1972  The start 
The first Canal trip took place in October 1972, leaving from Nantwich Basin. JOC, Steve Treacy and Ray Prewer the year previously had a trip to Froncysyllte on the A5. Here we had come across the magnificent Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and the Llangollen canal. John later read about canal holidays in a Sunday Supplement and put together a party of 12. Two six berth boats were hired from British Waterways and the plan was to travel to  Llangollen.  Perhaps it was a portent of things and drivers to come, that Joe Ross was the first driver to move off from Nantwich Basin after the boatyard staff had given the crews their instruction. Joe smoothly eased out of our mooring berth and headed directly towards a moored ‘gin palace’ on our right, or starboard to non-navigators. What made this situation more interesting was the owner was on board and clearly had been in this position before. The boatyard staff could only shout instructs which as experienced Navigators know can’t be heard over the revving of a Lister Marine Diesel.  The boat owner jumped up and down also shouting instructions and the rest of Joe’s crew rushed to fend off our boat to no avail. A glancing blow was struck and Navigating took off. The trip was a bit of a blur as although there was a 3 O’clock closing time in the afternoon, lots of afters were there to be had by pubs who thought all their Christmases had come at once as the 12 founder Navigators got stuck into Border, Boddingtons, Burtonwood and the odd Greenall beer. It seemed that no drinkers had ever thought of canalling in these numbers before. The nights we didn’t get afters we had a bombfire with carryouts. Usually we were then visited by the local Plod, who were quite happy and stayed for a fire-cooked jacket potato and the odd drink. Near Chirk one pair of coppers told us our journey was being tracked by the police and we had been transferred to the next force as their senior officers couldn’t believe 12 single blokes who drank a lot wouldn’t get into trouble. Well Jim Fenton did remove the odd bit of fencing or two to help keep the bomb fire going. There was a theme on the trip, Alice in Wonderland. Hence the hats seen in the pictures. On occasions a couple would go into a pub with their hats on and order beers, which they put in their tea pot and then started a mad haters tea party. One by one others would come in and join in, needless to say the locals were gob-smacked but were easily won over. JOC was the white rabbit, Tim Ketley was the dormouse, Oz the mad hatter, Joe Ross the Homepride man (from the TV avert of that time). Others on the trip were, Ray Prewer, Graham Pearson, Jim McKay, Jim Fenton and Nigel Butler RIP. Steve Treacy on this occasion declined to go and so began his reputation of being an invisible man.
Because of the shallowness of the canal, boarding planks were used a lot, with the inevitable accidents. JOC on one occasion slipped off the boarding plank and went in up to his knees. He then went back on the bank for another attempt. This time the plank was more slippery due to the earlier incident and this time slipped and went headfirst and thus became the first Navigator to end up in the cut!!
The year before the first canal trip, Ray and John pose on the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.
Joe in his Homepride hat drives the boat and Oz and JOC take no chances following Joe's earlier crash and keep the life preservers to hand. Ray thinks his salvation lies in a bottle of beer.
Joe the morning after. This picture sums up the ‘hell’ the crew went through
1973   The campaigning Trip
Oz in his Mad Hatters hat and a reflective John
The end of the trip, John prepares to giving his white rabbit ears a final outing in Nantwich
Crossing the  Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, Nigel Butler driving, Jim Fenton getting on board with Joe and Ozzie the other crew members
Nigel clearly concerned about his safety and so he should have been, Later he slipped and fell between two boats and broke his ribs.
1973, the year we camouflaged our boats with beer and brewery paraphernalia. Also each boat carried a wooded pin, no (pollypins in those days) which was regularly filled to make up for the 3pm closing time. They also regularly were knocked into the canal as well.
1973 - You notice the boats were bedecked with beer and brewery paraphernalia John and Oz pose
1973 - Rubbish and water stop. Pies, Tim Kettley, a slim JOC and Joe on ablutions.
1973 – This picture taken at the Ansells pub about a mile from Autherley Junction on the Staffs and Worcester canal. Jim McKay. Pies, JOC, Graham Pearson, Ozzie, Frank Nally drinking and Tim Kettley
1973 - Early morning the Water Veronica on the Shropshire Union Canal. Tim Kettley, Boring Bill and Jim McKay.
1973. Pies drives along the Shropshire Union Canal
1973. Joe empties the loo. In those days things were pretty basic, an elsan loo which had to be tipped out into a special receptical, sometimes the pourer got a ‘blowback’ of nauseating gasses. There were no showers on board which didn’t bother Tom in those days. Crews used to seek out public baths en-masse which resulted in a lot of incidents. On one occasion ladies day was cancelled for our visit as 11 blokes and Tom was much more cost effective than upsetting a couple of old dears.
1973- Close quarters as the boats converge. JOC, Pies, Belson, Joe and Ozzie behind Belson. Belson a friend of Oz was so nicknamed because his cooking seemed to be developed in Belson concentration camp. For example one normal tin of baked beans between six on a slice of toast each was his idea of an evening canal meal! No wonder JOC looked so slim in these pictures
1973. One of our two boats with their Special Branch bunting. In addition there was a wooded barrel on each boat at the front, which usually contained beer for afters, there were a number of occasions when they were knocked off due to bad driving, sometimes even going in the cut!
Article in Nantwich's local paper October 1973
Cheers! Members of the Society for the Preservation of Beers from the Wood sample the brew from the Star Inn, Acton. Nantwich, before setting off a weeklong campaign for the retention of good beer. The members from the SPBW’s Special Branch are pictured at Basin End, Nantwich aboard their craft which is taking them on a 120-mile trip along the canals of Cheshire and Staffordshire – calling at 30 pubs along the way
Back row Jim McKay, Pies, Joe, John, Dave Lloyd, Front Benson, Oz, Graham Pearson, Tim Ketley.
Graham Pearson and Jim McKay with the ever present fishermen always on the towpath on the October trip behind them
1974 & 1975 Tough years in black and white
Bottom Lock Graham Pearson and another(Chris Hall?) on the lock gates, Dave Lloyd running on to next lock, Ray prewer driving and Tim Kettley and Jim McKay resting an the front of the boat. Pies walking down to the lock. John Hines operating the higher lock and what looks like JOC coming out of the bushes besides the lock
The Bridge at Audlem. Back Row the Guv'nor, Jim McKay, JOC, Pies, Joe and the Guv'nor's daughter and Wife, 2nd Row an Alligator. 3rd Row, Bill Wells, John Hines, Chris Hall, Pete Wittacker, Tim Kettley, Dave Lloyd. Front Row Graham Pearson and Jim Fenton. In those days The Bridge was a great Pub and had a supper Landord and family, I recall although we were going to Chester we diverted down here from Nantwich to see them again.
Mooring Jim McKay, Pies and Joe? on the boat, Graham Pearson on the front rope, Jim Fenton with torn jeans on the back rope, and Dave Lloyd on the gang-plank.
Orange balloon in Flight, Hines throws one at Pies as heoperates the gate on the Chester Arm of the Shropie
Joe, Jim and Pies waiting for the double locks to fill up
In 1974. The locks at Audlem, John again on the tiller whilst Jim Fenton catches up
Joe always happy to talk to strangers meets a real one in a Chester Museum. It was on this trip that Joe blacked his face in true Commando style to attack another boat. He was stopped by the local Plod at midnight with beer on his breath, boot polish on his face and carrying a long boat pole on the City walls of Chester. The canny copper let him continue, knowing that boot polish and face skin don't react well without a foundation cream barrier. Needless to say next morning and a few after that Joe was covered with red blotches. This could be the reason he had to talk to a dummy.
Jim Fenton taken one of our many  bonfires after closing time
Dave Lloyd, another early Navigator famous for the Save Lloyd (Savloy) incident in Penkridge
Although not on the first trip in 1972, Pies was an ever present right into the early 80's. Below in 1975 Pies makes up for the lack of showers on the boats by taking a dip in the Llangollen Canal
Times were tough, clothes were few and far between, as Jim Fenton, Pies and Joe demonstrate in 1974
..... and you had to sing for your supper - here the 1975 crew give a rendition of 'Swing Low'
The 1975 boats were crowded,  and after closing time you had to drink afters from the barrels we took with us
Real Drivers in those days -John as well as flying the flag sups a pint
and for afters a chorus of 'Aunty Mary'
And always there was bloody Allouette...............
Summer 1975 the boat modification trip
The date of the 1975 trip was October 11th-18th. We hired three boats from the Bijou Cruisers at Pen ridge Wharf. These boats were on their last legs, maintenance wise. (Pete Day and Tom Bog hired the Gold in the summer and the same problems with the cooker and shower were present in October) Our Which Magazine subscribers all made reports on the Hire Boat company on our return. Each day the engineer was called out to repair something or another on one or more boats. Diamond’s bilge pump broke and as it had a leak they were lucky that the pump that Ozzie had brought to soak the other boats crews with was put to better use saving it sinking. The boats had a gear change lever in the centre of the deck. Each evening on our return from the pub, some poor Navigator tripped over one of them to curses and the laughs of the rest of the crew. Most of us bore the gear lever stick scars by the end of the trip. Mick Kelleher broke the Platinum’s when he changed gear and it came off in his hand. The boat was towed for the rest of the trip by Diamond. JOC modified Gold’s tiller by catching in a lock gate. The driver then had to assume a Hell’s Angel’s pose when steering. The route was via Brierley Hill, drinking the excellent Bathams beers. We had a game of cricket in the Bull & Bladder on the dart board. 9 a side. Each team sat opposite each other and cheered their teams on when runs were scored or wickets fell. A great night as I remember. That night I got out for a leak half asleep, then I climbed back into my top bunk and as I was doing up my sleeping bag I thought I hadn’t heard a splash. Going outside again with a torch I found our boat on the bottom of the canal, as vandals had emptied the pound.  As there were 18 of us the Landlords used to ring ahead to the next Batham pub to make sure enough beer was racked for us to drink. There was one section of the canal that was so shallow that Diamond could not proceed without disembarking some of the crew. This lead to wondering who the heaviest crew were. This was sorted out in Stourbridge where each crew was weighed on the public weighbridge and the operator ended up with the winnings. Despite JOC and Pies being on the Gold, Diamond were heavier and Platinum were the lightest. Needless to say there were water fights. I remember a shop near the Royal Exchange (Stourbridge again) being nearly emptied of buckets after our lunchtime drink. (Notes from JOC and thanks to Joe for the info on the boat crews)
GOLD                       PLATINUM           DIAMOND
Joe Ross                    Ed Leniston            Ozzie Tillett
John Hines                 Chris Hall               Jim McKay
John O'Connor           Mick Kelleher          Jim Fenton
Jim White                  Brian Carey             Bill Wells
Pies Derek Glynn       Alan Martin             Graham Pearson
Jinx (Brian Pearson)    Ray Prewer             Pete Whittaker
On this trip were JOC, Joe, Steve, Pies and Mick Kelleher and Ray Prewer (any others?). It was a two-week trip from Nantwich on the Llangollen Canal and around the 4 Counties ring. Brian Carey who took these photos joined us during the cruise and we celebrated his 21st birthday at the Wharf in Shebdon. Frank and Jenny Beech bringing over a cake from the Red Lion for the party that went into the early hours, and where John arranged for ‘earlies’. Only Pies and he made it for the 10 o’clock opening and spent the next hour or so nursing their illegal pints. The picture of Pies on top of the boat tells a story, for on the other side at the front is a hole put there by Bryan after only being on the boat for only ½ a hour after a fairly long rendezvous session. Brian hit the bank after losing control, unfortunately it was at the start of a section of bank restoration, which meant the sharp angle did considerable damage as the boat was all fibreglass. Later whilst on the Llangollen Canal the chap from the boat in front of us dropped a lift bridge on us then running back on to his boat. The bridge knocked another hole on the left hand side and slid along the boat taking the canopy completely off. Joe whose bunk was on that side now had all round ventilation with a hole above and under his bunk. After picking up the bits we chased after the boat eventually catching up with the offender who seemed terrified that our crew would do him a mischief. Surprised that we only wanted his details for insurance purposes – we never understood his reasoning for letting go of the lift bridge.
The better side of the boat. Pies on top talking to someone through the hatch in the front cabin. This hatch was for ventilation purposes until the crew’s modifications made it obsolete.
John with pint and the canopy up and sod the Red Duster they fly the SPBW T shirt
John shows what its like to have a boat without a canopy. Note his SPBW T shirt is already shrinking
Steve in typical footwear uses his hands to demonstrate his and Joe’s cabin’s ventilation system
As those who were on the trip know Steve had a problem with a lack of undies here he shows off a pair that he chose not wear when going to bed.
All the comforts at the stern are shown here - a sunlounge at the back and judging by the footwear Steve is using it - Joe holds on to the canopy in case a lift bridge is coming uo
The attached article appeared in Pint in Hand, the SPBW newsletter in 2008 and relates to this trip

Recently whilst on a canal trip with the Editor of Pint in Hand, we called into a pub that I last visited way back in the 70s called the Holybush, which brought back happy memories or in this case a lack of them. Now everyone have a favourite beer or two but my story is about something different, an extremely rare Beer from the Wood. Please excuse the ramblings but I’ll get to the point eventually.

Working for what was then the GPO, I had lots of occasions to visit Stone, in Staffordshire, as our Training School was nearby, over the years I became friendly with Frank and Jenny Beech, the proprietors of the Red Lion in the High Street. It was with their help that Oz Tillett and the Special Branch organised the protest against the closure of the Joules Brewery, which got national coverage. 
Frank loved taking me to great pubs in the middle of nowhere and over the years we visited many together.

One year my friends and I were on a two week canal holiday that went through Stone, naturally we had arranged a visit to the Red Lion. Frank, who was expecting us, had arranged a treat for us. At closing time on Sunday (2pm in those far off days) he and Jenny embarked with the rest of us for a very pleasant afternoon cruise down the Trent and Mersey to Salt about 8 miles away.

We moored and went to the Hollybush. Needless to say the Governor was a friend of Franks and we all settled in for a lock in. As we all know, lock in beer always tastes good but this was something else, Burtonwood beer from the wood, so what you might ask, it was common then, well this was different. It was about 12 weeks old.

When the wooden barrel was first tapped the beer was extremely lively and it was left whilst the Governor went away on holiday, when he got back he tested it and realised that it was going through a second fermentation. This was likely to have been caused by contamination from the wooden barrel. He left it a few more weeks to see how it turned out and found it to be in his words, “pure nectar”. Frank had somehow found out about this treasure and got us eight lucky souls into the act.
  
Although I remember the lead up to the story and how much we all loved the beer and that some of us agreed it was the best beer we had ever tasted, I can’t remember much else except one of Frank’s regulars popping in to pick him and Jenny up, so they could open up their pub. I am sad to say I can’t remember how the beer tasted. Since we stayed to closing time and the “pure nectar” would have been quite a strong brew that is not surprising. Maybe Frank, who is still an SPBW member, can supply more details?
The attached article appeared in Pint in Hand, the SPBW newsletter in 2009 and relates to this trip

In the Perfect Pub slot I would like you to consider the Star at Acton, on the A51 just outside Nantwich in Cheshire. I first visited it on the last evening of our 1972 trip on the Shropshire Union Canal. I’m afraid after the boozy hell of that week’s heavy drinking; I haven’t got much recall of it or its beers. All I can remember is fellow Special Branch members Ossie Tillet (the Mad Hatter), Tim Kettley (the Dormouse), myself (Rabbit) and Joe Ross (HomePride man - don’t ask) having a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party in the pub, complete with hats and props. Needless to say the tea in the tea pot came out of one of the hand pumps and writing this, I now recall the landlord and some of the locals topping it up on a number of occasions!  Our “entertainment” must have been ok, as we and the other eight in our party later got involved in “a lock in”.
Jump forward to the present day. The pub had suffered a long decline in business and had been closed for two long periods over the last few years but in April 2008 Jim Mason decided to take it over.
I first met Jim at the 2008 GBBF, although I had heard about him from my friend Colin Donald (a CRAP member). We all spent a pleasant afternoon at Earl’s Court and I promised to visit the Star again when I was up in Cheshire with my wife and friends later in the month. We weren’t disappointed, having a lovely time with plenty of excellent beers from a variety of breweries and good food.  I was very impressed in what he had achieved in such the short time since he re-opened the pub.
In October when staying again with Colin, we walked along the canal for another very enjoyable evening (access from the canal is via bridge 93). I had an excellent Beef Hotpot (huge) and got change from £7! The menu is not extensive but there is more than enough choice of the home cooked food including vegetarian offerings, served most of the day, and the prices being very reasonable.  The beers on offer that evening were Copper Dragon Golden Pippin, Hanby Drawwell Bitter, Woods Shropshire Lad, Marston’s Bass, Beartown Kodiak Gold Black Bear. All were spot on and kept beautifully and the prices seemed a lot less than around that area. Although tied to a large PubCo, Jim is signed up to SIBA’s Direct Delivery Scheme and tries to serve fairly locally brewed beers as much as possible. Bass is the biggest seller with the locals however.
Jim keeps a good pub; he has worked hard to build up his trade, with darts and quiz teams in various pub leagues. All round there is very much a ‘community’ feel to the pub, with children and dogs welcome. Jim is also a keen supporter of the SPBW and CAMRA and if he and his good lady Liz have achieved what they have in less than a year, they and the Star deserve all the support we can give them. It is certainly my pub of 2008.
In May, when the 14 members of the Special Branch gather for their week long annual Branch Meeting, we intend to have a least one convivial evening with “mine host” Jim. There are even tentative plans for a “games evening” with Jim’s regulars. As we are unlikely to win any of the more traditional pub games, maybe we should be thinking of making up some sort of game based around a Mad Hatters Tea Party, after all the pub has a 37-year old history of the “sport”!
The Star at Action pictured in 2008