What's Happening ~ October 2006
Update by Peter Stone
Writing this report 3 days after a GCRS meeting, 2 days after attending British Waterways’ AGM and the day after David Lyneham-Brown’s excellent Radio 4 interview about the BW budget cuts, I know that life on the Grantham Canal is hectic and challenging – but accept that it may not look like it on the surface … so what’s happening?
After losing out earlier this year with no fewer than 3 ‘Living Landmarks’ Lottery bids and with BW looking increasingly unable to fund even its working network, you’d be forgiven for ‘throwing in the towel’ over the restoration of a BW-owned ‘Remainder’ waterway like the Grantham – but we’re taking the opposite view. With a 200-year old canal, closed over 75 years ago, flowing – very slowly – through the stunning Vale of Belvoir, we owe it to all those who’ve laboured since 1969 for its restoration and to future generations to see the job through. We’ll have to work harder still but another bout of DEFRA incompetence won’t be permitted to deflect us!
With 33 route miles and over 50 flattened / derelict bridges and locks to contend with, there’s the temptation to do work all over the place, so the Grantham Canal Partnership (GCP) has declared 2 clear priorities:
The cost of restoring all 33 miles will be something like £50 million and we have to be clear that, especially in an era of BW budget cuts and the Olympics, no one’s going to wave us such a magic wand for the sake of a limited number of boaters. We’re going to have to work hard for every £ and the objective has to be conservation, restoration and regeneration for the benefit of all in the community, as we seek to achieve the ‘Grantham Canal Water Park’. Hence the essential moves to increase the community links and broaden the support base for the canal … and achieve cooperation between boaters and naturalists … and revert to the original all-embracing title of ‘Grantham Canal Society’. There’s a lot of goodwill around – we just need to capture it
With Notts County Council undertaking a thorough review of the National Water Sports Centre at Holme Pierrepont, there’ll never be a better time for us all to lobby for a Trent Link and associated marina. The whole issue is incredibly complicated, will cost £ millions and take years – but the GCP and BW are hard at it. There are at least 5 serious route options, stretching from Lady Bay in the west to Radcliffe in the east … and there’s a myriad obstacles in the way – so there’s an urgent need for (expensive) feasibility studies to clarify the picture. The IWA’s Restoration Committee, which has already contributed some funds, is visiting us in December to review the situation
At the other extreme of the canal, the GCP can take credit for reopening the debate about the forgotten mile of waterway between the A1 and the site of the former Grantham Canal Basin. Until a couple of year’s ago, most people in Grantham hadn’t a clue what the Wharf Road name referred to and the Basin was just the centre of 50 acres of ‘brownfield’ dereliction. Now, thanks to a consortium led by South Kesteven District Council, the whole area – including the route to and through the A1 embankment – is the subject of a major study into its potential for revitalising Grantham, with the restored canal at its heart
The 9.5 miles to the west of the A1 embankment are the principal focus of attention for Kevin Mann, our full-time Grantham Canal Regeneration Manager, funded by the GCP and based at BW Newark. Before any serious restoration progress can be made, the necessary studies have to be undertaken and, already this year, this stretch has been the subject of an Engineering Feasibility Study, funded by BW, revealing an estimated restoration cost of c. £5 million. Of at least equal significance for a canal that includes 5 miles of SSSI, the Environment Sub-group of the GCP has commissioned an Ecological Impact Study, to examine the potential environmental impacts of different degrees of restoration of all 30 miles from the Grantham Basin to Gamston. This important study is currently under way, facilitated by a generous grant from the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation
One reason to focus on the eastern end of the canal – besides the enthusiasm of SKDC – is that much progress was made there by the GCRS in the early 1990s, when the 4 miles to Woolsthorpe was restored to navigation. The last decade hasn’t been too kind to this section but, nonetheless, we can achieve the most ‘waterway for our money’ there and we believe that the addition of the further 5.5 miles through the Stenwith Locks to Redmile will make a stunning and potentially viable ‘Gateway to the Vale of Belvoir’. Bottesford and Redmile are thriving communities and Belvoir Castle and its historic horse-drawn tramway, set in beautiful countryside, represent significant tourist attractions. Meetings about these plans have recently been held with the Heritage Lottery Fund, English Heritage, EMDA and a number of Parish Councils
To give a real boost to our campaign, the Canal was fortunate to secure, earlier this year, the IWA’s National Trailboat Festival 2007, which will be based at Woolsthorpe and which we’ll be marketing as ‘Grantham on Water’. We’re looking to get as many boats as possible – of all shapes and sizes – onto the A1 to Woolsthorpe section next Spring Bank Holiday (26 th-28 th May) and to create a community Festival to attract 10,000 visitors to see what a difference a re-opened canal would make. A Festival Committee is in place, with Chris Tizzard (GCRS Chairman) and Dave Carnell (IWA Lincs. Chairman) in key roles – but more boats and help are required!
All being well, the total distance from the A1 to the top of Lock 15 will be navigable next May but much restoration still requires to be done and BW’s budget cuts are proving a major problem. Darren Smith, BW Maintenance Supervisor, is striving to make his £s go as far as possible but necessary tree felling and removal and dredging could alone cost £1/3 million. At the time of writing, an Underwater Topography Survey has already been undertaken and an Arboreal Survey commissioned … and Kevin Mann is working tirelessly to raise the resources for the rest. It is also hoped to be able to transfer in maintenance vessel ‘Mudlark’ to increase capabilities
Whilst the scale of the restoration workload is great and often necessitating contractors, the GCRS and WRG are heavily involved. Although short of volunteers, the GCRS (which won the IWA’s 2004 Christopher Power Prize for its work) has re-established a programme of regular working parties – now led by Leigh Hood and recently largely engaged in keeping the so-called ‘dry section’ clear of vegetation. The WRG’s principal involvement this year takes the form of their National Reunion (’Bonfire Bash’) over the weekend 4 th/5 th November. Some 170 ‘Wergies’ are expected – kindly accommodated by St. Hugh’s College, Grantham, only ¼ mile from the old Basin – and are to be engaged on clearing the little-known Knipton Feeder and part of the ‘dry section’ of the canal below Cropwell Bishop. [BW has recently completed £170,000 of refurbishment of the Knipton Reservoir dam and spillway.] Before then, a one-week WRG Camp will be addressing the abutments of the former Bridge 19
A further string to the Grantham Canal’s bow is due to arrive shortly, in the form of Narrow Boat ‘Corvus’, being made available on long-term loan to the GCP by BW. ‘Corvus’ has only recently been retired after 60 years in the East Midlands’ maintenance fleet and, whilst heavily rebuilt as a powered craft in the mid-1980s (?), is known to have started life as a Grand Union Canal Carrying Company ‘Star class’ butty in 1935. With the help of generous offers of transport and craneage, the plan is to move ‘Corvus’ this Autumn to St Hugh’s College, to be overhauled by senior students prior to being returned to the water at Woolsthorpe in 2007/08, for use as a community / study centre, exhibition hall and GCRS meeting point. Offers from volunteers, to work with the students on this exciting project, will be very much appreciated
Finally, for those not well acquainted with the canal’s history or used to enjoying the excellent long-distance footpath provided by its towpath, Nancy Johnson and Tony Pitman are busy producing a ‘Walker’s Guide’, it time for next year’s Festival
Who said there isn’t much happening on the Grantham?
All we need for success is some money and your help!
Peter R. Stone
Honorary Secretary
Grantham Canal Partnership
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