General Manager latest departure from K&A Canal Trust

The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust, which over the last year has been making drastic changes to the way it is run following years of heavy financial losses, has announced further changes as it tries to address its financial and managerial problems.

K&A Canal Trust General

Manager, Mike Rodd.

Picture by Bob Naylor

General Manager to go

Having put its General Manager, Mike Rodd, onto part-time working recently, the Trust has now announced that he will be leaving the job at the end of the year. The Trust received a £75,000 grant from Kennet District Council to part-fund the post for three years on the basis of an application that said that the post would be self-financing through the General Manager's fundraising activities within the period of the grant. 

   To cease the appointment only two years into the three-year life of the grant could leave a question mark over any public money that may have been paid in advance to finance the post.

Healer appointed to minister to ailing Trust finances

Complementary health practitioner and qualified accountant, Suzanne Gaia has been appointed Treasurer. Her website says that she practices Reike, Angel and Ascension and it explains: "Angels are messengers from the Divine Source. They are very high frequency beings with no will of their own, they only carry out the will of the Divine Source." And: "Ascension means raising our level of consciousness up into a higher dimension. Our bodies are made up of millions of cells which are constantly vibrating. This is our level of vibration, otherwise known as our vibrational frequency. The more 'spiritual' we are, the faster our bodies vibrate, which increases our level of vibration. This means that our light body increases. The faster our body cells are vibrating, the higher the levels of light are in those cells."

   When Suzanne Gaia married Doug Stanley last year they had a civil wedding in Marlborough at which they both wore traditional Indian costume and they then held their reception and spent their honeymoon in a tepee at the Barge Inn beside the K&A Canal at Honeystreet.

Neil Lethby

Picture by Bob Naylor

Stand-in Chairman

Following the departure of Trust Chairman David Rees after less than nine months in the role, the Trust's treasurer, Neil Lethby, who had already given notice of standing down as treasurer, agreed to fill the post of Chairman until the end of the year.  Thanking Neil for his time as Treasurer a Trust spokesman said: "The Trust is extremely grateful for Neil’s nearly four years in this role, taking the Trust through some very difficult times."

David Inight

Picture by Bob Naylor

New Vice Chairman/Acting Chairman 

David Inight has been made Vice Chair of Trust Council, with special responsibility for developing relationships with the Branches, and for heading up a volunteering programme. David is also Chair of the Bradford on Avon Branch, Director of Boats and a Director of the KACT Enterprise Board. He will take over as acting chairman when Neil Lethby stands down at the end of the year.

Trustee comings and goings

At a recent Canal User’s Forum it was said that Mike Rodd had chaired the pilot K&A Local Partnership Board meeting. A Trust statement says: "The Council’s intention is to co-opt Mike as a Trustee as soon as possible after he steps down as General Manager, so that he can continue to play a major role in the Trust and maintain the many fruitful relationships that he has developed over the past two years, both within the Trust and with external agencies."

     The Trust has announced that Pauline King and Suzanne Gaia have been co-opted to the Trust Council but Harry Willis the Chairman of the Crofton Branch who was elected as a Trustee at the AGM in June is not listed as a Trustee in the Trust's magazine, The Butty.

Recruitment of new Trustees with 'specific skills'

The Trust says it has a current need for on-going recruitment of additional Trustees to bring specific skills to the management of the Trust. If you are interested, or want any further explanation about these recent changes, please contact Mike Rodd either by e-mail at: gm@katrust.org.uk  or by phone on 01380 721279.


Recent K&A Canal Trust stories:

Trust needs media manager

Trust seeks treasurer to see it through 'financially difficult times' 

Continuing cuts and departures at troubled K&A Canal Trust

K&A Canal Trust cash crisis

Resignation setback for BW's 'Third Way' plans

BW announce head of Waterways Partnership Board for the Kennet & Avon Canal

Canal Trust support Aldermaston Wharf housing development

The development — viewed across the canal

Plans to develop the former Reading Marine base at Aldermaston Wharf have been submitted to West Berks Council by H2O, a partnership company formed by British Waterways and Bloc.

The plans developed following consultation with local residents, Padworth Parish Council, the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust and English Heritage include 13 new houses and they also include plans for the restoration of the listed visitor centre and toll house. 

During the consultation David Copley, Chairman of the Reading Branch of the K&A Canal Trust said, “We would prefer there to be no more development at this site, but these are difficult times and we realise that British Waterways has to find funds from wherever it can get them. “One of our main concerns is that there must be enough parking so that visitors can park and get to the canal — and it is important that the development doesn’t detract from the Trust visitor centre.”

The plans now propose the relocation of the visitor centre car park but they will retain the 14 parking spaces for visitors. In re-locating the car park careful consideration has been given to the setting of the listed visitor centre and the Conservation Area. 

Canal Trust support for development
Speaking at this year's K&A Canal Trust AGM the newly elected Chairman, David Rees said, “BW are offering the Trust the buildings at Aldermaston for £1.

"... we will consider accepting these buildings from them as a gift... and I also asked for an endowment of £40,000 to £50,000"

     “When I met them I said to them that in principle we will consider accepting these buildings from them as a gift — but two things have to happen, they have to be restored to a quality and standard the Trust will want to see for the future and I also asked for an endowment of £40,000 to £50,000 of working capital to be able to pay the staff and do what we want to do there.

"... the Trust would probably want to support your planning application — and you can get five or six million pounds from your development and in return we will promote it with you.”

He continued, “And they said to me, ‘what will you give us for that?’ and I said to them, the Trust would probably want to support your planning application — and you can get five or six million pounds from your development and in return we will promote it with you." He concluded, “And they didn’t blink an eyelid — so we have an opportunity at Aldermaston.”

Since making this statement David Rees has parted company with the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust and the K&A Canal Trust has made the manager of the Visitor Centre and café/shop  redundant. The cafe shop is now being run by a private operator, Wayne Sangwell. 
Visit his website at: http://www.kaalder.350.com/home.htm

Proposed housing in Basingstoke Road, Aldermaston

Previous story at: 
http://kacanaltimes.co.uk/aldermaston.htm

The Kennet & Avon Canal — Reflections 40 years on

Ray Denyar: Picture by Bob Naylor

Ray Denyar was involved in the early restoration work on the Kennet & Avon Canal before he turned his attentions to the Wilts & Berks Canal.

He has a huge archive of slides from the early days of the struggle to prevent closure of the canal and then the work by volunteers to restore it.  He will use some of those slides to illustrate his talk, 'The K&A - reflections 40 years on', at the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust Wootton Basset Branch meeting at the Cross Keys in High Street, Wootton Bassett (SN4 7AY) at 7:30pm on Monday December 6th.

This is an open meeting, so all are welcome, but if you could contact Jenny Stratton to let her know you are coming she can makes sure they make enough mince pies.

Email her at: jenny.stratton@wbct.org.uk or phone: 07818  450651 

KA Boaters' update: Friday December 3, 2010

The frozen state of the canal makes this notice somewhat redundant — but when the canal thaws  — this is the way it is on the K&A Canal at the moment.

Stoppages:

Wootton Rivers (Locks 51-54):

closed until Friday 17th December for new lock gates to be fitted (scheduled winter stoppage).

Postponed until March: The Bath Flight: Widcombe Lock (7) to Bath Top Lock (13) 

Wednesday 8th and Thursday 9th December for scaffold installation and on Thursday 17th and Friday 18th February for scaffold removal.

Between these dates refurbishment work will be done on the iron tail bridges over the locks — the flight will stay open with a reduced headroom of 2.4m. 

Navigation Restrictions: 

Oakhill Down Lock (68) near Froxfield is now open — but by appointment only. BW staff will operate the lock at 9am and 2.30pm until futher notice. Bookings must be made at least 24 hours in advance, call Alistair Ogden on 07711 403471. (Bookings for weekend passage should be made before 12 noon on Friday.)

Between Burghfield Lock (103) and Southcote Lock (104) from Tuesday 30th November 2010 to Friday 11th February 2011 the water level will be lowered by 250mm (approx 10 inches) so that fenders can be installed on piles set below normal water level. The work is on a river section so levels be affected by changes in the river flow. Enquiries: 07920 824 310.

From the west of Hungerford at Cobblers Lock (72) to Wire Lock (76) on the eastern side of the town there could be delays of up to 30 minutes and occasional drops in the water lever for dredging and bank protection work.

Water levels:

Water levels are good throughout the canal — although there may be lower levels from time to time  between Cobblers Lock (72) to Wire Lock (76) for the work going on there.

Boating facilities

• BW report that all of their pump-outs are working.
• There is no longer rubbish disposal at Hungerford — use Kintbury or Great Bedwyn.

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New lock gates fitted at Wootton Rivers on the K&A

More on this story at:

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2010
BW's Winter work programme begins on the K&A Canal: Read>>

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2010
Million pound make-over for K&A Canal locks:  Read>>

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BW movie - Yours to enjoy anytime ... again!

In case you didn't get to Birmingham for the British Waterways AGM and so missed the uplifting BW movie shown there — you can see it at : Yours to Enjoy  but of course you may have alread had the pleasure of seeing it as long ago as 2007  — same film - but possibly aimed at a different audience. 

Dundas Canalside Carol Service cancelled

CANCELLED: Dundas Carol Service Saturday 4 December 2010


The carol service conducted by Rev Peter Atwill on Dundas Wharf at junction of the Somersetshire Coal Canal and the Kennet & Avon Canal has been cancelled because of the weather that would make access by land very difficult and because few if any boats could make it to the event.  


This is the first time in the 12 years the event has been run that it has had to be called off because of the weather. 

Snow stops Caen Hill tree planting

The tree planting by pupils from Devizes and Rowde School on the Caen Hill Flight on the Kennet & Avon Canal today (Thursday) has been postponed because of the snow.

Cleaner canalside around Bradford on Avon

The Kennet & Avon canalside in the Bradford on Avon area is looking more cared for thanks to the efforts of two local groups of volunteers.

The K&A Canal Boating Community recently held a canalside clear-up with 10 adults and three children clearing the towpath between Bradford on Avon and Avoncliff.  

This Sunday Derrick Hunt's monthly work party meet at Bradford on Avon Wharf to clear the picnic site and the area below the lock.

Meet up with Derrick on Sunday morning at 10am on BOA Wharf 

Tools will be provided - just come with stout boots and warm clothing.  

K&A Canal anniversary avenue of oak trees

To mark the 200th anniversary of the Kennet & Avon Canal, British Waterways will plant an avenue of oak trees on land alongside the historic Caen Hill Flight in Devizes with the help of pupils from local schools.

Oak trees have been chosen because their timber is traditionally used to make lock gates on the inland waterway network. 29 trees will be planted at the site — one for each lock in the Devizes Flight that includes the world famous Caen Hill Flight.

Pupils from St Peter’s Primary School, Rowdeford School and St Joseph’s Primary School and members of the British Trust for Nature Volunteers will plant the trees at 10.30am tomorrow (2 December).

British Waterways project manager, Sarah Brice, said: “These trees will be planted to mark the bicentenary of the canal and will, we hope, still be standing to celebrate it in another 200 years. Oak lock gates, painted black and white, are one of the most iconic features of British Waterways’ 2,000-mile national network.

"While this project celebrates the heritage of our navigations, today the Kennet & Avon Canal and other waterways are as much loved as leisure spaces and green corridors through our towns and cities as for their historic legacy. By creating this avenue of trees for, and with, the help of the local community, this bicentenary project will celebrate both the canal’s past and its future.”

Kennet & Avon Canal waterway manager, Mark Stephens said: “Throughout this bicentenary year projects around the Kennet & Avon have not only celebrated the navigation but also the role that those who live and work on and alongside it play in maintaining the canal and securing its future. 

"This planting will enrich the environment around the waterway for future generations as well as marking the fascinating history of the navigation.”

Previous story at: Adopt a tree>>

http://kacanaltimes.blogspot.com/2010/11/adopt-tree-for-k-bicentenary.html

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K&A Canal Aldermaston lift Bridge(28) work complete

The repair work to the main bridge bearings on Aldermaston Lift Bridge (28) is now completed —the bridge is now working normally for boat and road traffic. 

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Devizes celebrates its canal's 200th birthday

The parade of decorated and illuminated boats from Devizes and Pewsey Wharf Boat Clubs was led by a former BW work boat that has been restored by a group of volunteers of the Avon Vale Group who took the prize for the best dressed boat.

Devizes took its spectacular annual lantern parade to the K&A Canal wharf on Friday to wish the canal a happy 200th birthday.

The town wharf was packed with lantern carrying revellers who came to sing happy birthday to the canal, watch a parade of illuminated boats — and then escort Father Christmas back to the Market Place for the switching on of the Christmas lights followed by a firework display.
Pictures by Bob Naylor

The KAcanalTIMES website is online at: www.kacanaltimes.co.uk

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KA Boaters' update: Friday 26 November 2010

Stoppages:

Aldermaston Lift Bridge:

Closed to road and boat traffice until 30 November for replacement of main bridge bearings.

Wootton Rivers (Locks 51-54):

closed until  Friday 17 December for new lock gates to be fitted (Scheduled winter stoppage).

The Bath Flight: Widcombe Lock(7) to Bath Top Lock(13) 

Wednesday 8th and Thursday 9th December for scaffold installation and on Thursday 17th and Friday 18th February for scaffold removal.

Between these dates refurbishment work will be done on the iron tail bridges over the locks — the flight will stay open with a reduced headroom of 2.4m. 

Navigation Restrictions: 

Oakhill Down Lock (68) near Froxfield is now open — but by appointment only. BW staff will operate the lock at 9am and 2.30pm until futher notice. Bookings must be made at least 24 hours in advance, call Alistair Ogden on 07711 403471 (Bookings for weekend passage should be made before 12 noon on Friday).

Between Burghfield Lock (103) and Southcote Lock (104) from Tuesday 30 November 2010 to Friday 11 February 2011 the water level will be lowered by 250mm (approx 10 inches) so that fenders can be installed on piles set below normal water level. The work is on a river section so levels be affected by changes in the river flow. Enquiries: 07920 824 310

From the west of Hungerford at Cobblers Lock (72) to Wire Lock (76) on the eastern side of the town there could be delays of up to 30 minutes and occasional drops in the water lever for dredging and bank protection work.

The Bath Flight — Widcombe Lock(7) to Bath Top Lock(13) Height restriction of 2.4m between 10 December and 19 February 2011

Water levels:

Water levels are good throughout the canal — although there may be lower levels from time to time  between Cobblers Lock (72) to Wire Lock (76) for the work going on there.

Boating facilities

• BW report that all of their pump-outs are working.
• There is no longer rubbish disposal at Hungerford — use Kintbury or Great Bedwyn.

NOTE: Bradford on Avon lock (14): As reported last week the stoppage planned for Monday 29 November 2010 to Wednesday 1 December 2010 for repairs to the lock structure and sluices has been cancelled. It will now take place next year - probably January or February.

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Above inflation increase to BW boat licences

British Waterways will  increase boat licence fees by 5.1% from  April — a figure that they say is 2% above the governments Consumer Price Index — and with the increase in VAT next year the increased cost to the boat owner will be more than 7%.

BW say that they they expect this rise to give them an extra £0.85m in 2011/12.

BW propose a raft of other changes to boat licencing that they will introduce after consultation. These will include:

• Changes to the pricing of short-term licences that will see the cost of a 3 month licence rise from 35% of the annual fee to 60%, 
• Continuing with the £150 late payment charge but replacing the 'prompt-payment' discount with an 'early-payment' discount (10% discount for payments received two weeks before expiry)
• Increasing the cost of a replacement index plate to £20 (including VAT).

The Gold Licence will rise by 2.5% plus the increased VAT.

To take part in the consultation go to: Licence consultation document

Drowning swan in Newbury rescue

A drowning swan was rescued in the centre of Newbury early yesterday afternoon (Thursday) after it got its head stuck in an underwater hole.

A passer by pulled the  swan out and with the help of a police officer drained the water from the swans lungs and and they then gave  it mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

The swan revived and was later taken to the Swan Lifeline Centre in Eton with only minor damage to its beak.

Contact The Swan Lifeline Centre on: 01753 859397

Their website is: http://www.swanlifeline.org.uk

New book celebrates K&A Canal's 200 years

Queen of Waters — a new book about the Kennet & Avon Canal is to be published on the 28th December — 200 years to the day after the opening of the canal that allowed boats to travel from Bristol to Reading.

The book abounds with many previously 

unpublished pictures of the K&A Canal

When the Kennet & Avon Canal opened on 28 December 1810 it really was 'the wonder of its age'. A broad waterway built across southern England as a trade route between the country’s two greatest ports — London and Bristol — and the countryside through which it passed would never be the same.

   Yet only 30 years after it was completed, Brunel’s Great Western Railway opened and robbed it of much of its traffic. Trade on the canal declined and after decades of neglect came ultimate dereliction for the canal.

   The K&A lay like a sleeping princess, weed-choked and silent, its locks and bridges crumbling – but there were people determined to keep it alive and thanks to their effort it became the Queen of Waters — the title of a new book to be published in December by Kirsten Elliott, subtitled "A journey in Time along the Kennet & Avon Canal".

   In the year celebrating the bicentenary of the first cargo travelling from Bristol to Reading — and twenty years on from the grand reopening by the Queen —  this new book pays tribute to the canal that refused to die.

A full review of the book will follow — but in the meantime you can pre-order the book from the KAcanalTIMES bookshop: Queen of Waters

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Water loss tests on the K&A

Increased pressures on the water resources of the canal network through climate change, tougher environmental legislation and increased usage are likely — and a Water Resources Plan for the Kennet & Avon Canal is being produced so that the demands of future canal use can be met. 

'Stilling tests' in the pounds have to be done to estimate losses in the canal and these will need locks to be closed overnight.

Stilling Tests

During the trials lock gates will be sealed with ash and padlocked to prevent them being used and water coming into the canal will also be controlled. The level in the canal will be monitored and BW staff will walk the pounds to identify areas of loss. 

Following the test a volume calculation will be made and a leakage rate determined. The stilling tests will take place overnight so there should be little inconvenience to boat users.

The locks involved in this test are Bath Top Lock (13), Bradford on Avon Lock (14) and Buckley's Lock (15) at Semington. They will be locked at 4pm on Tuesday 30 November and re-opened at 9am on Wednesday 1 December 2010.

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BW announce national dredging contract

Marine-based civil engineer Land & Water Ltd have won the British Waterways national dredging contract to run from December 2010 until March 2015. 

BW national dredging manager, Ian Marmont said, “Funding in the public and charitable sectors over the next few years is going to be particularly tight and we must ensure that we get the absolute maximum benefit from the money available.  With plans to prioritise spend on dredging in each of the next two years, this national contract with Land & Water is welcome news for the waterways and those that use and enjoy them.” 

Spending on dredging in 2011 and 2012 will be increased to £5m a year — BW say that by awarding the national contract to a single company they will get more dredging done for their money.

James Maclean, Managing Director of Land & Water Services Ltd welcomed the award of the contract saying, “This single-source contract award is a reflection of the long-term partnership we have been developing and investing in with British Waterways for more than 15 years."

He continued, "We have always believed in the philosophy of ‘working together’ and we welcome the incentives in our new contract to find ever-greater efficiencies, increase recycling opportunities, and reduce the environmental impact of our joint operations."

Kennet & Avon Canal not on 2011 dredging priority list

BW has announced that the dredging priorities for 2011 include the Leeds & Liverpool Canal between Farnhill and Bingley, stretches of the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal and the Aylesbury Arm of The Grand Union Canal.

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New bridge for the Wilts & Berks Canal

The Bailey Bridge had to be moved very carefully
making sure that the fibre-optic cables supported
underneath were not disturbed.

An historic steel bridge that was destined for the scapyard will get a new lease of life thanks to the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust.

Mendip District Council donated the historic Bailey Bridge to the W&BCT because it is being replaced by a new £200,000 bridge that will be opened in January 2011.

The bridge had spanned the river in Frome since 1986 - but it had to be closed to traffic in 2006 for safety reasons.

The bridge has been taken to Semington where it will be renovated by Trust members and the parts will be used to build a slightly shorter-span farm crossing on the new canal link from the Kennet & Avon Canal at Semington to the River Avon in Melksham. 

Mike Lee the W&B Canal Trust Director of Engineering said, "I worked with the contractors to make sure the bridge was dismantled very carefully so that all reusable parts were saved for renovation although, unfortunately, all of the decking and the stringers that support it had to be scrapped." He continued, "Although we planned how the bridge was to be removed very carefully it was still nerve-wracking to see the structure being lifted out gently by the crane."

WBCT Chairman, John Laverick said, "The Melksham Link project is a key part of our restoration plans and the bridge will be put to good use.

"Many people who use the canal enjoy the connections with our great industrial heritage so we will include interpretative signs on the towpath to highlight the historic significance of this type of bridge. It is an honour to have this historic structure as part of our waterway." 

For more information about Bailey Bridges got to: Bailey Bridge History
Wilts & Berks Canal Trust website: www.wbct.org.uk

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