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Chelmsford Branch Newsletter  

January 2012

Content From the Editor From your (Acting) Chairman From the Region Chairman BW Update Regional Campaign Wave Bridge Heybridge Essex WRG North Quay Heybridge Lock Landing Project WRG Canal Camp Closure of Hertford Union Stop Press Social Scene

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Cover Photo Paper Mill Lock from Adam Wyllie

Campaigning for the conservation, use,

maintenance, restoration and development of the Inland Waterways.

Disclaimer: The IWA may not agree with opinions expressed

in this Newsletter but encourages publication as a matter of interest. Nothing printed herein may be

construed as policy or official announcement unless stated otherwise. The IWA accepts no

liability for any matter in the Newsletter

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From the EDITOR

With the sounds of the Christmas present wrapping paper falling silent in the recycling bin and the last of the turkey consumed, I wish you a warm welcome to 2012. With 2011, the second warmest year on record we had a very icy start. The year was characterised by record-breaking highs in April and October and a damp summer, finishing in a mild end to the year. January and February is a good time to walk along the navigation, return home, chilled but exercised, put that kettle on for the coffee, biscuits, pen and diary to enter those dates and events of the waterway, local, regional and national? Make time to look out your photos, articles and ideas and send them in. For those on e-mail please send your input to chelmsford.news@waterways.org.uk. Those without just give me a call to make arrangements to collect. 07837 576464.

John G Carlaw

From your (Acting) Chairman Molly Beard

This has been a difficult year for the Branch in many respects, in common with a number of other organisations which have had to contend with dwindling finances, the far greater work loads necessary to apply for the fewer available grants, ageing committees and very few younger replacements coming forward to take their place.

However, I have to say how gratifying it has been to have a number of members answer the call to join the Committee and that some of these are now actually in harness and doing useful jobs for the Branch. John Carlaw is our new Editor and has been enthusiastically chasing the rest of us for contributions for the Newsletter: this is his first edition - the first, I hope, of many. Adam Wyllie took on the Website and, within days, had been on an

IWA course and was giving the site a facelift. Many of you now know Stephanie Mason, our new catering lady, who worked so hard at the Christmas Social. Kirsten Smith, a teacher, is interested in youth activities, Jean Maxwell has been bringing very practical ideas to the Committee meetings and Mike Huggett looks to be thinking about fund raising. To all of these I say, “Welcome”.

I must not forget the longer-serving members of the Committee who have soldiered on in difficult times, to keep the Branch in good heart. Roy & Chris Chandler are working almost full-time, unpaid, for Essex Waterways and Chris is also our Branch Secretary. John Gale, our Treasurer, is working on the Navigation for several days a week and Paul Strudwick, Region Chairman, still supports the committee meetings. A big thanks you for all their efforts.

Recent social meetings have been particularly well attended and my naggings about “the pot at the door” are being heeded, so things are looking up there, too. May this happy state continue but let us not become complacent - Yours Truly is still hoping to find a new Social Secretary and Chairman from among you!

2012 should be an interesting time, with the London waterways so much affected by the Olympics, for which it is proposed to close Commercial Road Lock, thus cutting off access from central London to Lime house Basin and the Thames. It seems to me that the London area is really better avoided if at all possible until all the fuss is over. Doug and I plan to be up the Llangollen!

Whatever you are hoping to do, I hope the New Year will be a good one for you and the Branch; my best wishes to you all.

Molly Beard

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From your Region Chairman Chairman

It is with great regret that I have to tell you that your Chairman, Molly Beard, has resigned so that she can spend more time with her husband, Doug, who is seriously ill. For those of you who don’t know Doug was for a long time the Region Chairman for the old South East Region. He led the Branches work on the restoration of the Springfield Lock and Springfield Basin and negotiated the agreement between the administrators of the Company of Proprietors of the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation and IWA, which allowed us to take over of the operation and maintenance of the navigation. The Branch and the Association will be the poorer without their unstinting work.

BW Update.

At the time of writing this article, we still do not know the outcome of the negotiations between the interim trustees of the Canal & River Trust and the government on the financial settlement for running the BW waterways. Whatever the result is IWA could not have done more to influence the result. I would like to thank all of you who wrote to your MPs about the need for an improvement in the original proposed settlement.

All boat owners with a 12-month licence should be asked to vote for members of the new Canal & River Trust Counsel as boaters’ representatives. The Council is to be the guardian of the long-term values and purposes of the C&RT and help to shape policy, raise and debate issues, and provide guidance, perspective and act as a sounding board for the trusts trustees. The IWA is officially supporting four candidates Ivor Caplan, Clive Henderson, Paul Roper, and Vaughan Welch. If you have a vote please support our candidates because if we do not act together on this and get the maximum turnout for the IWA candidates there is a risk well organised

special interest groups will take all the boaters seats on the Trust’s counsel.

Region Campaigns

In London we have the on-going threat of the closure of Commercial Road Lock for most of this summer. I have personally written to BW raising the regions concerns about the safety issues surrounding the closure. At the time of writing I am still awaiting a formal response but understand that BW are trying to arrange a meeting with all interested parties to discuss the situation.

Finally in this fast changing situation with the threat to the canals from the economic situation the Association needs to be able to contact you easily and keep you informed on what is going on. If you don’t already get the Associations Bulletin and other electronic communications please subscribe at http://www.waterways.org.uk/em-signup. It helps us to keep the costs down and you better informed.

London Region AGM The London Region AGM will be held on 12th March at 08:00pm at the New Inn, Roydon, CM19 5EE. The agenda for the meeting will be: Apologies for Absence Approval of minutes of Last AGM Matters Arising from Minutes Chairpersons report Presentation of Accounts Business notified under byelaw 1.3 Election of committee members. (Nominations for committee can be made to the secretary before or at the meeting.)

Paul Strudwick

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Wave Bridge Heybridge

Wave Bridge carries Heybridge Street, the main road through Heybridge, over the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation and it is adjacent to the landmark Bentall’s warehouse. The red engineering brick bridge has cast iron parapet railings and it was built in 1910. It is an attractive feature on the waterway. In 2010 Essex County Council undertook a thorough repaint of the bridge, but the footpath connections between the towpath and road remained in a state of neglect. The towpath under the bridge (a public bridleway) was also prone to regular flooding as copingstones were missing and the surface had eroded.

Weekend visits from Essex Waterway Recovery Group and London Waterway Recovery Group during November 2011 provided Essex Waterways with an opportunity to improve this situation.

Vehicle access and parking at the bridge is virtually non-existent due to the busy road. Essex Waterways work barge “Dredger” was therefore loaded at Heybridge Basin with Type 1 crushed concrete, ballast, cement, timber sleepers and cement mixer and taken to the site on the Friday prior to the camp so that an early commencement could be made.

Only one of the original stone risers to the sloping steps on the downstream footpath connection remained and the area of the original steps was rather overgrown. This was excavated and two new replacement step risers were installed with timber sleepers and the steps reformed with the crushed concrete.

The towpath beneath the bridge was excavated to a firm base ready for laying a new concrete surface, which would be sloped so as to raise the level above flooding whilst still retaining and showing the original copingstones. Work on concreting the path could not start until the steps were complete so as to ensure public access to the towpath was available throughout the weekend. Therefore on Sunday with

“Dredger” moored beneath the bridge and alongside the towpath, concrete mixing took place on-board with only a short barrow run to the laying site. I now have to admit a serious underestimation of the amount of crushed concrete and ballast required for the project! By Sunday lunchtime, we had run out of both and two volunteers had to be sent with trailer to the local Wickes to purchase more ballast and cement. It was not long after this that we ran out of daylight and an otherwise successful weekend drew to a close with work to be continued at a later date.

During the weekend work was also undertaken to improve the towpath adjoining the bridge. Additional crushed concrete was delivered to the site during the following week and laid by EWL and its weekday volunteers to complete the downstream steps.

Two weeks later London WRG visited for the weekend and work recommenced. Once again the materials were loaded onto “Dredger” and taken to the site prior to the weekend. WRG volunteers and plenty of tools were loaded onto the “Buddy” workboat on Saturday morning and with a short trip to site, work was soon underway again. This time the upstream connecting steps were cleared and surfaced with crushed concrete, shuttering was formed so that the missing coping stones could be replaced with in-situ concrete “look-a-likes”, and the towpath concreting was completed in a similar manner to the earlier weekend.

“Dredger” had to be moved from her under bridge mooring once on Sunday to allow “The

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Iron Duke”, a wide beam traditional boat to pass on her way down to Heybridge Basin for locking out. The several canoes that arrived either squeezed past her or were portaged around.

The good turn out from London WRG with over 20 volunteers meant that vegetation management (AKA Scrub-bashing by some) was undertaken between Wave Bridge and Hall Bridge. This received an enthusiastic welcome from several of the adjoining residents as well as many of the numerous towpath users. We were told that the Navigation towpath was always managed in such a manner and it was good to see this practice returning. In appreciation, one resident from nearby presented the volunteers with a pair of shears that she thought would be a useful addition to the tool kit.

Because of the built-up surroundings in this area, it was not possible to have the usual bonfires. “Dredger” was therefore fully laden with vegetation for its trip back to Heybridge Basin. Several of the volunteers still had the energy to walk back to the Haybay accommodation whilst the remainder travelled back on “Buddy”.

Successfully completed this is another project that, like rebuilding Hall Bridge, has featured in “Essex Works”, an on-line Essex County Council publication which illustrates volunteer work in Essex. http://www.essex.gov.uk/prow search “Using Public Rights of Way” page.

Roy Chandler

Essex WRG

Essex WRG has had two 'digs' since last November. In November we were working on our local waterway - the Chelmer and Blackwater, at Wave Bridge in Heybridge. Our first job was to reinstate the steps down to the towpath. We started by clearing the vegetation that had grown around where the steps used to be.

Then we fixed wooden formers for the new steps, and back filled these with crushed concrete. Subsequently this was compacted with the 'Wacker Plate'

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Whilst some of us were working on the steps, others were raising the towpath under the bridge. The problem here was that although the coping stones had remained at the original height, the towpath behind had sunk. The result of that was that more often than not it was flooded. The Company barge was moored under the bridge with a generator and an electric concrete mixer, together with supplies of cement and ballast. Again we had to start by clearing the path - this time of mud debris and water, until we got to a firm surface. (Martin the Heybridge Lock Keeper had been asked to keep the pound several inches lower than normal to stop the water flooding it again). Then the crew on the barge started to mix concrete, which was then put on the path and tamped down. This carried on until nearly dusk. We then returned to our accommodation the Haybay barge owned by the London Borough of Newham, moored just over the sea wall at Heybridge Basin, where we had a typically large evening meal. This was followed by a discussion about our future programmed - the dates and the restoration schemes we wanted to visit in 2012. Next morning we returned to site on the workboat 'Buddy' and started again. Unfortunately, it became apparent that we would soon run out of materials, so I had to return to the Basin, get my car and the Company trailer and go to Wickes in Maldon to purchase more cement and ballast. I

returned with this just before they finally ran out. By mid afternoon the materials had again run out, and we had run out of energy, so it was back to the accommodation again to pack our belongings and tidy the boat. It was a bit annoying to have to leave the job unfinished, but London WRG were coming two weeks later and they completed it.

Our December 'dig' was at Foxton on the Leicester branch of the Grand Union where we had to cut back vegetation encroaching on the towpath and footpath and generally clear up. This was a BW site - so we were working under their rules. These said no mechanical equipment and wear life jackets when we were working within three metres of water (even if the water was only an inch or two deep!). Given a strimmer and hedge trimmer we could have down the work in less than half the time. The other problem was that due to a mix-up our normal hall in Foxton was not available so we were accommodated in a hall some ten miles away (further aggravated by the fact that a direct route was closed because of road works). The hall was small, but adequate. Our cooks worked their usual magic and produced a sumptuous Christmas meal - mulled wine, turkey with all the trimmings and Christmas pud. Our big problem is, and always has been, lack of number. If anyone is interested in joining us (if only occasionally) or wants further information, please ring me on 01376 334896

John Gale

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North Quay, Heybridge Basin

The major project for 2011 on The Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation was the piling of the remainder of the north quay at Heybridge Basin. The Navigation here is higher than much of the adjoining village and the bank was known to be leaking, and residents regularly reminded us of this. The quayside was irregular consisting of various sections of undermined concrete, eroded timber and clay. The quay had also silted up leaving inadequate depth in some places for moorings and the whole edge was user-unfriendly.

New steel piling was therefore proposed and this would need to be installed during the winter when the basin was less busy with visiting boats. The work had also to be programmed to fit the specialist contractor’s busy programme and it therefore did not start until the end of November. The piles were 9 metres long and a 50-metre length was to be piled.

This and the new timber capping were completed before Christmas.

The next stage will involve the installation of new shore-power and water services, mooring bollards, quayside edge treatment and resurfacing the parking area. Essex Waterways own staff and volunteers in the New Year will carry out these works.

Roy Chandler

Lock Landing Project

Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation

The July 2011 edition of the Chelmsford Branch Newsletter reported on the Lock Landings Project on the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation and confirmed that all the lock landing stages had been completed with the exception of Rushes Lock, which was underway at that time. The towpath landing stages at Rushes Lock were originally formed with corrugated iron and timber bank retention and this had corroded to an extent that holes would suddenly appear in the bank.

Both the upper and lower towpath landing stages have now been reformed with steel sheet piles with timber capping.

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The lower stage has been extended so as to allow for a full-length narrow boat to moor and a lower section has been added to facilitate canoe landing at this location, which is popular with the educational and outdoor groups that use the Navigation.

The piling to the island bank below the lock was so eroded and overgrown that landing was not possible. This has also been re-piled so as to form a new landing stage.

The completion of the work here completes the Lock Landings Project and Essex Waterways is grateful to the Essex County Council’s Community Initiatives Fund for funding assistance with these improvements.

We have been asked to install additional timber stages above Barnes Lock, Little Baddow Lock and Ricketts Lock to improve landing for the longer narrow boats and we plan to seek the necessary consents for these.

Roy Chandler

Waterways Recovery Group Canal Camp

The second WRG week long canal camp of 2011 on the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation took place at the end of October using the Haybay barge at Heybridge Basin as the accommodation. The Haybay is a favourite with visiting groups as its cabins and bunk beds are a pleasant change to sleeping on the floor of a village hall. The location on the tidal River Blackwater also offers some super sunrises and sunsets.

The task for the week was to be vegetation management between Hoe Mill lock and Beeleigh lock. We had received several reports throughout the season that overhanging branches were narrowing the river channel and impeding navigation, especially when boats had to pass. There are numerous photographic records of the Navigation in its days of commercial use and well beyond this that show the previous careful management of the towpath and banks. The towpath had to be of adequate width for a horse and bargee and the adjoining bank free from trees and shrubs to avoid snagging the towline.

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Vegetation management was therefore an essential part of maintaining the waterway and part of its historic character.

During the final years of operation by the original Navigation Company this maintenance was neglected and some sections of the towpath had become very overgrown creating a potential risk to bank stability and poor habitat for wildlife.

Between 15 and 20 volunteers usually attend canal camps and ages range from 18 to 70.This one was no different, but it was very pleasing to find many attending that had worked on the Chelmer &Blackwater previously and had come back for more! One of the new volunteers was on holiday from Germany. Michael, Essex Waterways Lengthsman, and Bob Crow, Essex WRG volunteer joined the group to provide chainsaw expertise.

EWL’s workboats were used throughout the week with “Dredger” proving very useful when felling large dead trees overhanging the navigation and for transporting logs, “Buddy” providing a firm floating working platform for branch removal and the Hoe Mill Raider (freshly painted) doing the running around.

Towpath clearance moved apace and the boats and crews busied about removing overhanging branches and some much larger dead and dangerous trees.

The whole group seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves whilst providing some very hard work. Before the end of the week, Sugar Bakers was reached and the main problem area had been dealt with.

For the final working day of the camp a move was made down to Beeleigh and similar work was undertaken here.

Throughout the week the group received many favourable comments about their work from users of the towpath.

2012 will see four WRG canal camps on the Navigation and the first during February will continue vegetation management. It is already fully booked!

Roy Chandler

Closure of Hertford Union For those of you who own or use a boat on the river Lee the announcement by British Waterways that a decision has been taken to close the Hertford Union and Commercial Road Lock, from 3rd July to 10th September 2012, must be very disappointing.

British Waterways will be fixing physical barriers to prevent unauthorised boats getting access to the Olympic park area by these routes.

British Waterways claim that in discussion with the security services they were able to secure a twice-daily passage from the River

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Lee via Limehouse onto the Thames, which means that all their customers in the London area will be able to access the national network. They don’t mention that without this “concession” they would have been unable to move boats onto the pre-paid Olympic moorings on the Lee. Nor do they mention that if your boat is over 45 foot long you need a VHF radio to travel along the tideway.

Sudoku Just for fun Fill in grid so that each row, column and 3 x 3 block contains the numbers 9ne to nine (1 – 9)

5 7 2 8 6

1

1 2 9 3 7

6 5 1 7 2 9 8

8

3 4

8 6

7 6 8 3

2 6 5 4 8

STOP PRESS Doug Bread

We are very saddened to report the death of Doug Beard on 23rd January following a recent diagnosis of liver cancer. A former IWA Trustee, Regional Chair, Branch Committee member and Director of Essex Waterways, his input to our waterways will always be appreciated.

Mags For Grabs

We have been given copies of “Waterways World” for fund raising and are prepared any reasonable offer for all or part of the collection. It consists of 1991-97 complete year’s editions, 1998 (missing November) 1982 February only, 1990 September only, July 1978, Feb 1982 and Oct 1982 Canal & Riverboat. If you are interested please e-mail:- Chelmsford.news@waterways.org.uk or call the editor.

Residential Caretaker Vacancies

Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation

Essex Waterways has four main mooring locations on the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation. These are at Heybridge Basin, Hoe Mill Ulting, Paper Mill Little Baddow and Sandford Springfield. Two part time Residential Caretakers are employed at each site to carry out grounds maintenance, provide security and look after the waterway. Residential moorings are provided for the caretaker’s own boats. There are currently three vacancies for Residential Caretakers on the Navigation and any serious interest in these positions or future vacancies should be registered with the Navigation Manager, Colin Edmond (07966 375351) or colin.edmond@waterways.org.uk There are further details on the web site: www.essexwaterways.com

PLACE

COFFEE CUP

HERE

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Social Scene

9 February 2012

Travels with My Canoe

By Roger Wilkinson

Roger Wilkinson is a member of N.E. London Branch and this is his first visit to us. His canoe travels might come as a change from narrow boating.

17 February 2012 Fish and Chip Supper

Do not forget to book your place at the fish supper. It will be on Friday, l7th February, at 7.00 for 7.30 pm, in the upstairs function room of The Old Ship, beside the lock at Heybridge Basin. We have to give the food orders to the landlady in good time, so please let me have your forms and money (cheques payable to IWA Chelmsford Branch) by the end of January.

At the end of this Newsletter you will find a booking and food selection form to complete and return to me at my address (on the bottom of the form). The forms will be returned to you on the evening, so that there is no confusion about your order. I shall look forward to seeing a lot of you there for a good evening out, at a time of year that is often otherwise pretty gloomy.

18 February 2012 Lunch Time Concert

The report on the Wave Bridge, Heybridge mentions a kind resident who donated a pair of shears to the volunteers whilst they were at this site.

Roy Chandler has since received a phone call from this lady because she arranges regular concerts in Maldon and she would like to hold the next one for the benefit of Essex Waterways work on the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation.

A professional pianist has donated her services and will play Beethoven, Mozart and Liszt.

This is a new and generous venture where donations will benefit the Navigation, please come along and support it.

LUNCH TIME PIANO CONCERT

Saturday 18th February

MALDON UNITED REFORM CHURCH

Market Hill

12.30hrs Refreshments

Concert 13.00 – 14.00hrs

8 March 2012 AGM

Nomination forms for committee members will be in the next newsletter. Please don’t forget that we hope to have a discussion at the end of the AGM, about the future of the Branch. It is still very early days but, with my Chairman’s hat on, I am really hoping for some fresh new ideas to come to the surface. It is likely, also, that we will have some new faces on the Committee by then so it should be an interesting evening.

12 April 2012

My Early Days in Barging

By Jimmy Laurence Jimmy Laurence is a new speaker on our circuit, from Brightlingsea, and comes recommended by Colin Edmund, the Essex Waterways Navigation Manager. He is used to larger audiences than we can accommodate at Moulsham Mill but I’m sure the welcome you give him will be just as great

Some Words of Thanks I thought the Christmas social was a most pleasant occasion and I hope that those of you who were there enjoyed it as much. I particularly want to thank Stephanie for her hard work on the evening, Chris and Barbara, who did a lot of the washing -up afterwards and Sylvia, for her splendid Christmas cake, cut into very generous slices.

Molly Beard

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TWO-COURSE FISH SUPPER THE OLD SHIP, HEYBRIDGE BASIN

Friday, 17th February, 2012, 7.00pm for 7.30pm

BOOKING FORM

Name (print)

Address (print)

Phone

Please reserve …..….places for me at £16.00 per head,

I enclose cheque/p.o/ cash* to the value of £………

**********************************************************************************

MENU Tick a main course and either a starter or a desert for each person

Starter Soup

Ardennes Pate

*****

Mains:

Cod

Plaice

Haddock

With chips or new potatoes and peas

Beef & Ale Pie

*****

Apple Pie Desert With cream or ice cream: Chocolate

Fudge Cake

***** Tea or coffee to follow

Please Return the whole form to John Gale, 24 Longleaf Drive, Braintree Essex CM7 1XS, Or at a social meeting

* Delete as appropriate