Jump to content

Leaderboard

Popular Content

Showing content with the highest reputation on 02/06/18 in all areas

  1. The issue I have with the re-branding as I'm seeing it is this..................... I am prepared to accept, as a "non marketing" person that where signs are aimed at the general public, whether informational or actively "selling" CRT that the expense may be worthwhile and bring returns in terms of greater public awareness. What I simply can't see any justification for is replacing large numbers of signs that can only be of interest to boaters, such as those for mooring restrictions, sanitary stations, water points, rubbish facilities and the like. Perfectly good signs with the old logo are already being taken down and replaced by identically worded ones in blue with the new logo. Boaters on CRT waters are already well aware of CRT, so in my view nothing is being achieved with boaters other than "that looks like a waste of money". Please tell me how replacing (say) a 2 day mooring restriction sign in (say) Stoke Bruerne with one that just happens to be blue, and have a new logo on is achieving anything with the public at large. I really can't see it, and it seems to me a huge swathe of boaters feel exactly the same. I think this is a major cock up at a time they are looking for donations to help with major failures of the infrastructure. I certainly wouldm't donate money whilst they are (in my view at least) wasting it in large amounts.
    12 points
  2. ”well he would say that”. But even so, I don’t share the view that CRT are abandoning boaters. It goes with the territory of government subsidies / paid by the taxpayer that the general public have to be courted. If boaters contributed all funding required to maintain the system it would be a different matter. But they don’t!
    5 points
  3. Where it went wrong is their misrepresentation of the mahoosive spend on this rebranding exercise, with the blatant and insulting lie that it cost only £60k. General opinion is that the bill for the logo and new colour scheme from the marketing agency may well have been £60k, but the roll out of all the new signage, uniforms etc. is probably costing closer to £1m in my personal opinion. It would be nice to have some honesty from them about the real cost of the re-branding exercise but I suspect the true cost is so high they prefer to take the criticism than actually publish accurate figures.
    4 points
  4. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  5. How is this new 'brand' to be communicated to the target market ? If the x million people who live near a canal are not already 'using' the canal then how will they see all of the new signage ? How is the message going to reach them ? Mailing addresses can be purchased by region - maybe C&RT are going to buy 100,000 addresses as a test-area and mail 'all of these wonderful benefits' - in marketing terms a response of 1% would be a good result. How will it be monitored ? Are C&RT going to set up a 'road-show' and take it to every town / village centre / shopping mall near a canal and actively present C&RT, the canals and the well-being benefits ? Are C&RT going to undertake 'sponsorship' of some outdoorsy type TV programmes ? (How will the reponses be monitored) Are C&RT going to do some paid TV / Billboard advertising (How will the reponses be monitored) It is all simple Marketing stuff which I am sure that the C&RT Marketing team have thoroughly thought thru' - the problem is we do not know what their plans are so can only comment on the knowledge we have. I sure (for example) they all remember that John Wanamaker (1838-1922), department-store magnate, once said, “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is, I don't know which half.” C'mon C&RT, you say you 'listen and want to talk'. There is a huge resource out there called boaters why not ask them to help and support you instead of ignoring them. There are even a few who have many years industrial and commercial Marketing experience and have gone thru 'brand changes' , and 'brand launches'. Why turn your back on that knowledge ?
    3 points
  6. Yes a shame that this has come as an afterthought. I think the boaters' reaction was entirely predictable, and it would surely have been better if this message has been incorporated into the original rebranding information.
    3 points
  7. Don't know if I have posted a picture of this in the past but thought that it might be of interest. Found in the mud in MK some 30+ years ago.
    2 points
  8. The water is probably all going into the burrows at Mr Womble's tidy home and garden. MP.
    2 points
  9. I have to admit that I didn't quite understand this comment, not until we got there ! I do agree now that The Manor Arms is not to be missed ! To follow the rest of the trip, follow this link
    2 points
  10. " Some old relic from the past? " Yes we need to get rid of any old relics from the past dont we? Only everything modern should survive? Lets for instance get rid of those old relic Heritage working boats etc?
    2 points
  11. 2 points
  12. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  13. Let's face it we need the public's support it's not a case of us and them..
    2 points
  14. Shame as he doesn’t post that much and certainly the style and feel of the forum isn’t down to his personality. But surely you have to give him some kudos for getting of his arse and setting up the forum?
    1 point
  15. Oy! I’m a member there and I don’t think I warrant the label you’re giving me! Granted, I joined post the thread you refer to Boiley, I don’t think I conduct myself any differently there than I do here. There are some taunts and arses there but there are some here too.
    1 point
  16. No it was set up because some out of control mods with power complexes decided they didn’t like their views and so permanently banned them with, in most cases, no warning or explanation. One of those people decided to set up TB and the rest is history. oh and I checked the “MtB is a prick” thread, it was in 2016 so surely you’re not still sulking about it? Started by EmmaB who was an obnoxious loudmouth on here too (not banned though). There were a few who supported the theme of the thread and a few who disagreed with it. Sounds like a fairly normal situation, you can’t expect everyone to like you! Especially when you rarely miss an opportunity to slag of TB whilst (as you freely admit) not actually going there.
    1 point
  17. We just had a new member on there, lots of fun and banter and no unpleasantness. I have just posted a lengthy and hopefully helpful tome in response to a question about mooring in Birmingham. So actually you are quite wrong which is not surprising since you have no idea what you are talking about.
    1 point
  18. I don't believe CRT are trying to curry favour with the government but it would suit them if the proportion of overall spending contributed by boaters went down. Personally I think boaters should be campaigning for increased contributions, either through higher licence fees or more direct methods eg tolls. I suspect this is not a popular view... But if say boaters contributions amounted to over half the CRT budget it would certainly lead to a change of emphasis and put a stop to all the nonsense such as the subject under discussion.
    1 point
  19. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  20. There is a similar boat being worked on in a boatyard I regularly visit. When they have finished, about two foot of the original sides will remain. All the baseplate is gone, as has the bottom 18" of the sides. All the knees have been removed, leaving a puzzle about how to deal with the rivet holes, and the top six inches of the sides and all the gunwhale has been cut out. This is all because of corrosion damage If you don't know about old boats, don't buy this one, even though it is apparently cheap Richard
    1 point
  21. See..better logo massages the masses.
    1 point
  22. Excellent. Even more oversupply of marina moorings. Should help stem the apparently endless upward trajectory of CRT on-line mooring prices.
    1 point
  23. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  24. Perhaps with those who choose to vent their views on here but I am not so sure you are out of sync with the majority of boaters. Your sentiments above were pretty much those that Rob-M and myself expressed when we concluded that the new logo appeared to achieve it's aim. It is more modern in style and I suspect will have broader appeal than the previous logos that seem to want to present a bucolic view of canals; a place for those with more time on their hands than they really need. A bit like this forum... JP
    1 point
  25. Whatever the response to questions either good or inane, I don't personally think that justifies resorting to calling members 'dicks or 'assh@les'.
    1 point
  26. I’m obviously out of sync with the majority here. I quite liked my first sighting of the new logo. Also I’ve not had much trouble with lack of maintenance etc whilst boating in the recent couple of years.
    1 point
  27. So who is our penny? , female common sense amongst the geeks and nerds.
    1 point
  28. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  29. One issue that can badly affect performance is temperature of application versus the dew point. In all commercial paint jobs where blasting and 2 pack epoxy are applied, a paint inspector will use a wet and dry thermometer to check the dew point and only start painting when the ambient is at least a couple of degrees above this. I am not sure how many boat yards do this. I doubt you would do this in a DIY job. In the spring/autumn there is a big danger of painting when the temp is too low (ie the instructions may say apply down to 10°C......but that might be the dew point) and in the summer, you start painting too early in the day to avoid the high daytime temperatures that can be generated on the hull and again run foul of the dew point. I wouldnt use epoxy lower than 15°C.
    1 point
  30. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  31. It’s not about getting more donations — it’s about the continuance of the government grant, which is a far bigger and more important sum of money. You argue that all those visitors ‘only’ pay through their taxes, but that amounts to about a third of CRT’s income so it’s pretty vital to all of us.
    1 point
  32. There’s not wholesale replacement, though. They’ve chosen some high use areas such as the centre of Birmingham and are replacing signs there — but out in the sticks it will probably take years. I gather they’ve categorised some places as gold, silver, and bronze, and will do them first.
    1 point
  33. 1 point
  34. A good logo should reflect the core aims and you're right the the bridge logo did that and was recognisable without the words unlike to new sewer outfall. However the main issue as I see it is this re-branding is aimed at a wider audience - 90% of CaRT's customers according to Mr Parry - but the wider audience doesn't actually pay towards the system other than through taxes like boaters. I'm not convinced more donations will follow. In fact judging from the feedback I see, donations are likely to fall slightly as disgruntled friends cancel direct debits in protest. Maybe CaRT will be able to tap other grant funding based on healthier and happier lifestyle but they could have done that without a complete rebranding. Our boat club, on the Calder Navigation where maintenance is extremely poor right now, has sent a letter to Mr Parry in protest. That's quite a few contributors cancelling donations. TBH the new colour scheme is a positive, but this re-branding comes at a time when the system itself is crying out for more resources to be spent on maintenance. Frankly I find it all a bit of an insult.
    1 point
  35. Yes BUT you have to pee about topping em up and crap like that so you can keep your 25 pence a day saving over my costs thank you very much.
    1 point
  36. Get rid of the canals too, obviously. They are relics from the past, aren’t they?
    1 point
  37. I think "smiler" is a typo for "similar" here... I puzzled about it for a while tho!
    1 point
  38. I'd have thought this was pretty normal. Blacking is not a permanent finish and needs doing every two or three years anyway. Nor would I expect old blacking to resist the power of a jet wash.
    1 point
  39. What I can't understand is that they wanted a new logo so as to help the general public become more aware of what CRT are all about, but produce a logo which doesn't. Granted the bridge and ripples is quite clever and modern looking but I doubt many people would identify what it means. The canal bridge logo was more recognisable as a canal bridge even if folk didn't suss the clever swan shape to it. A complete and utter waste of money in my opinion.
    1 point
  40. What is reverse sneezing?
    1 point
  41. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  42. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  43. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  44. This post cannot be displayed because it is in a forum which requires at least 10 posts to view.
  45. Be as optimistic as you like, but plan for the wazzocks screwing everything up because to do so benefits them, and not you.
    1 point
  46. It's ok so long as you stick to the Yorkshire side.
    1 point
  47. I think Bearboating deserve a plum for their common sense approach to dogs - and they are one of the few companies who don't charge extra.
    1 point
  48. After a very short search I found the old brass chain seen in the photograph below on Ebay for £10.00 plus £2.90 postage and packing. Being old this is a high quality brass chain and is about 1.5 metres in length, so as can be seen it is long enough to protect both the Chimney and the Water Can. When purchased it was filthy and required considerable T.L.C., and came with eleven older horse brasses wired to it (even though I am not a fan of horse brasses). I am afraid my philosophy is to buy quality rather than just what is available, and I can prove over and over again that there is no need to pay high prices for this sort of quality - but sometimes you have to wait a while. I also look for value (as opposed to price) and I am not afraid to support individuals who are prepared to make items such as Chimney Chains, Chimneys, Water Cans e.t.c. where the higher costs reflects both the quality of their raw materials, costs and labour. The stainless steel Chimney (made by David Parrott) in this photograph is now refurbished as best it can be, and the brass is shining brightly (in my spare room), but along with many items on OTLEY is overdue for replacement - including the poorly designed woodwork above the speed / gear wheels
    1 point
  49. Hi, I'm stuck at a lock. My Iphone is working properly but I can't find the app that operates the paddles. Do you have to use a particular website?
    1 point
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.