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