News from Elsewhere

David Smallshaw, who represents the local IWA on our Executive, has trawled through IWA's monthly Bulletin for items on restoration projects under way in the country. We start withnews of those close to home below, with historic pictures. Then follow are short notes on progress on projects further afield, giving an idea of how many restorations are in the pipeline.

Bridgewater Canal - Runcorn Locks

Proposals to restore Runcorn Locks at the western extremity of the Bridgewater Canal have been under consideration for a number of years and are, in principle, supported by Halton Borough Council. However, because of issues associated with the current road layout of the approaches to the existing 'Silver Jubilee' bridge, progress with the proposed restoration is unlikely to go ahead until construction works starts on a replacement Runcorn to Widnes Bridge across the Mersey.

This proposed new bridge has also been the subject of plans for a number of years, but the traffic congestion now caused by the existing bridge has led to the issue becoming urgent, and construction could start in 2004, with the new bridge being open by 2007. An Internet site detailing the issues and providing some backgrounds notes on navigation on the Mersey is now on line at www.merseycrossing.co.uk.

IWA's Chester and District Branch is in discussion with Halton Borough Council about restoring the locks and a local society to specifically promote the restoration work is likely to be set up in the next few months.

From our own collection of the photographs taken by the Warrington-born artist Oswald Garside which Warrington Museum holds, is this view of the narrow boat BENEFACTOR on its way up the Runcorn locks early in the 20th Century. Garside took photos as an alternative to detailed sketching of scenes he might do paintings of.

Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal

At its Annual Meeting, British Waterways reported that a thorough investigation into the restoration of the Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal costing £500,000, of which £350,000 came from the North West Regional Development Agency, had indicated that the work could be completed for under £36 million. The restoration of the canal, short though it is, would be likely to create 10,000 jobs compared with 6,000 jobs being created as a result of the restoration of the Rochdale Canal and 2,000 jobs resulting from the restoration of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

From the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal Society's website (www.mbbcanal.demon.co.uk) is taken this view of barges above Prestolee Locks. The Chair of the Society, Margaret Fletcher, will be giving a talk on the progress there has been towards restoration since it was announced that British Waterways were backing it as a priority scheme. We hope to learn lessons for the Sankey.

Lancaster Canal

Plans to restore the Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal have been boosted with an immediate pledge of £250,000 funds from South Lakeland District Council, with matched funding next year.

Natland Mill Beck is a key site in the next significant stage of restoration work. The bridge is to be strengthened by Cumbria County Council as part of its countywide safety programme. Kendal Civic Society has also offered a grant of £25,000 to refurbish the bridge parapet and its set of historic stone steps.

British Waterways has appointed a Project Manager, Tania Snelgrove, to help further work on the Northern Reaches.

From an independent website (www.yobunny.org.uk/canalcaholic/northward.htm) is taken this view of the entrance to Hincaster Tunnel on the Lancaster Canal. The snowball effect of British Waterway's Regional Director, Derek Cochrane expressing publicly BW's support for restoring the Northern Reaches of the Canal may be seen from the IWA Bulletin report. Our region has seen dramatic restorations already - there are more to come - including the Sankey, of course.

Cotswold Canals

A reception hosted by the Prince of Wales at his Gloucestershire home, Highgrove, in May, marked the launch of The Waterways Trust's 'Cotswold Canals Appeal', which invites members of the public to back restoration of the Cotswold Canals.

The Cotswold Canals Partnership, which includes BW, The Waterways Trust, IWA, Cotswold Canals Trust and local public bodies, hopes that the Appeal will raise £750,000 towards the cost of restoring the waterways.

British Waterways, on behalf of the Cotswold Canals Partnership, submitted a bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund for a grant towards the first phase of the restoration the Cotswold Canals, at the end of June.

Shrewsbury & Newport Canal

IWA has assisted the Shrewsbury & Newport Canal Trust in the specification of a feasibility study to investigate restoration of the Shrewsbury & Newport canals. The Trust has commissioned consulting engineers W S Atkins to carry out a feasibility study for the restoration of the total length of the former canals. The contract is worth about £20,000 of which £7,500 was provided by a grant from IWA.

Wendover Arm

Wendover Arm Trust attracted about 14,000 visitors to its annual festival near Tring in May, further promoting its aims to restore the Wendover Arm.

Bedford & Milton Keynes Waterway: The Bedford & Milton Keynes Waterways Partnership continues to seek funds for development studies for the project and has had some successes. The Environment Body for Bedfordshire has offered a grant of £25,000 from Landfill Tax Credit Scheme funds and the East of England Development Agency has offered a further £50,000. A bid is being made to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for support from the Sustainable Communities programme.

Once the Bedford to Milton Keynes Waterway is complete, broad craft will be able to reach the Grand Union Canal and other southern waterways.

Fens Waterway Link

IWA has contributed £2,000 towards an implementation plan to construct The Fens Waterways Link. The aim is to develop a new navigation link in the Fens for broad beam craft, connecting Boston, Lincolnshire with the Great Ouse in Cambridgeshire. It will enable most inland waterway boats to travel between the northern waterways, via the Trent, Fossdyke and Witham navigations, and the Nene, which in turn connects with the Great Ouse and the Middle Level.

Sleaford Navigation

IWA has made a grant of £2,000 to Sleaford Navigation Trust towards the purchase of the bed of the river Slea from Bone Mill Lock to Carre Street, in Sleaford. The total cost of the land being purchased is about £7,600, of which over £5,000 has already been raised by local public appeals. Ownership of the land will strengthen the Trust's application to the Heritage Lottery Fund to restore Cogglesford Lock, a listed structure.

The Trust has been working to restore the waterway for over twenty years, has restored two locks and opened up the lower half of the waterway to visiting craft.

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