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Thursday, January 26, 2012

K&A Canal Stoppage update

Bath Flight: Sydney Wharf Bridge (188) to Dolmeads Bridge(194) 
Monday 5 March 2012 - Friday 30 March 2012
Stoppage extended to allow dam to be erected for additional repairs

Hungerford Marsh Lock (73)
Monday 16 January 2012 - Friday 17 February 2012
The start of the work at Hungerford was delayed because of access problems — the canal has been found to be in a worse condition than expected and the stoppage has been extended.

It is not known if or when the postponed open day planned at Hungerford will take place.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Bruce Trust panto fundraiser

The Bruce Trust — the Kennet & Avon Canal based charity that operates specially designed and purpose built boats for use by disabled people — will benefit from a special performance of the Kintbury pantomime Peter Pan next month.

Following last year's successful event for the charity the St Mary's Drama Group are to stage another benefit evening in Kintbury Coronation Hall on Wednesday 15 February 2012.

The bar opens at 7.10pm and curtains go up at 7.30pm
Tickets are £7.50 (which includes a glass of wine or soft dring on arrival)

For more information contact Rebecca Bruce 
Tel: 01264 356451
Email: rebecca@brucetrust.org.uk

Bruce Trust Fact File
The Bruce Trust was formed in 1988 by Louise and David Bruce after they sold their chain of Firkin Pubs in London. 

They were keen to plough some of the proceeds into a project that would benefit the community and they had become intrigued by the possibility of offering self-catering holidays to disabled, disadvantaged or elderly people cruising on the Kennet & Avon Canal. 

After much research they initially put their own money into the project — and over the years they have received many generous donations to the Trust enabling the fleet to be increased to four specially-designed, purpose-built, wide-beam canal boats.

The extra width of the boats gives plenty of space for wheelchair users to manoeuvre and the boats have special built-in facilities, including hydraulic lifts, wide-access boarding ramps, low-level bunks, heating and specially fitted showers and toilets. 

Rebecca, Hannah and Diana have been designed so that wheelchair users can steer the boat using the tiller and both Hannah and Rachel have been fitted with a remote steering device that enables people with less upper body mobility to steer from their wheelchair using a joystick.

The Bruce Trust has made it possible for more than 13,000 disabled, disadvantaged or elderly people — and their carers, friends or family — to enjoy participative canal-cruising holidays on the boats. As one family explained: 
“With increasing age and disability my father Harry’s days of enjoying canal holidays seemed to be over. But last week, there he was rising up on the lift to take the tiller once again and having a wonderful holiday with four generations of his family”. 
The holiday makers are helped on their way by the dedication of more than 90 voluntary helpers who make sure that the Trust can operate in the best and most economical fashion. 

Some volunteers also crew day trips — this year more than 400 people from day centres or residential homes for the elderly were able to enjoy a day of peaceful cruising on the canal. 

Paralympic trip for Bruce Trust boat
The Trust are now busy making plans for the trip and they have already visited the site with British Waterways staff to ensure that it  is suitable for wheelchair access.

They will take their 10 berth boat, Diana, to the games and they will moor on the Hertford Union  canal near to the Olympic Park from Wednesday 29 August until Sunday 9 September.

Latest Kennet & Avon Canal stoppage updates

For full list of Kennet & Avon Canal stoppages and updates click on 'STOPPAGES and NAVIGATION NOTES' above...

Monday, January 23, 2012

K&A Canal Semington stoppage — update

The stoppage at the Buckley's lock(15) to Barratt's Lock(16) pound at Semington has been put back for a week and this section of the canal will now be closed from Monday 30th January with completion expected on 9th March 2012. 

This stoppage, along with the others on this stretch for the canal between Semington Swing-bridge(161) and Whaddon Bridge (163) will be lifted for the weekend of 11&12 February. 

The seven week — now six week — stoppage at Semington is not only for work on the private dry-dock but also to allow British Waterways to inspect the lock chamber walls at Buckleys Lock (15) which is adjacent to the lock cottage that has suffered problems with its cellar flooding. Repairs and maintenance to the lock gates will also be done during the stoppage.

Fire Service safety advice for K&A Canal boaters

 
Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service's boat safety advisor will be out and about on the Kennet & Avon Canal from next week to offer free safety advice and smoke detectors to boaters.

The fire service say that canal boat safety is a priority for them given the amount of waterway that run through the Wiltshire area.  Fire safety campaigns have been run along the K&A Canal for the past two summers but  his is the first time that visits have been carried out in the winter.

Rob Buckland will be visiting boat dwellers and users along the canal between 31 January and 7 February to give advice on issues such as smoke alarms, cooking, fuel storage, flares, life jackets and general water safety.

Rob said: “At this time of the year families living aboard their boats will be storing more fuel so the risk of fire is increased. I’ll be giving advice on fuel storage as well as general safety guidance.

"We have seen a significant drop in accidental boat fires over the past couple of years, but there was an incident at New Year which showed that the risks are always there.”

Rob will also install smoke detectors free of charge where necessary. 

To get  boat safety advice or to request a visit call Rob on 07734 483880

K&A Canal Pewsey Wharf pump-out

The pump-out at Pewsey Wharf has been out of action for a few weeks now and is unlikely to be back in action before the end of February.


The only other pump-outs on the Long Pound are at Honeystreet (Tel: 01672 851232) or on Devizes Wharf.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Theatre Royal, Bath — K&A Canal Lunch & Talk


Bath historian and guide Kirsten Elliott appears at the Theatre Royal in Bath this week presenting a fascinating illustrated talk about the Kennet & Avon Canal which was the wonder of its age and then abandoned after the arrival of the railway. 
Two hundred years after the canal was opened Kirsten's book Queen of Waters was published — paying tribute to the canal that refused to die.

The event on Friday 27 January 2011 begins at noon with lunch at 1.15
Price: £22.50 with lunch or £10 to listen only

Menu:
Salmon and dill fishcakes with mixed leaves and new potatoes; Banoffee pie; Coffee.
Vegetarian: Roast pepper and goat’s cheese risotto
Vegetarian option must be booked in advance.

For more information go to: Queen of Waters

Thursday, January 19, 2012

K&A Canal — Hungerford Marsh winter-works open day postponed

The planned open day at Hungerford Marsh Lock (73) on the Kennet & Avon Canal that was planned for this weekend (Saturday 21 January 2012) has been postponed.

Problems of access to the site caused a delay to the start of the work...  watch this space for updates on this event.

K&A Canal Towpath re-opened in Bath

The towpath under Victoria Bridge(201) on the Bristol Avon in Bath has been re-opened  to cyclists and pedestrians. 




Victoria Bridge, Bath: Picture by Bob Naylor©

K&A Canal: Semington to Whaddon Bridge stoppage update

Semington Swing Bridge(161) to Whaddon Bridge(163)
The work on these three stoppages will stop for the weekend of 11&12 February to allow boats to move and then the canal will be closed again on Monday 13 February 2012
Semington Swingbridge(161) to Whaddon Grove Bridge (162)
Monday 13 February - Friday 9 March 2012  WAS: Monday 30 January — Friday 9 March  
This stoppage is for work on culvert 64 — this stoppage co-incides with other stoppages in this area.
Buckley's lock(15) to Barratt's Lock(16) at Semington
Monday 23 January 2012 — Friday 9 March 2012
The pound will be drained to allow work on the dry-dock
Waddon Bridge (163) between Hilperton and Semington - Navigation and towpath 
Monday 13th February and expected to be re-opened 4th March 2012
Closed for bridge maintenance by Wiltshire Council

Bath Victoria Bridge — a tale of neglect and misinformation?


Victoria Bridge over the Bristol Avon in Bath... long term problems: Picture by Bob Naylor©
The problems of historic Victoria Bridge over the Bristol Avon in Bath have rumbled on in recent years and many observers mistakenly believed that with developers Crest Nicholson making it the centre-piece of their controversial riverside development it would be returned to its original splendour — but it appears not. Historian and Queen of Waters author, Kirsten Elliott, has watched the unfolding of the whole sorry saga at close quarters...
Oh what a tangled web we weave!
What a tangled web Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES) has managed to weave over Victoria Bridge... and the ducking and diving continues. 

I lodged a Freedom of Information request at the beginning of December which was finally complied with  — an hour before the deadline — and then only because I had chased it. The full report, which was allegedly put in the post that day, actually arrived a week later. 

'It is a very old structure' say B&NES
The information I already had made interesting reading — but what followed was an exercise in compare and contrast — between what I had been sent and what is on the B&NES website. On the website we are told that one challenge is that it is a ‘very old structure’ — as though that in some way is an excuse for its present sorry state. 

The railway line from Paddington to Bristol runs happily over bridges of similar date, and there are even older bridges and aqueducts on our canal system — but unlike this one — they have been properly maintained.

‘Key component of landmark contemporary scheme’
Victoria Bridge: The vision — far removed from the reality
There seems little doubt that B&NES thought that Crest Nicholson would ride to the rescue of the bridge. 

Early documentation promised:  'as a key component of this landmark contemporary scheme’ there will be ‘two new bridges and the restoration of the listed Victoria Bridge.’ 

The planning document of March 2008 listed developer contributions and promised a ‘strengthened and enhanced Victoria Bridge...  and a new pedestrian and cycle bridge to Norfolk Crescent'.

The council website now says, reprovingly: ‘it would be unlawful for the Council to attempt to secure money through a Section 106 Agreement for the structural repair of the bridge as it was a pre-existing part of the highway network.’ 

Silly old us for believing what we were told!

Bridge deteriorated suddenly
Now the bridge has deteriorated quite suddenly. Dealing as I do with old buildings, I can believe it. Neglect something for long enough, let decay get a hold — and it will collapse quite fast. But why has this happened? It is clear that B&NES has not subjected the bridge to adequate inspections. 

According to the information I have been sent as a result of my FoI request an inspection in 2007 detected no defects. This is odd, because in 2009 a report by R Griffiths of the University of Bath mentioned that in the past one of the chains had failed — and there is an obvious repair. This would suggest that, given that it is made of wrought iron, in depth checks would have been a good idea... but not, it seems, to B&NES.

In October, 2010, it was found that the bridge was ‘under strength for pedestrian crowd loading' and the report adds ‘for the safety of the public the hoarding was erected to maintain a limited passage for pedestrians.’  

Why massive hoardings were felt necessary remains unexplained — but the council insists this was on good advice.

Strain caused by 'wind-tunnel effect' and 'dead load'
The recent reality — highly wind resistant and heavy boarding in place on the bridge: Picture by Bob Naylor©
Since the Griffiths report goes on at some length about the strain caused by the wind tunnel effect and how Dredge’s design minimised this. You might have thought that someone would have asked themselves if this was a good idea — but they didn’t. Once the hoarding was no longer ‘required’, it was removed ‘to reduce the dead load on the existing structure’ — in other words, the bridge is not strong enough to take pedestrians so we’ll put even more load on it by adding hoardings — even though we know that this is putting more load on it. 

Paint hid faults
In November it occurred to B&NES that the paint might be hiding something — and so it proved.  But how many supports have failed?  If you believe the website, then there was ‘further deterioration of one of the central hangers’. This, we are told ‘is a serious issue as any weakness in the central area of the bridge increases the risk to the structure.’ 

The bridge is a double cantilever so this assertion is, in fact, completely wrong — there is virtually no strain on the centre chains at all.  The FoI response I have had tells me that nine out of 10 hangers have failed — a somewhat different story.

Missing £80,000
There are three further points that occur to me. The Griffiths report stated how important the foundations on the south side were to the whole structure. This is exactly where Crest Nicholson has been happily 'digging about' – so if they have caused the sudden deterioration, shouldn’t they be liable? The council tells us that they have negotiated with Crest Nicholson a sum of £480,000 for paving and painting in the area of the bridge. 

Only a year ago this amount was said to be in the region of £560,000. What happened to the missing £80,000? Finally, the council website assures visitors that B&NES has been liaising with English Heritage over the restoration. In that case, why didn’t they remove all the ivy and buddleia from the arches on each side, when English Heritage asked them to? In fact, there have been repeated requests, which only now have been complied with. 

This doesn’t look like a caring council to me —Victoria Bridge should be a potent symbol of Bath’s creativity — instead it proves just how incompetent B&NES can be. 

Kirsten Elliott is a freelance print and broadcast journalist who contributes to BBC Network Radio and to local and national newspapers and magazine. She works as an architectural consultant and historian. She is a member of the History of Bath Research Group and the Bath Minuet Company. She has written or co-written seven books on the city, including 'The Illustrated History of Bath'.
Her most recent work, 'The Queen of Waters' — which she produced to commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the Kennet & Avon Canal— is available from the KAcanalTIMES bookstore: Queen of Waters

Monday, January 16, 2012

Another major stoppage for the Kennet & Avon Canal

A seven week stoppage has been announced today by British Waterways to allow work to be done on the dry dock at Semington. 

The pound between Buckley's lock(15) and Barratt's Lock(16) at Semington will be drained on Monday 23 January 2012 and the canal should be re-opened on Friday 9 March 2012.

The towpath will remain open during the work.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Police find body in river search for Bath man

Police have been searching
 for Roger Williams, 65, for 2 weeks

Police searching the River Avon for a missing Bath man, Roger Williams, 65, who was last seen at the Royal United Hospital on January 5th recovered a body from the river today.
Police teams found the body this morning (Sunday 15 January 2012) and an area around Weston Lock was cordoned off just before lunchtime.
An Avon and Somerset Police spokesman confirmed that a body had been found .but he said that they would not be commenting further until a formal identification had been carried out.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Historic film... The Kennet & Avon Canal by Johnny Morris

Sentimental Journey "The story of a waterway revived" with Johnny Morris

A tribute to the enthusiasts who fought to save the Kennet & Avon Canal from closure and decay.




This film is narrated Johnny Morris who had great love of the Kennet & Avon Canal.  He died at his home on the edge of Hungerford Marsh in 1999 and he was buried beside his wife Eileen in their garden that overlooks the Kennet & Avon Canal and the River Dunn.
Johnny started out on radio before becoming moving to TV where he had a busy career as 'The Hot Chestnut man' and narrating  'Tales of the Riverbank' and later presenting 'Animal Magic.
In later life Johnny became a passionate campaigner — actively demonstrating against the Newbury by-pass and supporting a successful campaign to prevent a satellite tracking station being built in an area of outstanding natural beauty near to the Kennet & Avon Canal in the Pewsey Vale.


Campaigner Johnny Morris: Picture by Bob Naylor©

K&A Canal 60 acre oak wood project needs volunteers

The new Woodland Trust 60 acre Diamond Jubilee oak wood on the Caen Hill Flight in on the edge of Devizes on the Kennet & Avon Canal needs volunteers to help with planting. 
Caen Hill Flight: Picture by Bob Naylor©
Everyone is welcome to the community planting days — but it would be helpful if you contacted British Waterways to let thme know you are coming … and bring your own spade.
29th January, 10am – 3pm
12th February, 11am – 1pm
17th March, 10am – 3pm
Groups of ten or or more can come on different days — just get in touch with Karen Fishwick the BW Volunteer Co-rdinator(South).
Email Karen at: Karen.fishwick@britishwaterways.co.uk,
or Phone her on:  07917424590

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

60 acre oak wood for Caen Hill to mark Queen's 60 year reign

The Queen came to Devizes in 1990 to re-open the Kennet & Avon Canal with a ceremony at the Caen Hill flight of locks — and now the famous flight of locks is to get a new 60-acre wood to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee.

The Queen re-opens the Kennet & Avon Canal in 1990: Picture by Bob Naylor

New 60 acre wood for Caen Hill: Pic by Bob Naylor
The Woodland Trust has chosen the site, which was previously planted with arable crops, as one of 60 new woods to be planted this year.
  

The new woodland will be open to the public at all times and is a legacy for future generations. 

It will include wide grassy footpaths with verges planted with wild flowers to attract bees, butterflies and birds — and there will be plenty of open space with hazel, apple, pear and plum trees and currant bushes for foraging. 

The oaks, when mature, will be provide timber for lock gates and the hazel will be cut in rotation every seven years and used for stabilising the canal banks.
 

One of the fields will be planted as firewood coppice with ash, sweet chestnut and hornbeam which all burn well and will supply many local people and boaters with firewood.




Sunday, January 08, 2012

K&A Canal Hungerford Marsh Lock stoppage delayed

The stoppage to fit new lock gates at Hungerford Marsh Lock (73) on the Kennet & Avon Canal planned for tommorow has been delayed because of access problems.  If those problems can be resolved the work will start on Monday 16 January.

The planned stoppage at  Crofton Bottom Lock (Beech Grove Lock 63) begins tomorrow (Monday 9 January 2012) as planned.

Planned open day at Hungerford Marsh lock
There is an open day planned at Hungerford Marsh Lock on Saturday 21 January 2012 — it is possible that this could be postponed because of the late start of the work there — more information will follow.


Thursday, January 05, 2012

River Avon in Bath to re-open to boat traffic

The temporary work to make Victoria Bridge (201) in Bath safe is now complete and the the River Avon will be open for through navigation from tomorrow morning (Friday 6 January 2012) — but the towpath will remain closed.

Victoria Bridge, Bath: Picture by Bob Naylor©
Bath and North East Somerset Council have now agreed that a further £548,600 can be spent on making the bridge safe. This will bring the total spent since the problems were first highlighted in October 2010 to £846,810. 

A
 permanent repair that will enable the bridge to be re-opened to pedestrians and cyclists will cost more than £3 million and is unlikely to be completed before 2013.

Previous story: 
➠➠ http://kacanaltimes.blogspot.com/2012/01/dangerous-river-bridge-still-barrier-to.html

Barge Association argy-bargy continues

Recent disputes among the leadership of the Barge Association (DBA) seemed to have been resolved with Andy Soper back in post as Chairman following his dramatic resignation... but now two key board members have resigned putting the association in turmoil yet again.

Barging in calmer waters: Picture by Bob Naylor©
The interpretation of the Association's rules by a 'faction' within the board is the reason given for his resignation by Paul Whitehouse, the Hon Secretary and Treasurer who has been on the board of the DBA for 10 years. He  has announced that he will stand down this month to give the association time to find a replacement before its next board meeting.  

The DBA IT Director, David Beaumont has also resigned saying: "Having been on the board for coming up to 12 years I have found the last two easily the most unproductive and antagonistic of all that time."

He went on to describe fundamental disagreements between those who have been on the board a long time and those who joined in 2010 — and he said: "Factionalism is a very poor method of operation in an association. It does not make for pleasant or productive meetings —most of meeting time recently has been spent on discussing 'Processes & Procedures' and 'Articles & Aims' — rather than barge or member related things. It could work — but it cannot work when one faction keeps coming up with damaging or frankly loony ideas and trying to push them through."

The resignation speech of Penny Rickards, who was Chair briefly for the period between Andy Soper's resignation and his recent re-election is described by Beaumaont as 'having a lot of innacuracies and a classic example of factionalism'. 

The board have resisted calls for an EGM to sort out the wrangles because fewer than 100 members have so far put their name to the request — and under the association's rules more than 160 are required. 

Members are angry because as one said: "Of the limited number of members that actually know about the destructive infighting, the overwhelming majority are calling for an EGM to clear the air so that we can get on with being a boat club again."

The next AGM promises to be a lively affair when, as David Beaumant calls them,'two refuseniks of the reformist tendancy', say that unlike the rest of the board they will refuse to face election — interpreting the DBA rules to mean that if someone is co-opted onto the board then they are never required to be elected by the members. In the words of the Penny Rickards... once co-opted they are 'eternally co-opted'.  

This coupled with rules that deprive the Chairman of a vote — other than a casting vote in the event of a tie seem to be at the heart of much of this latest round of infighting within the association.


Related stories: 
➠➠Shock resignation of Barge Association chairman 
➠➠Barge Association 'U' turn in chairmanship wrangle

Wednesday, January 04, 2012

Firefighters come to the aid of K&A Canal boaters

Avon & Somerset Firefighters came to the aid of four people on a sinking narrow boat on the Kennet & Avon Canal in Bath yesterday (Tuesday).
When the crews arrived at the boat at Widcombe in Bath they found the boat taking in water and they used pumping equipment to get the boat afloat again.
The Red Cross Fire and Emergency Support Service based at Keynsham Fire Station were on hand at the incident to help the boaters who lived onboard with advice and to provide them with temporary accommodation. 
Boat fire at Pewsey
Wiltshire Fire Service responded to a fire on a boat  at Pewsey Wharf in the early hours of Monday morning which started while the owners were off the boat.
The fire was discovered and reported shortly after 2am and three fire appliances, a control vehicle and a specialist water rescue team were quickly on the scene and had the situation under control by 2.30am.
The fire is thought to have been started by clothes being dried in front of a solid fuel stove. 
Because of the prompt response of Wiltshire firefighters there is little external evidence of the fire onboard nb Bojo

K&A Canal central section re-opened until 9th January

The Kennet & Avon Canal central section between Locks 60 and 80 which has been closed since mid-November because of a shortage of water has re-opened temporarily to allow boat movements.

Boaters should be aware that Hungerford Marsh Lock (73) closes on the 9 January 2012 for planned winter works and travelling eastwards Monkey Marsh Lock (90) closes for scheduled works on 30 January 2012.

British Waterways will make a decision later on whether to keep the locks to the east and west of Hungerford Marsh Lock open while it is closed for maintenance.

There is no news of when Victoria Bridge on the River Avon in Bath might be re-open and make travel from Bath to Bristol possible again.

Monday, January 02, 2012

Dangerous river bridge still barrier to boats on the K&A Canal

The New Year begins with doubts about when the Kennet & Avon Canal might re-open as a 'through navigation'.  The canal's first year as a 'Cruiseway' has been dogged with stoppages and there is no forecast of when Victoria Bridge in Bath will be safe enough to allow boats to travel under it again.
Victoria Bridge over the River Avon in Bath: Picture by Bob Naylor©
Webbing straps in place
Picture by Bob Naylor©
Webbing straps have been put in place to stabilise the bridge until repairs can be done but pedestrians and cyclists cannot cross the bridge, boats cannot pass under it and now the towpath, which forms part of the National Cycle Route 4, is also closed — leaving walkers and cyclists to find alternative routes.

Bath and North East Somerset Council have said that they are looking into the possibility of a £400,000 temporary repair 'by the summer' with hopes of a full restoration by 2013.

The historic Victoria Bridge has been portrayed as the centrepiece of the controversial 2,000-home Bath Riverside development and local people are expressing dismay that the work has started on the houses but the bridge repair was not part of the agreement between Crest Nicholson and B&NES for the first phase of the project.

Victoria Bridge was built in 1836 and it is a Grade 2 listed structure. It is an example of the work of Bath brewer and engineer, James Dredge and like the many other bridges he designed it is a radical alternative to the established suspension bridge design.


Cyclists and pedestrians banned from the towpath in Bath: Picture by Bob Naylor©

Read more about James Dredge bridges at: Dredge suspension Bridges

You can find an analysis of Victoria Bridge in a paper presented at the University of Bath Bridge Engineering Conference in April 2009 at: RA Griffiths paper 

Or go to Derrick Hunt's website dedicated to Dredge's work: Derrick Hunt—Dredge

Sunday, January 01, 2012

British Waterways take Claverton Pumping Station back from canal trust

The historic water powered  pumping station at Claverton on the Kennet & Avon Canal that was designed by John Rennie has a secure future now that British Waterways has taken it back from the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust. 

Claverton Pumping Station: Picture by Bob Naylor
The Trust had been running the pumping station since 1978 when Trust volunteers and students from Bath University completed a 10-year restoration project.

Now more than 30 years on the water wheel is in need of extensive restoration work that the K&A Canal Trust was unable to finance because of its shaky financial position.

Mark Stephens the Waterway Manager and Pete Dunn the Chairman of the Claverton Pumping Station Group have come up with a rescue plan that will mean that the team at Claverton will follow the example another K&ACT team, the Avon Vale Group, and they will volunteer directly for British Waterways.

British Waterways will fund all of the materials for the restoration and Pete Dunn and his team will provide skills and voluntary labour to bring it back to full working order. 

The machinery will be 200 years old in 2013 and the aim is to have it pumping water to the canal by then which will make a huge saving on electricity costs.

Pete Dunn said: "During the year-long restoration Claverton will be open to the public on the normal open days and the progress and processes of the restoration will be on view."

For more information about Claverton Pumping Station go to their website at: http://www.claverton.org

Open days for 2012
The pumping station is open to the public every Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday (except Friday 6th April and Tuesday 5th June) from March 31st until October 28th inclusive

Opening Hours
Wednesdays: 10am until 4pm (last admission 3:30pm)
Other open days 10am until 5pm (last admission 4:30pm)
Admission: £3
Children under 16 are admitted free, but all children must be accompanied by an adult