Towlines 2010

For all horseboating activities, crew and other supporters are always much needed and welcomed.
Details from Sue Day 01457 834863, mobile 07711 121 056, email.

If you would like to get involved in any of the horseboating activities below, please download our "Crew for 2010" form to print, fill in and and return to Sue Day by email or hard copy.
.PDF version (Download needs Acrobat Reader or Foxit Reader)
Word version (Download needs Word, Open Office or similar)

2010 Events

January 19

Illustrated talk, "Horseboating into the 21st century" by Sue Day, to IWA Herts, 8pm.

Feb 16-19

Four days on the Ashton Canal, daily outings as part of the "Open for Half-Term" on behalf of Tameside Youth Service. Harnessing demo and short trip each day only for children accompanied by adults and previously booked in.

March 7

HBS AGM & Event Day at Black Country Living Museum, Dudley, West Midlands, DY1 4SQ.
Please pay your entry to the museum, approx £12.00. Lunch: bring your own or buy on site.
AM: Choice of looking around the museum and/or boathorse harnessing demo at Stables.
PM: Annual General Meeting 2-4pm. Museum closes at 5pm.

Downloads: AGM 2010 Agenda  AGM 2010 Programme for the day  Chairperson's Report Jan 2010  Minutes of 2009 AGM

March 20, 21

Shire Horse Spring Show at East of England Showground, Peterborough. Indoor show.

April 2 - 5

Easter Gathering at the National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port
Saturday: am Saturn Group AGM and pm HBS boathorse harnessing demo

April 22 - May 4/6

Horseboating Maria from Guidebridge on the Ashton Canal to Huddersfield and return.
EVENT DAY: Sunday April 25, legging Standedge Tunnel & "St George and the Dragon" (download details)
EVENT DAY: Monday May 3, legging Standedge Tunnel & "Horses at Work at Standedge" (download details)

Horseboating dates:
 •   Thursday April 22nd: Guide Bridge to Lock 8w, Heyrod, Huddersfield Narrow Canal
 •   Friday April 23rd: Lock 8w Heyrod to Lock 21w Uppermill, Saddleworth Museum
 •   Saturday April 24th: no boating
 •   Sunday April 25th: Saddleworth Museum, Uppermill to Diggle then legging through Standedge Tunnel to Tunnel End, Marsden, 3.24 miles, 1.00 - 3.30 pm.
Also: a guided walk for the public with the boathorse over the tunnel top, 1.00 - 3.00 pm.
 •   Sunday evening April 25th: Horseboat Maria moored on public display at Tunnel End, Marsden
 •   Monday April 26th: Tunnel End, Marsden to Booth Lock (31e)
 •   Tuesday April 27th: Booth Lock (31e) to Slaithwaite
 •   Wednesday April 28th: Slaithwaite to Huddersfield
 •   Thursday April 29th: Huddersfield to Slaithwaite, lock 24e
 •   Friday April 30: Slaithwaite, lock 24e to Tunnel End, Marsden
 •   Saturday May 1st: Horseboat Maria moored on public display at Tunnel End, Marsden
 •   Sunday May 2nd: Horseboat Maria moored on public display at Tunnel End, Marsden
 •   Monday May 3rd: legging through Standedge Tunnel, 3.24 miles.
Also: a guided walk for the public with the boathorse over the tunnel top, 2.00 - 4.00 pm.
 •   Horseboating down Diggle Flight to Uppermill Museum.
 •   Thursday May 6th: Uppermill to Guidebridge on the Ashton Canal .

Download itinerary for this Horseboating Journey here.

May 23

Event Day at National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port. Horses and Ponies at the NWM.
Horseboating demos with Gifford, to winding hole and return. Horse and dray unloading.

June 12 - 13

Gala Weekend at National Waterways Museum, Stoke Bruerne run by the Friends of the NWM.

June 21 - 23, June 26 - 27

Horseboating to Braunston, Grand Union Canal, for Braunston Historic Boats Gathering
(provisional) Wed June 23 AM: legging Braunston Tunnel
Saturday 26: Boathorse harnessing demo in Stophouse Garden

June 26-27

IWA Chester Branch, Tom Rolt Centenary Event at Chester Wharf, Shropshire Union Canal.
(provisional) Sun 27 PM: Boathorse harnessing demo

July, one week

Horseboating from Braunston to Oxford on the Oxford Canal (for IWA National)

July 21 - August 1st

Horseboating with Elland on the Rochdale Canal as part of the Rochdale Canal Festival.
From Manchester to the Summit for an event on August 1st at the Summit, Littleborough.
 •   Wed July 21 - Castlefield to Dale Street/Piccadilly Basin ( ie Rochdale 9)
 •   Thurs July 22 - no boating
 •   Fri July 23 - Dale Street to Failsworth
 •   Sat July 24 - at Failsworth, pm harnessing demo & leave for Rose of Lancaster
 •   Sun July 25 - no boating
 •   Mon July 26 - Rose of Lancaster pub, Chadderton to Slattocks
 •   Tues July 27 - no boating
 •   Wed July 28 - Slattocks to Littleborough
 •   Thurs July 29 - no boating
 •   Fri July 30 - Littleborough to the Summit
 •   Sat July 31 - no boating
 •   Sun August 1 - at the Summit, harnessing demo, possibly moving on the Summit for occasional trips
 •   August 2 to 9 - no boating
[Download this itinerary for printing - .pdf file]

August

Horseboating Elland from the Summit to Hebden Bridge, Rochdale Canal.
2 weeks of horse-drawn passenger work as part of the Hebden Bridge 500 celebrations.
 •   Tues August 10 - Elland moving from Summit to Todmorden
 •   11th or 12th maybe - Todmorden to Hebden Bridge (please check)
 •   August days - passenger work as part of Hebden Bridge 500 celebrations?
 •   Sept 2? - to Sowerby Bridge for SB Rushbearing Festival, Sept 4/5
[Download this itinerary for printing - .pdf file]

August 14-15

Foxton Locks Festival, Leicester section of Grand Union - Boathorse harnessing demos

August 28-30

IWA National Waterways Festival at Beale Park, River Thames (near Pangbourne/Reading)
Boathorse harnessing demos. HBS PowerPoint Presentations: Sat 2pm, Sun 12 noon.

September

Kennet and Avon Canal bi-centenary celebrations all year. HBS involvement?

September 3-5

Maesbury Canal Festival, Montgomery Canal

September 10-13

Our contribution to Heritage Open Days, a national event:
Friday: horseboating Maria from Guidebridge to Marple, via Ashton & Peak Forest Canals.
Sat and Sun: Marple Festival, and Boat Gathering
Sunday or Monday: horseboating Maria from Marple to Guidebridge

September 21-23

World Canals Conference, Rochester, New York State.

September 24-26

Parkhead Canal Festival - horseboating demos on locks and using lockside pulley wheel
Event cancelled. We have received the following message from the organisers:

PARKHEAD CANAL FESTIVAL-----CANCELLED ! It's with great regret that the organisers (DCT & WBCS) will have to cancel the Parkhead Canal Festival following a meeting on the 12th Febuary with British Waterways concerning the Chasewater Reservoir Dam which requires 3 million pounds to repair the dam to stop flooding in the future. The last water will be drained out by the end of March. Which means the only way of topping up the Wolverhampton level is by pumping water from the mines at Bradley, but pumping will be limited. B.W. are saying they think they can cope with normal BCN traffic, but could not cope with a sudden draw of water on the system if a large boating event should happen on the BCN like the Parkhead Canal Festival as it usually attracts up to 100 boats. As next year it will be the turn of the BCLM Working Boat Gathering on the same weekend, we would have to arrange the next Parkhead Canal Festival in September 2012 when hopefully there will be enough water on the BCN to float the event on !

September/October

Horseboating Vixen from Hebden Bridge to Standedge via Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

2009 Events

Click here to read the events that took place in 2009.

2008 Events

Click here to read the events that took place in 2008.

News

News items are on a separate News page.