Tim Coghlan reports…
Despite the weather warnings for extreme heat, this year’s Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally – held in its traditional slot over the last weekend in June – remained as popular as ever. Whilst visitor numbers were somewhat down, historic narrowboat attendance was the best for several years, with 90 of them, versus 79 last year, with the boats coming from all corners of the waterways. And the numbers would have been much higher, but for mechanical problems, perhaps to be expected with these old canal leviathans, and continuing problems with a lock on the Napton Flight, which has unfortunately narrowed and can no longer allow the passage of 7’00’’ historic narrowboats . Originally just over 100 were originally booked in, versus the pre-COVID all-time high of 113.
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Most disappointingly for this year was the absence again of President, the last surviving steam narrowboat, where the problem of building a new steam boiler to modern standards continue. A lot of progress has now been made and the Friends of President, who attended the Rally with a marquee stand, are confident the boat will at last be back in steam by the end of this year and ready to lead the 2027 Opening Rally Parade.
By way of a double-disappointment, legendary musician and steam enthusiast, Pete Waterman, who had been booked to open the Rally became unwell at short notice and had to cancel coming. It is hoped that that both he and President with be fully recovered in time to open the 2027 Rally and lead the parade.
By way of good fortune, prior to the official opening, actor and canal enthusiast Sam West had already been booked to unveil a plaque to his parents to commemorate their some twenty years of involvement in various ways at Braunston Marina. Having just finished the next winter series of ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ he willingly agreed to step in for Pete Waterman, and to open the Rally on the Friends of Raymond’s Nutfield & Raymond – the motor Nutfield now celebrating the 90th anniversary of its launch at Yarwoods of Northwich in 1936.
Prior to the plaque unveiling to his parents, Sam said, ‘Sooner or later, all canal journeys lead to Braunstson….My parents worked hard to support the restoration efforts of a number of canal societies who I know are represented here today. They would be absolutely chuffed at the honour of this plaque, in this place, and at this celebration of working boats.’
The opening took the now well-established format of the chosen pair of boats entering the marina from the canal under the famous Horseley Ironworks bridge to a peel of bells from Braunston Church – ‘the Cathedral of the Canals’, where Sam declared the Rally open. And serenading the pageant was fine music from Daventry Brass.
The winning historic narrowboat for this year’s ‘Nurser Award Buckby Can for the Best in Show as voted by the historic narrowboat owners’, was to Ryan Dimmock with his immaculately maintained coal boat Southern Cross – built in 1935 by Harland & Wolff at Woolwich. As well as the Buckby can to be held for a year, Ryan also received £250 worth of Midland Chandlers vouchers, generously sponsored by them, and presented to him by Martin Lewis, their Area Accounts Manager.
Actress Kate Saffin of Alarum Theatre brought canal family history alive. She was dressed as a traditional boat woman and was ‘at home’ in the boatman’s cabin of ’Effingham’ tied up near the marina entrance bridge. Here she showed visitors round the tiny cabin, explaining to them the mysteries of just how the boatmen-families managed to live and work in such a confined space – what they wore, how they ate, washed and slept, and the tough life they led.
The Guild of Waterways Artists were again provided with their own marquee, sponsored by Braunston Marina, and ten of its members had their works on display, including the now near-legendary canal artist Dusty Miller.
There was also a trade marquee shared by exhibitors and a number of canal societies. In it was a ‘canal authors’ corner, with Shirley Mann signing her well-received book on the WWII Idle Women, ‘Maggie’s War’. (By 3.30 on the Saturday, she had sold out of her entire stock!) With Shirley on the writers’ stand was long-serving canal crime writer Leo McNeir, both his latest sixteenth ‘Marnie Walker’ canal-crime thriller, ‘Lost Soul’, and back numbers which included greats, like Death in Little Venice. Canal societies were also outside, as were a number of good causes which were given free space.
The Rally is also billed as a canal festival – in the fine tradition of the first IWA Rally held at Market Harborough in 1950, inspired by its co-founder Robert Aickman. Entertainments included on the Thursday night before the Rally, the Oxford based ‘Idle Women’ trio with their new show of songs and tales they had written since their appearance last year. The Rally’s resident music-impresario Janul – for some years now – produced the amazing musicians she finds each year for the beer tent – a mini-Glastonbury, without the mud. They included the ‘Braunston Blaggers’ a sort of David Blagrove tribute band. On the Saturday there were two groups of Morris Dancers, whilst children were entertained by Professor Diamond’s Punch & Judy Show.
On the Sunday evening, to close the event, the Rally sponsored a well-attended candle-lit choral concert by Fiori Musicali of early Italian Renaissance choral music. The venue was across the meadows from Braunston at the ancient church of Wolfamcote. This was to raise awareness of this redundant church and the funds needed for its preservation. The Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally is sponsored by Braunston Marina and Towpath Talk, and is supported by the Canal & River Trust. Braunston Marina will be hosting the event again next year on the same last weekend in June, 2027 – with fingers crossed, Pete Waterman onboard to open it on the at-last restored steam narrowboat.
