Chesterfield Canal Festival

Over the week end of 17th & 18th of July the Trust and Lincolnshire Waterways Partnership attended the Chesterfield Canal Festival in Worksop. Despite the weather which, at times, was poor a good crowd turned out. Certainly the car park always looked fairly full.

The sales stall with Pat in charge, as usual, did very well over the two days.

Head of Navigation Opening Celebrations

The 3^rd of July saw the Trust celebrate the culmination of 5 years work with the opening of the new bridge and slipway in Sleaford.

The slipway was formally opened with speeches and the cutting of a ribbon by Lincolnshire County Councilor Eddie Poll and Chris Hayes Trust Chairman. John Lower’s boat ‘Schandelle’ was then launched with due ceremony down the slipway. Eddie Poll and Dave Pullen, the Trust Hon Engineer, then set off for an inaugural trip down to Cogglesford Lock. This also involved raising the lift bridge, not only for ‘Schandelle’ but also for a small flotilla of canoes.

A great many people in Sleaford visit the celebrations during the day and were extremely complementary about the works.

After a period of 'tweaking' and refining the design of the bridge, the hydraulic operating gear was fitted last week. On Friday a small party went over to try out the bridge and to see how it operated. Operation by windlass was quite easy although the bridge was slightly harder to raise than to lower. This situation we understand will be remedied by the addition of a small extra counter weight.

In all the bridge was raised and lowered three times. The photo shows the Chairman, Chris Hayes, exercising her prerogative and windlass!