Subject: | Re: More Rochdale UFN maybe ....
| Date: | Tue, 15 Jul 2003 15:32:48 +0100
| From: | Bob Holmes <bholmes@cs.man.ac.uk>
| Newsgroups: | uk.rec.waterways
|
Su/Cutworks wrote:
> > I got a BW stoppage notice in the post this morning, re Rochdale Canal
>
> I'm still unable to get email stoppage notices, despite repeated attempts.
> I'm getting pretty fed up with it at this point. Plus, no one on the
> Rochdale has received any sort of communication in the post. I'm hoping
> this changes shortly but if they're sending the post out randomly I hold out
> little or no hope. Do you know why you received this notice, did you sign
> up for information by post or was it simply serendipity?
>
The reason I receive stoppage notices( by post) is because my organisation
runs canal moorings with boat facilities . so we are in some ancient
database in the Northwich offices.
For about 12months I was receiving the same notices by email ( after I
requested it) but this stopped a few months ago for reasons unknown ( and no
my email address has not changed). I usually try and post the stoppage notice
at the moorings so that boaters arriving to take their holidays can , at
short notice, alter their long planned route :-)
Last week , I got an email from BW pointing to the South Pennine Ring
Newsletter number 2 ( I never got number 1) there was , in it, a description
of the problems on the Rochdale ( amongst other things) the contents of that
newsletter ( re Rochdale) did not correspond fully with todays stoppage
notice!
>
> > Canal closed until 8th August *between Tuel Lane and Failsworth.*
>
> Geez Louise! The canal isn't flaming closed between Tuel Lane and
> Todmorden. There's regular traffic going past us daily including Shire
> Cruisers. Plus several boats on their way up to be craned out near Walsden
> and craned back in at Smithy Bridge (where we were craned back in this
> winter). So again, there are people in BW who can't distinguish their elbow
> from a Pennine air hole. We're not of the elect being craned out as we're
> too long and there's no place between Sowerby Bridge and the stoppage at
> Lock 30 that has the facilities for craning a full length boat. One hopes
> BW does something about curing this problem too.
Don't shoot the messenger! I wonder if there is any one person on this earth
who knows what is really going on with this canal? Also, what the short term
plan is to restore through navigation & the time scales involved?
Given a big enough crane ,hired at considerable expense,there is no practical
reason why a 70 ft boat could not be roaded round the stoppage. BW obviously
think you aren't worth the expense. If they aren't prepared to pay for that ,
then they should at least refund your licence, a cheap option for them.
>
>
> As it is, this is the first time August has even been mentioned. And not to
> anyone on the Marina. Ah well, the glories of management by fiat.
I would be surprised if your marina operator had not received the notice
today.
>
>
> > A long explanation
> > follows about inspecting "joints" on lock gates that were not part of BWs
> restoration
> > scheme ( although one might have expected them to have done a thorough
> inspection at the
> > time of the restoration)
>
> At the time BW took over the Rochdale, when we asked about the existing
> sections of the canal the bod we were chatting to (no, I don't recall his
> name, sadly) said that the restored section would be last on the list for
> any work done as it was already in operation. All efforts were for the
> other side of the summit. Hindsight is 20/20, isn't it?
In other words , nobody looked at it , until it started falling apart a few
months ago.
The Rochdale Canal is a fabulous waterway , originally well built and of
generous proportions ( compared to HNC) with wonderful scenery. Isn't it
about time BW focussed attention on getting the canal into good
condition with a bit less convenient pandering to the "nature "people and
gave up basking in the past glory of actually re-opening ( not restoring) the
canal
( which I happen to think is a fantastic achievement.) ?
Bill
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