Introducing "Adamant"  In 2005 there were bicentenary celebrations at both Blisworth and Stoke Bruerne of the original opening of Blisworth Tunnel in 1805. Adamant, a restored steam tug, along with President were present at the event, plying back and forth through the tunnel.  I shot Adamant as it emerged at the North Portal on one occasion and posted the picture in the "bicentenary pages". I also used the shot to adorn our homepage since Blisworth Tunnel is, of course, an icon of the village.  Then, in 2006, the village tapestry project was started and the picture was adopted into the collage for the central largest tapestry of the seven being created. Being now an icon, also, for the tapestry which is very nearly finished, it was thought a good idea to invite Adamant back to join in these celebrations.

Marketed at this anniversary celebration were bookmarkers with Adamant shown again emerging from the North Portal (the image is posted here in the panoramas section).  This was achieved by using digital superimposition techniques with the hope that no one will worry that the picture originates from 2005. There were also some limited issue ink drawings by Phil Cahill of Adamant based on the original picture and even some souvenir postcards bearing a reduced scale replica of Phil's work. It is, of course, Phil's drawing that celebrates the re-opening and not those particular movements of Adamant's.  However the owner, Mr. Phil Martino, was given a job at these celebrations: to cut the tape, thus re-enacting on August 22, 2009 the opening of the tunnel after extensive repair work in the 1980s.

An Account from a Blisworth Perspective

THE DAY'S HAPPENINGS:
At the North Portal and in the Tunnel  The scene began with restored steam-tug Adamant pushing through a commemorative tape, recalling the end of repairs in 1984, and letting off much whistling (by steam of course) and smoke.  While we applauded the event, the band "Chase" (with links to Blisworth - see note below), picked up with the mood with some of their repertoire of appealing songs.  Youngsters, organised by the Scouts, played with homemade rafts in the canal and Frank Bedford re-enacted the same role as he did in 1984, as postmaster offering first-day coverings (since he was in charge of the Blisworth Post Office from 1979 to 1986).  He hired the same 1780 postmaster costume as last time but found that he couldn't cope with the trousers any more so he improvised with casual trousers of his own.  He generated quite a bit of interest and even managed to sell a few left-over 1984 first-day covers.  We have a black-and-white picture of him in 1984, sat in a classic narrow-boat at Stoke Bruerne.
After hearing the news that the day-boat had broken down, we were not expecting Jan Andrews to come by with a boatful of VIPs.  However, something creative was done with the day-boat's transmission so she was back 'on-track' brandishing the beautiful pennant that was to be swapped with a similar one from Stoke Bruerne at the halfway point in the tunnel.  Jan Andrews was to represent the newly-reborn (yet still informally structured) Blisworth Canal Partnership in an exchange with Helen Westlake from the Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership; the exchange was an expression of our villages' sharing the historic tunnel which was created back in 1805.  We may be unique - someone pointed out he could not think of another tunnel, anywhere in the UK, having a village at both ends.
Notes:  The band "Chase" is Crystal Hawes (Vocal) and Aaron Burbidge (Guitar). Crystal grew up in Blisworth, in Buttmead to be exact!  Aaron is from Northampton but is a grandson of Bernard Burbidge, the Blisworth garage owner, and of Connie Burbidge.
The Pennants were designed by Brian Collings, artist at Stoke Bruerne, and embroidered by Alison Clipstone who grew up in Blisworth, living part of the time in a flat at the Sun, Moon and Stars building (and will such an address ever be on Royal Mail's registered list again, we wonder . . .)
Photo of Pennants Exchange was by courtesy of photographer Chris Daniels of "Waterways World".

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At the Wharf of "Blisworth Tunnel Narrowboats"  We could hear the Church bells pealing for most of the morning.  On offer were BBQ'ed pork and a "real ale" bar laid on by the Royal Oak Inn.  There was a jumble sale by the Scouts & Guides and an array of souvenirs for the day comprising a limited edition print of a ink drawing of "Adamant" emerging from the tunnel (by Blisworth's Phil Cahill), postcards with the same image and some bookmarkers showing a panoramic photograph of the North Portal.  These souvenirs were also on sale in the Church and at the Chapel Rooms - see below.  There were exhibitions showing engineering schematics for the 1984 tunnel repairs with some of George Freeston's photographs taken during the project.  There was also an array of Blisworth snaps taken of crowds and events taken during the celebrations of 22 August 1984.  A DVD was running to display TV 'footage' of the coverage of the 1984 event and a short video sequence made by Grosvenor (the makers of the tunnelling shield used in the repairs).  These video sequences were taken from Robin Garrett's collection of VHS tapes.  Robin Garrett was the British Waterways agent for the project, involved deeply at the planning stage and on a part-time basis during the actual work.  He could not be present at the anniversary because a daughter was getting married that day.   There were some speeches made by James Clifton (Regenerative Manager at British Waterways) and Jan Andrews from the Blisworth Canal Partnership, being one of the chief organisers for the day's events at Blisworth.  There was a jolly gathering at the Wharf for most of the day, while "Chase" continued to charm us.
The Wharf was also a terminus for trips to the tunnel mouth run by the St John's Ambulance boat and a day-boat "Crusader Mountbatten".  The commercial boat "Indian Chief", based at Stoke Bruerne, also called at the wharf three times during the day to deposit passengers who had options of returning to Stoke Bruerne by vintage bus or by the same boat.  On the St John boat, cream teas were served by a three-some of Blisworth ladies - see bonnets below.  All the comings and goings, food readiness and explanations of what was available to see was expertly compèred by John Percival.
Notes:  The Two technical exhibition boards were assembled by Tony Marsh.
One of James Clifton's early posts within British Waterways was to work with Robin Garrett - to inject a little bit of architectural expertise into what hitherto was a purely engineer's domain - small world!
The boat Indian Chief was given a hand-me-down name after various boats - no connection with the Lantsbery leisure project at the Arm based upon Indian canoes, a shame that.
The Bonneted cream tea three-some were Denise Ingram, Val Penn and Frances Snowden from Blisworth WI.

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At the Chapel Coffee Shop and Rooms  Well, the chief interest here, for many, was the food (Ploughman's lunches and cakes) and tea or coffee.  The rooms are normally run by the Baptist Church on Tuesdays but on this occasion the ladies in the Blisworth Tapestry team, with their finishing line laid before them in February 2010, provided the service.  They had got in enough for "an army" yet sold out - they were briefly overwhelmed by demand at one point.  Carol Arnall, tapestry project leader, presented framed copies of the limited edition print to the crew of Adamant, in appreciation of their appearance.  That's Crewman Chris and Owner Phil Martino, on the right, holding their pictures.
As had already happened in Stoke Bruerne in the morning, a couple of engineers involved deeply with the 1984 tunnel repairs, Roy Slocombe (seated) and John Woods, gave a talk and slide-show on the trials and tribulations encountered at Blisworth - actually that project ran extremely smoothly.  Their roles in the project were as follows: Roy Slocombe was Projects Manager at Mowlems and was responsible for the planning of the entire project including the initial survey work.  John Woods was the Mowlem Agent on site.  Day to day running of the project was his job, interfacing with managers of the miners gang and the surface gang.  Some of their slides were new to us.  Now lodged on the website are some new pictures of the hill railway embankment and the infill to the east of it, the hand-built initial accommodation for the tunnel shield and a drainage header being cleared out.
Notes:  Our meals service was provided by ladies listed below, left to right, the standing row is listed first:

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At the Church  A sub-group of the Blisworth WI organised a book reader's club some years ago calling themselves "Bookworms".  They meet frequently to exchange and discuss books.  In the Church they displayed an appreciation of various books and had available the all-important cups of tea from 2pm onwards.  There was also a display of art  put on by the Blisworth Art Group with work by Maureen Smith MA, Maggie Turton and Brenda Warner.  They helpfully agreed to place the "tunnel souvenirs" on sale - postcards and bookmarkers along with some postcards of Maggie Turton's showing depictions of Candle Bridge in both Cubist and Pointillist styles.

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Epilogue - Comment for the historical record: Noted during the organisation of this event was a distinct divide in the interests at the two villages: the Blisworth fraternity just wanted to have a pleasant Saturday and lay on gentle entertainment along with some worthwhile souvenirs.  That relaxed approach doesn't always match that at Stoke - it's almost as though there is a gentle animosity between the villages that stems from history and culture.  But the 'day', at the Blisworth end at any rate, was an enormous success - so much so that many Blisworthians and a few within British Waterways believe that we should aim to have some sort of 'Canal Festivity' every year - and good luck to that!