Chiltern Grapevine

Past Issues,

Winter 2007/8
Contents

Chairmans Ramblings
Branch Donation to Wendover arm Trust
Recent Meetings
The Aylesbury story

Chairman's Ramblings 

Welcome the first edition of Grapevine in 2008. I hope that you had a good festive Christmas break. We were fortunate in being aboard NB Siesta for the Christmas week and most enjoyable it was too! From our base at Norbury Junction on the Shroppie we took a leisurely cruise north to the picturesque village Audlem where we moored for Christmas itself. The first day of the cruise was splendid with clear skies and a frozen canal. It’s amazing just how much noise you make as an ice-breaker!
Rather than ramble on in this issue, I thought this column would provide an ideal opportunity for me to share the thoughts of the committee on our meeting venue. As indicated in the last issue of Grapevine we have become increasingly aware that some of our members can no longer attend meetings due to the stairs and absence of disabled facilities. While the Market Hall is a magnificent and historic venue, these factors coupled with the lack of parking, inadequate heating and increasing costs led your committee to evaluate alternate venues that might be better suited to our needs.
In approaching this exercise, we felt that it was important that we stay within the immediate Amersham area and that any move should only be made on the basis that we could secure significantly improved facilities. As a result we made contact with over 20 locations; many could not offer the dates we wanted and others were unsuitable. Finally, we drew up a short-list of three venues which were inspected by the committee in January.
The outcome is that the committee recommends that with effect from September 2008 Branch meetings should be held at Amersham & Chiltern Rugby Club, which is up the hill just off Copperkins Lane.
This venue does indeed offer superior facilities for our meetings as shown in the pictures. These include an excellent properly heated room for up to 100 with integral presentation screen, access on the flat, adjacent parking for up to 200 cars, modern disabled facilities, a large kitchen and a full bar service. Furthermore, in the light of IWA’s charitable status the club has offered heavily discounted rates for use of the room.
We think this is a good move, but please let us know your views on this proposal, which is included as an agenda item for the Branch AGM.
Peter Winter

Back to Contents

Branch Donates £1,000 to Wendover Arm Trust

The Chiltern Branch has donated £1,000 to the Wendover Arm Trust. The award was made at the Branch’s Christmas meeting on 13th December in the Market Hall, Old Amersham.
The Branch supports numerous waterway projects but in deciding how available funds should be awarded this year, it was considered that priority should go to the Wendover Arm Trust whose own fund raising events had been devastated by the appalling summer weather especially over the weekend of the Tring Festival.
In presenting the cheque, Branch Chairman, Peter Winter said ‘The Chiltern Branch is a steadfast supporter of the Trust and this award is reflection of that commitment. We know that it will go to good use in helping the Trust with its restoration work.’ Ray Orth received the cheque on behalf of the Wendover Arm Trust.
The latest estimates for Phase II work show an increase in costs to £1.25M. This means that a further £469,000 will need to be raised.

Back to Contents

Recent Meetings

Waterways at War, George Flemming
Standing at the tiller and passing through Britain’s green and pleasant land, one’s thoughts rarely wander to warfare. To the pub for luncheon and a pint of Best perhaps. But not to conflict. George Flemming disabused us of such thoughtlessness with a most interesting presentation.
This wide ranging presentation explained how the canal systems of the UK and particularly of Europe have indeed, made sometimes significant contributions to the pursuit of hostilities. George noted the importance of canals as defensive barriers. The Royal Military Canal on the Kent and Sussex border was specifically built to halt any incursion by Napoleon. Not only did it provide a barrier, but defensive works along its banks made any attempt to cross it hazardous in the extreme. It also provided a means of quickly moving troops to locations along its length where reinforcement might be urgently needed.
In more modern times, the Kennet and Avon Canal was a designated stop line in the planning to contain a German invasion of Britain in World War II. Those that cruise its length will still see many surviving concrete pillboxes. In Europe after D Day, the canal networks in France, Holland and Belgium posed many heavily guarded barriers to the advancing allied forces.
Canals too, were vital in the transportation of war material and the wounded, especially during the First World War when both sides used the networks of northern France and western Germany. In the UK, munitions were frequently moved on the canal system in its early years. Indeed, an arsenal was established adjacent to, and connected to, the Grand Union for the storage and distribution of military stores.
George Flemming is a lively and knowledgeable speaker and the evening provided interesting insights into aspects such as the military purposes of the Panama and Suez canals. The meeting attracted several non-members and subsequently, a number of organisations have requested details about his lectures.

Reflections on Green and Silver, Gillian and Peter Bolt
Green and Silver is the title of L.T.C. Rolt’s second book on waterway wanderings. It describes his visit to, and cruise upon, the canals and rivers of Ireland just after World War II. Gillian and Peter were captivated by his writings and determined to follow in his footsteps. This they did and visited the Branch in January to describe their experiences. Clearly, the potential of this talk aroused much interest including several non- members to-boot. A turnout of almost 50 resulted, including (remarkably) two members of the IWAI who flew across from Ireland specifically for the event. Now that’s what we call enthusiasm! Nota bene any members that we don’t see very often at the Amersham meetings.
Gillian and Peter did not disappoint us. They entertained us with a novel and very professional ‘duet’, in which Gillian’s commentary was supplemented by Peter reading appropriate extracts from Green and Silver - selected to coincide with the Bolts’ own geographical and social experience. Much of their cruise was along the recently reopened Ballinamore - Ballyconnell Canal, now known as the Shannon - Erne Waterway. If their photographs are anything to go by, this route along the waterways and lakes of north western Ireland is one of enormous potential and delightful scenery. The presentation was much enhanced by recollections of the irrepressible Irish, their wit, their ‘craic’, but above all, the generous and fulsome hospitality which they accorded to Gillian and Peter. Not surprisingly, a number of those present were seriously persuaded of the potential delights of an Irish cruise - to the extent that the Programme Secretary suggested that Gillian might even be in the pay of the Irish Tourist Board. The Board would certainly have applauded the Bolts’ efforts. An altogether excellent evening.
Colin Bird

Back to Contents

The Aylesbury Story

I have been asked to write a few words about the Aylesbury Canal Society. At this time, I hope you don’t expect me to write about the long term future of the Aylesbury Canal Basin. I can only say, in answer to a frequently asked question, I don’t believe that there is any threat of it being filled in!
After some thought I believe it is necessary to start with the bigger picture as Aylesbury is different from many canal towns in the South East and the Arm differs from most in that there are 16 locks required to reach the town.
Aylesbury was also fairly unique in that it was a base for its own carrying fleet Harvey – Taylor, and the family still lives in the town. It is reported that commercial carrying to Aylesbury continued until 1970 although I cannot remember this happening.
In the early 60s maybe late 50s the Aylesbury Boat Company started trading with, moorings, boat sales (50 available in the early adverts), boat conversions and a hire fleet. Going north the next boatyard appears to have been Bletchley and the adverts suggest the nearest hire fleet was Braunston. Going South it appears you had to go beyond Watford. This made Aylesbury a major canal leisure centre in those early days. I do know that the Boat Company had an extraordinary lease which prohibited any other Boat Company from operating between Linslade and Cowroast.
Up to the end of the 60s the Grand Union was in a much better state than today (except for dredging near the banks) – a trip, with crew, from Rickmansworth to Aylesbury could take as little of 12hrs. The locks took 4 minutes or 10 minutes if you had to reverse them. The British Waterways Board (BWB) was also on the ball. When I first brought my boat Kalamaki down from Hawkesbury Junction in November 1968 my passage through Cowroast Lock, over a weekend, was noted and I received a phone call from BWB at work on the Monday morning. I was asked where did I intended to moor her and if I didn’t have a mooring I was instructed to take her back to where I had came from and that is how I arrived in Aylesbury when even then they squeezed boats into every corner.
In 1970 the Aylesbury Boat Company went into receivership, not as I understand it because of a failure in the boating business but because of a failed partnership with a major oil company to build a petrol station alongside Walton Street which then bordered the end of the Canal. This would have enabled fuel to be supplied directly to the boats.
The Basin then came under threat of being filled in to build the Town’s Bus Station and the 50 or so moorers formed the Aylesbury Cruising Club to try and buy the lease from the receiver.
In the end, the Club split into two. The Aylesbury Pleasure Club (now the Aston Clinton Boat Club) which opened moorings halfway up the Arm and the Aylesbury Canal Society (BWB wouldn’t deal with a club) who took on a 7 year lease on part of the canal wharf and the off side moorings in 1972. This was possible thanks to 4 trustees who backed the venture by accepting any liabilities of the Society to BWB, should it fail.
The early years of the Aylesbury Canal Society will follow in future issues.
Bryan Barnes
Aylesbury Canal Society Chairman.


Back to Contents