INLAND

WATERWAYS

ASSOCIATION SOUTH YORKSHIRE

AND THE

DUKERIES BRANCH

ISSUE 20

NOVEMBER 2014

Temporary cover

2

2

CONTENTS

Branch Chairman’s Chat…………………...4

Announcements……………………………..5

New members……………………………….6

Word Search………………………………...7

From The Archives………………………….8

Eckington School Boat……………………..10

Branch Social Evening……..……...……….12

Chesterfield Canal Santa Specials………..13

Humber Keel “Daybreak”………..… …….14

Keels and Cuckoos is published on behalf of the

SOUTH YORKSHIRE AND THE DUKERIES BRANCH

of the

INLAND WATERWAYS ASSOCIATION

By

M H Fielding 1 Vicarage Way, Arksey, Doncaster, DN5 0TG

Printed by Colour Image, Loudwater

Views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the IWA or of

The South Yorkshire and the Dukeries branch committee, but are published out

of interest to members and other readers.

The Inland Waterways Association

Island House, Moor Road, Chesham HP5 1WA

A non-profit distribution company limited by guarantee (No612245)

Registered as a Charity (No 212342)

3

3

The Branch Committee

would like to wish

everyone

A MERRY CHRISTMAS

and a

VERY HAPPY

2015

4

4

BRANCH CHAIRMANS CHAT

I write these thoughts before the October Social at the Red Lion, Todwick

but you will read them after the event. I can’t make any comment except to ex-

press the hope that those of you who came enjoyed the evening and those of

you who did not are now regretting it.

I ought to be wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year but that

feels inappropriate as I am writing this in the first week of October.

At the last committee meeting we discussed the branch AGM (All Gone Miss-

ing?) all too often the AGM is the meeting to avoid. By attending you may end up

with a job on the committee. Within our branch there maybe another Robert Ai-

kman, another David Hutchins or another Tom Rolt. These giants of the IWA

were once not involved with the association at all but now their names will live

forever in waterway circles. Happily for us all and the British inland waterways

these three and many hundreds since, have accepted the challenge and have

done their bit for the waterways.

Committee work need not be all tiresome meetings in smoke filled rooms. Often

the best work is done quietly at home, sometimes on-line, possibly on the tow-

path, maybe just talking to people . Low pressure communication can be a very

effective way to get our message across.

Waterway supporters cannot be stereotyped so you could be just the person

that would fit comfortably into the current committee. If you want to find out how

little a contribution would be enough and what skills the branch needs do please

call me on 01777 704224 or e-mail me at dawsondavida@yahoo.com for a

chat.

In 1963, aged 18, I made one such call, I was co-opted onto the North-East Mid-

lands Branch committee, made very welcome by people old enough (almost) to

be my grandparents, and asked to become the youth officer for the branch. This

resulted in trips through Standedge Tunnel, into Butterley Tunnel and through

Dudley Tunnel. Being on the committee gave status to this Sheffield raised

school boy! I have been involved ever since, met some great people and been

to interesting places.

If you want to see the system grow, to see the EA waterways handed to C&RT,

see the Rother Link built, the Chesterfield restored, to see the tow-paths im-

proved, boat owning costs contained, but above all if you have any feelings for

our wonderful waterways, just think for a moment, not what IWA does for you,

5

5

but what you could do for IWA. Where waterway restoration is concerned, a million tea-

spoons will shift more mud than one man with a shovel.

So please bring your teaspoons to the AGM (date and venue to be confirmed in the next

K&C) the man with the shovel is tiring and needs you.

David Dawson...South Yorkshire and the Dukeries Branch Chairman.

AN APOLOGY

I need to apologise to our readers for mistakes that occurred in the last issue. This was

due to many last minute changes having to be made due to various changes outside our

control and my eagerness to try sticking to publication dates. This edition is late because

we have decided to alter publication dates to try to take into account fixed event dates,

this means I can publish events nearer to their occurrence dates. I am afraid that this

edition has to be published in a temporary format because hackers have got into my com-

puter and it has had to have a new motherboard fitted consequently I lost all of the origi-

nal copy which was within three words of completion and being sent to the printer.

BRANCH AREA WINTER STOPPAGES

The Canal and River Trust have announced a winter stoppage on the Sheffield & Tinsley

Canal. From Monday February 12th until Friday 27th February 2015. The stoppage is to

allow safety work and lock gate replacement, on locks5 and 6 with complete dewatering

from lock 4 to 7. There is to be an open day on February 8th from 09.30 am until

03.30pm when the general public can enter the lock and inspect the works. On the Ches-

terfield Canal, West Stockwith Lock will be open on the 1st and 2nd of November and will

then be closed for the rest of the month and is due to reopen on the 2nd December 2014.

BRANCH AGM

We have decided to move the Branch Annual General Meeting to a new date this being

the social evening of May 20th 2015. We need to look at a venue but this will not be pos-

sible until after the next committee meeting in November where a decision will be made.

The agenda and location will be published in the next issue of this magazine.

DID YOU KNOW

The Selby Canal was built in1774 by the Aire and Calder Navigation Company to head off

another proposal for a twenty three mile canal linking Leeds directly to

6

6

NEW MEMBERS

We would like to welcome the following new members to the branch.

You are most welcome

Mr P Drake of Sheffield

Mrs S Robinson and Family

Mrs M Peat of Sheffield

Mr L Broughton & Miss R Jennings of Sheffield

Mr & Mrs Hewitt of Sheffield

Mr B Howson of Rotherham

Dr & Mrs D Scott of Rotherham

Mr J Thomas of Barnsley

AUTUMN CLEAN UP

SUNDAY 26TH October saw our biannual clean up take place. Again this

was based on the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal working towards Rother-

ham. IWA, Abbeydale Rotary Club, Tinsley Boat Club and Adsetts Canal

Project took part all supervised by Dave Walker of the Canal and River

Trust. This time we had thirty six participants in all and about sixty six

bags of rubbish was collected. As there is to be a major stoppage on the

canal in January/February 2015 we targeted the area where much of the

work is to take place, this was to give a clear-ish path for the work team

to determine where to locate a roadway that will have to be constructed

to enable machinery access to the site. The canal is to be completely de-

watered between locks three to seven during the works. As usual pie and

peas was served to participants after the event. We will be back in March

2015 when hopefully we may not have as much rubbish to clear away.

Malcolm Fielding

7

7

WORD SEARCH

In the grid below are the names of fifteen Canal Arms or Branches. All are single words. They can be written forwards, backwards, vertically, horizontally or diagonally. The answers can be found at the foot of the page.

S T O U R B R I D G E A D

P O E F A O S T U R S T V

R Y F E N S B D F U T R W

I R M U O H E P T F E C A

N U G J S B W E L F O R D

G B A D S O U Q R N M C R

S S F E A I D U S P J D E

U E P R L L A S L A W E V

S L O U G H I J K N P N O

A Y B Y S D E W S F D I D

G A E R E M S E L L E G N

N N O T G N I D D A P N E

N O T P M A H T R O N E W

ANSWERS

Northampton Stourbridge Ellesmere Paddington Wendover

Aylesbury Boshboil Glasson Welford Springs Engine

Walsall Prees Fens Slough

8

8

FROM THE ARCHIVE

The following article is taken from material found in the old offices of the Shef-

field and South Yorkshire Navigation in Sheffield basin, after nationalisation it

became the DAIWE (Docks and Inland Waterways Executive) North Eastern

offices in Sheffield.

Log of the “Cressy” Hurleston to Ellesmere and Return,1947

July 8th

Weather overcast but fine and still. Left moorings at 6 a.m. Little weed, but trav-

elled very slowly on account of lack of water, dragging the bottom and stirring

up mud all the way (1m 2f) to junction with the Whitchurch Arm, now quite over-

grown. Accommodation drawbridge here lacking pull-up chain, but hooked up

quite easily with boathook. For the next half mile the going improved until we

reached the next accommodation drawbridge where we struck another patch of

dense weed. We struggled through this assisting engine by shafting and with

many stops to clear propeller until we reached a second drawbridge where we

stopped for breakfast while a heavy shower blew over. We then continued, trav-

elling still extremely bad, until we approached the fixed bridge by Blackoe cot-

tages. Here we ran aground on a bad scour of silt from an incoming stream

which stretched right across the channel. We stopped engine and rigged pulley

block on fore end. We secured fixed end of line to a mooring spike driven in on

the outside beside bridge-hole, and then hauled on towing path assisted by an

old Irishman who came out of the neighbouring cottage. By this means she

came over the scour quite readily. Re-started engine in bridge-hole and contin-

ued. Canal weedy and very little water under but we were now able to continue

under power without manual assistance but with occasional stops to clear pro-

peller when reversals failed to throw off the weed. Stopped for lunch in bridge-

hole close to railway (G.W.R. ex Cambrian section Ellesmere-Whitchurch line).

Continued after lunch in the same slow but steady fashion, passed under and

lost sight of railway and eventually reached minor road drawbridge at Brickwalls.

A squally wind looked as if it might be troublesome here so my wife remained

ashore with a bow line. Though the wind did not catch us after all, occasional

bow-hauling assistance helped over scours caused by land drains running down

the slopes of the cutting approaching Platt Lane.

Stopped for tea at Platt Lane which is a hamlet with wharf and small general

shop. Met and photographed gypsies encamped in green road just beside ca-

nal. Bright sunshine, wind moderating and dead ahead so decided to continue.

9

9

•Travelling better and less weedy on straight length to Marl Allotment bridge. At

this point we passed on to the peat bogs of Whixall and Fen’s Mosses. Across

the bog the canal is wide, deep and completely weed-free. In spite of the level

being 9” low we could not wish foe better travelling. We skimmed across the

bog at a fine pace, most exhilarating after our previous struggles, soon passing

Moss Farm drawbridge, and the unction with the old Prees Branch (deep and

open as far as we could see) at Whixall Moss Roving Bridge. This is very lonely

country and very fascinating. The great expanse of peat stretching away to-

wards the distant blue mountains of Wales reminded us of our crossing of the

Bog of Allen by the Grand Canal of Ireland.

Where the canal left the Moss it narrowed again and the draft more restricted. It

was still weed-free however, and we travelled on steadily to Bettisfield

(Flintshire) where we moored for the night just beyond the wharf at 7.15 p.m.

After dinner we waked round the queer little village and had a drink at “The Nags

Head ”Miles 8m 4f from Hurleston 20m 7f

July 9th

Weather fine and bright but breezy. Left Bettisfield at 9.30a.m. Not much water

under, but we just cleared bottom. No weeds so travelled slowly but steadily.

Crossed a fine embankment approaching Hampton Bank. Beyond this place we

crossed Balmer Heath, a short tract of boggy heath where water was again

deeper. This is a wild and beautiful country of remote small farms. Shortly after

clearing Balmer Heath we struck a short length of weed but managed to drive

through it without manual assistance until we turned into weeds besides Cole-

mere where, owing to the trees overhead, all weed growth ceased. This length

of canal besides Colemere is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen, and we

stopped to explore the lake and to have a protracted lunch in a sunny sheltered

place by the lake side. Eventually we continued past Blake Mere to the short

Ellesmere Tunnel (towing path through), our surroundings still most beautiful.

Just past the tunnel the canal emerged from the trees and weed became so bad

that bow hauling and shafting had to be resorted to for the last half-mile to Elles-

mere, Junction with the short Ellesmere Arm. Here we moored up beside Beech

House, once the headquarters of the old Ellesmere Canal Company . found

Heron moored up outside the canal workshops just round the turn, her owner

having left here (her ed.) t here. We found that the weed beyond this point was

so dense that without a horse it would be impossible for us, with so large and

heavy a boat, to travel any further.

Miles 4m 6f From Hurleston 25m 5f

10

10

ECKINGTON SCHOOL BOAT NAMING CEREMONY

Mr Patrick Cummings, the Headmaster, officially named the Eckington School

boat on Sunday 28th September. It is called Madeline. This is in memory

of Madeline Siddall, a student at the school who died suddenly from an

undiagnosed heart condition at the age of 15. The simple ceremony, held

at Hollingwood Hub, was attended by members of Madeline's family, staff

and students from the school and members of the Chesterfield Canal

Trust.

Fours years ago the school made the decision to buy the shell of ma 40’

steel narrow boat and took delivery in October 2011. Over the course of

the following 2.5 years a dedicated team of students and staff from the

school has fitted out the boat completely. The work has included every-

thing from the engine to the seats, the kitchen area to the toilet. The ver-

dict of all those who have seen the finished article is that the standard is

fantastically high. During the early months of 2014, several members of

staff and some students were trained to be skippers by Chesterfield Ca-

nal Trust members.

Madeline was finally put into the water at Staveley Town basin on the

Chesterfield Canal on 26th June in time for the Chesterfield canal Festi-

val, where it was inspected and admired by members of the public.

Since then the school has made much use of Madeline , firstly on an Ac-

tivities Week and subsequently for familiarisation cruises. A full course of

Science work bases around the boat is currently being written. Madeline

will soon be used by Eckington feeder schools.

Madeline is used by CCT to run trips from Hollingwood Hub on Satur-

days. Originally only scheduled to run in the summer holidays, they have

proved very popular, so the season has been extended until the end of

October. They will restart in April. All takings are split equally between

the school and the Trust. Rod Augton CCT

11

11

Madeline

naming

ceremony

Mr Cummings

thanks everyone

who has worked

so hard on the

boat

Mr Cummings cut the

ribbon declaring the

boat ready for use

12

12

BRANCH SOCIAL EVENING

On Wednesday 15th October the branch, at the instigation of Chairman,

David Dawson, started a new season of social events. Held at the Red

Lion Inn, Todwick, David hosted an evening of very old cine film and pho-

tos highlighting the David Hutchins led restoration of the Southern Strat-

ford Canal and the Retford and Worksop Boat Club’s acquisition of the

Narrow Boat “Nelson” to act as a club House for the burgeoning boat

club. Present at the evening was a very old friend of the branch John

Nuttall (ex BW, S&SYN & Chesterfield Canal Manager), Richard Ather-

ton, Martin Dawson, Richard Allsopp and of course David Dawson who

had all worked on the Southern Stratford, Richard Atherton and David

Dawson were in the crew that brought the butty Nelson onto the Chester-

field Canal.

The event got off to a hectic start as it was found when setting up the

computer would not talk to the projector therefore David had to rush back

home to try and procure the correct leads. In the meantime Robin Stone-

bridge, Chairman of the Chesterfield Canal Trust, gave the meeting a

rundown on the latest developments Chesterfield canal restoration and

HS2 developments. His main revelation was that the planning team at

HS2 had not even known there is a canal under restoration in the

Staveley area of Derbyshire, they had not even looked at Google Earth

which, as most people know, shows, everything in a given area. Finally

when David arrived back he and Robin Stonebridge did Sterling job get-

ting the computer to work.

We were treated to some old photographs about the Southern Stratford

and a few humorous memories. The thing that stuck out more than any-

thing was the total lack of safety equipment and the risks people took to

complete this restoration. No hard hats, high visibility jackets, guard rails

and most of all nobody stood with a mobile phone clamped to their ear.

The film showed how things have drastically changed especially with a

competition where people were jumping from a ,boat onto a row boat and

then scrambling back onto the boat upon its return

13

13

Health & Safety

What

Health & safety

Nelson on the Chesterfield Canal

Cliff Clarke

SANTA TRIPS ON THE CHESTERFIELD CANAL

Santa Special cruisers will be running again on the Chesterfield Canal

from five locations. There will be a present for every child with a mince

pie and drink for the adults. The cost will be £^.00 per person. The boats

will run from:-

CHESTERFIELD Tapton Lock Saturday & Sunday Nov to 22nd Dec.

RETFORD Hope Pole Pub Saturday & Sunday Nov to 21 Dec.

WORKSOP Saturday & Sunday Dec 6th & 7th from Laura’s Coffee Shop

HOLLINGWOOD HUB Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 22nd,

23rd and 24th Dec

All trips are run by The Chesterfield Canal Trust

14

14

HUMBER KEEL “DAYBREAK”

Earlier last month I received an email from Tony and Sally Woodward

regarding their Humber Keel “Daybreak”. The vessel was built at Richard

Dunstan’s in Thorne 80 years ago for the Doncaster flour millers Thomas

Handley and Sons, whose mill was located adjacent to the old BW offic-

es in Greyfriars Road, Doncaster. She was the last vessel to be built in

the UK to carry cargo purely under sail. She worked between Hull and

Doncaster all her working life. She was bought by Doncaster born skip-

per Tony Woodward and his wife Sally in 1979and has since been gradu-

ally converted to a houseboat and has gained an engine with the former

grain store converted to bedrooms. She cruises mostly on the River

Thames and is based at Staines-upon –Thames in Surrey. She is under-

taking a voyage from her home mooring picking up a token load of grain

in Hull and taking it to The mill site at Doncaster.

During the cruise from the Thames to the Humber Tony and Sally have

called in at various festivals and events en-route reminding people of the

vessels working heritage. In this day and age it is unrealistic to expect a

vessel like this to be solely propelled by sail thus the engine.

From 1937 she and her sister ship “Danum” would be towed onto the

River Humber by Handley’s Pride, their first motor vessel and they would

them make their way to Doncaster under sail. In 1939 she along with

many other Humber Keels was fitted with a Lister JP2 diesel engine and

the sailing gear was removed. This engine was fitted into the hold space

thus preserving the traditional cabin . Handley’s Mill was subsequently

taken over by Ranks and was closed in 1969followed by the Mexborough

mill a few months later, the remaining mill at Rotherham ceased receiving

grain by water in 1977.

Bought by Tony and Sally in 1979, work was started to restore her to her

original condition, started by obtaining a new mast. This pole, found in a

farmers field and donated by him, before it became firewood. The pole

was the right length but had to be re-machined to make it the right diam-

eter. Over the years other original sailing gear was collected as it be-

came available but winches had to be fabricated. “Daybreak has call ed

at Keadby, Thorne and Doncaster , we wish her a safe homeward cruise.

15

15

Daybreak leaving Barnby Dun

Daybreak approaching and entering Long Sandall Lock

Daybreak adjacent to

Hanley’s Mill site

Owners

Tony and sally Woodward

16

16

BRANCH OFFICERES

CHAIRMAN

David Dawson, 21 Smeath Lane, Clarborough, Retford, DN22 9JU

Tel 01777 803918 email dawsondavida@yahoo.com Mobile 07501 803918

VICE CHAIRMAN & PLANNING OFFICER

Colin Crofts, Staddlestones, South Bramwith, Doncaster DN7 5SY

Tel 01302 841619 email cjcrofts@btinternet.com

TREASURER

Pat Davies 55 Rockcliffe Road Rawmarsh, Rotherham S62 6LX

Tel 01709 526725 email patdav54@gmail.com

SECREATRY & KEELS & CUCKOOS EDITOR

Malcolm Fielding, 1 Vicarage Way, Arksey, Doncaster, DN5 0TG

Tel 01302 873127 email roc3brn9roas1ark4@aim.com

MEMBERSHIP OFFICER

John Shaw, 72 Norton Lees Crescent, Sheffield, S8 8SR

Tel 0114 258 2535

PUBLICITY OFFICER

Dave Scott, 17 Bowshaw Road, Batemoor, Sheffield, S8 8EY

Tel 0114 237 5327 email acp2004naburn@hotmail.com

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Mavis Paul, 116 Sandygate Road, Sheffield, S10 5RZ

Tel 0114 268927 email mavis.brian_paul@btinternet.com Mobile 07725 464611

Helen Dawson as David Dawson

Mary crofts as Colin Crofts