Breach Stourbridge Canal

[rollingthunder]

Update as of last nite -

 

100 tons of clay has now been deposited between Middle Bridge and my boat with a further 60 tons coming today -

 

Pumps should be put in over the weekend and tested etc with a view to start pumping on Monday (120 gallons a second i am told)

 

3rd boat (Odyssey) broken into and burgled last week -

 

BW workers renewing sandbags and drinking tea etc - water delivered to other boat (The Meggy) various BW project managers and "asset" engineer wandering about - NO personal contact from BW to the boats at all - NO backup from the Police - security people on site today as far as the plant equipment is concerned and plenty of fretting over the stranded fish - the situation with the 3 stranded boaters sucks almost as much as the mud that we are marooned in - on the bright side much blacking has been carried out - the owners of the Meggy who do not know the area and are devoid of transport enquired to BW about Blacking and were told that BW would sell them some for 25 quid ! - you think that somebody from customer care would have knocked on the boats concerned and offered them some free blacking to be going on with -

 

They would'nt give you the steam off a turd !

[cactus Oz]

There was quite a serious altercation between the farmer who owns the land north of this section (where the horses are) and a group of cyclists using the towpath, and apparently straying onto his land. This happened at about 3.30 - 4pm. GBH was threatened repeatedly by the farmer (with a metal pole) and a member of the group (with a brick), and was (in my opinion) only prevented by the persistent dogged intervention of the farmer's daughter. Some children were frightened and upset. Police were called (by the farmer's wife). The tow path is closed, and barriers prevent cyclists in several places. Pedestrians can bypass these with a bit of a wriggle. BWB have constructed a heavy wood decking road across the farmer's land so that heavy equipment can be brought closer to the embankment where the breach occurred. This is NOT a public right of way, and I suggest using it would be very unwise without asking permission from the landowner.

 

On another note, there is a planned pumping of water into the pound below the breach ( a clay barrier has sealed of the canal at Middle Bridge) on Monday 22nd September. Unfortunately it hasn't rained for over a week, and there may be too little water flowing down the River Stour to do an effective job. More rain, anyone?

[duztee]

Is the engineer who did the inspection 2 days earlier still an employee!

[Moley]

As of an hour ago, Odyssey is newly blacked but still firmly grounded, although the water is coming up gradually, at least it's touching both sides:

 

 

However, in the lower pounds you'd still be lucky to float a canoe:

 

[Tim Lewis]

BW update issued on Waterscape yesterday here.

 

Tim

[cactus Oz]

 

...altercation between the farmer who owns the land north of this section (where the horses are) and a group of cyclists ...

 

Perhaps I need to be clearer here. The land west of the temporary depot by Middle Bridge is Farmer Bob's land, used for grazing horses and where the wooden BWB road has been laid.