IT SEEMS TO ME that there are more canals closed than are open.
That makes me wonder just where boaters can have their week's cruise from this weekend. Not very far, that's for sure.
Those wanting a quick cruise on either the Peak Forest or the Macclesfield before their scheduled closure next Friday 1st August. have had it, as Canal & River Trust have now closed both to navigation owing to a cill failure on Lock 4 on the Bosley Flight.
Why both are closed is not told as the Bosley Flight on the Macc must surely mean more water for the Peak Forest and its Marple Flight, but alas it is closed.
So not much of a welcome as the notice would have us believe!
The Huddersfield Narrow has been long closed with the Huddersfield Broad now closed, and all the northern canals closed for one reason or another—the Leeds & Liverpool and the Rochdale. With both the Aire & Calder and the Calder & Hebble having broken locks and so now closed. And the Selby Canal with no access to its marina.
The Ribble Link closed by repairs to the Tidal Lock Gate since last June. The Bridgewater closed with a breach that will not be open until late next year.
And even the Shropshire Union has a stoppage.
With the entire Leicester Section from its junction with the Grand Union Main to Leicester closing on Tuesday. Followed by the Wolverhampton Flight (pictured) on the Old Main line closed the following day, Wednesday.
And other stoppages on the Grand Union including the Market Harborough Arm.
The Oxford Canal and the Lee Navigation also have stoppages.
Possibly I've missed some, but you get the picture. eh?
I wish you luck—you will certainly need it. Mind you there is always the Trent & Mersey and the Llangollen fairly free from stoppages, providing you can get to them!
I'm not sure how ABC Boat Hire will cope though, telling its hirers that there are over 140 routes available—for there certainly are not.
Sunday morning—And Keith tells me that there's another stoppage on the Leeds & Liverpool, with the Warehouse Swing Bridge conked again, the fourth time this year! This time 'the locking mechanism is bent'.
Celebrating the Anderton Boat Lift
So the trust is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Anderton Boat Lift.
With our Keith asking—'Is that 150 breakdowns? Certainly seems like it'.
As 'they' can't get it working for more than a few months at a time before it conks again, notwithstanding the major works that have been undertaken.
Not much to celebrate, eh?
Gone
So boss man Richard Parry has gone, he who we were told was brought in to solve the problems that British Waterways had left the system in.
So he goes with over 30 waterways either with stoppages or closed altogether. Not much solving here I reckon.
Anyway, his tenure has been marked by having a barge named 'in his honour'.
Customer Service Facilities
As three more customer facilities bite the dust, what about those genuine continuous cruisers without the advantage of a toilet tank but having an Elson to empty?
Their closures leave them with miles to travel, and with so many working alone that makes the distance a real effort.
The thinking with many is that the trust want to get rid of continuous cruisers and so have them in marinas where they are not using the infrastructure so much, that could possibly last a little longer...
But what is this—'will remain closed subject to review in accordance with the Customer Services Facilities Policy''?
Definitely somewhat worrying think I.
Thousands of water tests cancelled
The Environment Agency has admitted that thousands of water tests to identify potential harmful pollution in rivers and estuaries in England have been cancelled in the last three months due to staff shortages.
I wonder if this affects those navigable rivers such as the Trent, Soar, Severn and Ouse?
This was after campaigners pointed out documents with plans for extensive cuts to monitoring programmes.
The cancelled tests are for substances such as nitrates and phosphates that can indicate sewage or agricultural pollution.
The agency admits that In the three months from May to July 10,000 scheduled tests at its main laboratory did not take place due to staff shortages. We should be worried.
Victor Swift—telling tales for 25 years