wandering snail

Have just attended a CRT update about the Macc and Peak Forest canals and the news is grim. Because of reservoir failures, the 2 mornings a week restricted opening of the Bosley and Marple flights that will begin on the 25th April may be stopped altogether by June if May is a dry month. They will then not reopen unless we have a deluge of a summer. CRT will endeavour to give 2 week's notice of this and will help any boater through if they find themselves stranded. They hadn't thought about where boats will go to queue at the top of Bosley! Hire boats will not get preferential treatment from the VLK's. When they close the canals, water will still be running through them to keep the integrity of the canal beds and the ecology happy. Local teams have been trained up to grout any leaks, a quicker response to usual. The water resources spokeswoman said the outlook will be bleak this year; same as last year next year but the future is bright apparently with Toddbrook hopefully operational by start of season 2024. They cannot guarantee no impact on the T&M. All questions to enquiries.northwest@canalrivertrust.org.uk

It has been reported to the CC. So far, no action taken......

Keep an eye on stoppages on the Macc as if May is not a very wet month, CRT may well close it altogether by June. They will endeavour to give 2 weeks notice and will help through any boater stranded. From 25th April they are only operating Bosley from 8.30 - 1pm Sun/Thurs.

There's a zoom meeting about water management on the Mac and Peak Forest on Wednesday evening if you would like to express a view: https://teams.microsoft.com/registration/A7kNJrqf0kSdJlS-0i4GuQ,Rf-v8xAD3UubvYnaRWwaeA,3xsn08qHzUytoIyd-tIrwQ,iBcx41jKykG_TAt1IWiCzQ,w_aAo3xHO0uKu9Sa5en5hw,e9zHJ9QjJ0G9kd4E2dquGg?mode=read&tenantId=260db903-9fba-44d2-9d26-54bed22e06b9&skipauthstrap=1

Unfortunately this apparently is the only photo and anything coming past us from Audlem, where it has been spotted, will be port side on. Colour coded ropes and the striped tiller may help though.

This boat was taken from a marina on the Llangollen canal. It’s called Madam Sheila tho the boat name sign is not visible. The boat reg number is 49453. It has been reported to the police and the incident number is 142120032002, CRT have also been informed. The boat is believed to be in Midland Area Penkridge/ Wolverhampton. If any sightings can you please be discreet and contact 07927615583.

Thank you, done!

When I first joined the forum I managed to add a link to my blog that comes up automatically whenever I post. I see Tam and Di have a link to one of their books so tried to do this for mine but can't see how to any more. Help please.

I've no idea how you would get on now post the 'B' word. All our very happy Europe wanderings were done when we didn't have to think about not being European, a freedom that now my children can only dream of. Brexit brought us back as we couldn't see a way around it and is why we can't help but good luck. Maybe look at being French residents then you would not have the 90 day problem. Of course then you would have to pay for their healthcare and if you are pensioners, that's another problem (message me for more on this and banking if you like). We were offered Belgian residency but our narrowboat is now too long at 70ft to comply with regs that were brought in while we were there but didn't do anything about once we knew we were having to return. How long is your boat? Ideally keep it at 15m incase they change the 20m rule again. Cruising for all the years that we were in Europe was the happiest time of our lives and if there is a god, we thank him that we did it when we did!

Press Release: Call for major upgrade of waterways to get freight off roads and onto rivers and canals to cut pollution. The Commercial Boat Operators Association, the Canal & River Trust, the Inland Waterways Association and the Port of London Authority are working together to kickstart a revolution in the way goods are transferred around the country. Aim is to get more freight off roads, where traffic pollution is known to cause severe health problems in built up areas, and onto freight carriers on the UK’s rivers and canals. “The problem is we’re using 19th century infrastructure to solve 21st century problems,” says John Spencer, director of GPS Marine, the largest multi-cargo intra-port barge operator on the River Thames and Medway, “but as an individual company we’ve been hitting our heads against a brick wall. We’re now working with major canal and river organisations to get this moving.” The Port of London Authority has just launched a new consultation and vision for the Thames. The river is already the UK’s busiest inland waterway. Thames Vision 2050 identifies the development of Trading Thames as a priority, with strong long-term potential for using the river to connect the deepsea port outside London with customers and consumers within London. Richard Parry, chief executive of the Canal & River Trust, said: “The transfer of traffic from trucks to barges can play a significant role in reducing carbon emissions, improving air quality, and supporting the broader Government objective to achieve net zero and mitigate climate change.” Between them these organisations are approaching the Department for Transport, Defra and relevant select committees, aiming to deepen understanding of the opportunity and what needs to be done to make the most of it. ENDS Further information: GPS Marine, Pamela Mounter T: 020 7228 9578, E: pamelamounter@hotmail.com CBOA, David Lowe, T: 07785 502478, E: d.lowe@cboa.org.uk IWA, Amy Tillson, T: 01494 , E: amy.tillson@waterways.org.uk CRT, Jonathan Ludford, T: 07747 897783, E: Jonathan.Ludford@canalrivertrust.org.uk PLA, James Trimmer, T: (44) 1474 562360/ 07713 65459, E: james.trimmer@PLA.co.uk

We saw Elizabeth at Longwood Boat Club last September. There's a post on their FB page with its new owner.

This response from DEFRA in reply to questions from the NBTA. This will however apply to any boat who happens to moor up in a Smoke Free Zone but is it only me who finds it a bit of a muddle?? "With regard to boats in particular, the Act will enable local authorities to bring moored inland waterway vessels such as canal boats, into the scope of smoke control areas should they have a specific issue in their area. However, they will need to consult publicly before using this power. This has the potential to apply to boats burning diesel or other fuels if they are emitting smoke, for example because an appliance has not been properly maintained, but only while they are moored or stationary at a mooring place. As such, boat dwellers could not be fined for emitting smoke while entering a smoke control area as they would not be moored. It is also important to note that in cases where moored vessels have been brought into scope of a smoke control area, the local authorities are required to reimburse owners or occupiers of vessels for works carried out to avoid incurring a financial penalty. The Environment Act sets out the criteria an owner or occupier of a vessel must meet in order to be eligible for reimbursement. For example, the vessel must have the right to moor at a single mooring place for the qualifying period, the owner or occupier must complete the adaptations prior to the coming into operation of the order, and the owner or occupier must not have access to mains gas or electricity. We are in the process of developing guidance on the new smoke control area rules, which will be available once the legislation comes into force in May.”

I wonder if the Toll House will be under threat of sale again now?

Do you know where this came from? I can't see it in the consultation.

Came past us at Shebdon Wednesday.

I've just heard from CRT that Minworth facilities aren't owned by them so maybe why there's no bins.

I think all the previous posts has already done that?

So hard to suspend disbelief with this storyline. The Am has a ford that's so deep you can walk across it, unnavigable in a rowing boat let alone Rex's new abode.

'Narrow' on the continent being at least GU width, normally much more. My avatar is us on the Gent-Terneuzen, dug out in the beginning of the 19th century and enormous. There is however one canal near Paris that reminded us of 'home', the Canal l'Ourcq. Rarely used because it's so narrow but that suited us until the blanket weed finally beat us! There was a marvellous 'trompe-l'oeil' piece of work by a library at the side of the canal.

Often queues of commercials at this one although it too was done just for us in August when most of the big stuff had moored up for a month's break. We commented on the difference with the UK canals in the height of summer as in Belgium we often cruised without meeting another boat. Most leisure boats, rather like cars, get through Belgium as quickly as poss. on their way to France. This left the gorgeous architecture of Flanders and the wild Ardennes in the south for us to explore on peaceful canals.

Here's the Strepy Thierre in Walloon, Belgium, 73m in one go. We've done this in our narrowboat several times, often it was operated just for us. It replaced the 4 Anderton type lifts, designed by the same engineer, Edwin Clark, as the one on the Weaver. They had become too small and slow for the growing traffic on the canal. We've done those too as they were continued to be operated for leisure craft.

Have the Minworth services been reinstated? CRT seem to think they have been.

They've told the long stay moorers who were there on the offside to move on.

For me the bottom line is that, when CRT took over from BW, they agreed to: "protect and conserve for public benefit sites, objects and buildings of archaeological, architectural, engineering or historic interest on, in the vicinity of, or otherwise associated with Inland Waterways". It is after all the UK's unique heritage, a historic canal system not found anywhere else in the world and as such is supposed to be protected from this never ending pillage. Sadly the Protector and the trustees turn a very blind eye.