Sunday 31 August 2014

Tunnel Light

Most people know that I enjoy poking fun at CaRT, if I did not poke fun, then I would only end up crying into my beer.  So in the spirit of being a bit more upbeat, I decided to do some fractured motivational posters.  As a kid I had a few motorcycle posters on my bedroom wall. So I decided to hang a few inland waterways posters on my blog wall.

It has been revealed that the infrastructure maintenance backlog has been dramatically reduced. This has been brought about by the introduction of a new formula for counting needed repairs based on an octahedral counting system. Under this system the octahedral 39,559 then becomes 30,000 denary for reports. Eureka!


Saturday 30 August 2014

Spring Summer Cruise 2014 ❻⓿

Market Bosworth to Nuts Bridge 16

Overnight the weather drizzle.

Morning: Early start to the day as boats are on the move early. There is quite an exodus in both directions. Old ex working boats going up and the punters who had been turned away going down. Breakfast was a bit earlier than normal. As we left our moorings at 10am a boat was waiting to go in. As we turned in the winding hole a boat had to give way while we finished our manoeuvre.  There seems to be a dual set of rules for boat owners. As we made our way trying care not to create a breaking wash. Some of the ex-workboats were creating huge breaking waves. 

Afternoon: We continued to potter along meeting a regular clientèle of old ex working boats. At bridge 35 the mud was deep for us, we  heard later that a working boat was stuck in the mud blocking the canal. This may explain why no other boats have passed coming down but plenty are still going up!

Evening: TV time as the drizzle arrived once more.

Wildlife:

Birds: House Sparrow, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Rook, Jackdaw, Blackbird, Mallard, Mute Swan,  Chaffinch, Robin, Coot, Waterhen, Canadian Goose, Wood Pigeon, Kestrel, Black Headed Gull, Swallow and House Martin.


Butterflies: Meadow Brown, Skipper and Peacock.
Bats: Pipistrelle
Dragonflies: Banded Damselfly, Common Damselfly and Red Darter.
 
Today's Total.
Miles: 9.3
Locks: 0
Swing / Lift Bridges: 0
Tunnels: 0
Pump Outs: 0
Engine Hours: 4.1
Solar Panels: 32 Ah
 
Accumulated Total.
Miles: 2058.6
Locks: 1283
Swing / Lift Bridges: 297
Tunnels: 37
Pump Outs: 21
Engine Hours: 3019.8

Solar Panels: 17664 Ah


Spring Summer Cruise 2014 ❺❾

Lime Kilns to Market Bosworth.

Overnight the weather was blustery with occasional showers.

Morning: Early breakfast today. Plenty of boats moving up the canal. With a fair few coming the other way. The canal is very shallow in places.

Afternoon: The overcast sky was broken with occasional bouts of sunshine. We pushed on a bit today.So that we would have an easier trip up to the Ashby Canal terminus.

Evening: Television.

Wildlife:

Birds: House Sparrow, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Rook, Jackdaw, Mallard, Mute Swan, Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Pied Wagtail, Coot, Waterhen, Wood Pigeon, Kestrel, Buzzard, Swallow, House Martin, Swift the highlight being a Muscovy Goose.


Butterflies: Meadow Brown and Skipper.
Bats: Pipistrelle.
Dragonflies: Banded Damselfly.
 
Today's Total.
Miles: 9.9
Locks: 0
Swing / Lift Bridges: 0
Tunnels: 0
Pump Outs: 0
Engine Hours: 3.4
Solar Panels: 36 Ah
 
Accumulated Total.
Miles: 2049.3
Locks: 1283
Swing / Lift Bridges: 297
Tunnels: 37
Pump Outs: 21
Engine Hours: 3015.7

Solar Panels: 17636 Ah


A Conundrum of Epic Proportions

Its a conundrum of epic proportions that will ultimately decide the outcome for the Inland Waterways. The trust has finally awakened, if only to acknowledge the precipice that the age profile of the boat owning population holds for the future of the Inland Waterways.


Over the next few years boat owners are going to be reaching that age where poor health, infirmity and the lack of agility will be the most significant decider (other than a wooden overcoat) for leaving the cut. This will not be a small gradual change but will come in ever increasing numbers as the post war baby boomer's arrive at that certain age.

Age Profile:

The people selected by the trust to look for a solution to slow and reverse the trend, are at the top end of the age profile themselves. They have little in common with today's generation. A new generation who have a totally alien set of priorities in life.

Sometimes you need to think outside of the box when looking for a solution to a growing problem. However, if you have not experienced the normal working regime that the younger generation have to contend with today. How are you ever going to come up with a realistic solution. The answer will not be found in the dusty dry atmosphere of a boat club – the younger generation with the odd exception are not exactly queuing to get in.

Part of the problem is the general attitude amongst the 'shiny boat culture' towards the next generation who want to hold down a regular job. The generation who want to put their children through the educational system. The generation who want access to other everyday services such as a family doctor. There are the trite answers trotted out such as 'well go and live in a marina.' There is a need to acknowledge that people also want to live on a boat to save money. Because part time and zero hours does not pay very well. The expensive marina life is not financially available to them. They also want to be able to move their home, sometimes if only to follow the work. The notion of a job for life is now long dead and buried. These are not people wanting to live on benefits these are people with dignity who want to be able to self fund their choice of lifestyle.

Security of Employment:

Gone are the days when employment meant if you were not happy – you could get a job next door. Gone are the days of secure employment, what was once upon a time referred to as a job for life. Gone are the days of job satisfaction having anything other than notional value. All have been replaced by the joys of the brave new world of contract employment. The much more common part time time employment. There is now the whole brave new world of zero hours employment. Into this mix you can now add compulsory volunteering for work. 

This is already reflected in the way the cut is managed today. Now we see the lock keeper on summer contract. (part time) The fast disappearing fully employed. (full time) Both of their roles being replaced by the volunteer. (zero hours)

Providing Social Housing:

As the number of residential moorings grows the trust has a need to recognise that it is effectively becoming - whether it wants to or not - a social housing provider. The government has already hinted at this. The trust is going to have to change in ways that the departing generation will oppose. We are part of the last generation with a final salary pension that provides for our remaining future. We retired at an age when we still had some time left to enjoy the waterways. As Dylan sang when we were the bright eyed generation – 'The times they are a changin.' Can you detect that feint aroma, its the smell of coffee - Its time to wake up to the truth, the future of the inland waterways lies in the increasingly shallow pockets of the next generation. The times most certainly are about to change.

Friday 29 August 2014

Spring Summer Cruise 2014 ❺❽

Hawkesbury Pump House to Lime Kilns

Overnight the weather was mainly made up of occasional showers.

Morning: A sedate start to the day saw us set off about 10:30am. We stopped at Bedworth (bridge 14) for a visit to the Tesco and Aldi Supermarkets before continuing on our way. This coincided with a short sharp shower.

Afternoon: A steady cruise had us Marston junction where we turned onto the Ashby Canal. As the afternoon drew on we decided to find a mooring for the night al Lime kilns.

Evening: Good TV picture - but no internet!

Wildlife:

Birds: House Sparrow,  Magpie, Carrion Crow, Rook, Jackdaw, Blackbird, Mallard, Mute Swan, Blue Tit, Great Tit,  Coot, Waterhen, Wood Pigeon, Black Headed Gull, Swallow and House Martin .

Butterflies: Meadow Brown and Skipper
Bats: Pipistrelle.
Dragonflies: Banded Damselfly, Four Spot Chaser.
 
Today's Total.
Miles: 7.8
Locks: 0
Swing / Lift Bridges: 0
Tunnels: 0
Pump Outs: 0
Engine Hours: 5.0
Solar Panels: 36 Ah
 
Accumulated Total.
Miles: 2039.4
Locks: 1283
Swing / Lift Bridges: 297
Tunnels: 37
Pump Outs: 21
Engine Hours: 3012.3

Solar Panels: 17598 Ah

LONDON'S GREAT ARSENAL

This is just one of a series of around fifty old newspaper articles that I have been reading. I have been researching from old newspapers and magazines the last 200 years or so of the inland waterways. With particular interest in the issues of the day that were effecting the canals. The most active periods for evaluation and change, has always been just prior, during and shortly after the two world wars. It should be remembered that between the wars the ownership of some of the canals changed hands as the railway companies bought up the waterways to get reduce competition. What is not clear is the effect this early form of asset stripping had on the viability of the inland waterways. Its good to take a look back at what people were saying and doing in the past. Most surprising of all are some of the problems that beset the canals back then - are still prevalent today. Reading old newspapers can throw up some rather interesting stories. Here is what we would call today a public interest story.

Caveat: Some of the articles are difficult to read and even using modern electronic  scanning and text conversion methods. The odd punctuation, word or character may have been transcribed in error. 
The Daily News
Thursday 6 September 1934


LONDON'S GREAT ARSENAL

The Waterfront at Woolwich


The possibility of the removal of part of Woolwich Arsenal to an inland region calls attention to the great estate on the south bank of the River Thames which is taken up by the Royal Dock yard, the Royal Arsenal, and sundry activities housed upon that section of Plumstead Marsh coming within the barred zone. Although it has a notable ship building record of historical sort. The Royal Dockyard has long ceased to construct vessels for the Navy.  This waterfront which runs from a point on Woolwich Roach for more than three miles downstream to almost opposite Ford's motor-car factory at Dagenham is not continuous, for between the east side of the dockyard and the beginning of the Royal Arsenal there is a slice of industrial Woolwich. It,  includes a number of wharves, the south  terminal of the Free Ferry, a power station, and various old-time 'stairs named after adjacent taverns. The true Arsenal waterfront, starting at the junction of Woolwich Reach and Galleons Reach, is marked by a line of dull looking buildings and wharves several large jetties, and the entrance to a short, artificial waterway called the Arsenal Canal. A striking landmark rises high above one of these jetties, and is known popularly as 'the War Office crane.' It is capable of a 100-ton lift, was rushed in during the war, and the sole feat of any worth which is remembered about it was when it raised a nice-sized tug bodily this tug is still at work about the port.
A CONTRAST 
As a rule, there is not much life and movement along the Arsenal waterfront. In contrast, immediately across Galleons Reach lie the great repair works of Harland and Wolff, the entrance lock into King George V Dock, and both entrance locks into Royal Albert Dock (Basin). Thus it is that on the north bank some of the biggest ships entering tho port are daily moving in or out of dock, while off. but hot on the south shore there is frequent movement among the colliers using Galleons Tier and Gallions Collier roads. This contrast of loneliness and activity, continues down to a small promontory, where stands the red frame lighthouse at Margaretness, or Tripcock Point. Hereabouts the river wall is blank save for a gunpowder jetty, which is the place farthest upstream at which explosives are dealt with. Beyond it from the tideway all that I can be seen is the roofs of buildings, Opposite, in Essex, is Galleons Jetty, and the upper and lower jetties of the Beckton Gasworks. These jetties are studded with tall cranes and are scenes of unceasing labour.
ALONG HALFWAY REACH 
Beyond Margaretness the Arsenal waterfront presents to the stream merely a long expanse of stone-pitched embankment running clear down Barking Reach to Halfway Reach, one is every stone of the old Halfway House, a small tavern where on 'The Long Ferry' journey by tiltboat from Gravesend to London Bridge travellers landed for a midday meal. From the river wall you may look across Plumstead Marsh, a grassy expanse runneled by ditches, plentifully treed, and showing many isolated one storey huts or sheds. A hundred yards east of the old tavern is Crossness Point, with the second of the frame lighthouses of the Arsenal  waterfront, and some distance beyond this comes the high fence which divides the Royal Arsenal estate from that of the London County Council's southern sewage outfall. It is in this vicinity that the electricity conductor cables cross the river between their 500-foot towers.

Should the Plumstead Marsh Area of the Royal Arsenal be abandoned the district would be commercially invaluable. The Essex bank shows Barking Power Station, the works of the Coal Conversion Company, an L.C.C jetty, some of the activities of Dagenham Dock estate. MS. and then the huge factory; of the Ford Motor Company. Sip Release the Arsenal waterfront and hinterland for, development, and in a few years Barking and Halfway Reaches will be fringed with factories and lip wharves for a couple of miles the limit of East London life.

Thursday 28 August 2014

Canine Coprolight

Most people know that I enjoy poking fun at CaRT, if I did not poke fun, then I would only end up crying into my beer.  So in the spirit of being a bit more upbeat, I decided to do some fractured motivational posters.  As a kid I had a few motorcycle posters on my bedroom wall. So I decided to hang a few inland waterways posters on my blog wall.


During a time team excavation on the towpath a giant hoard of ancient canine coprolite has been uncovered. The discovery has not come as a surprise to walkers who regularly encounter more recent examples of deposits being made most days. 


Wednesday 27 August 2014

Spring Summer Cruise 2014 ❺❼

Sutton Stop  to  Hawkesbury Pump House (Via Foleshill Winding Hole Coventry Canal.)

Overnight the weather was short rain showers by morning the mist had arrived.

Morning: A late start and a late breakfast plus the need to run the washing machine encouraged us to move on. We dropped down the foot or so in the stop lock and then we were on our way.

Afternoon: We reversed the boat at Foleshill Winding Hole then moored up before I went to purchase a safety helmet for the bike from Lidl.Then we move back to New Inn Bridge 8 to visit Tesco.

Evening: An evening watching television.

Wildlife:

Birds: House Sparrow, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Rook, Mallard, Mute Swan, Coot, Waterhen, Canadian Goose, Wood Pigeon, Black Headed Gull, Swallow, House Martin and Swift.  
Butterflies: Meadow Brown, Skipper
Bats: Pipistrelle, 
Dragonflies:  Red Darter, Four Spot Chaser.
 
Today's Total.
Miles: 4.6
Locks: 1
Swing / Lift Bridges: 0
Tunnels: 0
Pump Outs: 0
Engine Hours: 4.0
Solar Panels: 59 Ah
 
Accumulated Total.
Miles: 2031.6
Locks: 1283
Swing / Lift Bridges: 297
Tunnels: 37
Pump Outs: 21
Engine Hours: 3002.3

Solar Panels: 17562 Ah

Canal Virgins

Hire boaters come in for some stick from boat owners. Often because they only have a limited awareness and knowledge of what they have embarked upon. But to a point boat owners could be a bit more friendly and welcoming.

Last night, it was quite late in the boating day and the light was fading quite quickly.  There  are trip boats frequently passing by, which often ply their trade late into the evening. I could here a boat engine being gunned hard a look out of the back doors and I saw a boat trying to get into the side.  I went out and caught a thrown centre line and helped to haul the boat into the bank. It was a couple of around retirement age. Today was their first day out in charge of a hire boat. They had been looking for a mooring, but each time they had attempted to get into the side they had been thwarted for one reason or another. There was a look of relief as there were on the last available mooring and would have either had to turn the boat or keep going into the gloom.

I demonstrated how to moor up the boat - at the same time, explaining what I was doing and why. It seems that they are a crew on a mission. Trying to 'do a ring' of about 80 miles with about a hundred locks to pass through along the way. All this relaxing new adventure to be completed within the week. I chatted  to them about the handover of the boat. They said that all the controls had been explained to them. Then the boat had been manoeuvred out of the base. Then off they went. They were tired and hungry as it had been a very long non-stop day. They had broken up the whole trip into six equally spaced sections. Without making any allowance for the locks. I was about to offer some advice about changing the trip from a mad dash round a ring into to a more gentle three days out and three day return cruise. When they said they were not looking forward to their first lock. I kept stum. So here they were - a pair of canal virgins. Not knowing the basics of how to tie up a boat, not sure about steering, aiming to do a canal ring in a time frame I would not consider. Was this going to be a relaxing holiday or was it going to turn into an ordeal.  

The next morning I was up bright and early. I wished them good morning when they came out. They were stood on the back deck for a while intensely studying a canal guide.  I think that it was already dawning on them that they might need to change their plans. A new route out and back was planned with a huge reduction in the numbers of locks. I travelled with them a short distance up the canal to the first of three locks. Explaining how to use the lock landings and the centre rope.  I worked the first lock explaining what I was doing and what to keep an eye on. The next lock, I let them tackle it on their own whilst keeping a watchful eye. At the third lock, they were feeling much more confident. I waved them goodbye I think today will be the first day of a relaxing holiday. Do you know what, I never did catch their names.

I got back to our boat to find a privately owned boat stuck across the canal while attempting to turn around. The wind was pinning the boat in place. I suggested lifting the back button as the front fender was above the canal edge. Grabbing the front line I was able to pull the boat round with a couple of inches to spare. Did not even get a smile, wave or nod! A few moments later a hire boat passes at high speed - I said to the helmsman 'its good boating manners to slow down when passing moored boats.' He said 'oh, thanks' and slowed the engine down. I gave him a wave and a thumbs up - he gave me a big smile and a nod!

Well, its time for breakfast, I'm wondering what the rest of the day will bring. 

 

Tuesday 26 August 2014

Waterways of England.




This is just one of a series of around fifty old newspaper articles that I have been reading. I have been researching from old newspapers and magazines the last 200 years or so of the inland waterways. With particular interest in the issues of the day that were effecting the canals. The most active periods for evaluation and change, has always been just prior, during and shortly after the two world wars. It should be remembered that between the wars the ownership of some of the canals changed hands as the railway companies bought up the waterways to get reduce competition. What is not clear is the effect this early form of asset stripping had on the viability of the inland waterways. Its good to take a look back at what people were saying and doing in the past. Most surprising of all are some of the problems that beset the canals back then - are still prevalent today. Reading old newspapers can throw up some rather interesting stories. Here is what we would call today a public interest story.

Caveat: Some of the articles are difficult to read and even using modern electronic  scanning and text conversion methods. The odd punctuation, word or character may have been transcribed in error. 
The Queenslander
Thursday 13 July 1933

Cruising on the Waterways of England.

Most travellers when they visit England go on motor tours to see the countryside, as the excellent roads appeal to the motorist. They forget the rivers of England, the glorious streams that intersect that green luxuriant land. Even the English people themselves are hazy about their inland waters, yet it is possible to take a houseboat through the canals of England, provided the boat has not a beam of more than 7ft. What a glorious holiday that would prove! The rivers provide some of the loveliest holidays in the world, and Evelyn Gardiner, in "Good House keeping," tells of the joys of such a trip during the English summer. Some time ago two friends of mine decided to take a holiday on the Thames, she writes. Hiring a boat and a boat tent they started above Oxford and made their way leisurely down the stream to London. It was not arduous, for the current was with them. The nights they spent on the banks in the comfort of their boat tent. On the way they stopped at the places of interest, which, I believe, included such spots as the Trout, at Godstow! But can one blame them? Was there ever such an entrancing inn, placed close to a waterfall so that the musical sound of its rushing water soothes and delights? 
Oxford they knew and re-explored, that city whose spires rise majestically towards the arc of the sky. Abingdon was another halting place, and there they wandered the ancient streets, On they went, past Pangbourne and Mapledurham, close to which is a Tudor Manor House in which Queen Elizabeth stayed. Henley, Marlow, Bray, where that determined vicar turned Papist, Protestant, Papist, and Protestant again! At Bromley Lock they learned that all the Swans in England do not belong to the Crown. For there, once a year, the ceremony of Swan-Upping is performed, when all the swans belonging to the Dyers and Vintners Company are marked for identification. Past the glories of Eaton and Windsor they came, and so finally to Putney, where their trip and their holiday ended. But it is not all of us who can indulge in so long a holiday, nor, for a matter of that, all of us who know how to manage a boat. Yet even sailing can be learned in London itself. It is possible to have lessons on the lake in Regent's Park, where all kinds of craft can be hired. 
The Norfolk Broads compared with the Thames in the main hold very different pleasures. Thirty odd years ago the Broads were practically unknown outside the Eastern counties, but for the last twenty years they have steadily increased in popularity among those who love boating and its kindred pursuits, such as angling, swimming, etc. The Broads are a series of extensive lakes cut up by some 200 miles of navigable waterways, tortuous and lovely, of which the principal rivers are the Yare, Bure, and Waveney, with their tributaries the Ant and Thurne. One of the great attractions of these broads and rivers is that there is always sufficient water to sail on. The fall does not affect them much. Many other rivers run so low as to leave craft on the mud. This only takes place on Breydon Water, and then only if you are out of the channel. All lovers of nature will be greatly impressed the moment they find themselves on this wonderful lakeland. The attractions of the Broads cannot be overrated. After the day's sailing is over the evening sets in. The yacht moored and everything made snug, one may stroll to the village, near which you are moored and taste the delights of foraging for supper and replenishing the depleted stock. A visit to the local inn is well worth while, for many a good yarn maybe heard spun by veteran wherry and yacht skippers, who know little of other life besides that of cruising up and down the Broads summer and winter. 
The Beaulieu River is a little more difficult to negotiate, sweeping as it does into the Solent. From Bucklars Hard, that tiny village consisting of one short street of ancient red-brick houses, one can see yachts of all sizes moored on the river. It has always been a wonder to me that Bucklars Hard has not long since been "discovered" and consequently ruined. But the little place remains quiet and serene. It can scarcely be called a village, for its main street and. as I have said, that is all it consists of. ends, so to speak, in the river. I like the river it is framed by trees, but behind it are the New Forest moors. Bucklars Hard is one of the places to which I should take that questioning foreigner. Having shown him the beauties of the Thames, described to him the Severn, that river which rises in the wilds of Wales, I should In contrast allow him to enjoy the peace of this Hampshire village. For I seriously believe that it is the peace of the English countryside, as well as its wonderful colourings (such soothing colours are to be found no where abroad), that would impress him. He would see the mellow brick against the dark foliage of the trees, blue smoke quivering in the air, and the river flowing black and stately towards the sea, and if he was not impressed, and still burbled of his snow peaks or his lakes ringed by mountains, well, I should be inclined to agree with those of my countrymen who feel that England needs no advertisement.

Monday 25 August 2014

Canal Balls

Most people know that I enjoy poking fun at CaRT, if I did not poke fun, then I would only end up crying into my beer.  So in the spirit of being a bit more upbeat, I decided to do some fractured motivational posters.  As a kid I had a few motorcycle posters on my bedroom wall. So I decided to hang a few inland waterways posters on my blog wall.

There has been an amazing discovery made of a giant ball of British Waterways wool. The wool was uncovered during rare canal repair. The ball of wool was used for many years for knitting blindfolds before being pulled over boaters eyes.


Sunday 24 August 2014

Kindle Read

 
I have downloaded a trilogy of short boating books onto my kindle. The Narrowboat Lad is a series of books By Daniel Mark Brown looking at a life experienced on the canals. 

I presume there will be more volumes later.


 


The first book in the trilogy could have been subtitled titled 'A Catalogue of Mistakes'. However, this is in reality a refreshingly honest account of mistakes made. All brought about by a somewhat rose-tinted ambition to own a narrowboat. 








The Narrowboat Lad' to a point perpetuates the myth of 'Living the Dream' on a boat. Often the dream can become a nightmare if enough care is not taken. 

This is our fifth year of owning a boat. Over time its easy to forget the trials and tribulations that we we went through ourselves. To the point of become quite blasé about life on the cut.  

A few times I even found myself saying - I've done that.

Saturday 23 August 2014

Spring Summer Cruise 2014 ❺❻

Rugby VM to Hawksbury Junction (Sutton Stop)

Overnight the weather was quite blustery.

Morning: The morning was taken up with shopping to restock the boat. Then it was time to settle down for Formula one qualification.

Afternoon: It was late in the afternoon before we resumed our cruise. Some late sunshine was interspersed with the odd light shower of rain. The wind began to pick up the later into the afternoon we went.

Evening: Early evening we arrived at Hawkesbury - We moored up away from the junction as we expected that the visitor moorings would be full. A quick walk with the dogs confirmed our suspicion. (We moved down to the visitor moorings the following morning) The wind started to abate as we moored up.  Dinner booked at the Greyhound for tomorrow.

Wildlife:

Birds: House Sparrow,  Carrion Crow, Rook, Magpie, Blackbird, Mallard, Mute Swan,  Chaffinch, Robin, Blue Tit, Pied Wagtail, Canadian Goose, Coot, Waterhen, Wood Pigeon, Kestrel, Black Headed Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Swallow and House Martin.


Butterflies: Meadow Brown and Skipper.
Bats: Pipistrelle
Dragonflies: Common Damselfly and Four Spot Chaser.
 
Today's Total.
Miles: 12.3
Locks: 0
Swing / Lift Bridges: 0
Tunnels: 1
Pump Outs: 0
Engine Hours: 8.0
Solar Panels: 52 Ah
 
Accumulated Total.
Miles: 2027.0
Locks: 1282
Swing / Lift Bridges: 297
Tunnels: 37
Pump Outs: 21
Engine Hours: 2998.3

Solar Panels: 17503 Ah

Norfolk Broads

This is just one of a series of around fifty old newspaper articles that I have been reading. I have been researching from old newspapers and magazines the last 200 years or so of the inland waterways. With particular interest in the issues of the day that were effecting the canals. The most active periods for evaluation and change, has always been just prior, during and shortly after the two world wars. It should be remembered that between the wars the ownership of some of the canals changed hands as the railway companies bought up the waterways to get reduce competition. What is not clear is the effect this early form of asset stripping had on the viability of the inland waterways. Its good to take a look back at what people were saying and doing in the past. Most surprising of all are some of the problems that beset the canals back then - are still prevalent today. Reading old newspapers can throw up some rather interesting stories. Here is what we would call today a public interest story.

Caveat: Some of the articles are difficult to read and even using modern electronic  scanning and text conversion methods. The odd punctuation, word or character may have been transcribed in error.


The Australasian

Saturday 21 July 1934

NORWICH AND THE NORFOLK BROADS

By Myra Morris [Myra wrote a regular column in the Australasian called 'The tourist'.]


Wastes of grey inland water, edged by flowery meadows, wide, smooth-flowing rivers, silvery canals spanned by ancient bridges, and banked by bungalows, and white, nestling villages, these are the Norfolk Broads, the most fascinating, area of East Anglia a place of strange illusions. This low-lying watery world! It is nothing to lie curled in a field of poppies and to look up suddenly and see a white sailed ship drift by, seeming to be skimming over the very fields! It is nothing to find yourself suddenly in a corner , of Holland, with patches of scarlet and yellow flowers between the shining water ways, and in the background great wind mills with sagging arms.

The Norfolk Broads, consisting of over two hundred miles of rivers and lakes, lie between Cromer, Lowestoft, and Norwich. My first acquaintance with them was made from a little houseboat, tied up on the river; between the village of Wroxham and Wroxham Broad, one of the chief centres for yachting. The houseboat was a comfortable little affair, with an oil cooking stove, and airy rooms on deck, and was provided with a smaller boat with which to go exploring. Around us there were motor-boats, wherries, barges, and yachts, any of which can be hired for the season by paying a reasonable sum. A little farther along towards the grey mere there were bungalows along the water's edge gay little places, with chintz-curtained windows, and always full of sunburnt, young, holiday people.

Nothing could be more enchanting than life in such surroundings. Days pass in watching the. pleasure steamers and smaller craft go up the waters, and in drifting idly past the little villages, the ancient market towns, the great country houses, and the deep, shadowy woods, and ruined abbeys that lie within sight. In summer the farther fields are blight with mustard flowers and poppies and the stooks or Slithered corn. Water birds call all day long, and sometimes when the weather is rough clouds of wheeling gulls fly in from the sea, which is never far away. Oulton Broad, always dotted white with sails, is quite close to the fascinating sea. port of Lowestoft, which has narrow streets reeking of fish, and where great trawlers lie rocking beside the quay.

Drifting up the pleasant waters of the Yare, you reach Norwich,' nestling among Its lovely gardens and orchards, dominated by the Cathedral and the Castle.

Very old and quiet is Norwich, once burnt by the marauding Danes, who sailed up the wide waters from the coast. It Is full of ancient buildings, and steep little cobbled streets that hug the foundations of the Castle. Some of them have strange names, like "The Gentle man's Walk," "Mariners' Lane," "Golden Ball Street," and the street of the "Ram pant Horse." Many, of the public buildings are decorated with quaint signs of civic significance, and the small houses in the cobbled streets are half-timbered with rosy, gabled roofs.

Prom an early date Norwich has been associated with weaving. Earlier in the 14th century Flemish weavers landing at Yarmouth came on to Norwich, and, set ting up their looms as they had set them up in the Low Countries, laid the foundations of that prosperous textile industry that was to make Norwich In the time of Queen Elizabeth the second town in Eng land. To-day there is a part of Norwich intimately connected with those Incoming Dutch and Walloon weavers. There can still be seen the opulent houses of the rich cloth merchants, and the small low cottages of the humble people, where the looms worked night and day.

In the time of George Borrow there were "thrice 12 churches" in Norwich. To-day they number somewhere round 40. The cathedral, of course, has pride of place, and though built on a low-lying spot (the unsubstantiated story goes that it is raised on wool bales and faggots) it dominates the town. It is a building of exquisite symmetry, with flying but tresses and jutting chapels, and its slender, soaring tower is the second highest in England. It is Norman in origin, and many of the early Norman features, the arches, the round windows, and massive columns, remain, though the magnificent stone roof is of a later date, The cloisters, with their beautiful vaulting, are as famous as any in the kingdom.

The historic Norwich Castle has none of the magic of turret and tower that is usually associated with romantic castles. Its great, flattish, square bulk, reached by a bridgeway over a deep moat, looks what It most assuredly was-an Impregnable fortification. Its stones date from the time of the Conqueror. Still intact are the little windowed embrasures through which the Norman archers shot their arrows.

Through the whole of the city there is an air of the past marching step in step with the present. - Nowhere in England have the historic traditions and the con tact of great names, such as Lord Nelson, Sir John Suckling, Gurney, the Quaker philanthropist; ''Old Crome," the painter; and the author of "Lavengro," been so richly preserved. The Influences of the Flemish weavers on the fortunes of the people are still there for all men to see in the Guildhall, in the Folk Museum and lend the ancient city an interest that is unique.

Friday 22 August 2014

Spring Summer Cruise 2014 ❺❺

Hillmorton Top Lock to Rugby Bridge 58

Overnight the weather cold and quite blustery.

Morning: Late start due to enjoying a leisurely breakfast. Met up with Nb Dukes which was the last boat that we hired six years ago. Soon down the Hillmorton Flight with the assistance of a volunteer lock keeper. Stopped at Clifton Marina for a pump out and 57 litres of Diesel.

Afternoon: Stopped once more for a shopping trip to stock up one esentials. Then decided to stop for the day. Met up with Nb Mega Jules whose owner is from Barnsley.

Evening: Kate Bush on TV - great documentary.

Wildlife:

Birds: House Sparrow, Wren, Carrion Crow, Rook, Magpie, Starling, Blackbird, Mallard, Mute Swan, Goldfinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Pied Wagtail, Coot, Waterhen, Wood Pigeon, Black Headed Gull, Swallow and House Martin.

Butterflies: Meadow Brown and Skipper
Bats: Pipistrelle
Dragonflies: Common Damselfly
 
Today's Total.
Miles: 3.0
Locks: 3
Swing / Lift Bridges: 0
Tunnels: 0
Pump Outs: 1
Engine Hours: 4.8
Solar Panels: 10 Ah
 
Accumulated Total.
Miles: 2014.7
Locks: 1282
Swing / Lift Bridges: 297
Tunnels: 36
Pump Outs: 21
Engine Hours: 29
90.3
Solar Panels: 17451 Ah
57 Litres of diesel.

A charity in name only.

I read the article A rotten apple by Ralph Freeman on Narrowboat World and I was immediately struck by one phrase - 'A charity in name only.' I think there is a lot of truth in that statement because the trust is currently what I would call a 'sticking plaster' organisation.

I know from previous articles published on NarrowBoat World that there are over 150,000 charities in the UK. England and Wales has a Charities Commission whose role is to regulate and monitor charitable activities. Charities are run as a business and in some cases could legitimately be described as being - a very big business. The Canal and River Trust with its assets is a multi Billion pound, third sector business operation. 

Charities are brought about in the main for altruistic reasons. Many charities start life in someone's back room. Often created by individuals who have suffered a personal loss.  That loss has provided people with the momentum to build a charity from the ground up. 
Sam Younger The outgoing chief executive of the Charity Commission said: "One of the great strengths of our society is the charitable instinct of its people. People identify a new need or a new way of addressing an existing need, and they use the vehicle of charity do to something about it. That has created the vibrant, diverse and dynamic charitable sector that touches the lives of all of us every day."
Sam Younger said:
"One of the great strengths of our society is the charitable instinct of its people. People identify a new need or a new way of addressing an existing need, and they use the vehicle of charity do to something about it. That has created the vibrant, diverse and dynamic charitable sector that touches the lives of all of us every day.
- See more at: http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/news/not-all-of-the-charities-we-register-make-an-impact/#sthash.VM1RTKrE.dpuf
Sam Younger said:
"One of the great strengths of our society is the charitable instinct of its people. People identify a new need or a new way of addressing an existing need, and they use the vehicle of charity do to something about it. That has created the vibrant, diverse and dynamic charitable sector that touches the lives of all of us every day.
- See more at: http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/news/not-all-of-the-charities-we-register-make-an-impact/#sthash.VM1RTKrE.dpuf
Sam Younger said:
"One of the great strengths of our society is the charitable instinct of its people. People identify a new need or a new way of addressing an existing need, and they use the vehicle of charity do to something about it. That has created the vibrant, diverse and dynamic charitable sector that touches the lives of all of us every day.
- See more at: http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/news/not-all-of-the-charities-we-register-make-an-impact/#sthash.VM1RTKrE.dpuf
Following the 2010 United Kingdom general election, the coalition announced plans to curb public spending through the abolition of a large number of quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations (quangos). The Canal and River Trust was brought about during this political purge by the government. A purge which was given the name in the press 'The Bonfire of the Quangos'. Which itself was a play on the book 'The Bonfire of the Vanities'. The Trust was little more than a sticking plaster to enable the government cuts.
A large business organisation needs to have the right people in place. The trust came into being with a poor management team. Who could not get the right government funding support package into place. Even after a second go the trust was still underfunded by tens of millions of pounds and the spin doctors turned disaster into a crowing victory. Another vanity from the bonfire!

Charities have to rely almost totally for their existence on the good will of the public, through giving, either financially or through volunteering. Most charities start out small and then develop and grow over a significant period in time. The employees and volunteers build the brand name and through plaudits and good deeds build a public reputation. The Canal and River Trust did not start out with anything like a reputation. Though it gave fair warning of how the funding would be used when it dumped the internationally recognised 'British Waterways' brand.  Creating a new vanity logo of an angry swan - only to then spend money on stickers plasters as a way of changing all the notices.

The Canal and River Trust was created overnight. It did not have a wealth of people with the expert third sector knowledge that was sorely needed. There was little knowledge of running a charitable operation during the transition from quango to charity. So CaRT had a need to parachute people into the business with suitable experience to plug the gaps.

We all have our own personal perception about charities in general. But we don't expect to have to read and digest the fine print each time we choose to make a donation. Because we all have an expectation that our money will be used to only 'do good'. I believe that a charity should have a level of expert knowledge based upon their charitable aims. The charity should also provide a service to the public who donate cash and time. A charity should also be open and accountable.

The crash and burn policy of chugging the streets proved to be another disaster in the making. At a time when local councils were debating the public's opposition to being confronted on the street. The debate was expanded to include whether to allow chugging at all. We were not to be disappointed as the chuggers quickly ran out of steam. Yet another poorly managed vanity project.   

Public Relations comes in two flavours bad and worse. One is peopled by 'spin doctors' who will put a 'positive spin' as a sticking plaster to divert attention from even the most dire news. The other flavour of public relations is much worse. I believe that any business that needs to 'manipulate the news' through a public relations department is a business with a bad operational plan or no plan at all. 
The Canal and River Trust has not had an exemplary start to life. In the main due to what I believe is a continuation from the bad old BW days, of a poor level of performance and a perception created by singing from a large number of different hymn sheets.  Add into this a structural reorganisation. If the reorganisation is limited to internal applicants the choice is always going to be second best. The restructure only seems to have provided the cut with a new mantra.  'Its nothing to do with us.'  Sorry its nothing to do with us - its a moorings issue.  Sorry its nothing to do with us - its an operations issue.

The poor maintenance record will dog the heels of the trust for a long time to come. Ask even the most carefree unconcerned boater what their opinion of the trust is and many will say their opinion is not very good. Ask what the problem is and they will almost always highlight the condition of various locks. Stating things like leakage, heavy and long term broken paddles. The almost universal complaint of the weight of opening and closing poorly balanced gates.  But the trust only compounds the issue by demonstrating a thorough and total lack of any understanding by carving poetry into balance beams. This single act alone screams that the trust is out of touch with the rest of the world.