WILTS & BERKS CANAL TRUST

Tenth Anniversary Edition

Cover Picture: Browns Excavation at work, Calne, October 1987

Ten years On...the Secretary looks back over a decade of downs and ups

Read this article in "The Story of the Trust - The first 10 years"

The membership now stands at 206

Review of year Chairman's Report to the AGM

WestEnd report: Comments on various schemes including Melksham/Lacock. At Calne we now have 300 yds of navigable canal complete with its bridge. Quite a bit of tidying up remains to be done. NACRO should be able to start work soon on 7 locks. Dauntsey Lock appeal has now reached £4000. Work Parties are continuing at Foxham.

EastEnders report; Various negotiations and possibilities for future restoration are discussed.

Cover Picture: WRGers at Foxham

Secretary's Report is about the support of IWA financially and with the move of the W&B towards Company status.

Melksham Waterway: Studies are now looking towards restoration to the East of the Town rather than the previous Avon-Link.

WestEnd Report: Proposals are set out for a walking/cycling path from Chippenham to Lacock. Sections of the Canal to be restored and eventually the Main Line restored to full navigation. Current & future work by NACRO is reported. IWA have helped with clearance work at Foxham and the landowner, Bob Kinch, has done clearance and bridge construction work.

Working Party Activities Past & Future are decribed.

Dauntsey Lock Appeal stands at £2571

Canal Enterprise: Historical article from the 'Swindon Guide' for 1884

A Year of Achievement: Chairman's Report to AGM

Secretary's Report: The Group is now a Company Limited by Guarantee.

WestEnd Report: Details of the Melksham Waterway Scheme have been presented. Calne section was the venue for small boats on its Canal Day.

Central News: Various plans, projects and problems are discussed.

EastEnders: Permission has now been granted to start work between Grove Top Lock and Limekiln Lock aiming at 300 yds of restored and re-watered canal.

Cover Photo: Pete Smith and the intrepid Winter WRGers at Elm Farm

Canal Clean-Up: An article from the 'Wantage Herald' Jan 5^th 1989. (See EastEnders report for this and other work)

Swindon Memories by White horse; This article appeared in the Swindon Review June 1961

Cover Picture: At the Calne official opening. From right to left: The Earl of Shelburne, Mayor of Calne, Councillor Mjrs E Syms, Noel Griffiths, John Henn

Editorial: Mentions current good relations with nature Conservation Groups but also need for the Group to have its own Conversation Officer. Noel Griffiths has resigned as Chairman and a new Editor is to take over the magazine - Geoff Newland.

Notice of AGM includes visit to Canal sites to be made.

Official Opening of Chaveywell Wharf Calne, reported in detail, was a great success.

A Work party at Foxham, Elm Park and Dauntsey, over the Christmas / New Year period is described in lively detail.

Restoration Progress: The first half of 1989 has seen great activity along the line of the Canal. There are now 6 work sites. Work is described  by Peter Smith, Work Party organiser. Forthcoming Work Parties are listed.

Editor's Desk: The new Editor Geoff Newland pays tribute to Richard Porter the previous Editor and also describes the move to home computer for Editorial Work.

Secretary's Report stresses the availability of Deeds of Coverent for subscriptions to increase revenue.

WestEnd Report Devolution in the form of Wootton Bassett branch and a WestEnd (South) branch. In spite of exciting developments at Calne local help is hard to come by. However, contact with and help from local authorities are going well. There are various restoration plans at Chippenham.

Wootton Bassett Area Report: News from the new group appears for the first time.

Jack Dalby: A warm obituary for a well-liked and respected Canal enthusiast whose interest in the W&B stretched back to 1960's

WestEnd Report: The idea of 'lengthsmen' is mentioned. North Wilts DC has passed a motion to put a policy statement in the local plan which will protect the canal line. The Melksham Waterway and its benefits are discussed. The formation of the Calne branch and various activities are reported. Chippenham notes include successful opposition to proposals to fill in the remains of the canal spur

Work Parties Report: Activities of various sites are reported.

National Waterways Survey - Extract from English Heritage Conservation Bulletin.

First Dragon-Fly with a price 45p!

Cover Picture: Construction work in progress at Foxham top lock. Some of the 7000 bricks being laid.

Secretary's Report reflects on the decrease in this section coverage because of the advent of Regional Co-ordinators' Reports elsewhere. Dept of the Environment's Special Grants Programme - again been unsuccessful

Work parties Report covers 3 pages. Photographs are shown on the inside back cover of work at Foxham Top Lock.

EastEnd Report is an insert but a long one, with details of work, plans, negotiations etc

Now the Price is 50p !!

Cover Picture: Val Scatchard, Dave Banner & Roy Murrell removing the last tree stump from Elm Farm Amenity Area.

Secretary's Report: Mainly about subscriptions but also announcing Peter Scatchard ( Formerly EastEnd Co-ordinator) as the new Chairman.

Editors Notes: Various events and activities are mentioned, including HTV filming at Calne due to be broadcast in October.

WestEnd News: The Official re-opening of the K&A is reported. Work Parties are various W&B locations are discussed. it is hoped to form a Lyneham branch.

EastEnders: A committee as been established with Ian Graham as the new Co-Ordinator. A highly successful Work Camp was filmed by Central TV and attracted many visitors to the canal. Elm Farm amenity area now looks like a canal.

Cover Picture: The first Swindon Work party (See East End report)

From the Secretary: Chris Toms to be Membership Secretary. Problems with Standing orders not being amended to the new rate.

WestEnd: An explanation is given of the re-organisation of structure of the Branches now having direct links with the Trust Council. A new Bath & Bristol Branch is announced. There is a plan to buy a trip boat of novel design (Hypozomata) which could be moved from one part of the canal to another. Interesting details are given.

Allen & Harris are carrying out a study of the route of the old W&B Canal on behalf of the Trust Group.

EastEnd: Work at Elm Farm and Limekiln Lock is described.

Work parties; Current & future work is reported