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Shroppie Fly PaperThe Newsletter of theShrewsbury District& North Wales BranchSpring 2012

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LlangollenC

anal

lanaCyremogtno

M

Oswestry

Gobowen

Whittington

FranktonLocks

AstonLocks

WestonArm

GrahamPalmerLock

Burgedin Locks

WelshpoolLock

Queens Head

Belan Locks

BerriewAqueduct

Newtown Freestone Lock

Newhouse Lock

Brynderwen Lock

Berriew Lock

Brithdir Lock

Crowther LockPool Quay Lock

Welshpool

Bank LockCabin Lock

GuildsfieldArm

CarreghofaLocks

Maesbury Marsh

Chirk

Ellesmere

MontgomeryCanal

TriathlonSaturday June 2nd 2012

A 35 mile endurance challengeComplete one section or

attempt all three

CYCLE13½ miles

fromNewtown toWelshpool

CANOE11 miles fromWelshpool toLlanymynech

WALK10½ miles

fromLlanymynech

to Welsh-Frankton.

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Montgomery Canal Triathlon Challenge2nd June 2012

T he Montgomery Canal TriathlonChallenge invites participants to

canoe, cycle and walk the 35 mile lengthof the canal in one day. Too much tomanage? Don’t worry the Challenge isvery flexible and offers the opportunity tojust do one or two sections. TheChallenge is open to individuals andteams and those intending to complete allthree sections will be allowed to set offfirst.Starting in Newtown, the original destination of the canal, entrants will cycle toWelshpool. The towpath is complete throughout this length, much of it havingbeen resurfaced to a high standard in recent years. Although the first part ofthe canal is filled in, it is in water from Freestone Lock and passes eight morelocks on the way to Welshpool.From Welshpool entrants will canoe the eleven miles to Llanymynech. The firstpart of the course is along the first lengths of the canal to be restored: inWelshpool itself, and north from Gallowstree Bridge to Arddleen. The final fivemiles are obstructed by a number of dropped road bridges and of course thereis the odd lock to navigate.The Challenge finishes with a walk along the Shropshire section, fromLlanymynech to Welsh Frankton. The towpath is fairly uneven in placesespecially where the canal has not yet been restored but walkers will be able tosee evidence of the latest work by volunteers of Shropshire Union CanalSociety and Waterway Recovery Group. From Redwith the canal is fullyrestored, though at the moment boats cannot proceed beyond Gronwen Wharfbecause there is nowhere for them to turn.The Montgomery Canal Triathlon Challenge is a test of personal endurance andteam-work and is not a race. There will be plenty of opportunities to rest; atBurgedin courtesy of Canoe Wales and at Llanymynech where The DuchessCountess Trust will open their tea rooms. Finally Paddlesports havevolunteered to host the medal giving ceremony at Queens Head hopefully about6pm when everyone has completed the Challenge.The event is being organised by the Friends of the Montgomery Canal and theShrewsbury District & North Wales Branch of the Inland Waterways Associationin support of the Maesbury Canal Festival on 1st & 2nd September. Furtherdetails and application forms can be found on www.canalfestival.co.uk or byphoning Judy on 01661 831455.

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The Branch CommitteePresident Michael Limbrey, Greenfields, Weston Lane, Oswestry SY11 2BD 01691 654081 michael@limbrey.netRegion Chairman Alan Platt, Argoed, Pen y Cefn Road, Caerwys, Flintshire CH7 5BH 01352 720649 alanplatt@hotmail.co.ukSecretary Dawn Aylwin, Wyndcliff, Pen y Garreg Lane, Pant, Oswestry SY10 8JS 01691 830403 shrewsandnwales@waterways.org.ukTreasurer Denis Farmer, 8 Kingbur Place, Audlem, Crewe CW3 0DL 01270 811157 janden1@btinternet.comHeritage and Planning Officer Peter Brown, 34 Waterside Drive, Market Drayton TF9 1HU 01630 652567 iwa@peter-quita.demon.co.ukSocial Secretary Janet Farmer, 8 Kingbur Place, Audlem, Crewe CW3 0DL 01270 811157 janden1@btinternet.comMembership Secretary Dawn Aylwin, Wyndcliff, Pen y Garreg Lane, Pant, Oswestry SY10 8JS 01691 830403 shrewsandnwales@waterways.org.ukWeb-master Alan Wilding, Priory Lodge, 154 Longden Road, Shrewsbury SY3 9ED 01743 359 650 alan.wilding@waterways.org.ukNewsletter Editor David Aylwin, Wyndcliff, Pen y Garreg Lane, Pant, Oswestry SY10 8JS 01691 830403 shrewsandnwales@waterways.org.ukCommittee Members Gerallt Hughes (General Secretary Committee for Wales) Ty’n y Coed, Arthog, Gwynedd LL39 1YS 01341 250631 gerallt.hughes@waterways.org.uk

Carolyn Theobold carolyn_t@mac.com

Branch Web-pages waterways.org.uk/shrewsbury

Shroppie Fly PaperThe Shroppie Fly Paper is the newsletter of the Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch of The InlandWaterways Association with a membership of about 390. Nationally the IWA has about 18,000 membersand campaigns for the conservation, use, maintenance, restoration and development of the inlandwaterways. For further information contact any committee member.

Copy for the Shroppie Fly Paper is welcome in manuscript form, on disc or by email. Photographs may bein any common computer format or as prints. Please supply a stamped addressed envelope if you requirephotographs to be returned. ‘Letters to the Editor’ intended for publication are invited, as are comments forthe Editor’s private guidance.

The Inland Waterways Association may not agree with the opinions expressed in this Branch newsletter butencourages publicity as a matter of interest. Nothing printed may be construed as official policy unlessstated otherwise. The Association accepts no liability for any matter in this newsletter. Any reproductionmust be acknowledged.

The Inland Waterways Association is registered as a charity No 212342.

Next Copy Date: 1st June 2012

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EditorialTo print or not to print.

I n this age of instant electronic communication do you really need a printedcopy of this magazine? It can be e-mailed to you or alternatively you can view

it in glorious full colour by visiting www.waterways.org.uk/shrewsbury andselecting ‘newsletter’ where you will not only find the current edition but back-numbers and also many other waterways publications and newsletters fromother branches.Or do you prefer to get away from the computer and relax with the printed copy?The motive behind this question is, of course, economics; IWA, like everyoneelse, is looking for ways to save money. It costs approximately £1 per memberto print and post this magazine. With about 370 members in this branch alone,is this a sensible use of your subscription money?Or do you regard this as good value for money?The problem is not as simple as it first seems. Many of our members do nothave and do not want access to the internet. If a significant number opt for theelectronic version only, the cost of printing a smaller quantity will not necessarilyreduce proportionately. At present just one member has chosen the e-mailversion in preference.If we retain the printed edition does it need to be this quality? A lower weightpaper with no colour pictures would reduce costs. Some branches newslettersare just simple photocopied sheets.Or perhaps we should abandon newsletters altogether and have branch pageswithin the official WATERWAYS magazine.If you want to keep the Shroppie Fly Paper in its present form or would preferto read it on-line then let us know. Whatever your preferred medium pleasee-mail, write, telephone or text your views to the Editor (address details on page4).Or why not come to the branch Annual General Meeting and tell us face to face?

Yes it is AGM time again. This year it will be on 24th March at The Junction Inn,Norbury Junction and the business meeting will be followed by a talk on theShrewsbury & Newport Canals. More details on page 22. All but two of ourbranch committee members have served for three years or more and so,according to the rules, must stand down or be re-elected.If enough people attend then Alison will serve one of her splendid carverylunches; what more incentive do you need?

David AylwinFront Cover: Alan Wilding guides the winter walk at Shrewsbury with the River Severn in flood.Acknowledgements: photographs by David Aylwin, Peter Brown, Denis Farmer, Waterway Images,Alan Wilding. Thank you to all who contributed articles.

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Region Chairman

I t is nice to able to impart good news in thesetroubled times and at the same time to indulge

in a bit of self congratulation on behalf of the IWA.That said the news of the final negotiated financialpackage for the new C&RT charity should bealready known to most of you as it has beenextensively covered in the waterway press as wellas IWA national and local press releases, and Iunderstand our esteemed Branch President evengot local radio airtime. So I shall not repeat in detailwhat the revised settlement from the government on the new charity is, but forthose of you who are wondering what I’m talking about the settlement is in brief:

- An extra £10 million a year from 2015/16 plus indexation from the same date.

- The funding is extended from 10 to 15 years.- The government guarantees the Pension Fund arrears as a

backstop and contributes an extra £25 million to these arrears.To put it another way, instead of £390m over the full term there is now a total,depending on inflation of about £800m, which to me looks like double in roundterms.Somewhere out there is someone who thinks it’s not enough, and it never is,but it is a lot better than I and our people at Head Office who were involved inthe detail were expecting. It is also acknowledged by both BW and DEFRA thatcampaigning by the IWA was a factor in getting a better deal; so, on your behalf,I thank those of you who wrote to your MPs on the issue and those at a nationallevel who have worked hard at this. And I will make the point that this is thesame Head Office which normally attracts opprobrium for over-regulating thebranch.So we have a deal that gives the C&RT a fair chance having the resources tomake it work. Soon the transfer will take place and the area partnershipmembership will be announced and hopefully we will set out on the venture thatis the Canal and River Trust. This transfer, as I forecast last time will be a bitlater than planned but it should be effective by the end of June.What we now need is a true partnership between the new charity and itsstakeholders, who are you and me and everyone with an interest in thewaterways so that together we can make this work. This means a change inattitude on both sides, which is already happening. It will not be easy, and I’msure there are many challenges ahead of us, but I for one feel more positivenow than I did a couple of months ago.

Alan Platt

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Welshpool Slipway

A s the Branch’s Heritage & Planning Officer, my main job is to comment onplanning applications affecting our canals. Most of the time this is quite

frustrating as my comments seem to have little effect on the outcome. But justoccasionally what one says can really make a difference.Last August an application was made for building two shops and a restaurantby Welshpool wharf. (The details and plans are on the Powys website:http://planning.powys.gov.uk/portal/servlets/ApplicationSearchServlet with thereference P/2011/0905.)At first sight it appeared to be generally satisfactory — access to the slipwaywas preserved. Fortunately, I had owned a Wilderness trailboat for severalyears and had used this slipway several times. Based on my practicalexperience, I realised that it would be impossible to launch a boat becausethere would be insufficient room at the top of the slipway to manoeuvre thetowing vehicle and trailer. As this is the only usable slipway, if the applicationwere approved it would mean that it would be virtually impossible for visitingboats to cruise the eleven mile isolated section of the Montgomery Canal.My representations caused the developers to rethink their plans, and a secondscheme was drawn up which seemed to meet the objections. A site meetingwas organised, with Derek Smith, IWA’s trailboat representative, bringing hisWilderness boat OLIVE from Chester. Trials on site showed that some of thecurves needed to be eased, which the developer undertook to do.At the time of writing a revised application has not been made, but I have littledoubt that our objections will have been met.

Peter Brown

Derek Smith with Wilderness Boat OLIVE and Oliver Hillof Ross Developments measuring the site.

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The Canal Etchings Project

N ationally renowned etcher JasonHicklin has been commissioned by

Ellesmere Sculpture Initiative  to createsix site specific stainless steel etchedsculptures situated at the World HeritageSite at Chirk and along the LlangollenCanal, at Llanymynech, and FranktonLocks, with two further pieces completingthe series at Ellesmere, alongside thecanal and the mere.Jason Hicklin, based in Shropshire andLondon, is taking his etching work out ofthe studio and gallery and into thelandscape. His work is based on thelandscape of the British Isles and The Canal Etchings are inspired by walksalong the Shropshire Union Canal in 2011. Casual visitors along this canal canexperience Jason Hicklin’s sculpture pieces, each an individual response to thelandscape and the history of the place in which it stands.The installation of these sculptures is taking place in late March and from 2nd to31st March Jason Hicklin will be hosting an exhibition of his work undertaken forthis commission.The Canal Etchings project will raise the profile of the heritage of three relatedareas in Shropshire and their role in the creation of the World Heritage Site atPontcysyllte Aqueduct. It will draw tourists who visit that site from all over theworld to explore the Shropshire Union Canal towards its historic origins inEllesmere.Funded through the Northern Marches LEADER programme this project is apartnership involving Ellesmere Sculpture Initiative, Llanymynech LimeworksHeritage Area, Friends of the World Heritage Site and British Waterways.This project aims to increase interpretation and awareness of the rural heritageand distinctive landscape – linking the related sites along the Ellesmere andMontgomery sections of the Shropshire Canal to the World Heritage Site atPontcysyllte Aqueduct. They create a ‘virtual Sculpture Trail’ which can betravelled by car through approximately 20 miles of beautiful Shropshirecountryside – also much of the trail can be explored by foot following thetowpath trails. The sculptures in themselves will provide a unique experienceof their locations and will further open the visitor to a deeper understanding oftheir surroundings.

Jason Hicklin

Tonia ParryMarketing and Communications Officer

Qube, Oswald Road, Oswestry SY11 1RB

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Another Fish and Chip Cruise

T his year’s boat trip is planned for Saturday 14th July and will cross thePontcysyllte and Chirk Aqueducts and includes two tunnels. ‘Jones the

Boats’ is taking us and will be leaving Trevor Old Wharf (not Anglo WelshWharf) at 12.00. There is a cafe on the Wharf for anyone arriving early.

We will cross the Pontcysyllte before a lunch so that we can enjoy the view fullybefore fish and chips (chicken and chips alternative by special order) we canthen relax and enjoy the cruise along the embankment, the tunnels and ChirkAqueduct which I always think is just as dramatic as the bigger one!

The trip including lunch will cost £17.50 per head for what will be approximatelya 4 hour trip and I will require payment by the end of June. I would hope to returnmoney to anyone who is unable to come through illness — assuming that I cangive Peter Jones sufficient notice.

We appreciate that many members will have "done" the Pontcysllte, as indeedwe have, but do we ever tire of that view!  We would like to think that the trip willappeal especially to members andfriends who have not done it and thatthe company and fish and chips willmake it a good day out for everyone.We might even learn something aswell as it being an excellent photoopportunity.

We hope you will join us atapproximately 11.45   at the OldWharf in Trevor. Heading towardsLlangollen turn left off the A539immediately before Trevor (LL143SG for those with sat’ nav’) and thentake the next right into a lane whichleads to the Wharf. Check thewebsite www.canaltrip.co.uk fordirections and details of the trip.

Please make payments to the IWAand send to Janet Farmer, 8 KingburPlace, Audlem CW3 ODL to reservea place.

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Early Days

W ith Jubilee celebrations coming this summer, my thoughts turned to whatwe have done to mark earlier flag-wavings. But I turned back too far in

our branch records, to the mid 1970s.  It is a long time since I have looked atthese, and I could see how we established a pattern for the years to come.There had been a branch structure from the early days of the IWA, but thebranches were large and with a growing membership and more issues — andrestorations — it became necessary to create more, smaller branches, groupedin the old branch areas as regions. The North-West branch became the North-West Region, with five branches: Manchester, Merseyside, Stoke, what wascalled Lancaster/Blackburn, and Shrewsbury.You can see that the branch structure was usually built around major towns orcities — I have always thought we were an afterthought, filling a gap!Afterthought or not, after an initial meeting in January 1975 in the then VictoriaHotel, Whitchurch, to establish a committee, the branch soon got under way.The first committee meeting, in February, was in Market Drayton (at the officesof hire company Ladyline); two months later we were at The Shroppie Fly,Audlem, but by the next year we had settled in Whitchurch.Soon the branch started the round of events and issues it has tackled eversince, organising events for members, supporting restoration, liaising with otherlocal waterway organisations, and as we say, “campaigning for the use,maintenance and restoration of Britain's Inland Waterways”.One of the early challenges was to identify a name for the branch and you mayhave noticed that this has changed a bit over the years. Some suggestions werea concern to SUCS, formed a few years before, who understandably did notwant confusion, so we have never used the word 'Shropshire' and all the nameshave identified us the 'Shrewsbury' branch for short, though obviously coveringa wider area than Shrewsbury or Shropshire.Early minutes record that Region finances were in a poor state and we wereasked to waive the capitation allowance of 10p per member paid to branchesfrom their subscriptions ( – we did not); there was concern over damage toPontcysyllte Aqueduct where the supports under the southernmost arch hadbuckled and snapped, and over the state of Harecastle Tunnel, which it wasfeared would remain closed indefinitely; Walls Bridge on the Montgomery Canalwas to be culverted for 5 years, after which the culvert would be removed ( – itwas not); talks were given, and social events were organised, including aBoat-be-que at Hack Green where we remembered everything except loos!And in the next year the branch …

· discussed the ecological interest of the Montgomery Canal belowRednal

· was concerned about the threat to lower Arddleen bridge

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· was approached by a group interested in the Shrewsbury & NewportCanal

· attended the opening of the North-West Museum of Inland Navigation(Chester was then in the branch area)

· arranged a display in Telford Shopping Centre· ran a Boat Gathering at Whixall (profit £80, shared with SUCS)· attended Shrewsbury Flower Show (profit £21) and Welshpool Dinghy

Rally (earning £18.65)· and ran a Lock-Wind at Quoisley Lock (taking £52.69).

Sounds so familiar today!

1975 was the year when IWA planned to restore the Four Miles from Franktonto Queens Head. In the June edition of the Association's magazine Bulletin, nowWaterways, the National Chairman John Heap wrote:

When the Prince of Wales’ Committee announced their intention torestore the seven-mile section of the Montgomery Canal north ofWelshpool, His Royal Highness stated that he hoped this would lead toother voluntary effort which would ultimately achieve the restoration ofthe entire canal. Our Association has accepted this challenge and hasoffered to restore, with our own labour, plant and materials, the 4-milesection of this waterway from its junction with the Llangollen Canal atWelsh Frankton to Queens Head. After considerable negotiations withBWB, we are pleased to announce that permission has been grantedto do this.

He added that IWA appreciated that this was a considerable act of faith fromBritish Waterways, acknowledging the expertise and experience of WaterwayRecovery Group.The same issue reported the progress of Joan Heap's fund-raising for a boat forhandicapped children, which had reached £1,700 plus a donation of £1,000from the TV programme Magpie to buy an engine.  The boat was the firstHEULWEN; the Heaps' summer cottage later became the base for the LynealTrust.Bulletin also recorded a circulation of over 12,000 and listed a roll-call of earlyIWA notables: Vice-Presidents included Sir Peter Scott (son of the explorer andfounder of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust at Slimbridge), Sir Geoffrey deFreitas, Sir John Betjeman and the Bishop of London — four lords, five knights,four MPs, and twenty-two sets of initials after their names — and just sixteenpeople!Now stories of earlier Jubilees, and what happened to the Four Miles, will haveto wait for another day.

Michael Limbrey

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You Can Make a Difference

D o you have anoticeboard like this

near you? Is it clean, tidyand full of useful informationfor all canal users?

Or is it like this; tatty, down-at-heel,unreadable and in need of some TLC?

Now is your chance to put that right. Shrewsbury District & North WalesBranch, together with Chester Branch, are planning a volunteering initiative withBW timed to coincide with its transition to Canal & River Trust. We are lookingfor volunteers, individuals or perhaps a small local group, to adopt anoticeboard. Where noticeboards are already maintained by local groups thiswill remain.Your task will be to keep it clean, tidy and to make sure that the information ondisplay is relevant to the area and up-to-date. You will not be expectedundertake repairs but to report any damage. This is not an opportunity to setup a local ‘for sale’ board or to post notices about granny’s lost moggie. Thedisplay material will be provided by C&RT and distributed via the IWA. Thepossibility of including QR codes, the square bar-code like devices that enablesmart-phone users to access vast amounts of information, is being considered.The appropriate keys and safety guidelines will be provided. Please note thatyou will not be stealing someone’s job. With finite resources and the additionalworkload caused by the transition, C&RT staff will be pleased to get help withthis relatively simple task.So if you have an hour or two to spare about once a month please contact meon 01691 830403 or shrewsandnwales@waterways.org.uk it really will make adifference.

David Aylwin

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Volunteers Wanted

A part from our usual requests for support, for example at the lock wind andthe various festivals, we have a number of projects for the coming year and

need help from you to make sure they are successful. If you are able to sparea few hours please get in touch.Montgomery TriathlonFull details are on page 3. Because of the success of the IWAlk sponsored walklast year the Branch has been asked to organise the last section, that is the walkfrom Llanymynech to the top of the canal at Frankton. A mere 10½ miles! Sowe need marshals willing to walk the distance, a volunteer to sign participantsoff at the end, first aiders to accompany the support cars, and people willing todrive their cars for the afternoon. David, the editor of this magazine, said thathe had a very pleasant day driving the first aider from bridge to bridge watching,photographing and encouraging the IWAlk walkers — so not an onerous task.Installation of a Gate at Bridge 25, Llangollen CanalDuring the 2011 lock wind at Quoisley, local residents mentioned the potentialdanger of children and dogs running off the towpath on to the very busy A49.Apparently there have been a few near misses. The concerns were passed onto BW and a volunteer work party to install a gate will be organised. Allmaterials will be provided by BW and the work is expected to take one dayalthough the more volunteers we get the quicker the work will be achieved. Wehave 15 members who live in Whitchurch and would really appreciate a smallgroup of you volunteering to help, but even if you don’t live nearby and still wantto help please get in touch.Towpath Notice BoardsAs a trial the Branch has agreed to monitor and update the notice boards alongthe canals in our area. More details on opposite page.Help needed at the Acky!The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct & Canal World Heritage Steering Group wouldwelcome volunteers to be stewards at the Visitor Information Point at TrevorBasin by the Aqueduct. The aim is for the Centre to be open daily throughoutthe summer season with one or two stewards on duty. Could you give one daya week/fortnight to tell people from Britain and abroad about the canal, theaqueduct and the local history, and advise them how to make the most of theirvisit to our area? You would meet plenty of stimulating people, and helppromote our beautiful canal. Training would be given. If you are interested,please contact Peter Brown (01630 652567).Shrewsbury Christmas Card Charity ShopYes it is a bit early to start thinking about next Christmas but we are being askedto commit to two dates: Saturdays 10th and 24th November both morning slots.

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Tugboat Ted

T he canal through Audlem has needed dredging for some time. We bearshave been aware of the difficulty of getting LEO back on the mooring and

the concern of the humans and neighbouring boats. Now, at last, it ishappening and BW are working from Adderley to Audlem bottom lock. Thehumans and I have been to see progress and, as I write, the dredger is workingits way down from lock No. 1 and should be finished in about 3 weeks. Fingerand paws crossed that nothing breaks down!A combination of the dredging and the severe weather last winter convinced thehumans that LEO would be better in the Marina for the worst winter months.Expensive but reassuring to have an electric hook-up if necessary and be outof the way of dredging! So far, this winter has been exceptionally mild — youcan probably thank us for that. In the meantime, there are IWA activities to lookforward to. The quiz in February and an interesting AGM at Norbury in March.Our branch historian Peter Brown will talk to us about the Shrewsbury andNewport Canal the junction of which we can all take a close look at from thebridge. The Junction Inn is the venue and will be providing lunch which isalways good! At the end of April, Stoke-on-Trent have invited us to form a team against themfor skittles and are hoping that the lighter evenings will make the trip to StaffordBoat Club more inviting. The Branch is planning a trip over the Pontcysyllte inJuly with ‘Jones the Boats’ supplying a fish and chip lunch. Details on page 9,please join us if you can.

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There always seems to be something of interest happening in Audlem and thisyear is no exception. For us waterways enthusiasts, particularly interesting isthe Festival of Transport, the boat part of which Peter Silvester from The Millorganises and he tells me promises to be even better than last year when 24old working boats came. Before that, from 11th March to 14th April, The Mill isrunning an art exhibition with 150 paintings by 18 artists.A "Safety Afloat" day at Overwater Marina is being run on 24th June and if youfancy a boat ride there, why not take a trip on AUDLEM LASS which will runfrom the bottom lock from Easter onwards — a novel treat at any time. Givennice weather, a day out in Audlem can be well worthwhile with no shortage ofeating places to enjoy as well as the unique canal scenery.Maybe we shouldn't grumble with dredging taking place and a volunteer lockkeeper on the flight but, we have heard comments on the state of the paint onlock gates and occasionally itch to take a paintbrush to them. Health and Safetywould have something to say but paint must help to preserve a valuable assetas well as improve appearances.

Tugboat Ted

The Answer to Life, the Universe and Everything

M y apologies to Douglas Adams but I really have discovered the secret! Aseditor of this august journal I have tried many things to get a response

from the readers; everything from direct appeals to competitions, prizes tobribery — but nothing. So what, I hear you ask, is the key? TEDDYBEARS. Inthe last edition I asked you to supply captions to a rather dull photographfeaturing two teddybears and Bingo! The responses came flooding in.

So, now that I know what floats your boat, why not write a caption to the pictureon the opposite page showing our regular columnist Tugboat Ted watching thedredging at Audlem?Send your speech bubbles to shrewsandnwales@waterways.org.uk before1st June 2012. The best will win a copy of the ‘Llangollen Canal’ DVD by VideoActive worth £12.99

Bearwith me a minute- this rope is in a

terrible tangle!And the winner is-Congratulations to RitaNewman from Mold, Clwydwho will receive a copy ofthe Llangollen Canal DVD.

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Shrewsbury District & North Wales BranchDiary

17th February Branch Quiz at the Narrowboat Inn at 7.30pmDetails in the last edition.

18th February ‘Joyful Noise’A concert in support of the Maesbury Canal Festival including

Oswestry Community Gospel Choir and folk singer Beck Siàn. 7.30pm at Llanymynech Village Hall.

24th March Branch AGM and LunchFollowed by a talk on the Shrewsbury & Newport Canals.

Reminder on page 22. Contact Janet Farmer 01270 811157 or Carolyn Theobold carolyn_t@mac.com

30th March Sculptures moved from Ellesmere by Saturn and ceremony at Llanymynech Wharf Visitor Centre when one will be put in place.2nd April Branch business Meeting at the Bridge Inn, Audlem at 7.30pm

Why not join us for supper at 6.30pm before the meeting? Please let us know you are coming so we can look out for you.

27th April Inter-Branch Skittles ChallengeThis is being organised by the Stoke-on-Trent Branch and will

be held at Stafford Boat Club. See page 28 for details. Contact Janet Farmer 01270 811157.

5th to 7th May Norbury Canal & Food Festival.Note the extra day and change of name. Contact John Myers

jma2@onetel.com 01785 255263.30th May Olympic torch passes through the branch area. Further details in local press.2nd June Montgomery Canal Triathlon Challenge.

See page 3 for details. Contact Judy Richards 01691 83145511th June Branch Business Meeting

At the Narrowboat Inn (Maestermyn Marina) Whittington at 7.30pm. Members are very welcome to join us but please confirm time and date with a committee member before attending.

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15th to 17th June Middlewich Folk and Boat FestivalMiddlewich Town Council invite you to ‘Join us in June’ the

event being the middle festival of three. Starting the previous weekend at Etruria and finishing the following weekend at Northwich.

7th & 8th July Poole Quay Canal Festival at Crowther Hall Lock on Montgomery Canal

See page 19 for details. Contact Maggie Ellis 01938 590543

14th July Branch Boat TripMeet at Trevor at 11.45am to cruise across the Pontcysyllte

and Chirk Aqueducts. Details on page 9. Contact Janet Farmer 01270 811157.

21st & 22nd July Branch Lock Wind at Hurleston Bottom Lock.See page 28 for details. Contact Dawn Aylwin 01691 830403

29th July Audlem Festival of Transport

11th & 12th Aug Lock Wind at New Marton LockOrganised by the Friends of the Montgomery Canal. Contact

Judy Richards 01691 831455

13th August Branch Business MeetingAt the Narrowboat Inn (Maestermyn Marina) Whittington at

7.30pm. Members are very welcome to join us but please confirm time and date with a committee member before attending.

1st & 2nd Sept Maesbury Canal Festival.Details on page 21. Stall and boat booking forms available

call 01691 830403 www.canalfestival.co.uk

8th & 9th Sept Ellesmere RallyContact Jane Lowthion 01829 751454jane.lowthion@btinternet.com

15th & 16th Sept Whitchurch Boat RallyFor entry forms contact Whitchurch Waterways Trust 01948

830837 wwt@mican.co.uk

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The Shropshire Union’s cheese boat PEEL

I n box RAIL1019/1/8 in the NationalArchives at Kew I came across a

letter which Jack Roberts sent to theBritish Transport Commission inJanuary for publication in the staffmagazine ‘Waterways’. Unfortunatelythe Certificate of Registration for theboat PEEL which was enclosed wasmended with adhesive tape, nowdiscoloured, and it is not possible toreproduce it adequately. In his letterhe outlined the history of the boat andthe workings of the cheese traffic.Below for clarity I have paraphrasedhis letter but have not added anything.Shropshire Union boat 449 PEEL wasbuilt for Mr J G Fish, a Whitchurchcheese factor.1 It’s Certificate ofRegistration was issued by the City &County of Chester on 19 January 1892.The boat was fitted with three floors and bearers accordingly. In the lowestlayer cheeses were allowed to be placed only two high; on the next floor just asingle cheese; and on the top floor they were packed with straw. The onlyprotection for this cheese was a light cloth, as you will see in the shops. It wasnot boxed like we get cheese from abroad. Most of this cheese was very soft,and during the summer months it had to be handled very carefully and keptclean. The boat was covered with special sheets. The second (under) topsheets were white, having been specially dressed with a compound of whitelead, to avoid the heat getting to the cheese. The cratch at the front end of theboat was fitted with plates with holes punched them to allow the air to passunderneath the sheets when the boat was travelling. All cheese boats werefitted likewise. You could load only 6 tons in this boat, compared with 16 to 18tons normally.2

PEEL conveyed cheese from farms on all parts of the Welsh Canal, but mostlyfrom Shropshire. There was a cheese warehouse at Ellesmere. At Whitchurchthe bottom floor of the Shropshire Union Canal warehouse was used speciallyfor this cheese. All the cheese collected was brought to Whitchurch Depot,where it was examined and labelled, then placed in the boat again andforwarded every Wednesday to Ellesmere Port Docks, and on to Liverpool forexport. The boat arrived at Ellesmere Port every Friday. The return cargo wasmostly cattle foods, goods etc, mostly to farms from which cheese was collected.

Jack Roberts22/05/1961

Courtesy of Harry Arnold, Waterway Images

Page 19

PEEL was on that route until 1910 (when Jack Roberts was sixteen years old)when Mr Fish died and the business was sold. The boat was then transferredto the Manchester traffic. When the Shropshire Union ceased to be carriers inthe year 19193, it was again transferred to the Engineering Department. It wasbroken up in about 1949 at Ellesmere Depot.1. Kelly’s Directory of 1895 lists Hermon James Fish as a cheese factor

at 13 Alkington Road, Whitchurch2. The original document had these two pieces of information the wrong

way round. My thanks to Harry Arnold for confirming the version hereis correct.

3. The Shropshire Union actually ceased carrying at the end of August1921.

Peter BrownA treat to look forward to: The Saturn Project and the Roberts family arepreparing a book based on Jack Roberts’ draft autobiography, reminiscencesand letters. This promises to be the finest story of working life on the ShropshireUnion, bar none!

Pool Quay Canal Festival7th-8th July 2012Crowther Hall Lock, Montgomery Canal

T he 2012 Canal Festival at Pool Quay on the land-locked section of theMontgomery Canal in Wales is being organized by the Friends of the

Montgomery Canal to coincide with the final weekend of Welshpool’s annual‘Local Tourist Week’ and as part of a series of events marking the 150th

anniversary of Pool Quay’s canalside village church, St. John’s.It will be the first major event on this stretch of the canal since the 2009celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of Welshpool’s ‘Big Dig’ in 1969which kick-started the restoration of the Montgomery Canal. Like this event andthe 2008 celebrations in Welshpool for the IWA National Campaign Rally, themajority of boats will be trailboats of all descriptions — visiting to join in with thesmall number of local boats which have their home on this section of canal.It is an ideal opportunity for people to visit this beautiful rural canal set in theSevern valley and surrounded by the gentle hills of the Welsh Marches bordercountry. In addition to the visiting boats and decorated boat procession,planned activities and attractions include canoeing, fishing, pond-dipping,towpath I-spy, radio-controlled model boats, classic cars, music, theatre, magic,art, crafts, stalls, refreshments and children’s activities.

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Membership Matters

T he Branch welcomes the following members who have joined theAssociation since the last edition of this magazine: Mr & Mrs Arden from

Pontybodkin, Mr Beasley & Ms Taylor from Ellerton, Mr Gaston from Telford, MrHarding from Telford, Mrs Marshall from Higher Heath, Mr Martin from WoodhallSpa, Mr & Mrs Pearson from Llanrhaeadr Ym Mochnant, Miss Robson fromWelshpool, Mr & Mrs Short from Newbridge-on-Wye, Ms Silver from Llandudno,Mr Taylor from Stoke Heath, Mr Wright from Shavington, Mr Wadey fromShrewsbury, and The Friends of the Leominster Canal. It’s great to see somany new members joining the Branch and we hope to see you all at one of ourevents this summer.At the 2011 AGM it was suggested that the branch hold business meetingsduring daylight hours, especially in the winter months, and at different locations.As you can imagine finding suitable (and free) locations has not been easy butwe managed to organise an evening meeting at the Bridge Inn, Audlem and aSaturday mid-day meeting at the Narrowboat Inn, Whittington. Both weresuccessful and we were very pleased to see more of our members attending.From feedback it appears they found the meeting interesting and suggestedthey would attend future meetings if they were at similar times and places.Our Branch covers a wide area and we appreciate that it must be difficult formany of you to travel to meetings. Ellesmere is roughly in the middle but itwould still take up to an hour’s journey for some of you. Audlem is towards thesouthern end of the Branch which still leaves many of you out in the cold (orrather during the winter months I suspect you are snug and warm in front of thefire at home!) However Branch committee members are very willing to come toyour area to hold business meetings — so if you know of a suitable room pleaseget in touch. From past experience we have found that pubs and innsespecially canal side establishments are willing to let us use a room for free.Since the last edition we have lost yet another volunteer and our condolencesgo the family of Dr Gillian Poole who died suddenly in November. Gill hashelped the Branch on many occasions and enjoyed driving the trip boat at the2010 Maesbury Festival and joined us on the IWAlk sponsored walk as a firstaider.

Dawn Aylwin

The Festival will be held in the grounds of Crowther Hall, Pool Quay andcanalside around Crowther Hall Lock, with other activities being organised inthis historic canalside community at venues such as St. John’s Church and thePowis Arms pub.Volunteers are needed to help with stewarding or children’s activities. If youcan help or would like to have a stall or bring another attraction, please contactMaggie Ellis on 01938 590543 or email crowtherhall@aol.com.

Maggie Ellis

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Maesbury Canal Festival1st & 2nd September 2012

O nce again live music is going to play an important part in this year’sFestival both during the day and on Saturday night. Naomi Page who will

be singing on Saturday evening and Percussion Unlimited who will be playingduring the day will be joined by The Street Band, Beck Siàn and one of our stall

holders, Chris Thorn, will be playing his didgeridoo on and offduring the weekend accompanied by a friend on the drums.

And finally we hope that the famous children’s fog horn bandwill march round the site led by Martin Wood the Town

Crier. So a very wide mix of music making for a greatatmosphere.

We are particularly pleased thatBeck, who loves narrowboats andcanals, will be busking at thefestival especially as she hasalso volunteered to sing for hersupper at the ‘Joyful Noise’concert, alongside the OswestryCommunity Gospel Choir, on18th February at Llanymynech

Village Hall. Beck, who is related toKate Bush, is from Australia but has

Welsh and Irish roots giving a strongCeltic thread to her music. Profit from the

concert will go to the festival which in turn will usethe surplus funds for restoration projects on theMontgomery Canal.

Equally important, if not more so if comments from the last festival canbe believed, are the craft stalls and demonstrations; several artists have alreadybooked in and one or two new craftspeople have made enquiries. We are verypleased that Stokes of England have just agreed to bring their portable forgealong and offer festival goers the opportunity to try their hand at a fewblacksmithing skills. Half the fun of attending festivals is helping out as well as browsing round thestalls and watching the demonstrations. So if you have a few hours to spareand want to get involved either during the weekend or beforehand we need yourhelp: from leaflet and poster distribution to erecting gazebos, or helping to runchildren’s WOW activities … in fact the list is endless so if you have a specificskill or even just a lot of energy and enthusiasm please get in touch.A festival not to be missed! See you there.

Dawn Aylwin

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The Inland Waterways AssociationShrewsbury District & North Wales Branch

Invite you to a talk onThe History of the Shrewsbury & Newport Canals

 By Peter Brown

Saturday 24th March 2012 at the Junction Inn, Norbury Junction ST20 0NP

Programme 11.30  Coffee 11.45  Branch AGM 12.45  A pre-booked lunch 2.15  Talk on the History of the Shrewsbury & Newport Canals 3.00  An update on the latest developments from the Shrewsbury & Newport Canals Trust and the Norbury to Newport Canals Restoration Community Interest CompanyThe famous Junction Inn carvery available at £7.95 if enough people book in.For more information and to book the carvery lunch (veggie option available ifpre booked) contact:  Carolyn at Carolyn_t@mac.com or Janet 01270 811157

IWA Shrewsbury District & North Wales BranchAnnual General Meeting

Notice is hereby given of the 2012 Annual General Meeting of theShrewsbury District & North Wales Branch of the Inland WaterwaysAssociation to be held at Junction Inn, Norbury Junction ST20 0PN on 24th

March 2012 at 11.45am.

AgendaApologies for absenceMinutes of the 2011 AGMMatters arising from the minutesBranch annual reportTreasurer’s reportAdoption of accountsElection of committee members

The meeting will be followed by an update on the new Canal & River Trustand an informal discussion. We welcome any branch member, particularlyanyone who is interested in joining the committee. If you are unable to attendthe AGM but would like to join the committee or would like further information,please call Dawn Aylwin on 01691 830403 or any committee member.

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£1,400 Raised for Norbury Canal Restoration

W hen the Norbury to Newport Canal RestorationCommunity Interest Company decided to hold

their first fund raising/social event, little did I realisethat it would lead to me sporting a superb ‘black eye’!The event was an Auction at The Junction Inn,Norbury. Generous landlady, Alison Frizzell, a BoardMember, laid on a wonderful free buffet and the scenewas set for a successful evening.I suppose it took around two weeks to organise with posters,flyers, press releases and emails and along with an encouraging letter fromcanal enthusiast and eminent actor, Timothy West, it all went amazingly wellfrom the very start. Timothy West had accepted our offer of becoming the 100th

member of our CIC and with this good news; we were quickly on a high with asteady influx of exciting and interesting Lots to auction. Members, friends andpub regulars searched their attics and garden sheds; pleaded with relatives andfriends to dig deep and some star prizes and generous gifts emerged: a LondonHotel Break; a Day Fly Fishing; Dining Out Vouchers; Oven Ready Game;Bottles of Wine and Bubbly; Boxes of Fruit and Groceries; Furniture, GardenEquipment; Electrical Items and Collectors Pieces and much, much more.The pub was full to the gunnels on the night. Auctioneer Philip Furnival quicklyput items under the hammer to an enthusiastic crowd and the money mountedup to an amazing £1,400. It was all a tremendous team effort.And the black eye? No, I didn’t meet my match bidding for the Champagne orget a poke in the eye with a garden hose but I had promised to deliver a set ofdining chairs to a local villager and this was really where it became a littlehazardous. There was no-one at home so I unloaded the stuff under cover.Job done but then I slipped. My head and a wooden post collided and a prizebump on the head developed later into a real ‘shiner’. Worth it? Yes, I’vecomforted myself with the philosophy of ‘if one wants to make money for sucha worthy cause, one has to be prepared to suffer’

Dianne MaxfieldChairman

TheJunction Inn

Norbury

Page 24

Whitchurch Arm News

T he Whitchurch Waterway Country Park is a green space connecting thecurrent end of the Whitchurch Arm of the Llangollen Canal to the town of

Whitchurch. There are pleasant and peaceful visitor moorings in the arm itselfor on the main line just outside the arm. Having tied up there, you can samplethe delights of Whitchurch by walking 15 minutes into town, either by goingalong Chemistry, Smallbrook Road, Sherrymill Hill and Newtown, then turningleft into Pepper Street or (if you prefer an almost traffic-free, flatter cycle route)by following the path through the Country Park, crossing Smallbrook Road,going left through the Jubilee Park then heading left into town.Adjacent to the Country Park is the Greenfields Nature Reserve (run byShropshire Wildlife Trust), which you can enter from Greenfields Rise, where,in common with the Country Park, there is a population of the increasingly rarewater vole. In spring, there are bluebells up on the hill in the Nature Reserve.Walkers may like the network of public footpaths in the area, many of which areacross fields.

As David Torrens wrotein the last issue, theWhitchurch WaterwayTrust (WWT), whichowns the arm, isplanning to build anextension (currentlyestimated at £475,000)to the arm which wouldprovide a new basin inthe Country Park withboth long term and visitormoorings and wouldbring the head ofnavigation a little nearer

to the centre of Whitchurch, while not necessarily precluding further extensionat some future date. The inclusion of a slipway was considered but has beenrejected in favour of using the space for moorings instead, and proposals forfishing lakes in the Country Park as part of the scheme have been rejected onenvironmental grounds. The existing arm terminates just before ChemistryBridge, which is the leftmost (and old) bridge shown in the map, so the newbasin would involve extending the arm through this bridge, and also through therightmost (and modern) bridge at Meadowcroft.In 2011, borehole sampling and an ecology survey proved favourable, andinformation about the development was published in an article in the localpaper, inviting local residents' views. There is also a display in a shop windowopposite the Whitchurch Civic Centre in the High Street. WWT has a newly

Drawing by Greenspace Architects Ltd

Page 25

revamped website at www.whitchurchwaterway.org.uk, where you can seemore 3D draft drawings of the plans for the new basin, a map which shows thenew basin in the wider context of the existing canal infrastructure and the town,and a map showing the original course of the Whitchurch canal arm, which usedto go all the way into town.Comments on the plans for the new basin are encouraged, and should be sentby email to comments@whitchurchwaterway.org.uk or by post to Hon-Secretary, Whitchurch Waterway Trust, Chemistry Farm, Whitchurch SY13 1BZ.The next step in 2012 will be to submit a planning application and WhitchurchTown Council have been very helpful in awarding a £4,000 grant which willvirtually cover the planning application's cost. If you would like to support WWT,and find out more, don't forget that an annual Boat Rally is held on the arm oneweekend in September.Unfortunately there was an incident in November where some of the long termmoored boats in the arm were broken into, although nothing much was stolen.While there has been some vandalism involving signage between the town andthe arm, there is also a project to provide new signs. Some Market TownsRevitalisation money has been awarded for footpath and sign improvements.The problem of silt and rubbish flowing into the arm continues, and variousmeasures are being looked into to deal with this, as it would be expected tosimilarly affect the new basin. One possibility might be that of getting theentrance to the arm moved to be on the Grindley Brook side of the lift bridge,which would change the angle at which the arm joins the main line.This last bit is not strictly about the Whitchurch Arm, but if you have enjoyedpleasant visits to the canalside ‘Shop in the Garden’ (aka Port Whixall) a fewmiles south of Whitchurch when boating the Llangollen Canal, you will be sorryto hear that you may have had your last ice cream there, as the property is upfor sale by Halls in Whitchurch. On the other hand, if you always wanted to runa canalside shop...

Helen Brockman

Page 26

A New Ferry Service

S hrewsbury residents and visitors are set to take to the river for briefexperiences of life afloat thanks to a local pub.

Many of today’s river bridges were built to replace ferries but in Shrewsbury thatprocess is about to be reversed. The 90-year-old Port Hill suspension bridgespanning the River Severn will be closed for extensive maintenance starting inMarch 2012. Owners of the adjacent riverside pub, on the out-of-town bank,feared considerable loss of custom because the bridge provides much usedfootpath access from, and to, the town centre and avoids a long detour via theWelsh Bridge. In an unusual initiative, the Boathouse Inn has now partneredwith Shropshire Council to provide a ferry service for the duration of the plannedfive month bridge closure.The ferry will be operated by Sabrinaboat which runs a popular 60-passengertrip boat from nearby Victoria Quay. In addition to drinkers the new service willalso cater for commuters and shoppers by opening in early morning and againfrom noon until early evening. A charge has been announced of 50p for the 2minute crossing in a 12-seater boat between the pub’s garden and the publicpark opposite.Port Hill Bridge wasgifted to the town in1922 by theShrewsburyHorticulturalSociety which runsShrewsbury FlowerShow. A ferry at thesite was thendiscontinued. Thesingle span, steelwire rope,suspension bridgeis known to all townyoungsters as the‘bouncy’ bridgeand, during thewar, soldiers stationed at nearby Copthorne Barracks were ordered to breakstep before crossing because it was feared the vibrations might cause collapse.The closure maintenance work includes replacing the timber decking, repairs tothe steelwork, grit blasting and repainting and is expected to be complete beforethe Shrewsbury Flower Show in August.

Alan Wilding

Port Hill Bridge

Page 27

Branch Lock WindHurleston Bottom Lock21st & 22nd July 2012

Y es we have been listening to boaters and lock keepers and have decidedto take the advice given. That is (with BW’s permission) to change the site

of our annual lock wind. So, as a trial for this year, we are planning to set upour gazebo adjacent to the bottom lock at Hurleston. Last year, although wedid not have many boats cruising through Quoisley Lock, apparently it was‘manic’ at Hurleston. We have chosen the first week of the school holidays andhope that not too many potential holiday makers plan to stay home to watch theOlympics!Apart from helping boaters through the lock we want to attract other boaters,passing along the Shropshire Union, to stop and buy from our stall. So we willneed even more cakes and produce. Last year we ran out of home made andhome grown goods to sell, please don’t let this happen again this year. If youare unable to come along and help but still want to bake a cake or pass onsurplus garden produce please get in touch with any committee member.You are more than welcome to join us by boat and there are plenty of mooringspaces on the main Shropshire Union. Also there is plenty of space to turnround if you need to return to your mooring after the event. You are equallywelcome if you come by car – details of where you can park will be printed inthe next edition once we have got the go ahead from BW which by July willpossibly be C&RT.The lock wind is one of our major fund raising events so please pencil the datein your diaries now. The Branch needs your support.

Inter-Branch Skittles Challenge27th April 2012

T his year’s skittles match will be hosted by the Stoke-on-Trent Branch atStafford Boat Club. Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch is the

current holder of this coveted trophy and we need your help to defend it.Meet at 7.30pm for a supper of Beef Hot Pot  and Apple Pie &  cream, cost£7.50p per head including skittles. You can pay on the night, however the clubneeds to know how many will be attending so please contact Janet Farmer01270 811157 or janden1@btinternet.com to book your place before 1st April.The club will allow a night's free mooring for the night of the event and up to 6further nights free to any members of AWCC who may need longer term visitorsmooring, for any non AWCC attendees the charge is £7 for any further nightsafter the night of the event. Contact harbour master Pete Hardy on07716960049 to arrange moorings as soon as possible.

Page 28

Canal Art Courses

27th – 29th April 2012.Canal Art with a TwistExercises painting Rose and Daisy patterns in a Canal Art style, followed byalternative designs/patterns such as Pansy, Aquilegia, etc., using the similartechniques. There is time for painting your own projects and the weekend couldbe added to the one day courses.

26th – 28th October 2012Canal Art, Flowers and CastleExercises in painting Rose& Daisy patterns in traditional colours and a CastlePicture. There is time for painting your own projects.

Knuston Hall Residential College, an elegant 17th century building, set in ruralEast Northamptonshire between Rushden and Irchester offers a wide variety ofweekend courses. Canal Art courses have been running every six months, forabout sixteen years. Once guests have arrived, time is devoted to painting andeating. Prices are fully inclusive of tuition, catering and accommodation in ensuite rooms. The college also includes a licensed bar. Painting usually takesplace in a large workshop that is part of a converted stable block. At presentthe college runs a series of four or five different Canal Art courses.  Althoughsome people like to follow the series in order, beginners can be accommodatedon all courses.

People attend from a variety of backgrounds and destinations. Some comebringing parts of their boat to paint and others because they love the brightvibrant colours. Some people come because they already paint and want to trysomething new. Whoever they are, many came back time and again, to takeadvantage of the concentrated period of painting without worry.

The Tutor, Tim Whitelock, was trained at the London College of Furniture as aFurniture Designer/Cabinet Maker. After a few years working as a Technicianat Hackney College in East London, he went on to teach Design & Technologyat a school in Suffolk, before moving to a school in Essex where he specialisesin Graphics.  His interest in canals and associated subjects go back forty yearsand he has been teaching Canal Art for twenty years. He is a member of theWaterways Craft Guild, Guild of Essex Craftsman and Inland Waterways Asso-ciation.

Information about Knuston Hall courses is available from: Knuston Hall,Irchester, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. NN29 7EU Tel: 01933 312104Fax: 01933 357596 enquiries@knustonhall.org.uk www.kunustonhall.org.uk

Page 29

The 2012 Calendar

D espite the current trend to smart phones andI-pads storing a multitude of information,

dates and appointments there still appears to bea place for the good old calendar. In fact thefirst edition of the Branch calendar has been aresounding success, so our thanks go to SueRussell who came up with the idea, memberswho sent in photographs and to everyonewho sponsored a month. Without thesesponsors production costs would havemade it unviable. So please support thebusinesses and organisations whosupported us and when you do so pleasemention the calendar.

For those of you who missed the opportunity to purchase a calendar (yes weran out of copies well before Christmas and had a few disappointed customers)details can still be seen on the Branch webpage waterways.org.uk/shrewsbury.But to save you the effort of looking, the following sponsors are listed in theorder they appear in the calendar: M & L Canal Services and mobile marineengineer 07970 384047: Anglo Welsh narrowboat holidays 01173 041122:Cheshire Cat narrowboat holidays 07867 790195: The Maestermyn Groupnarrowboat holidays and Narrowboat Inn 01691 662424: OverWater Marina01270 812677: Nantwich Marina 01270 624075: The Junction Inn, Norbury01785 284288: Swanley Bridge Marina 01270 524571: Aqueduct Marina01270 525041: Mercia Marine boat insurance specialists 01684 564457: TheTesco store in Ellesmere. As you can see there were only 11 sponsors and 12months so if anyone knows of an organisation, business or individual who mightbe interested in sponsoring the next calendar please get in touch.

One surprising outcome has been the number of e-mails, phone calls and cardsreceived praising the calendar and in particular the photographs: apparently ithas provided a few good memories of holidays past and present and not just forboaters; one gentleman was reminded of his childhood home in the area; othersliked the fact that there was a diversity of photographs and locations. Did weget any criticism? Well yes — some people wanted the free post card whichappears on the bottom of the national IWA calendar. Apart from the fact thatour print run is much lower and therefore costs are higher we did not want tocopy or compete with the main IWA calendar.

For details of the 2013 calendar photographic competition see page 30.

Page 30

Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch2013 Calendar

PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION

T he Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch photographic competition forthe 2013 calendar is now open.

Last year we were sent a few photographs which did not fit the format required.Square pictures that distorted when stretched to fit the space allocated on thecalendar! Photographs of scenes outside the Branch area were also discarded.We need 12 photographs from all the waterways in our area: The Shroppiefrom Droveway Bridge at the southern end to Barbridge Junction in the north,the Middlewich Arm, the Llangollen and Montgomery Canals, the Shrewsbury& Newport Canals and the River Severn north of Bewdley. And of course weneed one stunning A4 photograph for the front cover; one that combines acolourful eye catching picture with enough sky or plain areas to print the title. Itis this picture which attracts people to pick up and look at the calendar beforemaking the decision to buy it.

Images must be submitted in digital format at 300dpi minimum and should belandscape format for the twelve pages for the months and portrait format for thecover. There will be a prize for the best photograph chosen by a local artist.

Anyone can enter this free competition and photos will not necessarily bejudged on their technical merit. We want to create an exciting and interestingcalendar which will appeal to everyone, and not just boaters. Some of theentries already received are shown opposite.

Please send the following information with your photographs:Name, address, email and telephone numberTitle of photographLocation of the photographTime of year the picture was taken (so it can be used for the appropriate month)

Last year’s calendar was a great success. Help us to make the 2013 calendareven more stunning and send in that winning picture whether it’s an evocativescene, wildlife, or view of an historic building or structure — in fact anythingthat’s a snapshot of waterways life.

Please send your photographs toshrewsandnwales@waterways.org.ukClosing date is Tuesday 1st May

Page 31

Norbury

Junction

By

Denis farmer

DucksOn the iceByCarolyn theobold

Steam boats

At ellesmere

By

Dawn aylwin

Page 32

David Aylwin presents Father Christmas,alias Brian Lawson of the Duchess CountessTrust with a cheque to acknowledge theirhelp with the recent IWAlk.