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IWA National Trailboat Festival Updates

The first boat arrived on May15th from a rally at Moira on the Ashby Canal. photo © John Lower The direction signs for the roads were mostly erected on May23rd. When laid out end to end, they were exactly the same length as the new Seth Ellis tripboat! photo © John Lower

Most recent photos below.

The new Seth Ellis trip boat built by Soar Valley Boats was launched at Chesterfield on Monday May 23rd in time for the IWA National Trailboat Festival.

It will operate trips together with the resident John Varley before being transferred to Retford early next month.

Seth Ellis was craned into the canal at Tapton Lock photo © John Lower Trial run, turning round near Tapton Mill Floodgate photo © John Lower

Trips for the trailboat festival will start from Three Bridges at the bottom of the Festival site. The crew practice turning the boat in the small space between to the two railway bridges. photo © John Lower The Bells launched their Wilderness boat on Thursday lunchtime and were the first visitors to arrive and the first to try the newly installed mooring rings and the new water point

Marquee construction was well underway on Thursday afternoon and the portable toilets had arrived. The camping area on Friday afternoon

Some of the boats on Friday afternoon The festival site on Friday afternoon

Former Chesterfield Transport Leyland Fleetline No. 154 is on the Park & Ride Service from Arnold Laver's Car Park on Saturday Morning The festival on Sunday

The festival on Sunday The festival on Sunday

Carlo the clown

Tapton Lock
visitor centre

March 14, 2005

IWA Trail Boat Festival 2005 Latest

DATE AND LOCATION
Chesterfield over Spring Bank Holiday Weekend May 28/29/30; free admission to the festival for visitors.

BOATS
At the beginning of March, more than a dozen boats have now booked in. As well as the resident John Varley trip boat, the Canal Trust will also be launching a brand-new 34foot tripboat to replace Norwood Packet which will transfer to Retford after the festival. Derbyshire County Council's new daily hire boat will also be launched at the Festival.

Boaters with boats which cannot be trailed are invited to a GATHERING OF BOATS AT KIVETON PARK. A vintage bus service will link this site to the main festival. (Details from Tapton Lock Visitor Centre - details below.)

IWA trailboat festival, Chesterfield Canal, July 13th/14th 2002 More photos of our 2002 IWA trailboat festival here...

SITE
There will be free admission to the festival for visitors.

The venue is the field alongside the canal below Tapton Lock in Chesterfield. This is currently being upgraded into a permanent exhibition field with levelling and re-seeding, water points and boater's toilet waste disposal. Improvements are also being made to the concrete slipway for the visiting boats.

During the festival, a large marquee will be erected for sales stalls and for the entertainment in the daytime and evening. There will also be a real ale bar with traditional beers sourced by our friends from the local CAMRA Group. A beer is being brewed specially for the Festival by Townes Brewery, based at the Speedwell Inn at Staveley.

Also on the site, refreshment stalls and an ice cream van are booked together with a variety of sales and charity stalls. A steam roller and a traction engine will be visiting. There will be activities for all ages. Along the canal there will be canoeing, fishing and model boat demonstrations.

Car Parking will be on the former Arnold Lavers timber yard on Brimington Road and will be signposted.

ENTERTAINMENT
There will be entertainment laid on for the boaters on both Saturday and Sunday evenings - all Chesterfield Canal Trust and IWA members and their guests are very welcome to attend. On the Sunday evening there will be a parade of illuminated boats. Daystar Theatre are making a rare canal-side appearance on Monday afternoon.

IWA, Chesterfield Canal, July 13th/14th 2002 More photos of our 2002 IWA trailboat festival here...

BOOKING
Boaters entry forms and trade stall entry forms are available from Tapton Lock Visitor Centre on 01246 551035 (daytime). A limited number of outside pitches for charities are available free of charge. Public entry to the site will be free of charge.

CHALLENGE WALK
In conjunction with the Festival and in support of its aims of linking Chesterfield back to the National Waterway System, a thirteen mile "Half-Marathon" challenge walk will be held between the Boat Gathering at Kiveton Park and the Festival. This will be held on the Sunday morning and outward transport will be by vintage bus. If you would like to take part please contact Stuart Reaney on 01246 433186 or Tapton Lock Visitor Centre 01246 551035 (both daytime).

ADVERTISING
If your company would like to support the event by advertising in the Festival Brochure, please contact David Shaw on 07977 557113.

THANKS
This event has been supported by the National Lottery "Awards for All" fund. Thanks also to Derbyshire County Council Three Valleys Countryside Service for their unstinting support.

IWA, Chesterfield Canal, July 13th/14th 2002 Preparation of the Festival Site nearing completion on March 14th 2005 - Four tractors are busy at work, the first levelling and topsoiling, the second harrowing, the third drilling holes for a riverside fence and the forth towing a trailer with materials. Two permanent water standpipes have been installed and also a portable toilet emptying facility. The slipway is being modified to make it easier to use and mooring rings and bollards will be installed along the canal. At the back of the site an area for tents and caravans has been created. More photos of our 2002 IWA trailboat festival here...