December 2007
6 posts
Hackney's canal protected from developers
The London borough of Hackney has decided that “any planning application will have to consider the importance, vulnerability and character of the area, particularly the canal’s role as a green corridor…” This is good news in view of the numerous developments cropping up all along the canal.Hopefuly other councils will in good time adopt this stance and strangle...
7bn worth of waterways regeneration? Not on your...
Waterways minister Jonathan Shaw claimed there had been 7 billion pounds of inviestment into waterways regeneration in the past few years. Thats taking things a bit far because this regeneration actually pertains to development along the canal (in Soviet style of course!) See Manchester Evening News Virutally none of this money has been used for improvements to navigation or any of the urgently...
Hale Wharf takes 'shape' & Business trains
The first of the business barges, I believe it is called Newark Belle, recently arrived at Hale wharf and my gosh what a big business barge it is compared to the smaller ones seen at Eagle Wharf and in Paddington Basin. Is this the way forward? Much larger barges and far less waterspace for the navigation?The above picture doesnt do justice to the scene really as the channel width is essentially...
Morse sidekick slates Jericho developers
Kevin Whateley who played John Thaw’s partner in Inspector Morse, relates the time they filmed an episode at Jericho. Whateley says that the majoritiy of redevelopments are “bungled by greedy property dvelopers.” He also adds that he hoped the “absolutely unique Jericho boatyard will not suffer the same fate.” Good words from Kevin. One wonders why then despite so...
Jericho boatyard site plans rejected
The ongoing saga of Jericho in Oxford continues to amaze. The efforts by British Waterways in closing down the yard and evicting the boaters has come to naught so far. Locals applauded as plans for flats on the site were rejected. One local commented “The proposal dumps two large blocks of flats on this site reminiscent of Soviet housing.” (see Oxford Mail) To me that is in essence...
Waterscrape spels Briscombe Port
Waterscape has announced that ‘Briscombe Port’ won 80,000 from the ITV’s Peoples’ Millions programme. The Brimscombe Port that I know doesnt seem to be the one Watercape know. I have never known it to be called Briscombe Port. I suppose its another of their goofs caused by their desire to get news, or stoppage notices out quickly. Their goofiness, amongst other things, is I suppose why...
November 2007
2 posts
Thames 21 Waterway Champions
Imagine Geneva, faces turned towards the camera, smiling, with the famous water spout behind. Its not people with extraordinary superpowers aka Stuart Damon, Alexandra Bastedo and William Gaunt in ITV’s ‘The Champions.’ Its Thames 21’s ‘Champions’ or to be more exact their Waterway Champions. Thames 21 has £266,000 from youth volunteering charity v to spend over...
Pass the Baston 2
Did you know BW has never had a disability officer, or an equality officer? Its odd especialy when BW wants to spend thousands encouraging more people to visit/use the waterways. A significant number of ethnic groups and disabled people live in areas the canal system threads through.
August 2007
2 posts
Mr Baston leaves BW
The news has been coming in this week that Eugene Baston is leaving British Waterways. I shant weep tears, for his department wheedled its way out of its obligations as a service provider under the DDA. I just hope his replacement is someone with more awareness and understanding to the plight of waterways users with different needs.
Twford Loock - Where?
This week everybody’s been commenting on BW’s attempt to spell either Twyford, or even the word lock. The very attractive lock at the top end of the Stort Navigation, has become the butt of jokes in canal related emails and on canal forums. It began life as a stoppage notice for emergency repairs at the lock. This reminds me of the time when BW(L) sent out about 10 emails, one after...
July 2007
6 posts
Starbucks upsets canal users
Starbucks, in its distinctive white castellated lock cottage at the top of Camden Locks, used to have information on the canals. There were leaflets from BW, leaflets about the waterbuses, Jasons, Walkers’ etc. Now the Regents Network has pointed out that Starbucks has a obligation to provide canal related information. Certainly I’ve been monitoring Starbucks over the past two months,...
Oops a Daisy at NBW
I see this week Narrowboat World uploaded a picture of the floods at County Lock in Reading, except they said it was Blake’s Lock. Took a day before the mistake was noticed and corrected accordingly. (PS its no good looking at their website, the picture now featuring is that of a unlicensed boat near Maffers…) ‘Three days updates’ is the current norm for updates on that...
Stort Improvements
As well as the improvements BW are doing to the section between Roydon and Hunsdon, a new walkway at Parndon is being installed. Whilst I have not yet been up there this year, I presume its the weir walkway at the lock which is being replaced or supplemented by the new walkway. Here’s a link to the Waterscape Item
NBW again
No need to coment on this latest change made today in the number of NBW updates!
NBW 2
No sooner than I discuss NBW’s rather less frequent updates, that I find during the course of today, they have in fact reduced their updates to just three a week! Its even less of a “All the latest most of the time…”
Narrow Boat World
“All the latest most of the time—nothing comes near…Just a single click for any of the FOUR days updates” Narrow Boat World’s claims seem to me a bit spurious. What does it mean to say “most of the time?” Before it was “all of the time” but I expect they dropped that because they couldnt keep that committment. In the past week its been updated only...
June 2007
5 posts
Tower Hamlets concern at lack of use of rivers for...
Town Hall bosses at Tower Hamlets have “have slammed the 2012 Olympics planners over their “lack of commitment” in using the Bow Back Rivers for the transportation of construction materials for the Games site. See the East London Advertiser
Canalways website updated
The Canalways/Waterways Access Project website has been revamped and given a new look, with cross-browser compatibility (hopefully!) Its been tested on 5 different browsers and given a much simpler interface, and was uploaded to the server today. See CanalwaysWAP
Swans die from oil slick
In the Express and Star comes this report of swans’ deaths from oil being dumped into the canal. Its a tragedy and its still common for people to dump oil into the canal. In the New Year I discovered a massive oil slick in Little Venice, gallons and gallons of oil had been dumped into the canal, it was disgustingly thick, and my suspicions was a boater had done it (I actually suspect who...
Back to the Bow Backs
I see that Andrew at Granny Buttons has been saying that people should walk the Bow Backs before they are closed, following a Waterscape email of 19th June. The news was actually announced much earlier; in fact time enough for the St Pancras Cruising Club to make an extra special trip round the Bow Back Rivers Loop from its annual Three Mills gathering. And as one can see, I announced the news of...
More on the London Olympic Waterways
The news that the Bow Back Rivers are to close from 2nd July 2007 comes somewhat as a surprise. There have been many discussions about keeping the waterways open at leats right up to the Olympics and then just having the Lee Navigation open during the games themselves. This effectively removes the potentiality for the Bow Back Rivers (or the London Olympic Waterways) to offer an alternative...
May 2007
2 posts
Carpenters Lock not for navigation
I noticed on Yahoo Canals List correspondence as to whether Carpenters Lock would eventually be operationable again by boaters. The sad thing the answer is no - contrary to popular opinion. At the London Waterways Commission’s last meeting, in which various apsects of navigation were discussed, it was informed that there wouldnt be so many bridges around the Olympic site, and these would be...
Prescott Lock Plans emerge
Having attended the London Waterways Commission meeting tonight, we were given a first hand description of what the ODA plans to do with the Bow Back Rivers for freight. Prescott Lock recieved rather little mention this time, so I decided to search for more information on this (to supplement the previous posts I’ve had.) I found a series of PDF’s featuring plans drawn up by BW for the...
April 2007
2 posts
Cyclists in conflict with walkers on Scottish...
I see the ugly topic of cyclists and towpath walkers has reared its ugly head again. I was walking through Little Venice at Easter and seeing cyclists trying to force their way through easter crowds trying to enjoy the sun by the canal. This item from the Scotsman comes at an apt time and describes the many conflicts and opposing views, many of which have emerged time and time again. I...
Rag n' Bone man on the canals
Chris Leah of the Wooden Canal Boat Society makes monthly trips from Portland Basin to Droylsden on the Ashton Canal in Manchester, collecting junk and sell it to raise money for the restoration of old wooden narrow boats. See: Manchester Evening News Its a great idea and one that brings a bit of commercial traffic back to the canals as well as helping to recycle what would be thrown away in this...
March 2007
3 posts
Eateries on the up at Little Venice
The new Baker & Spice cafe that opened a couple of months ago and which offered 50% off its goods on the first weekend of opening has proved to be popular (the 50% off first weekend meant that my friend and I could afford to sample such an expensive cafe!) The Ham & High has an item on the venue: Ham & High The area has seen an increase in cafes over the past few years, no doubt due to...
Murad Qureshi writes on canals
Murad Qureshi of the London Waterways Commission (and a GLA assembly member) has been very active since he took over his position from Jenny Jones. In this article he explains what he has been doing: Ham & High article
Towpath clean ups in London
Over the next week or so BW are organising a towpath clean up. It’ll take place in London on Weds and Thurs 28/29th March. Southall and Slough also have one, the latter being organised byThames 21. I’ve always thought a towpath tidy made a lot of difference, but I’m somewhat amused that they continune to hold one at Little Venice (on the 28th) which must be one of the most...