November 2009

New Horizons
Our trip boat has had its busiest season so far, and donations received will be used to support the work of PCAS.

The boat has now been taken to Goole and will be taken out of the water to clean and paint the hull. The canvas is now in poor condition and will be replaced by a steel roof. This will allow us to make it easier and safer to get on the boat, and will be easier to keep clean.

We plan to resume boat trips at Easter, with short trips on Good Friday and Easter Monday.

October 2009 – No. 8 Swing-bridge
The present bridge, near Bielby, was installed around 1994, replacing an old wooden bridge that was in poor condition. There was no immediate prospect of navigation, so fitting a pintle to allow operation of the bridge was delayed to save money.

It has now been agreed that PCAS and British Waterways will jointly fund construction and fitting of the pintle, which is needed to allow navigation to be extended to Bielby. PCAS received nearly £6000 from the assets of the former Pocklington Canal Boat Club, specifically for this project.

Saturday 12 September – Melbourne Village Hall Anniversary Day
This was a busy event, helped by the good weather and the Tour of Britain Cycle Race, which passed through the village. PCAS had a display in the Village Hall and ran short boat trips on this Saturday, in addition to normal Sunday trips.

British Waterways also had a stand at the event. Judy Jones and Graham Ramsden were there to promote access to the canal for local residents and visitors, and to raise awareness of its heritage value.

Extension of navigation
Following completion of work at Cottingwith Lock, PCAS will be discussing the details of extending navigation to Bielby with British Waterways and Natural England. We will also be discussing provision of landing stages at the locks and swing-bridges.

August 2009

Following the reopening of Cottingwith Lock a few boats have been able to come onto the canal, the first since the end of the 2006 season.

July 2009 – Cottingwith Lock reopened
The lock was reopened to navigation on 16 July, following repairs to the structure and installation of new gates. The Pocklington Canal has been re-connected to the waterways network after more than two years of isolation.

Replica wheel-operated paddlegear was installed, as has been done at other restored locks. This distinctive paddlegear was a characteristic feature of the Pocklington Canal. More details....

July 2009 – Extension of navigation to Bielby

Natural England are prepared to allow extension of navigation to Bielby, subject to monitoring of boat numbers and the effect of navigation on the wildlife of the canal. If necessary, boat movements would be capped.

To extend navigation to Bielby, some dredging is needed in the region of Thornton Lock, the gates at Walbut Lock need to be re-planked, and a pintle must be installed at No. 8 swing-bridge. Funding for the pintle, which is needed to allow the bridge to be opened, has been provided by the former Pocklington Canal Boat Club.

PCAS believes that it will not be necessary to cap boat numbers because the need to navigate the tidal Ouse has always limited the number of visitors and the number of boats that can use the canal is limited by water supply. Boat numbers are capped on other waterways of importance for wildlife, including the Montgomery and Basingstoke canals.

The possibility of extending navigation to Bielby is very encouraging because it will allow boats to pass through two locks that have remained unused since their restoration, many years ago.

June 2009 – Work starts on Cottingwith Lock!

At long last, the repairs and re-gating work started at Cottingwith Lock on 12 June. The lock has been closed for over two years. More information...

June 2009 – Pocklington Canal features in Waterways World

There is a four page article entitled The Pastoral Pocklington in the July issue of Waterways World. It is written by Hugh Potter and contains recent photos taken during his visit to the canal with Judy Jones, the local Heritage Adviser for British Waterways.

This is a very useful article, which will help members and waterway enthusiasts understand more about the heritage value of the canal and how changes in legislation could improve protection yet facilitate future restoration.

The restored but unused locks are mentioned and opportunities for the future are discussed. To quote: "It seems that BW may be now be in support of extending navigation as far as the Bielby Arm."

PCAS 40th Anniversary Dinner
Photos of the event
PRESS RELEASE

Our 40th Anniversary Dinner was held on 29 May at Allerthorpe Park Golf Club
The event was well attended by PCAS members. Our guest speaker Robin Evans, Chief Exec of British Waterways, congratulated the Society on the past 40 years and made some very encouraging comments about future restoration of the canal. Robin had visited the canal with local BW staff earlier in the day and we are grateful that he and his wife were able to attend our Anniversary Dinner.

The event was attended by no less than five founder members of PCAS. PCAS Secretary Sheila Nix, MBE was made our first honorary vice president, to mark her contribution to the Society over the past forty years. She was presented with a bouquet of flowers by our Treasurer David Tomlinson, who is also a founder member.

May 2009 – Invertebrate life beneath the waves - the Pocklington Canal
PCAS members Geoff and Roma Oxford have been studying the animals that live on the canal bed for many years. Last May, some PCAS members spent a day collecting samples and took them to Geoff's labs at the University of York for a closer look. We enjoyed the day so much that Geoff was invited to give a talk at one of the Friday evening IWA meetings at Cottingham.

You may have seen Geoff and Roma in the BBC programme Hands on Nature featuring the Pocklington Canal.

Geoff and Roma arrived with samples collected from above and below Coates Lock, and demonstrated that differences in the amount of dissolved oxygen affects the range of species that can be found in the canal. Geoff gave us an interesting illustrated talk, showing many of the different animals that can be found and seen without the need for a microscope. A sample from the canal or a garden pond will even provide a fascinating display on a windowsill.

If any other members would like to share their interest or hobby please get in touch with any Committee Member.

May 2009 – Extension of navigation to Bielby
Natural England have informed PCAS that they will consider an application to extend navigation to Bielby. The canal was reopened to Melbourne Arm in 1987 and this has remained the head of navigation due to silation near the Thornton feeder and concerns about the impact of boating on the wildlife, especially the aquatic plants, in this Site of Special Scientific Interest. There is no evidence that the current use of the navigable part of the canal (between Melbourne and East Cottingwith) is being damaged by use of boats, so hopefully the same will apply when navigation is extended.

April 2009 – Annual General Meeting

The 40th AGM was held on 29 April. The Officers were re-elected and an election was held to vote for Committee Members. Following the procedure laid down in the PCAS Constitution, Carol Booth, Jenny Brett, Roger Bromley and Greg Dixon will serve for two years. Bob Ellis, Gordon Harrower, Nick Milsom and Dick Watson were elected for one year. Vic Randerson continues on the Committee for the second year of his term and Paul Graham decided not to stand for re-election. We are very grateful for his help to the Society over a period of many years.

This is the first time that all the places on the PCAS Committee have been taken for some time and all the new members, which we wecome to the Committee, are involved with crewing our trip boat, New Horizons.

The forthcoming repairs to Cottingwith Lock and the prospect of extending navigation to Bielby are providing considerable encouragement to us to acheive further restoration of the canal.

April 2009 – Update from British Waterways

Here is a summary of recent and forthcoming works on the canal, kindly provided by British Waterways. It mentions the repairs to Cottingwith Lock, which should start in May.

April 2009 – PCAS presentation for the Inland Waterways Association

PCAS has strong connections with the local IWA branch, with members on the Committee and regular supporters of monthly meetings and other social events. These provide a good opportunity to keep IWA members up to date with what is happening on the Pocklington Canal.

Two presentations were made during the April meeting, one covering the 40 year history of PCAS and the other about boat trips and the history and building of our trip boat New Horizons. The event was well attended and we will be welcoming IWA members aboard the trip boat for a tour of inspection on 19 June.

 

NEWS ARCHIVE

March 2009 – Cottingwith Lock to reopen this year

Athough new gates for Cottingwith Lock were made by British Waterways over a year ago, fitting was delayed because work on other waterways in the Yorkshire region took priority for funding. BW plan to start work on the lock early in May 2009 if the ground conditions permit. (The lock is in an area that floods regularly in the winter months.) In addition to fitting the new gates, some repairs will be done on the brickwork.

This is very welcome news, especially for those who have boats moored in the Melbourne Arm of the canal.

February 2009 – PCAS event at East Cottingwith Village Hall

The first event to mark the 40th anniversary of PCAS was a presentation at East Cottingwith, which focused on what we have done and achieved over the years, including restoration projects and the more recent success of our trip boat.

The event was very well attended and we thank the Village Hall Committee for the opportunity to hold our presentation. Thanks too to everyone who came along.

March 2009 – Donation from the Round Table

The Pocklington and Market Weighton Round Table has donated £500 to PCAS specifically for the running of New Horizons, our trip boat. This is the second time the local Round Table has made a generous donation to the Society, from the proceeds of the popular 'Pocktoberfest' beer festivals held in Pocklington.

Members of the Round Table have been invited to visit the canal and have a boat trip.

December 2008 - Cottingwith Lock

It is approaching two years since Cottingwith Lock became unusable. New gates have been made by British Waterways but these have not been fitted because funds are not available. PCAS is concerned that the canal remains isolated from other waterways, and without any boats visiting the canal, weed is making it difficult to operate our tripboat.

PCAS contacted David Davis MP, a patron of the Society, about our concerns. David wrote to DEFRA, which provides funding for British Waterways, and received a prompt reply indicating that British Waterways do plan to fit the gates in the new financial year, subject to weather and available finances. Installation of the gates was planned for last year but the money had to be diverted to do essential work on commercial waterways in the region, which take priority over 'Remainder Waterways' such as the Pocklington Canal. Everyone with an interest in our inland waterways knows about British Waterways' current financial problems and hopefully DEFRA will provide sufficient funds to allow BW to get Cottingwith Lock back in action in our 40th anniversary year.

 

October 2008 - Can you help with our 40th anniversary events?

Our membership continues to grow and the continued success of our tripboat New Horizons is an important factor in achieving this. Between Easter and the end of October we had 150 boat trips and carried 900 passengers.

Next year is the 40th anniversary of PCAS and the Society is planning to celebrate this with a range of outdoor and indoor activities, and plenty of publicity. Please get in touch with any Committee member if would like to help.

Unfortunately, the new lock gates for Cottingwith Lock are still awaiting installation because of British Waterways' well-known shortage of funds. PCAS is currently investigating alternative ways of getting the gates installed and carrying out repairs to the lock chamber.

Members should have received their November issue of Double Nine. If not, please contact the Membership Secretary.

September 2008 – Draft Pocklington Canal Heritage Partnership Agreement

It is well known that the Pocklington Canal is important for wildlife, but with eight Grade II listed locks and four road bridges that are Scheduled Ancient Monumuments, we should not overlook the heritage value of the canal.

In order to improve management of heritage structures, including repair and maintenance, HPAs are being drawn up as part of the reform of heritage protection in England. The Pocklington Canal has been chosen as one of the pilot schemes and British Waterways have compiled a draft HPA. PCAS has been given the opportunity to provide additional information and comment on the draft. This is an excellent opportunity to extend protection of the heritage assets of the canal, which has seen little change since it was built nearly 200 years ago.

We will point out to BW that the full heritage value of the canal can only be realised when it has been fully restored and navigable to Canal Head!

 

August 2008 – New Horizons news

New Horizons is having a great season, despite a shaky start and a few problems.

Easter was early this year and the weather was poor. By April the weather had improved and most Sundays have seen plenty of visitors and it's good to see familiar faces. Now that word is getting round about our trip boat, Greg is receiving frequent calls from people who are interested in arranging special boat trips for parties.

Now that no boats are able to come onto the canal because Cottingwith Lock is out of action, weed is an even bigger problem and we have had problems with trees falling across the canal this year.

Despite these problems, New Horizons has already seen more use this year than any year since we started running trips in 2004, and it's only August.

July 2008 - IWAC report: Balancing the needs of navigation and aquatic wildlife

Although the effect of boats on aquatic plants is considered in several scientific research articles, this report should promote better understanding of why it is not necessary to exclude boats from restored canals to maintain their value as havens for wildlife. IWAC (the Inland Waterways Advisory Council) advises the Government on management of our waterways, so this is an important report. The full report is available online and not surprisingly the Pocklington Canal is mentioned several times.

Several reports by IWAAC (the predecessor of IWAC) have considered which canal restoration projects should be given priority, and nature conservation has been regarded as an important issue in the case of the Pocklington Canal. Hopefully it will be seen that the small number of boats likely to use the canal does not pose a threat and can make a positive contribution by helping prevent the canal becoming overgrown with vegetation.

May 2008 – Pocklington Canal on Countryfile
John Craven has chosen the Pocklington Canal as BEST FOR WILDLIFE in his Best British Canals.
Countryfile website
Article in THE PRESS

Winter floods

Although the floods in June were unexpected, the River Derwent and lower end of the Pocklington Canal frequently flood during the winter months.

PCAS member Owen Morgan has sent this picture of Hagg Bridge during the floods.

November 2007 – Thornton Lock

Good progress is being made with the refurbishment of Thornton Lock by British Waterways. The main task has been re-planking of the gates, which were leaking badly. Hopefully this will allow us to take New Horizons, the PCAS trip boat, through the lock in 2008.

Lock gates for Cottingwith Lock are being made at British Waterways' workshops at Stanley Ferry, though when they will be installed (the more expensive part of the job) is still uncertain. For the time being, Pocklington Canal will remain as the canal with only five boats (plus the odd canoe)!

 

August 2007 – Cottingwith and Thornton Locks

Apologies for not providing an update on the canal closure. PCAS has not been provided with any definite information about replacement of the gates at Cottingwith Lock. It's not just a case of purchasing gates since there are access problems. The only definite information was that PCAS had offered £10,000 towards the new gates and we would like to reinstate traditional wheel-operated paddlegear on the bottom gates, similar to that installed at other restored locks. The most recent information from British Waterways is that gates are to be ordered soon and it is planned to install them in the new financial year.

Thornton Lock was restored under a Manpower Services Commission training scheme in the late 80s and new gates were installed in 1990. Looking back at an old copy of Double Nine, PCAS donated £5000, which was most of the cost! It has never been possible to use the lock because of the amount of silt in a short stretch of canal below the feeder between Thornton Lock and Church Bridge. BW hope to remove these gates for re-planking 'soon', though there are access problems here too. When the gates have been reinstated it should be possible to take our trip boat through the lock because the shallow section was dredged recently.

June/July 2007 – Flooding

The heavy rain that caused havoc in Hull and Doncaster also affected Pocklington Canal. It is common for the Cottingwith end of the canal to disappear under water when the Derwent floods, but the heavy rainfall resulted in a high water level at Melbourne. It was necessary to cancel or postpone boat trips for safety reasons.

Some trees collapsed, some died as a result of the floods and land has been damaged as a result of being under water for an extended period.

April 2007 – Replacement of gates at Cottingwith Lock

British Waterways plan to replace the gates at Cottingwith Lock in August or September. PCAS will make a contribution to the cost of the work, which may cost up to £70,000. The existing gates were installed in 1987. Stop planks will be installed in early May and their installation was delayed to allow passage of boats. Some boats have temporarily moved from the Melbourne Arm to avoid being trapped on the canal until the lock is reopened.

 

April 2007 – New Horizons ready for another successful season

British Waterways assisted passage of New Horizons to make a return journey to Goole for overdue winter maintenance. She was taken out of the water to allow cleaning and painting of the hull, which is necessary every two years. Painting and other maintenance was carried out at the same time and New Horizons returned to Pocklington Canal in time for the first boat trips – on Good Friday.

Please contact Greg Dixon, our Bookings Manager, if you are interested in arranging a boat trip for a group of up to 12. Boat trips and bookings

 

March 2007 – Dredging completed below Thornton Lock

A short length of heavily silted canal has been dredged, thanks to a generous grant of £5000 to PCAS from IWA (The Inland Waterways Association). The work was carried out by British Waterways' contractors and was necessary because of the accumulated silt brought in by the canal feeder between Thornton Lock and Church Bridge.

British Waterways had planned to do some repairs on Thornton Lock, which was restored in 1990 but has remained unused since because of the need for dredging. The failure of the lock gates at Cottingwith Lock means that the work will be postponed until next year.

 

March 2007 – Canal to be closed because of failure of gate at Cottingwith Lock

On 12 March, British Waterways closed Cottingwith Lock because the top of the heel post of the offside bottom gate had rotted away. The planking on the top gates is also leaking and BW intend to put in stop planks to ensure that the level of water above the lock is maintained. BW will assist passage of boats through the lock until the stop planks have been installed. PCAS is in discussion with BW to discuss funding and installation of new gates. More information

 

February 2007 – Social event at Wheldrake

PCAS held a social event at Wheldrake Village Hall on Friday 23 February. The presentation about the Pocklington Canal and the Canal Society included a viewing of old cine film of canal restoration, dating from the late 60s and early 70s. Not a hard hat or Risk Assessment in sight – just locals working hard and enjoying themselves.

It is always difficult to predict how many will come to events, so we were delighted that the hall was well filled, with over 40 guests plus a good turnout of Society members. We now have some new members, all from Wheldrake and we thank everyone who joined us for the evening. Special thanks to Carol Booth, of Wheldrake, who organised the event.

 

July 2006 – Pocklington Canal among BW's top ten wildlife sites

The Pocklington Canal has been named by British Waterways as one of the top ten places to spot wildlife. A guide to the ten sites is available from BW offices. Read more...