THE TUB BOAT
Newsletter of the Bude Canal Society - Autumn 1998
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Click links and read sections or scroll to read all. From the Chairman As I write we are all looking forward to the W S Atkins Draft Study and Proposals for the Bude Canal to be presented on 29 September. Although not wishing to prolong the limbo, to which the study process has inevitably placed canal affairs, I hope no quick decisions are called for at the presentation. The development/conservation of our canal is of vital importance to the area and demands very careful consideration. A report, kindly sent to the society by the Inland Waterways Amenity Advisory Council adds weight to these demands. In it the Bude Canal is categorised as a "Nationally Important Heritage Canal" one of the few in that top category. This report also eases the Society's initial misgivings over the categorising and prioritising of all the canals and waterways in the UK. The work of your committee in the field of raising interest in and money for the canal has continued. We now possess a modest but very useful "pavilion" which will give the Society more "presence" at various events. Plans are in hand to improve our displays and increase our stock of items for sale. Our success in this area of our work can be seen in the steady increase in our membership and a healthy financial balance. On behalf of the Society I congratulate our Treasurer, Chris Jewell, on his election to the post of Hon Secretary of the West Country Branch, IWA. I'm sure the Branch will benefit greatly from his expertise and dedication to waterways' affairs. John Bolitho Treasurer's Report As we approach the 1st anniversary of the reformation of our society I am pleased to be able to report that our financial state is stable. This is due to the subscriptions and donations from the members and through successful fund raising events. My thanks go to all the committee for their hard work and assistance. The balance of monies held by the society as at 31st August 1998 totals £517.80. The monies held in the account of the former Bude Canal Trust Social Section total £801.85. We still await a realistic project from the Bude Canal Trust Ltd to which these monies would be given. Chris Jewell Sales Items In response to requests from members for sweatshirts, polo shirts and tee shirts, we are pleased to announce that we are now able to supply these items in bottle green with the society's logo in white at the prices shown below:- Sweatshirts - £14.50 • Poloshirts - £12.50 • Tshirts - £6.50 The sizes available are S, M, L, XL or XXL. There will be an additional charge of £1.50 per item for Post and Packing for orders delivered to addresses outside the Bude postal area (EX23). If you would like any of these items please complete the enclosed order form and send with your remittance, including P&P (if appropriate) to:- C.R. Jewell, Hon Treasurer, 4a The Crescent, Bude, Cornwall EX23 8LE. Cheques/Postal Orders should be made payable to Bude Canal Society. Please allow 28 days for delivery. Chris Jewell, Hon Treasurer Membership Report I would like to welcome the following new members who have joined since the middle of June - Dr & Mrs M Clark, Higher Wharf, Bude. As many of you will realise, this is the time of the year when I have to remind you that subscriptions were due on 1st September for all members except those who joined after 1st June. Renewal forms (where appropriate) are included with this newsletter. Members are encouraged to return the Standing Order Form to me as it is a more efficient method of payment for the society and avoids your renewal being overlooked. By-Washes In January Chris Jewell wrote to Bob Pyman questioning the fitting of paddle gates to the by-washes installed by WRG at Rodds Bridge & Whalesborough locks in place of the original stopboards. He explained that the paddle system works by discharging water from the bottom of the by-wash entrance taking with it silt etc. The stop board system allows the water to find the level required at any given time. The carriage of silt and debris is restricted to the by-wash and not the lock chamber. Mr D Buse, Operations Manager replied, on September 23, that "the function of the by-wash is to allow water to be directed round the locks, to enable maintenance work to be carried out on the lock structure and the paddle chamber without severely affecting the overall level of the canal. In addition, they could also be used to increase the flow of water through the lock should there ever be a need to divert water from the river under flood conditions. The operational system employed for maintaining water levels has therefore reverted to adjusting the various side paddles at Rodds Bridge and Whalesborough; this, in our opinion is the only satisfactory method of achieving the consistency required." The above reply shows a total lack of understanding of the use of by-washes and water continues to flow through the Whalesborough lock chamber from the paddle on the towpath side only causing the silting up of the chamber with an S shaped channel through the middle. Ed. Stop Press Following a review of its collection policy ISCA have offered the tub boat formerly displayed at the Exeter Maritime Museum to the Bude-Stratton Town Museum on loan for an initial period of three years. The Town Council have voted to accept the offer.
By-Wash as originally built with stop planks - Photograph by Mike Moore
By-Wash with paddle gear installed by NCDC - Photograph by Mike Moore Update on the NCDC Strategic Study On 29 September W S Atkins presented a draft of their report on Phase One of the Strategic Study at a meeting of the members of the Bude Canal Partnership. A copy of this draft was distributed at the end of the meeting and members would have until the end of October to consider the report and make their comments and suggestions. Project Manager, Patrick Moss, presented a synopsis of the 90-page report with the aid of OHP slides. The first part examined the Bude Canal in terms of the physical resource and dealt with the canal in five distinct sections - the Barge Section (from Bude to Helebridge), the Main Line (from Helebridge to Burmsdon), the Aqueduct (from Burmsdon to Tamar Lake), the Holsworthy Branch and the Southern Arm (the Launceston Branch). Each section was categorised as either intact or lost, dry or in water, or fragmented. The sections were then examined to establish the condition and state of the remaining structures i.e. bridges, inclines and wheelpits. An Historic Audit was carried out by reference to the appropriate Acts of Parliament, the County Records Offices, local historians (Bill Young and Bryan Dudley Stamp) and brief visual survey of the canal. The Ecological Audit identified that there were six SSSIs on or adjoining the canal, examined the various environmental merits of the Bude Aqueduct, the Barge Section and the Southern Arm and identified possible opportunities for enhancement and interpretation of the existing environment. The next audit involved the assessment of the Bude area from the tourism point of view and identified that the canal was not being used to the best effect compared with, for example, the Grand Western Canal at Tiverton. The consultants then examined the options available in devising a strategy for the canal. The most radical option was to restore the whole 35 miles of the canal but as the majority of the canal was built to accommodate only tub boats the restored waterway would not be capable of supporting leisure craft of any reasonable trailerable size. In any case restoration to take these boats would probably destroy the heritage value of the canal which we wish to preserve. However the Barge Section could easily be restored following work on the two locks and two bridges and the Tub Boat Canal could be developed to maximise access and interpretation. The restoration of the Barge Section would be complemented by the development of Helebridge Wharf with an interpretation facility at the Barge Workshop and some restoration work on the lower part of the Marhamchurch Inclined Plane. Improvements should also be in the Lower Wharf area to enhance the "experience" for visitors. This would enable a horse-drawn trip boat to operate between the Falcon Bridge and the A39 at Helebridge although alignment of the bridges and differing levels at Helebridge would preclude direct access to the basin. Improved access to the Tub Boat canal would allow a footpath to be established between the Tamar Trail at Launceston and Merrifield to link with a possible Bude/Holsworthy Cycleway which could use the line of the old railway. A circular walk from Helebridge via Marhamchurch, Hobbacott, Burmsdon, Tamar Lake and Kilkhampton to Bude would also be set up to utilise the Bude Aqueduct Section of the canal. The over-riding recommendation is that any strategy would protect all surviving features of the canal. Patrick finalised his presentation by explaining the importance of developing a marketing strategy for the whole of the canal. This could include the twinning of Hobbacott with the Ronquieres incline in Belgium (which was featured in our last slide show on inclines) and raising the awareness of the canal and its national importance. The meeting was then opened up for general questions and comments. There were concerns that not enough emphasis was put on the significance of the Marhamchurch Inclined Plane and its importance in the development of the Helebridge area. Any possible conflict between the operation of the trip boat and the fishermen could be avoided by providing dedicated banks for fishing on the non-towpath side of the canal. If members have any comments please let us know as soon as possible so that they can be incorporated in our response before the end of October. Mike Moore
Bude Canal and Sea Lock - Photograph by Chris Jewell Virworthy View The summer is nearly over - some say it never really got started this year! It has certainly been wet but we have managed to keep the grass cut and the footpath open. The towpath from Virworthy Mill to Brendon Bridge has been rough-cut to keep it walkable. We have seen many summer visitors make their way from the Lakes down to Virworthy and take a great interest in the display boards in the Wharf. Several people, being directed by the West Country Waterway Guide No. 12, asked us where to find the "broken down bridge"! - I removed it some months ago. Perhaps when the leaflet is reprinted this landmark should be omitted. Alternatively, I could put the "broken down bridge" back in the canal! I was intrigued to see a magnificent carved plaque installed by the West Country Rivers Trust near the Lower Tamar Lake promoting Tamar 2000 Project. It states "The Project is designed to improve the environment and local economy of the River Tamar catchment". The Project is partly funded by the European Agricultural Guidance Fund and the UK Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food. It would be interesting to learn more about this Project! The proposed 20 mile circular walk incorporating the Canal Trail is beginning to take shape. The northern half, I believe, is now signposted taking in the coastal path from Bude to Duckpool. Then cutting inland through the Coombe Valley and Kilkhampton, and then on to the Tamar Lakes, picking up the Canal Path at the Lower Lake as far as Brendon Bridge. The southern half of the circle starting at Bude is fragmented beyond Marhamchurch. It is hoped that this southern route will eventually be joined to incorporate as much of the canal path as possible. Geoff Lowe Cream Tea at Laundry Cottage 19 July It was a pity this delightful event clashed with the visit of the Tall Ships to Falmouth causing agonies of indecision to some members who would dearly have liked to do both. Nonetheless, more than forty members, friends and visitors took advantage of a bright and warm afternoon to partake of scones and cream and lashings of tea in the lovely garden of this well-known canalside cottage. Society members Stan and Dee Noakes, owners of Laundry Cottage, made all who came very welcome with the use of nooks and crannies and outhouses in which to eat tea, all interspersed with conducted tours of the gardens and their evocative remains of the working days of the canal such as the old boat-building lay-by and the quarry, now a haven of wild-life. One lost count of the number of pots of tea made by Dee who kindly allowed visitors the use of kitchen and dining room also, if required. All who came thoroughly enjoyed an excellent afternoon and our sincere thanks go to Dee and Stan for their generosity in offering their lovely home for this event, and congratulations to Betty Moore and helpers for smooth organisation. Audrey Wheatley Stan and Dee later received a post card from Wolfgang & Elke Newmann in Hannover saying how much they had enjoyed their visit to England and particularly "the cream tea with the Bude Canal Society in your beautiful garden". Ed. Events Secretary Following our slide show on inclined planes in May, Robert Harris, the founding chairman of the original Bude Canal Society, will be giving a talk and slide show on the 17th November at the Parkhouse Centre, Bude to continue the story of these fascinating structures. After the success of last year's event, we will be holding a Christmas Fayre again this year. It will be on Saturday 5th December from 11am to 4pm, at the Barge Workshop at Helebridge, Marhamchurch near Bude. This is just off the A39 adjacent to the canal. A selection of Christmas goods will be on sale including tree decorations, cards, stationery and other seasonal items. There will also be a cake stall and the society's Christmas cards and notelets will be on sale. The traditional mince pies and sherry will be available between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m, followed in the afternoon by tea, coffee and biscuits. A raffle will take place and be drawn later in the afternoon. Anyone who can donate either a prize for the raffle or goods for the cake stall or come and help on the day should contact me on 361878 after 7pm. Please come along and support both of these events. Betty Moore Annual General Meeting The Annual General meeting will be held at 2.30 p.m. on 20 February 1999 in the Carriage Room of the Falcon Hotel, Bude followed by an illustrated talk on "The Grand Western Canal and its Trust" by Tony Rymell.
Dates for your Diary 17 November 1998 Slide Show on Inclined Planes at 7.30p.m. at the Parkhouse Centre, Bude 5 December 1998 Christmas Fayre in the Barge Workshop, Helebridge from 11 a.m. 20 February 1999 AGM at 2.30 p.m. in the Carriage Room, The Falcon Hotel, Bude Copy for the next edition of the Tub Boat should be addressed to: The Editor, Tregea, Lower Upton, BUDE, EX23 0LS, to reach him by 9 December 1998. Committee Members Chairman: John Bolitho Vice Chairman: Audrey Wheatley Treasurer: Chris Jewell Membership Secretary: Mike Moore Events Secretary: Betty Moore Tub Boat Editor: Lawrence Wheatley
Other committee members: Geoff Lowe, Yvonne Lowe, Stan Noakes, Malcolm Hector, Fred Copeland The views expressed by the contributors of this newsletter are not necessarily those of the Bude Canal Society which does not accept responsibility for them
Published by BUDE CANAL SOCIETY Hon Secretary: still vacant Enquiries pro term (and offers for the post) to 01288 354736
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