Heartland

An important question will be how effective the advert will be. The AA advert with Red Dwarf has definitely hit the mark. I wonder if storm troopers will start manning the lock flights, by the way.

I am not sure if the CRT intend to go where no body has gone before, but there is a definite Star Wars connection with a type of R2D2 visiting the network.

Unless something can be done about transforming the current CaRT ethos in top management, conservation and preservation (let alone improvement) must remain largely in the realms of hope. Such a comment highlights a concern not just about ethos but perhaps in a wider spectrum. This is now the seventh year of CRT. Three years ago there seemed to be a determined effort to absorb the Environment Agency Waterways into the CRT network. This has yet to happen, and in the present circumstances raises the question if this is for the best.

It is nice to see more recognition for all those people involved in the restoration movement.

What exactly are you suggesting – that the creation of the private company as trustee of the waterways was legally ineffective? You are correct that the 2012 Order is only secondary legislation, but it was authorised by Parliament under the terms of an Act – the Public Bodies Act 2011. -I was more concerned about how the CRT saw their responsibility and duty. There has been a change in what is done now compared to the former BW regime.

Canal Art, is a good explanation to a scale smaller than a normal boat. perhaps, but this appears too accurate and the questions of the hows and whys are a growing list. I do not recall reading anything about it, but seeing it one day in place.

The building of the Malthouse Pub beside the canal in Birmingham was accompanied by the placing of a small craft in Brewery Basin, adjacent. There it stays, but what was, or is, it? This craft has the appearance of a cut down narrowboat, but was this the case?

Helpful, yes. more of them apparently so, if you count all the fund raisers and volunteers. There is the Wellbeing aspect of the Trust, to remember. Bur here is a thought, the Nationalisation of the waterways network was by act of Parliament, but I have noticed the order that led to their establishment and granted them specific powers in June 2012 was simply that. There has been no act as far as I can see. This state of affair has given everybody access to the towpath and also forged a measure of protection for disused waterways, bur as to their desire for developing freight on their network, this appears to have less urgency.

On some navigations, like the Warwickshire Avon it is a case of dodge the car....... ..... or was the flood THAT HIGH!

I do not recall the term Hill Class being a general term for FMC craft. This a mixture of (1) wooden craft built at Uxbridge CHILTERN 1946 CLEE 1947 CLENT 1947 and COTSWOLD that was scrapped (2) Steel construction built by Yarwood FERN 1947 FOXGLOVE 1947 GARDENA 1947 MALVERN 1949 MENDIP 1949 GORSE 1951 It is hard to justify this diverse group as one class

With some fishermen you have to be careful. With Sumo Fishermen, that is the heavy built type, you call sir, they could easily wade across and toss your boat into a tree.

Progress on this part of the Monty has not been the fastest. A map of 1994 shows the extent of the section then not in Navigation.

The Flapper is still there and serving beer, but there was a fresh application for development, and the period for objections has closed. There seems to be a determined effort to get rid of the Flapper and this seems like a predatory developer intent at profit at whatever cost. Should it go ahead, this part of the canal will be changed forever, it would appear. The application: New images of the latest plans to demolish a canal-side pub in Birmingham city centre and build new apartments have been revealed. Stratford-upon-Avon Whitehorse Estates is seeking permission to knock down the Flapper and Firkin pub in Kingston Row and create 27 flats. The two/three-storey building was constructed in the 1960s and used to be called The Longboat. If approved a new part three, part four-storey building with four apartments with three bedrooms, 16 with two and seven with one. At the end of 2017, the applicant revealed plans to construct 66 apartments on the site but the proposal was withdrawn. A document submitted to the council on behalf of the applicant said: "This scheme has developed as a result of discussions with officers in response to the original planning application for this site. "This assessment, and the other reports accompanying this application, show that substantial changes have been made in response to criticisms of the original design. "The proposal is shown to be appropriate in principle, in terms of residential uses in this location, and in detail, in terms of both scale and appearance. "The car free approach is to be supported, given the location of the development, with convenient access to all facilities, including public transport, with a car club contribution proposed to support residents to choose to be car free. "The proposed development will provide a positive contribution to the surrounding townscape. "The loss of the Flapper, though regrettable for patrons, is shown to be acceptable in terms of the range of other facilities available, both in the locality and across the city. "The proposal will also not give rise to any adverse impacts to surrounding residential properties or the highway network. "The residential accommodation provided is of a high quality in terms of prospective living conditions for future residents, overall design and accessibility, meeting the local planning authority’s requirements in respect of space and amenity." The new application was submitted to the council at the end of 2018, but the images have just been published. Source www.insidermedia.com/insider/midlands/new-images-published-for-city-centre-flats Of the Flapper was a disused pub or a venue with little customers the application would make sense, but it is a popular venue.

I wonder of anything will be done to highlight the former tramway link to the Springs Branch.

There are elements to this event that have yet to come out. For example what was the cause of the accident? Was the patient conscious and breathing? Was the transport in the vehicle authorised? Did the transport to receive medical care prove to be beneficial to the patient. It is also common for paramedics to attend such issues, did one attend and if so what advice was given?