We are taking a break in March and so there will not be a working weekend this month.
We will resume in April – weekend of Sat 9th and Sun 10th – details in the next Bulletin. The discovery of a ‘probable’ water pipe through the bund has thrown our plans somewhat. We are reliant on Canal & Rivers Trust, the owners of the bund, and the water company United Utilities to confirm the fact of this. Two old plans would seem to suggest the existence of a 3″ water main from Stanton through the bund to Vivers Lane and, though both maps date back more than 70 years, there is more recent anecdotal evidence of its existence.
We would like to ‘get in there’ with spades and dig a trench across the bund but there are ‘protocols’ to be adhered too and so we must await the two authorities to agree the next steps.
There is also an issue with water loss in that testing has shown that loss from the First Furlong is a little greater than that required by CRT. Advice is being sought on the best way to identify the leak.
Review of work to date
I continue with the review of the achievements and lessons learnt on the First Furlong. Thank you to those of you who have already responded to the request to share your thoughts on the project. They are all helpful, but I really do need more input from the many volunteers who have given their time over the past years. Even if you only have one idea, please do respond as collectively they will be a great help in making the next phase even more successful and rewarding for the volunteers. I’ve only been involved for the last 3 years, so memories and thoughts from the early years will be particularly welcome. I can be contacted on review@lancastercanaltrust.co.uk.
Many thanks
Regards Bob
Coming up
IWA News
On the 16th of March at 7.30pm we are having the last of our zoom webinars for the 2021-2022 season. The speaker is Mike Clarke of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal Society. Places can be booked via the IWA website, Lancashire and Cumbria Branch Events, or email Wendy Humphreys
if you want me to send a link.
On the 30th of March 7.30pm we are having a social meeting at Primrose Gardens, Chorley, Alison Smedley, IWA’s Campaigns Manager will be talking about IWA campaigns. As ever LCT members are very welcome.
Details are on the Inland Waterways Association website www.waterways.org.uk on the Lancashire and Cumbria branch pages, but I have copied the registration link below.
Feel free to share the link with other interested parties.
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_UVA-CXiAQqewoNH&eiNTmg
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC ROBJ6rpm 41BSmu-GIf2Q
Waterwitch Magazine
The copy date is 30th of April. Please send any articles/reports/pictures/stories etc for inclusion in the magazine to Wendy.
If you have any links to interesting websites or archives, please share them with us. Or if you have any stories, canal holidays or activities or experiences that might amuse (or horrify!) your fellow members do please share them. Just email to chair@lctrust.co.uk Thank you.
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