Society chairman Neville Kenyon gives his annual report for 2008
Efforts have continued to attract greater use of our canal.
Your Chairman together with HCS Council member Keith Noble have attended several meetings called by British Waterways Yorkshire region to address the problem of Standedge Tunnel transit.
This issue is a continuing inhibition to boaters as the tunnel is open only on Wednesdays and Fridays. The electric tugs are still in use, though it has become possible for boats to transit under their own power with a BW chaperone on board. This has been a major breakthrough resulting from tests which have proven that the fumes emitted are well within the safety requirements.
Before BW can agree to more transit days being available, a sophisticated communications system linking the whole length of the tunnel with the control centre at Marsden needs to be installed.
Tenders for this work were sent out during the Autumn when it was discovered that no British company was able to comply with the required specification and BW would need to locate a competent firm in Western Europe.
There is now agreement for the work to be carried out and it is likely to be completed by the end of 2009, commencing in November (and therefore without interruption to the boating season). However, in the meantime, BW have agreed to allow the transit of self powered boats with a chaperone for three days - Monday, Wednesday and Friday - for the 2009 season. They have issued detailed guidelines for boaters and this interim measure will be a useful experiment to uncover any glitches prior to the more frequent opening days of 2010.
One might observe that at last there is light at the end of the tunnel and we at HCS are convinced much of this progress has been due to the efforts of our members who have been assiduous in putting pressure on BW to improve the tunnel transit protocol.
Regular meetings have been held with our local authority partners who have continued to be greatly supportive. Special thanks are due to Roger Platt and his colleagues at Tameside who have worked with us to finalise the design and print of a new leaflet promoting the canal for use in tourism outlets throughout the north of England. These will be available for distribution during the Spring of 2009.
The Towpath Guide compiled by our Administrator, Dr Bob Gough, has sold in excess of 1,000 copies during the year and a reprint has been ordered. Pennine Link, our quarterly magazine, has continued to be distributed to members and other interested parties. Thanks go to Editor Alwyn Ogborn and Bob Gough for all their work on this award-winning publication. Alwyn was also responsible for the annual photographic competition. The 2009 HCS calendar features some of the winning pictures.
We organised an Open Day at our Dobcross office during May and this was well attended - it was agreed that we would repeat the event in 2009. Other events organised by Bob Gough and our Marketing Officer, Claire Bebbington, included a treasure hunt in Uppermill, and several walks and talks within the canal environment.
The Marsden Shuttle, our boat taxi service from Marsden railway station to the visitors' centre at Tunnel End, has continued to operate during weekends and bank holidays throughout the season. Our thanks go to organiser, Andrea Fisher and her team of willing volunteers.
Your HCS Council has met six times during the year with good attendances.
During the year we entered into an agreement with British Waterways North West Region to purchase the Transhipment Warehouse (our HCS office) which BW currently leases to us. BW had introduced a policy which included divesting themselves of property which was not directly used by them, so we had the choice of finding alternative accommodation or agreeing to the purchase. Whilst recognising that the economic climate was not ideal for entering into such a transaction, your Council decided that purchase was the better option in the longer term interests of the Society.
I offer my personal thanks for the unstinting support of volunteers, members and staff which contributes to the success story of the Huddersfield Canal Society.
Neville Kenyon