Money for narrowboat restoration
THE Inland Waterways Association announced yesterday (Friday) that it has awarded a grant of £15,000 to the Chesterfield Canal Trust, to help fund the restoration of its narrowboat Python.
The grant has come from the Ayling Bequest. (Keith Ayling was a former Chairman of the Chesterfield Canal Trust, who died in 2010.)
Cannot operate
Python is used by the Trust as a publicity 'vehicle' to promote the work of the Trust, with its volunteer crew engaging with members of the public and boat owners at various events. It is also used to help maintain the Chesterfield Canal, with volunteers using the boat to help clear offside vegetation. Further volunteer activities were planned but have been postponed until the necessary works could be carried out, as the the historic narrowboat cannot operate in its current condition. (The pictures shows Keith Ayling (beard), first meeting Python at West Stockwith, September 2009.)
To fund these works, the Chesterfield Canal Trust applied for a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund in 2014; the Trust also hoped to use any money awarded to equip the boat with interpretation materials about its history. Despite support from many, including the IWA and Canal & River Trust, the application was unsuccessful and the project stalled, with Python remaining out of service.
Significant
However, this is unlikely to remain the case as the IWA Finance Committee has deemed the Trust's project to be of significance in engaging the public with the waterways, so has agreed to make the grant from the Keith Ayling Bequest to help fund the work.
Gordon Harrower, Chairman of IWA's Finance Committee, explained:
The Inland Waterways Association is pleased to be able to support the restoration of Python, and the Finance Committee believes that this is a fitting use of the Ayling Bequest. Keith was passionate about the Chesterfield Canal and Python was the last project in which he was involved."
Would be thrilled
Robin Stonebridge, Chairman of Chesterfield Canal Trust, commented:
"Keith Ayling would be thrilled that Python is being given a new lease of life to promote the canal he loved and to attract more people to the pleasure of using our waterways. Hundreds of people have taken the narrowboat to their hearts over the last few years, and she has been sorely missed at events over the last year. The support from IWA is a tremendous boost to getting her up and running again, and we intend to keep her busy for many years to come. The crew, which has spent so much time restoring Python, is eager to ensure that she is up and running in 2015."
The Trust is currently developing a plan for the restoration and preservation of Python to ensure her long-term future is secured. This will enable it and Chesterfield Canal Trust volunteers to continue to engage with the public and contribute to the maintenance of the Chesterfield Canal. The Trust also hopes to include interpretation of Python's history and the development of ways to share this with the public in the project.
History
Python is one of only four Josher narrowboats still in the format of a shortened British Waterways workboat and is registered on the National Historic Ships register. The boat was built in 1929 by W.J. Yarwoods at a cost of £366, to fulfil an order for 'Two steel canal boats of copper bearing steel' placed by Fellows, Morton & Clayton Ltd. The second boat built was Panther, which is now owned by Coventry Canal Society.
Python came into the custodianship of Chesterfield Canal Trust in 2009 after a lengthy period of neglect when she was surplus to the requirements of former owners, British Waterways. The work of volunteers and sponsorship soon transformed the boat from an unloved relic into a respectable looking boat.
In 1949, she was sold to the British Transport Commission (later to become British Waterways Board) and used in the South East Division Carrying Fleet before being transferred to the engineering department in 1961 for use as a canal maintenance boat, based at Bulls Bridge in London. During the 1980s, Python was shortened to 53ft and the cabin was rebuilt to the current format of rear engine room, crew cabin and forward store.
The narrowboat became surplus to the requirements of British Waterways and fell into disuse for a number of years before coming to the Chesterfield Canal Trust in 2009. Initially this was on a five-year lease, but the move was made permanent in 2011.
The Trust is currently researching Python's history and would encourage anyone who has any information about her or was involved with her in any way, to get in touch by emailing