentation was held in May (see page 11).

The Kenwin Trophy for services to the IWA was awarded to Madeline Dean,recently retired as Chairman of the N Lancs and Cumbria branch, a long-termstalwart of the LancasterCanal restoration and familiar tomanyas custodianof theCressy Lounge at Nationals.

Following an excellent lunch provided by the Yacht Club, there was a talk onthe history of the Sankey by Dave Smallshaw, Chester and Region committeemember as well as Chairman of Sankey Canal Restoration Society, after whichDave and Colin Greenall took those who wanted for a tour of the adjacentcanal. As a pleasant change, theweather was very spring-like andthe members plus a few caninecompanions enjoyed a mostenjoyable walk.

Given the success of the event andthe favourable comments of thosewhoattendedwecertainly intend torepeat it in the future.Audrey Smith, former National Chairman,(right) with Alan Platt, Regional Chairman,

(left) presents the Kenwin Trophy toMadeline Dean of North Lancashire &

Cumbria Branch

Photo: Dawn Aylwin


Maureen Shaw Panel unveiled

In response to the invitation in the lastedition of Shroppie Fly Paper andelsewhere,more than a hundred peoplebraved bitterly cold weather on March23 to attend the official unveiling of theMaureen Shaw Panel in Middlewich.

Maureen, as many readers will beaware, was a former working boatwoman who, after her retirement, livedin the Lock Cottage at Wardle Lock, onthe Middlewich Arm of the ShropshireUnion Canal. Well-known both tovisiting boaters and in the localcommunity, Maureen’s conversationand commentary enlivened many aboater’s passage through the lock.

Following her death in 2012 an appealwas launched to provide a fittingcommemoration of Maureen’s life andthe contribution of working boats and their families to the local community. Fromthe opening of the appeal fund at the Middlewich Folk & Boat Festival in June, byautumn the fund was well on the way to reaching the target of £1,800, mostly fromindividual donations but also fromgifts by boat clubs and societies fromall over thecountry.

Fiona Bruce, MP for Congleton and IWA’s current Parliamentarian of the Year forher support for the inlandwaterways, opened theceremonywithaspeech recallingthe history of the working boats and paying tribute to the courageous role playedby working boaters during the Second World War.

Maureen’s daughter, Sharron Underwood, completed an emotional unveiling ofthe commemorative panel, which contains stories in Maureen’s own words aboutthe routes the working boaters travelled and the cargoes they carried. It alsoincludes two images of working boats by Sheila Webster, the well-knownwaterways artist from Audlem.

One of CRT’s Small Task Team volunteer groups installed the panel, which nowprovides a permanent memory of this remarkable woman and her vanished wayof life.

Fiona Bruce MP and Sharron Underwood atWardle Lock

Photo: Peter Bolt


Tugboat Ted

There can be advantages for bears living in houses. Although Ethelted and Iconsider ourselves pretty hardy, we have to accept that life on Leo would havebeen very chilly this winter sowe have consoled ourselveswith the home comfortsof Kingbur Place. We understand that Leo is still with us and that we may yet findourselves boating, when it warms up.

The humans report that, walking along the towpath this winter, it has been evidentthat many a log has been used to produce comfort and warmth for those braveenough to be on their boats. When the wood smoke drifts through the mist on thecanal, it can create a peaceful and sometimes inspiring scene for photographers,as the February picture in the Branch calendar proves – and it smells good too.

Mybigouting inAprilwas towatch theBranch play skittles. The gathering atStafford Boat Club was as convivialas usual and I watched from myvantage point on a corner table –wellaway from the raffle so that I was notmistaken for a prize! It was thesecond year that Stoke-on-TrentBranch (now to be known as NorthStaffordshire & South CheshireBranch) had organised the event,which proved popular again.

Eight of our branch memberscompeted with the other four teamsmadeup from the splendid turnout byStoke and members of the LitchfieldBranch.

Shrewsbury & North Wales Branch finished just two points behind the winners, agroup of Stoke members calling themselves "Cheshire". It was a well-deservedresult for the Stoke-on-Trent Branch who had done all the work!

By the time you read this the summer outing to the Ellesmere Port Boat MuseumonSunday7 Julywill be fast approaching, sodon’t forget to let us know if youwouldlike to join us. We hope to see the steam engine running on that day as well asexplore the archives, have a short boat trip and generally get nostalgic. We hopeto seeyou there.Haveagreat summeranyway– it does seem tobegettingwarmerat last!

A doubtful-looking Branch team watch PeterBrown in skittles action at Stafford Boat Club!

Photo: Denis Farmer


Fly-boat Saturn Summer 2013 Programme

The historic Shropshire Union fly-boatSaturn left her winter moorings on theMontgomery Canal for the first eventof her 2013educational andevent tour– theGathering of Traditional Boats atthe National Waterways Museum,Ellesmere Port, held over the EasterBank Holiday. The Shropshire UnionFly-Boat Restoration Society(SUFBRS) also held their AGM there.

Over the summer,Saturnwill take partineventsatChurchMinshullAqueductMarina (Open Day, July 21), Audlem(Festival of Transport, July 28) andWhitchurch (Boat Festival,September 21-22). Around these –and at other locations and dates – the

boat will be involved in school and educational visits.

On some days, Saturn will be horse-drawn. Please see the SUFBRS website for final confirmation of dates,times and other Saturn activities(www.saturnflyboat.org.uk).

The Saturn Project – a partnershipbetween SUFBRS and the Canal &River Trust, North Wales & Borders –is runentirelyby theworkand the fund-raising of volunteer members.

Chair of SUFBRS, Sue Cawson, paidtribute to their work and the help ofCRT staff, supporters and donors,urging potential new members: "Joinus, help keep Saturn on ourwaterways, and even take part in a bit of unusual and interesting boating.”

Anyone interested in joining SUFBRS can contact Membership Secretary, ValerieReade on 01948 663953 or visit the Saturn web site (www.saturnflyboat.org.uk).

Saturn leaving winter moorings pulled by horseCracker on the Montgomery Canal

Photo: Bob Jervis

Saturn at an Etruria Canal Festival

Photo: Waterways Images


Norbury to Newport Canal Restoration CIC

It may come as a surprise to some people that a weekend trip to a derelict canalto clear vegetation could be considered a treat and a ‘holiday’. But it is, and thehardy folk from the London Waterways Restoration Group came to Forton, nearNewport in Shropshire, in February 2013 to clear the vegetation from the site of theproposedPhase 1Restoration being undertaken by theNorbury toNewport CanalRestoration Community Interest Company (NTNCR CIC).

The restoration plans cover twophases at present. Phase 1 is a shortstretch of canal at Forton, from theSkew Bridge to the Aqueduct, to bereturned to water with the adjacentareas made available for leisureactivities.

Phase 2 will see the canal fromMeretown Bridge to the next bridgenear the northern end of Moss Poolreturned to water, with the towpathre-opened.

Each of these projects has presentedus with different problems toovercome before they can be

completed, and we recognise that there will be hold-ups in progress.

But, by working on two active projects simultaneously, we hope to be able tomoveahead with one or the other over coming months.

ThePhase1and2 restorationplansmean that local leisure facilities for those livingin Newport will be created alongside the old canal, with new walking and cyclingroutes linking up to existing lanes and with the additional benefit of improving andexpanding the canal-side habitat for many species of fauna and flora.

TheCIC is not alone in working on the restoration –we cooperate very closely withthe Shrewsbury & Newport Canals Trust (SNCT), whose remit is to restore thecanal to its terminus in Shrewsbury; so getting the canal back into operation fromThe Junction Inn at Norbury through to Newport is also an important goal for theTrust.

Adrienne Barnwell - Norbury to Newport Canal Restoration CIC

Bridge 10, Skew Bridge, at Forton

Photo: NTNCR CIC


Audlem RNLI Festival at Overwater

As a follow-up to last year’s verysuccessful Safety Afloat Day,Overwater Marina hosted the twoday Audlem RNLI Festival over thefirst weekend of June. There wasmuch to seeanddoand itwasamostenjoyable and entertaining event.

One of the highlights was Sunday’sraft race. Over 25 years ago Audlemused to hold an annual raft race andthis was triumphantly brought backto life in the marina. Seven teamsdesigned and decorated their hand-made rafts and competition wasfierce, with PRG Trailers ultimatelyclaiming the hard-fought trophy.

Audlem Fire Station’s crew wonbest-dressed raft for their brilliant Hawaii-themed “Cheshire Fire-O” raft completewith inflatable palm tree, grass skirts and colourful lei garlands! The other teamstaking part in the fun included Overwater Narrowboat Services’ “Morris Dancers”,Cheshire Police’s “Canal Cops,” Audlem Scouts and two teams from AudlemFootball Club.

As well as pony rides, a dog show, agility training and falconry demonstrations,there were many other displays including Cheshire Search & Rescue, CheshirePolice, IWA SD&NW Branch, craft and refreshment stalls and the RNLI bar.

The Saturday night entertainment featured the excellent 22-piece Wychcraft BigSwing Band, with the Josh Walker Band and Steven Miller also on the bill. TheRode Heath Brass Band entertained on Sunday afternoon alongside expertstalking about a wide range of boating related topics. Adderley Wharf Farm Shopprovided the food and catering over the weekend.

Janet Maughan of Overwater Marina and Rodney Cottrell for the RNLI are verygrateful for the enthusiasm, timeandeffort that somanypeople put intomaking theevent a success and are committed to making this an annual event on theShroppie.

Anthony Davies - Overwater Marina

The raft race gets under way in front ofOverwater's amenities building

Photo: Overwater Marina


Tyrley Tattle

Tyrley Locks has seen a plethora of activity with the coming of 2013.

At quite short notice, CRT announced that the sanitary station would be out ofaction for a few weeks to facilitate the installation of a new cesspit, in fact a giantholding tank to replace the former septic tank. The contractors duly arrived in thesecondweek of February and began the task of digging a huge hole next to the toplock. They tried hard to minimise the disruption but due to the bad weather therewas soon mud everywhere, as they had to take the spoil from the excavation acouple of hundred yards up the road and dump it to await collection by lorry.

On the first day they unexpectedlybroke into a land drain, which wasrunning hard because of all therain, so they had to install a largetemporary pump, providing uswith 24-hour background noisefor several days.

Despite having to work in somevery poor weather conditionsincluding rain and snow, they didget the job finished more or lesson time, although they returned inMay to replace the fence betweenthe lock-side and the field, as theyhad had to remove it to gainproper access to the site.

My immediate neighbour and the new owners of theOld Stables, another locksidehouse, were spared the noise and disruption, as their properties were vacant foralteration works. By the time Shroppie Fly Paper is published they should all havereturned and we will have a new addition to the Wharf, as nb Armadillo will bemooring here. Boats wishing to wind above Tyrley Top will then have to negotiatearound two boats instead of mine alone, which may prove exciting!

At the end of the first week in April, there was yet more disruption at the top lock,when a mysterious underwater obstruction began to hamper the passage ofdescending boats on the Saturday. A pair of CRT workers were unable to identifythe cause of the trouble and arranged for the lock to be dewatered and furtherexamined the following Monday. Boats continued to have trouble on Sunday, andmatters came to a headwhenaboat became trapped for the best part of twohours,

The waste tank being installed at Tyrley Top Lock

Photo: Richard Hall


with its bow in the bottom gates of thelock so that they could not be shut toallow the lock to be refilled.Eventually, with difficulty, the boatwas moved sufficiently to shut thegates and refill the lock. Theunfortunate craft was able to leavethe lock at the second attempt.

With the lock empty again, it becameclear what was causing theobstruction. The bumper, whichstops boats hitting the top cill, hadbroken loose from its retaining slots.Two different men from CRT came ashort time later, located the board,dragged it through the bottom gatesof the lock but were unable to get it out of the water, even with the help of severalonlookers. However, they managed to secure it to a bollard and yet another teamfinally removed the obstruction on the Monday. Having seen it on dry land I’m notsurprised it caused such problems, as it consisted of several sleepers boltedtogether with a piece of rail.

Fortunately, in view of all these distractions, the canal has been relatively quiet.The dreadful weather in March doubtless discouraged all but the hardiest boatersbut even since then, the locks haven’t been very busy. There have been hardly anyqueues, despite the IWA having identified Tyrley Locks some years ago as beinga bottleneck on the Shroppie. This seems to be characteristic of a general declinein the use of the canal from a few years ago, when there were sometimes lockqueues extending south to Bridge 59. I think the busiest spell this year has beenwith boats returning from the Norbury Festival.

The Tyrley wildlife is as active as ever. The bees have survived the winter in fairlygood shape,with the single casualty being a hive inwhich the queen has only beenlayingdronesbecausehereggsareunfertilised,aconsequenceof thewetsummerwhich prevented her mating properly.

We still get badger visits and we know that a fox has cubs in a nearby earth. In itsefforts to feed them, it has started to catch pheasants in the garden leaving thefeathers spread around for us to clear up.We still battle with themice, whose latestenthusiasm is for onion sets of which they have consumed a couple of dozen!

Richard Hall

The offending bumper, finally ashore at TyrleyTop Lock

Photo: Richard Hall


Letters

Dear David,I received your Spring 2013 issue and what a really interesting read that was! I amtempted to agree with your Chester Branch correspondent that the Shroppie FlyPaper is more interesting than the national magazine! Michael Limbrey’s articleabout the happenings 20 years and 40 years ago took me back to the yearsbetween 1978 and 2000 when Ron and I were deeply involved with the Branch. Itis great to see that there IS progress, despite the current economic climate, andthat the new CRT seems to be doing a good job.

I am sorry that there are so few names I recognise now (though Michael seems togo on for ever!), but very pleased that younger people come along to take theirplace. Keep up the good work!

Barbara Reid

It’s good to know that readersget suchenjoyment from thenewsletter and that it evokes fondmemories as well as, we hope, providing an informative account of current events andissues relating to the Branch’s part of the waterways. That’s thanks to the efforts of both ourregular andoccasional contributors,withoutwhom themagazinewould bea very slimaffair!We love to see articles and photos for potential publication, so please don’t be shy aboutsending them to us!

Editor

Monty Triathlon wins National Waterways Award

The Montgomery Canal Triathlon haswon the Recreation & Tourismcategory of the 2013 WaterwaysRenaissance Awards, announced at aceremony in Birmingham at the end ofMay. The awards recogniseexceptional projects that are helping tocare for canals and rivers across theUK.

Friends of the Montgomery Canal hasled the creation and staging of thetriathlon, with substantial volunteersupport from IWAShrewsbury & NorthWales, Shropshire Union CanalSociety, CRT staff, Friends ofLlanymynech Heritage Area and local communities.

Judy and Peter Richards of the Friends of theMontgomery Canal with the framed award

Photo: CRT


Whitchurch News

Plans for our boat rally on September 21-22 are well advanced and the boat andstall entries are coming along nicely. The ever-popular dog show will be takingplace on theSunday andweare hoping to run a trip boat over theweekend. Pleasecome and join us – you’re sure of a very warm welcome!

Theplanning process for the basin at the endof theWhitchurchArmproceeds veryslowly and now the Environment Agency requires a Flood Risk Survey so adecision is still some way away.

Our extremely small maintenance teamwork hard every Sunday keeping the Armclean and tidy. They have been edging the grass near the moorings and it reallylifts the whole area. The daffodils are over now but they made a lovely show. Therubbish is accumulating at the end of the Arm because the frogs and toads arespawning so we hope to have tadpoles very soon - if the ducklings and goslingsdon’t eat them all.

Exciting news!We have amooring vacancy in the Arm that could take a full-lengthboat! Please contact me, Lindsay Green, for further details on 07968 339335 or [email protected]. I would also like to remind members that we offerwinter moorings at Whitchurch.

Lindsay Green

Shropshire Sculpture – The Canal Etchings

In earlyMay, fly-boatSaturn carried the final sculpture piece of the Canal EtchingsSculptureTrail fromEllesmere to thegatewayof theWorldHeritageSiteatGledrid,Chirk.

This is the fifth site-specific zinc etched sculpture by Jason Hicklin, Head ofPrintmaking at the City & Guilds of London Art School. Commissioned byEllesmere Sculpture Initiative, it completes the series located alongside theMontgomery Canal at Llanymynech and Frankton Locks, with two further piecesat Ellesmere, one at the wharf on the town end of the arm and one at the mere.

Visitors can explore the Sculpture Trail by car through approximately 20 miles ofbeautiful Shropshire countryside, or on foot or by bicycle following the towpath orquiet country lanes.Before youset off,whynot visitwww.thecanaletchings.com forfurther information on each of the sculptures and the history of the sites at whichthey are situated?


Norbury Canal Festival

Shrewsbury &Newport Canal Trustmembers turned out in force over theMayDayBank Holiday to help organise the largest event ever staged at the Norbury CanalFestival. A stunningly good spell of weather certainly made it the biggest and thebest-attended event at this popular site.

In fact, it was so popular that the pub ran out of beer, the cheese boat ran out ofcheese and marshals had to create an overflow car park to cope with the influx ofvisitors!

Saturdaymorning startedwith a fewshowers that threatened to deter somepeoplefrom coming, but the afternoon saw brilliant sunshine that brought some 1,500people to the event. This swelled to over 4,000 on Sunday and more than 5,000on Bank Holiday Monday as the temperatures rose.

The Trust's two trip boats, loaned from Simon Jenkins at Norbury Wharf, wererunning flat out on all three days, withmany passengers going on to a canal for thefirst time. Almost 40 stalls and stands plus swing boats and a bouncy castle, anRNLI stand and an engine from Staffordshire Fire & Rescue added to the festivalatmosphere.

Over 30 visiting craft – including six historic boats – provided a colourful backdropof banners and bunting, with many decorated especially for the festival’s ‘BestDecorated Boat’ competition, which this year was themed to commemorate thecentenary of the birth of local Shrewsbury gardening personality Percy Thrower.Percy’s eldest daughter Margaret kindly came to judge the competition, awardingfirst prize to Sandra & Peter Rigby on nb Thistle Dhu for an original and amusingfloral display.

The festival also celebrated the first outing of Norbury Wharf’s latest trip boat – a70ft, 42-seat narrowboat newly named Shropshire Star. Steered by Mal EdwardsMBE, her short maiden cruise down the Shropshire Union Canal to Grubb Streetand back carried some lucky passengers including Tom Graham, son of MalcolmGraham, owner of the Shropshire Star newspaper.

Other entertainment saw the annual "Jammin' at the Junction" bands event, aCeilidh and caller plus a hog roast and Monday afternoon featured All-InInternational Tag Wrestling.

Bernie Jones - Shrewsbury & Newport Canal Trust


Norbury Canal Festival 2013

Norbury Junction, tranquil in thesunshine the day before thearrival of the festival boats

The Branch's floating standattracted interest from inquisitiveadults and children alike

Dressing the part - boat ownersenter into the spirit of the event

All present and very nearly correct -over 30 boats including six historicworking boats crowded into NorburyJunction for the festival

Margaret Thrower, centre, eldestdaughter of television and radiogardening personality Percy Thrower,awards the prize for the BestDecorated Boat to Sandra and PeterRigby of nb Thistle Dhu

Lots of effort and attention to detailwent into the winning display

2013 06 sfp

Documents

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region chairman

shrewsbury river festival

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