Canal Cuttings
The Easter Bank Holiday was busy; sixteen boats selling a wide range of items comprised the Floating Market beyond the top bridge and the counters recorded 12,000 people visiting them over the weekend. May Day was not so good as the cold north wind refused to go away.
Canal and River Trust (CRT), in conjunction with Harborough Events, have organised a programme of monthly craft fairs in the ‘event field’ at the top of the locks, the next leave on the weekend of 20/21June.
Foxton Canal Museum has benefited from the hot weather, as it is always cool in there! They plan to open the museum whenever events are on, and every weekend from 11 July.
If staffing allows, they may open some weekdays as well; more volunteers are always needed.
There is the possibility of a major project in conjunction with De Montfort University for a digital interpretation and ‘virtualisation’ of the whole site.
On 17 May, a half-marathon was organised from the Showground, running along village roads past the locks and on towards Mowsley. This caused road closures and disruption, which the businesses at the locks were very displeased about. No consultation took place and there were many route options that would have been less disruptive of people’s livelihoods.
Water supply is still a worry this season, as the summit reservoirs are already being drawn down to feed the lower Leicester Line, which is suffering from vandals draining the ponds.
There seem to be perpetual problems further down which require more water, despite a winter programme of repair works. Just before the late May holiday, one of the top lock gates on the Kibworth flight gave way, which closed the route north, but the levels continue to drop.
The exceptionally hot Bank Holiday weather, although good for visitors, has exacerbated the situation.
A series of wooden sculptures has been installed on the old arm to the Inclined Plane and the path to the top car park, representing the varied wildlife that is prolific round the site. This was funded by a £20,000 Arts grant secured by CRT.
The car park machines are being replaced so that visitors can now pay for shorter visits and the season ticket price is reduced.
Work has started on relocating the electricity cables from the poles up the side of the locks to underground in the adjacent field. Mains electricity came to the locks in 1958 (along with mains water). However, it was single phase only; for many years, a diesel generator was necessary to power the pub built by Foxton Boat Services in 1980, until they paid for three-phase to come across the fields from Gumley.
Mary Matts
(from the summer edition of Foxton Folio)
Kibworth Mead Academy
