Wey-South front cover (4K) Wey-South issue 129
 December 2004 - February 2005

 
PART 1

EDITORIAL - Tim Jolly
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Some of the pages are in a different place in this issue Although we love to have lots of colour it is very expensive and our sponsors can't cover as much as last time. As the covers are on a slightly better paper it's most cost effective to have the colour on the inside covers as well, thus displacing some pages inward. As it happens there haven't been as many photos submitted as usual, so there's no centrefold! There must be many photographers out there, so please send some in! I was only sent one for the model boats for example. The front and rear outside covers shots need portrait shots in particular. Some paid-for adverts would pay for colour but we need someone to go out and get them. Volunteers?

Wey-South is generally posted 2nd class except for about 250 hand-delivered copies. (We print about 1750 copies and post around 1300, leaving spares for new members, archival copies etc.) Billingshurst, Horsham, Loxwood & Cranleigh are pretty well covered but this still leaves scope for more. There are 96 addresses with a Post Town of Worthing, 54 with Pulborough and 41 in Littlehampton/Rustington. A Worthing member with some time to spare four times a year would be very useful. Also, are there any couples who are both members and get a copy each? Could you do with only one? Get in touch please.

You'll see two new names in the Directory this month. Alan Dyer has stepped down from the time-consuming job of Membership Secretary after many years. Enter a brave man - David King. Talking of members, a special welcome to the new ones from the Bramley exhibition. We also have a new Restoration Manager, Turlough Bamber, who has a wealth of experience on many projects not unlike ours. Good luck to both.

You'll notice inside a tribute and thanks to Arthur Dungate who has over the years been a good friend to both WACT and the Basingstoke Canal Society but can't do as much since he has been unwell .

If you're inspired to go and see the swingbridge at Haybarn then please note that there is no vehicular access and the only way is via public footpaths such as those in Wey-South Path. Most of our sites are on private land so please be responsible.

Something new this year - boat trips on Boxing Day! They are at 12.00, 13.00 and 14.00 but are not Santa Cruises. They can be booked via the Office but I think you can just turn up on the day as well. I'm also told that the Onslow Arms will be so busy this December that unless you've booked they won't be able to do meals for those on the Santa Cruises.

Alan Dyer's last report shows 1880 members which is already a good way to our target of 2005 in 2005, thanks to Bramley. The more members the better, as it gives credibility and makes us more attractive to advertisers and sponsors.

Sally Schupke is doing a grand job as our Public Relations guru. We seem to get many more mentions in both the local and waterways press due to her work The December edition of Canal Boat and Inland Waterways has a particularly good feature on the Bramley Link and summarises the different routes and issues particularly well. Sally is part of Our Publicity Subcommittee, "Pub Sub" which includes David Isted, our Website man Richard Crook and yours truly.

The Quarterly Bulletin of The Wey & Arun Canal Trust, Registered Charity no. CC265331

The aim of the Wey & Arun Canal Trust is the preservation and conservation of the former inland waterway route between the Rivers Wey and Arun, with a view to reopening this to navigation.

Editor: Tim Jolly
All communication and copy either by post to:
2 Southdown Close
Roffey
Horsham RH12 4LD
Or email to: tim.jolly@tesco.net

Material published in this bulletin represents the views of the contributors and should not, unless specifically indicated, be assumed to be the policy of the Trust.

CHAIRMAN'S REPORT - Peter Foulger
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As another year draws to a close it is time to reflect on our achievements during the last twelve months and to look forward to another set of challenges in the coming year.

Last May, in glorious weather, we had the twin slipway opening at Drungewick combined with our annual Small Boat Rally, which was a good opportunity to thank the Dimmick family for their financial support and others who had helped with technical and design advice. The Wilderness Boat club brought along three boats and stayed on the canal for the whole weekend, which added to the spectacle. This was followed a week later by another Small Boat Rally in the Lording's lock area to celebrate the efforts of Winston Harwood and his team of workers. Boats were able to navigate below the new flood lock bridge for the first time and reach as far as the next causeway at Harsfold. When anyone tired of paddling their canoes they could always rest awhile and watch the water wheel slowly turning and lifting water up to the level of the canal. That was followed by another successful Poddle in June which raised over £13,000 and, as the route just happened to pass Lording's, lock there was an opportunity for the walkers to admire the work that had been done there. Throughout the year "Dig Deep" teams have prepared and fitted a swing bridge, acquired from the Leeds & Liverpool canal, to replace an existing low level bridge at Haybarn. This is just a little to the south of Lording's and Harsfold. Our own volunteers are busy in the same area clearing scrub, which has re-grown since the big clearance ten or twelve years ago. It is good to see so much being done on the Horsham District Council patch. Further north, coppicing and additional towpath improvements have been carried out in Sidney Wood under a Countryside Stewardship scheme.

Plans for the B2133 Crossing in Loxwood have now reached a stage where we can say the best possible design has been reached and is ready to submit for formal planning approval. Eric Walker has put in an enormous effort to get the project to a stage where we expect to start work after Easter of next year. The recent canal exhibition in Bramley was a great success; it was master minded by Chris Harrison with a lot of assistance from Sally Schupke in designing the actual show itself. The plans of possible routes through Bramley were on display, which encouraged a good turnout of visitors and gave WACT personnel a chance to listen to the views of the residents. Our trading company, Wey & Arun Enterprises Ltd., has had a good year running the boat cruises in spite of water shortages in the second half of the summer. The skippers and crews do such a valuable and visible job operating charters and public trips along the navigable section of canal at Loxwood. The sight of Zachariah Keppel loaded with passengers travelling along the water speaks volumes for restoration. There are, of course, many smaller tasks being carried out on a daily basis and as volunteers do the majority of these, as well as those mentioned above, it is an impressive result. There are too many people to thank individually therefore I thank, on behalf of the Trust, everyone who has helped in any way for their enthusiastic assistance.

Our six Local Authorities have been increasingly supportive; maybe they see a valuable asset in the Wey & Arun Canal running through their territories. We do continually reinforce this at our regular meetings with them.

We have already begun planning activities for the coming year and more detail about them will appear in the next Wey South bulletin.

I wish all our members and friends a very Happy Christmas and a successful and prosperous New Year.

Peter Foulger

 

 

SECRETARY'S COLUMN - Julian Morgan
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This is being written just after the EGM and your Secretary is feeling like a survivor of a slightly obscure initiation rite. "Survivor" is the important word; I have to confess to being a bit of a worrier, so it was a relief that the meeting took place without disasters. You can imagine the nightmares: what if the hall is double-booked? What if we can't open the doors? (Visions of 100 or more restless members cowering in a dark, rain-swept car park). What if aliens land from outer space in Loxwood High Street? Have I remembered the Poddle cups, the membership register?..?

In the event the problems were only minor: none of the power sockets would work until we put sixpence (actually it's a pound these days) in the meter. Eric Walker was close to hauling in the generator from Tickners until we had a whip-round. More seriously, we didn't have enough chairs and I was embarrassed that so many members had to stand. We have clearly outgrown the good old North Hall (on reflection, perhaps scrub the word "good") and although a change may be a wrench to the more sentimentally minded, it is actually a testament to our success and so good news. A new entry has just gone on the Secretary's task list: "find larger venue for future meetings".

I was deeply grateful that some parts of the meeting machine were so well oiled that they sprang into action, as it were, at the touch of a button. I rang up Janet Phillips and said something like: "Er, Janet, can you suggest who might be able to help with refreshments at the EGM?" and she replied, "Well, basically Julian, you say to me 'get on with it, woman' and worry about something else instead." It really did work like that, too. Now I just have to write the Minutes. Fortunately that comes quite naturally; making long pages of notes is my secret coping strategy for boring work meetings. WACT meetings are of course much more exciting and everyone states his concise, logical arguments at dictation speed while no-one interrupts. OK, even secretaries are allowed to dream, aren't they?

The Bramley exhibition was a different kind of fun. Your Secretary was given the most responsible jobs, such as chief car parking monitor (actually, the only car parking monitor). If we ever do such a thing again, we actually need a small phalanx of monitors, because you can be sure that the very moment you are ushering the Chairman of X Parish Council into her place, the Mayor of Y's limo will sweep majestically up to a deserted entrance on the other side of the hall.

Everyone involved in the show is still on a bit of a high, because the whole thing looked and felt so professional. Sure, there was the odd grim-faced 'anti', but we might even have softened a few of those when they realised we weren't sending the bulldozers into their gardens as soon as next Monday morning. There were plenty of stars in the back office, but I particularly admired our front-line troops, such as our new Restoration Manager, Turlough Bamber, who patiently and humorously put our case to an endless stream of curious residents.

It's time to get on with finding a hall for the next AGM and I happen to know that your PR Officer is thinking big. "Good morning, is that the Albert Hall? I just wanted to enquire..?" Oh no, our Treasurer seems to have fainted. Let me see, where's that First Aid Manual ....?

It seems a bit early to wish everyone a Happy New Year while the fireworks are still going off outside (OK, so I'm late for the 31st October copy date). I know we will do great things in 2005 and enjoy ourselves as well.

Julian Morgan (Honorary Secretary, WACT)

M O N E Y
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FILLING THE BARREL, STEADILY
The Treasurer reports on fundraising

Fundraising always has its disappointments. Being rejected for the Biffa Flagship Award has been a recent one: "the canal is not of sufficient regional or national importance" was given as the reason for turning down our application. In fundraising, setbacks have to be accepted and new ways found of raising money. We have to raise nearly £1.2m for the B2133 Crossing and, as I write this, have £276,000 either in hand, or pledged. The construction work can be phased and we will do each phase as the money comes in. Our experience has been that work actually in progress reassures those who doubt that a scheme can be a runner and results in more contributions. Even so, we have a great deal more money to raise. When it is all finished we will have boats operating on either side of Loxwood High Street - and, briefly, disappearing through the tunnel. It is an attractive prospect for the Trust and one that will be seen by many car drivers and passengers each day. It will look like a through route and not just a dead end.

PODDLE '04 raised £13,375 - a brilliant result. Only three stragglers for payment remain. Thank you to all those who walked and raised such an impressive total, to those stalwarts who organised in the months beforehand and to the many who helped on the day.

The Restoration Fund should raise £10,300 this year, which includes about £2,500 in tax relief. I am, as ever, grateful to the 92 members who subscribe monthly to this Fund. Steve Hillier, who manages the Fund, would be glad to hear from more members who would like to join the scheme or would like more information. His mail address is in the Directory -- or e-mail him on steve.hillier@clara.net

Thank you to those who responded to my request in the last Wey-South for soft loans to cover the bond needed when we divert the water main at the Onslow Arms Crossing. A few more loans would be welcome so that I can spread the weight a little more and not overburden the generosity of a few. Southern Water pays some interest on the bond but I doubt if it will be much above Bank Rate. If you can help, please e-mail me on jim@jphillips.org.uk or write to me at 120 Peperharow Road, Godalming GU7 2PN

The postman for the road where I live had a bag of mail stolen on 1st October while he was doing his rounds. He recalled that there was some mail for WACT amongst it. Any readers who wrote to me in late September without getting an expected reply are asked to contact me again - perhaps by e-mail to be on the safe side. Some of the missing mail may have been 'only' receipts but unsolicited donations are, by definition, impossible to know about. Fortunately, a large donation from a Charitable Trust had got through safely the previous day. The last two days in October we have had no deliveries and I have had to collect the mail from our sorting office - at least it's more secure that way.

Jim Phillips

News from the Granary
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Jackie, Bridget & Susan
01403 752403 (Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 9.00am - 1.00pm)

That time of year when we are constantly told how many shopping days there are until Christmas is rapidly approaching, but here in The Granary we are only interested in how many 'Santa Cruise ticket-buying days' there are remaining!

The increasing popularity of the Santa Cruises has meant that the tickets have been selling rapidly and at the time of writing this (early in November) we have already sold over 60% of the 1050 seats available during the 7 days of trips. We are, as ever, extremely grateful to all those members who have either booked tickets themselves and/or recommended the trips to family and friends, and to all those who have distributed the posters. The offers of help have also been much appreciated - either for the various duties which are such a necessary part of the smooth running of the whole operation or for supplies of mince pies. Lyn Nash (tel. 01403 752046) would still be delighted to hear from anyone, boat crew or otherwise, who would like to turn up for an hour or so to add to the WACT presence by the canal on the Santa days. (As a reminder, these are Sat 11th, Sun 12th, Sat 18th, Sun 19th, Mon 20th, Tues 21st and Wed 22nd December, with the trips running on the hour from 11.00am until 3.00pm inclusive).

When we are not dealing with enquiries about the Santa Cruises, taking bookings for charters next year or dealing with the many varied general enquiries we receive each day, we have been able to assist with the processing of the questionnaires that were completed at the Bramley Exhibition. It is a time-consuming exercise but the detail contained in them is vital and the analysis will provide interesting and valuable information when completed.

We would like to take this (early) opportunity to wish everyone a very happy Christmas and best wishes for the New Year, and we look forward to seeing some of you down by the canal over the festive period for that glass of mulled wine and a mince pie (or two!).

Jackie, Bridget & Susan
01403 752403 (Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 9.00 - 1.00pm)

B2133 Project Manager -

"So what's new?" is an oft-heard greeting, "Nowt much!" the ready reply. With WACT though, there is always something new. Top of my list is a meeting with Roy Sutton (Hon. Consulting Engineer, IWA Restoration Committee) to review the B2133 Crossing proposals. The check was how far did our proposals meet the IWA's requirements. Fortunately the IWA polices on 'Channels' and 'Towpaths' are set out on the IWA Website and so could be used to say if we met the requirements or not. Naturally, with over one hundred criteria we missed some. But compromises were agreed, which was particularly satisfying in relation to the width of waterway under the bridge. Generally the locks are about 3.8 m wide and the aqueduct and road bridge at Drungewick, following the Halcrow 1993 Report recommendations, are 4 m wide. The requirement by the IWA and others was that channels through structures should be 4.4 m wide. However we were able to agree that the Bridge should be 4 m wide. Similarly the towpath under the bridge had been set at 1.5 m wide, where the IWA require 2 m. By agreeing a towpath of 1.9 m wide the overall width of the bridge stayed the same. Thus the estimated costs were unchanged and the interface with the road unaffected. On the project models, steps are shown at either end of the bridge. Now the need for ramps on both sides of the bridge, particularly on the west, has become irresistible, so they are now in the design and suitable for the disabled.

The other big change in the last quarter has been the scheduling of the work phases. Naturally the work can only be done as fund-raising allows. Organising the work into packages that can be completed before the start of the next package helps with cash flow and fund-raising. It is now proposed that the first thing we will do is to lower Brewhurst pound and the lock. Offers of help to re-build Brewhurst lock in July next year from the Newbury (NWPG) and Kent & East Sussex (KESCRG) groups help us understand when things need to take place. Although this first phase will take all the funds we have now (and more), if fund-raising continues to be successful, then the second phase, diverting the statutory services, could also take place in 2005.

Keith Nichols has surveyed the canal-side plants along the Brewhurst Pound. He counted some seventy species excluding grasses. This is a start for the Landscaping Plan. Interestingly, Southern Water Services listed fifty-two trees that are not to be planted close to water carrying pipes because of their water demand. Fortunately SWS admit to eleven acceptable plants. Keith has also taken some of the seeds from the wild pear tree growing on the bank, but just in case they don't take he will be taking some soft cuttings in the spring.

Thanks to all those who answered my plea for an Italian speaker with a technical background, in relation to pump specifications. Our Sunday Working Group has been doing some painting recently but more help would be appreciated.

Eric Walker

PART 2

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Last updated Jan 2005