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An Interesting Discovery !
The
original drawing by James Green of Bude's first lock gates was recently
discovered and handed to our committee member, Anne Longley, who is the
temporary archivist for the Bude Stratton Museum. Anne thinks the drawing
dates from about 1818, since the work on the canal started in 1819, and
was used for the construction of the original lock gates but, she adds,
"18 years later the lock gates were badly damaged in a storm and
the lock was rebuilt on a larger scale. The scale drawing shows that the
original width of the lock was about 24 feet and the length about 90 feet."
This compares with the present lock of about 33 feet and 103 feet respectively.
James Green's signature is clearly visible on the drawing which is about
two feet by three feet on paper which has been stitched to a linen backing.
Anne says the condition is "fragile". The archive team are organising
conservation through the Royal Cornwall Museum. When its condition has
been stabilised it will be put on exhibition.
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Tub
Boat - Chain or Hook Haulage ?
With reference to "Bucket in Well Working"
in "The Tub Boat" No 36 pages 6 - 12 and, in particular, the
additional information supplied by B D Stamp from an article in the 1920s
by a Mr Arthur Isaac. It is not clear whether Mr Isaac's account is that
of an eye-witness, his understanding, or is mere supposition. Obviously,
I have no eye-witness information so my own view is based on the opinions
of others and my own readings. These lead me to the belief that a chain
with a hook device was fixed to the tub boat to connect it to the endless
chain rather than a" V groove" into which the chain was positioned.
This view tends to be supported by:
i. Photographs of tub boats which show no "V" groove.
ii A contemporary drawing of a tub boat as shown on page 92 of "Canal
Inclines and Lifts" by David Trew.
iii In the same book as ii on page 93 there is reference to the Ridd Incline,
near Weare Gifford on the Rolle Canal which was built by James Green.
This canal had tub boats on wheels and used a water wheel in a wheel pit
to power the inclined plane's endless chain. It says, "...boats were
attached to the endless chain by a short length of chain at one end of
the inclined plane which was cast off at the other."
The Rolle Canal was constructed between 1824 and 1827 and has another
feature similar to the Bude Canal. The tidal lock at Annery is a miniature
version of the Bude sea lock. This canal used the same elements in design
and workings as Bude's. There was no need for change from a system at
Bude which worked from 1823 - 1891. Finally, the author of the basic designs
for the inclined planes and the propulsion systems, Robert Fulton, shows
in his concepts a chain with a hook as being the means of connecting a
wheeled tub boat to the drive endless chain for the transportation up
or down the plane. James Green clearly also thought this was an appropriate
and effective method, as do I.
Chris Jewell
Further to the above reasoned account; in the well-known photo of Stucley
alongside the lower wharf the three tub boats behind it clearly have a
projection on their bows which in the rearmost one could well be V-shaped.
In a letter of 13 August 1831 John Honey writes: "About half past
twelve o'clock this day a man named John Wilkey, a boatman in Mr King's
employ, in the act of taking down some empty boats from the Top of Hobbacott
Plane, hooked on three nos 30, 45 and 46 and put the shackle on the Main
Chain in the regular way; immediately as the two foremost boats came out
over the Top of the Plane" Wilkey was seen to be "handling or
removing" the shackle and the boats ran to the bottom of the Plane;
"on examining the foremost boat, I found the V which the Main Chain
falls into also broken." It seems to me that the short chain hooked
on to the main chain took the strain of the weight of the tub boat on
the main chain but the V held it in the centre of the boat thus keeping
the boat in the rails but was not sufficiently well attached to the boat
and was ripped out when it took the full weight. This suggests that Chris
is right in that the short chain and hook took the weight of the boat
and the V was a guide.
Editor
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Bude
Canal Day - 6th August 2006 - Barkhouse Green Bude
This year the event
is in August rather than July due to the need for a suitable tide to use
the sea lock during the afternoon.
There will be the familiar mix of stalls and activities plus traditional
music from local groups and artistes. BCHS are pleased that the Bideford
Youth Pipe Band will be in attendance to pipe in any visiting boats and
to give a session of pipe band music; always an impressive sight.
It is intended to present copies of the complete set of 8 maps and notes
of the Bude Canal 1904 Map, which have now all been copied and saved by
computer technology as part of BCHS's Archive Project, to Bude Stratton
Town Council, Bude-Stratton and District Old Cornwall Society and Budehaven
Community School. This is planned for about 1.15pm on the Barkhouse Green,
Lower Wharf, when there will also be the presentation of the 'Falcon Cup'
for the Canal Day fishing competition held by the Bude Canal Angling Association
each year.
Unfortunately, Bude Stratton Town council has had to cancel its Gurney
Day this year due mainly to the lack of support from participants but
intend to have the event next year after the Castle renovations are completed.
Canal Day is being opened at 1 pm on the Barkhouse Green by Cllr Neil
Burden, NCDC, Chairman of Bude Canal Regeneration Project.
This year there will be no canoe polo for the BCHS Shield organised by
Bude Canoe Club due to clash of fixtures elsewhere. The Canoe Club hope
to have a presence and will be giving a demonstration of techniques.
Hopefully the weather will be kind this year and the event will be successful
and enjoyable.
Chris Jewell
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Barge
Workshop Helebridge
Once again the Society is opening the workshop at Helebridge between 2
and 5 pm each Sunday from 3 June to 24 September 2006 to allow the public
to see the tub boat which is stored there by its owners, Bude-Stratton
Town Council. BCHS volunteers who man this activity would be pleased to
see any of our members whether they live locally or are visiting the area.
Guided Walks - Bude sea lock to Helebridge Basin
BCHS are operating the guided walks on the dates below as in previous
years for North Cornwall Coast and Countryside The dates of the walk are:
Sundays 2nd and 23rd July 2006, 13 August, 3 and 24 September.
The walks start at 2pm from the sea lock and go up the canal to Helebridge
basin and the Barge Workshop. There is no fee for this walk, which is
2 miles from Bude to Helebridge basin on level ground and 2 miles to return.
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Guided
Walks - Bude Sea Lock to Helebridge Basin
Once again the Society is opening the workshop at Helebridge between 2
and 5 pm each Sunday from 3 June to 24 September 2006 to allow the public
to see the tub boat which is stored there by its owners, Bude-Stratton
Town Council. BCHS volunteers who man this activity would be pleased to
see any of our members whether they live locally or are visiting the area.
Guided Walks - Bude sea lock to Helebridge Basin
BCHS are operating the guided walks on the dates below as in previous
years for North Cornwall Coast and Countryside The dates of the walk are:
Sundays 2nd and 23rd July 2006, 13 August, 3 and 24 September.
The walks start at 2pm from the sea lock and go up the canal to Helebridge
basin and the Barge Workshop. There is no fee for this walk, which is
2 miles from Bude to Helebridge basin on level ground and 2 miles to return.
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Canal
Regeneration progress
The following
is an article written for Marhamchurch Parish magazine. Most of the first
part will be known to our readers but the second gives an update on the
regeneration position: Ed.
The canal was originally dug to carry the lime-rich shelly sand from Summerleaze
to improve the heavy clay soil of the hinterland as a simpler and quicker
method than the pack horses and carts used by the farmers from time immemorial.
The first sods were dug in 1819 and the canal opened in 1823. At first
barges were taken out through the sea lock, moored until the tide cleared
the beach when they were filled with sand and, when the tide was high
enough, taken back through the sea lock and towed to the basin at Helebridge.
For a short time a steam tug was used but this caused too much damage
to the banks so horses continued. Here the sand was transferred to tub
boats which were pulled up the inclined plane to the narrower tub boat
canal. Before long it dawned on someone that the barges could be avoided
by taking the tub boats down to the lower wharf where they were filled
from tipping trucks which went on rails out to the beach. The turntable
at the end of the iron bridge is still visible at times when the sand
has been washed away by the tide. The remains of an actual tub boat can
be seen at the Barge Workshop at the basin on Sundays between 2 and 5
pm throughout the summer. There were many difficulties in running the
canal particularly breakages of the chains on the inclined planes, etc
so that very little profit was made and with the coming of the railway
the canal traffic declined and finally ceased in 1891.
The Canal Society was formed to rouse interest in the regeneration of
the barge canal, i.e. from the sea to Helebridge. The hope was to replace
the swing bridge at the Falcon, the lift bridges at Rodds Bridge and Whalesborough,
reinstate both inland locks, access to the barge workshop basin, dredging
of the canal throughout, and widening and upgrading of the towpath. The
owners of this part, NCDC, now have a regeneration scheme planned and
some finance received and hopefully more to come from HLF and others.
The sea lock has already been completely restored with English Heritage
funding and extensive walks along the line of the canal and well inland
have been created using Interreg funding.
Highways refused to allow the change to the Falcon bridge on the grounds
of disturbance to traffic, although it was intended to restrict canal
use of the bridge to one hour each during the morning and afternoon; and
Objective 1 also turned it down as they thought it would not produce a
satisfactory return of an increase in employment, etc. This restriction
means no boats coming by sea up to Helebridge basin thus limiting the
reinstatement of navigation so central to the whole scheme. It is hoped
to continue the towpath into the basin at Helebridge and restore the inclined
plane at least as far as the pumping station.
The design stages for the Development phase are under way with most of
the designers' survey and investigations works scheduled to be completed
in time for the Christmas break and various batches of preliminary drawing
issues starting to be received to implement the design development. The
Project timescale depends on the time needed to phase and await funding
bid outcomes to implement construction in time to meet the finish date
for Objective 1 in May 2008.
Lawrence Wheatley
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Virworthy
View
The
towpath, five and a half miles of it, is now designated a public footpath
and stiles have been replaced with gates for easy access and repairs to
the spillway at the wharf has ensured water in the wharf basin. This has
attracted wild ducks together with our domestic ducks, who run the gauntlet
to cross the road on a regular basis.
We have seen an increase in the number of people walking the towpath as
a result of it being advertised in the local press – the elusive
‘Aqueduct’ still perplexes some people.
A recent structural survey on the wharf building, commissioned by the
Bude Canal Regeneration Project, has highlighted certain unsatisfactory
aspects. Resulting from the publication of the surveyor’s report,
the Bude Canal Trust had no option but to deny public access to the wharf
building until such time as safety can be assured. This is an unfortunate
step and it is hoped an early solution can be found.
The Western Morning News (June 19th) highlighted the comeback of the blue
coloured banded demoiselles, an insect similar to a dragonfly, and one
of the country’s largest damselflies. Having suffered a drastic
reduction over the last decade, one of Britain’s most striking insects
is enjoying a revival and is now flourishing in the Westcountry. Quite
recently we found one that had just expired! They have a brief life of
only some two weeks. Yvonne has retained it in a plastic ‘music
tape’ box for display purposes!
The long dry June after a very wet May has once again ensured an abundance
of berries and sloes (the sloe gin and sloe brandy I made last year is
still on the go).
The two species of birds that seem to have excelled themselves with young
this year are the crows and magpies. I only hope that is not detrimental
to the survival of the smaller birds.
Geoff Lowe
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Membership
Report
We welcome the following new members who have joined since March:
Mr & Mrs A Whitefield, Crooklets, Bude
Mr N Richards, South Molton, Devon
Mr J W Leonard, Braunton, Devon
Mr & Mrs R Elsey, Bexhill on Sea, East Sussex
Mr & Mrs B Elsey, Alton, Hampshire
Mrs L Moores, Granville Terrace, Bude
Mike Moore
Visit
to Canal at North Tamerton
A visit to a section of the Bude Canal and Tamerton inclined plane on
Saturday 29 July is being organized by Mr & Mrs Harper of North Tamerton
as a fund-raising event for North Tamerton Church. The event starts at
6.30pm and the cost will be £4 per adult, £2 per child under
14, or £2 per family of 2 adults & children.
If you are interested and would like to attend please complete the
booking form and return with the remittance to me at 4a The Crescent,
Bude, EX23 8LE by 21 July 2006. Cheques should be made payable to "St
Denys Church".
The meeting point is The Victory Hall, North Tamerton at 6.20pm. Transport
to the canal site will be provided.
There will be a barbecue afterwards, adjacent to St Denys Church, North
Tamerton, at a separate charge.
The Society is providing some leaflets and displays for perusal at the
barbecue venue.
Chris Jewell
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Special
Subscription Offer - "Canals & Rivers"
The
"Canals & Rivers" magazine has an offer open to BCHS members
which would benefit the Society. For every new subscription at the regular
rate of £33 taken out by a BCHS member the Society would receive
£7 from the publishers.
This is an ongoing offer and if you, as a member of the Society, wish
to take it up you need to do the following:
* Contact "Canals & Rivers" by telephone or letter
* State you are a member of the Bude Canal & Harbour Society
* State your membership number
* Make the £33 subscription
The contact details are:- Canals & Rivers, c/o Morgan Publications
Ltd, Stanley House, 9 West Street, EPSOM KT18 7RL. Tel: 01372 741411 Fax
01372 744 493.
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Other
news
Dr A Saudek spent many years collecting aluminium cans and donating the
proceeds to the Inland Waterways Association for the benefit of the country's
waterways. The bench has recently been repainted and the plaque renewed
by our Society.
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Forthcoming
Events
22nd July - Train & Boat Trip Special event. 9.00am Bude Crescent
car park
29th July - Visit to Canal at North Tamerton
6th August - Canal Day
19th August - Bude Carnival
26th/27th August - Bude Lifeboat weekend
28th Aug/2nd Sept - West Country Embroideries Exhibition
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Tub
Boat issue 37 will be available in Autumn2006
copy
for the next edition should be sent to The Editor, Tregea, Lower Upton,
Bude Cornwall EX23 0LS 29th September 2006
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