This was held on the 10th day of the 10th month of the 10th year in the 21st century – good memorable date, what!.
I spent 3 hours at the open day and enjoyed a very relaxing and enlightening visit…..
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Click on an image to enlarge.
I took this photo of a plan of the area at Gateway Park published by British Waterways, I hope this is useful.
The event was blessed with superb autumn sunshine with wall to wall blue skies. Just the atmosphere to show off the magnificent canal scenery and relax those at the event into a happy and friendly mood – just what the canal’s purpose is now in my view!
When I arrived at approx.12 o’clock, it was fairly quiet. I realigned my perspective on the event. This is no Crick festival! This year it was quite small. It was created by the hard work of volunteers to raise awareness and funds for the restoration of the two Droitwich Canals– the Barge and Junction. The East end of the Junction Canal at Hanbury Junction was used to house the event.
Earlier in the week Trust Volunteers had braved all to move their nb Pamela May from Droitwich to the Open Day site, so as to provide free rides for attendees of the event. This involved cruising down the Barge Canal from Droitwich Town to the River Severn, then at Worcester managing to navigate the boat through the Diglis Locks 1 and 2, then up the Birmingham and Worcester Canal to Hanbury Junction before turning left into the start of the Junction Canal.
I had a friendly chat to Fran Thomas and Roger Ganderton during my visit, who were manning the Trust’s stall. Fran told me that it took 10 hours to cover the almost complete ring and she showed me photos she had taken on the trip!
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As I was arriving at the event the Pamela May, was just returning from a ½ hour trip up the Birmingham Worcester canal with a number of excited children peering out of the front window and eyeing me as a press photographer to bring them fame(!). Photos 3 and 4 below show how Tom Pedler turns the boat quickly using a rope to the bows in the narrow pound between Locks 1 and 2.
I took the next trip and was honoured to stand by the skipper at the time Ray Cotter and take photos from his viewpoint. Just a short trip into the Worcester and Birmingham and through Lock 1 of the Junction, but nevertheless enjoyed by the umpteen visitors allowed aboard. How on earth he managed to get Pamela May through Westfields Bridge, with its 2 inch at either side clearance, without demolishing it is a miracle! (See third photo below).
The final ½ mile or so connecting the two canals by canalising the River Salwarpe in Droitwich, after a false start, is now to happen with work starting in October 2010 and hopefully being completed in April 2011. I can’t wait for the celebrations when the two canals and hence the ring is completed….it’s taken many decades of devoted pressure and dedication from volunteers of the Trust!
The locks at the start of the Junction Canal have a volunteer Lock Keeper, Tom Pedlow. He lives aboard a canal boat moored between Hanbury Junction and Lock 1. He was working hard that day keeping an eye on the many young and older visitors and supervising the operations of Locks 1 and 2 for nb Pamela May and other narrow boats.
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Pictured here with Tom is Denis Pike, who was working hard with the locks; who Fran says” works for British Waterways, and is a long standing member of the Droitwich Canals Volunteers. He has been key with regards to maintaining the hedging using traditional methods along the canal for many years, and assisted at various other restoration events”.
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Also seen serving on the Trust’s stall was Pam Davey with Margaret Rowley to her right, but hidden from sight. Margaret is a very dedicated volunteer and can be seen on the stall at the recent Salwarpe Fete. She is Chairman of the Mid-Worcester Ring and can be contacted at mrowley@worcs.com (photo supplied by Fran and breathed upon a little by me). When talking to Fran and Roger, they were holding fort on the stall so that Pam and Margaret could go on the final Pamela May trip of the day (which strangely turned out to be two trips!). According to Fran, she and Roger had to strongly encourage them to go as they are so keen to talk to the visitors to the stand, such is their dedication!
I wandered down the canal to the M5 passed the old locks 1, 2 and 3 and the new Locks 4, 5 and 6. The latter are a masterpiece of construction in my humble view, with superb workmanship following excellent design and planning. Locks 4 and 5 are in staircase format. When the surrounding countryside matures this will be a superb place to wander in glorious British summer days. There is a lovely picnic spot and children’s play area, Gateway Park, by the bridge to the Droitwich Rugby club between Locks 3 and 4 (see photo).
Read about the restoration by following the links Waterscape http://www.britishwaterways.co.uk/droitwich/
And Droitwich Canal Trust http://www.worcs.com/dct/
Please add a comment (or contact me) about any inaccuracies or things you would like to add to this post.
Geoff
