Dave123

Oh right! They only have a month left or people won't have a licence?😅 happy to pay more

Trying to get a gold licence for next year. Notice that neither EA or CRT have the price list up yet nor will the online system let me buy one. Did I miss the discontinuation of gold licences in the EA licence change consultation?

I think there were 5 that still opened the old way, Chisnell, Shipton, Drinkwaters, Wolvercote and St Edwards? It is being replaced and will be hydraulic now (the correct term that I should have used)😂. Will actually make more effort for single handers and crew as it can't be left raised and will be slower to open and close.🤷‍♂️

Just occurred to me that from this winter I believe all of the lift bridges on the South Oxford that aren't permanently locked in the raised position, will be mechanical (either with a windlass or electronic buttons). I.e. you won't just push them up or down anymore. I haven't read any discussion on this anywhere. I cannot make up my mind if this is for the better or worse. It means some that are almost always left raised will presumably always be lowered, so a bit more effort, but I have wondered how much of a safety issue they are when raised without a mechanism. Some do wobble a bit in high winds and Shipton can be a pain to get it to stay up if it's been wet and there aren't crew to sit on it... And also is it lost "heritage" in that they will no longer open and lower using the original simple balance mechanism?

CRT have patched up a few holes in the towpath around Aynho but a lot of it is still very poor. Does reduce cycling at least😂. I have also reported 3 seperate streams flowing from holes in the canal wall at points around Somerton/Heyfords🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️

Facebook might be a better place to advertise this,boat moving seems to be a growing industry there!

Apparently they dropped the level of the whole pound to fit through the previous low bridge! Possibly they tried the same here and have gone aground as a consequence? They look to be at a slight slant?😂🤦‍♂️

Probably explains why reading is so unwelcoming to boats and bats😅

The K&A fb group will let anyone in I'm pretty sure. It's a pretty nice group although sometimes members need reminding the K&A goes further east than Devizes, posts about rivers are always assumed to be the Avon😅. I wouldn't be considering trying to join the K&A from the Thames at the moment, I doubt they will fix the breach until Spring. Breaches usually take months. And I imagine being a river makes it harder? Or perhaps there is increased priority? As this breach must make it hard to control the river levels? I'm pretty sure the Kennet has moveable sluices along it's length as it never seems to rise or fall in response to rain, it only changes its flow rate... Not my photos, lifted from fb

Some people commented on Facebook about this, apparently the farmer has been in discussions with CRT for a year or more about this. They claim it's not coming from the canal...

Sorry, not my video so this is the only way to share it. But mostly just made the thread to inform boaters this has happened... And anyway, if you want to see videos of this sort of thing Facebook groups are the place to be. I've noticed over the years less and less stoppages get a thread on here, even long term ones like this looks to be.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/178384468913736/permalink/4430706040348203/ Video here of the river flowing through an alternative course to the side of the original weir just above Burghfield lock! Not sure how serious this is, presumably it's permanently dropped the levels above Burghfield and sped the river up below? Will it mess with flood control downstream?

Perhaps they just mean the flow past the heel post of the bottom gates is so significant they were worried the gate might completely collapse whilst full?

Going to be some big queues there...a lot of Wyvern and Gayton ABC boats still out!

I was following the L&L reservoir situation closely this summer as I (luckily) made it across from Leeds to Wigan. CRT removed the timed restrictions on lock usage around July as they "had enough water in the reservoirs for the rest of the season". Guess that didnt factor in a breach😅

Everyone makes mistakes or even sees red occasionally and behaves badly. It's the lack of apology and continued defence of his actions that I had the biggest problem with

Glad this thread is resurrected 😂. He pops up on Facebook boating groups now and again (I think he 'runs' one actually). I replyed to a thread that was suggesting his books as a good example to learn boating ettiquet, suggesting otherwise, and recieved a couple of unpleasant private messages from him🤣😅

It is similar to what happened in Brentford and Bath a little while back, would be interesting to know if claims can be made against a 3rd party if it wasn't CRTs fault.

Reports of a sudden drop in levels in several pounds either side of Harefield marina and sadly some boats have sunk there. Rumours that it was contractors working on river sluices on the Colne somewhere (it flows in and out of the GU here and could explain this, a bit like what happened with the Bath Avon). Other suggestions it's HST works that caused it...Very sad either way!

Or moor in Macclesfield/Burnley/Hebden bridge and take a train😅🤷‍♂️

They have them in B'ham still and they don't get vandalised... Also I saw the pounds around red bull were empty again...suspected vandalism/drunks opening paddles at night. Won't help the water levels.

In an earlier notice when CRT lifted the time restrictions at the locks on and off the summit they optimistically said they now had enough water in the L&L reservoirs for the rest of the season...hopefully they were right!

Peel really are appalling. Someone needs to take that canal away from them! I suppose the only place to go is above the first lock of the Rochdale.

The T&M from Great Haywood down is fine as it's fed by the staff's and Worcs which is fed by Wolverhampton sewage works😅

Caldon Canal closed, Trent & Mersey at risk Notice Alert Caldon Canal Location: Lock 10 Hazelhurst Top Lock to Froghall, Caldon Canal Starts At: Lock 10 Hazelhurst Top Lock Ends At: Bridge 55, Foxt Road Bridge Up Stream Winding Hole: Winding Hole, Hazelhurst Wednesday 22 September 2021 09:00 until further notice Type: Navigation Closure Reason: Water resources Original message: Due to low water levels along the majority of Caldon Canal and Trent & Mersey Canal, the section of navigation from Lock 10 Hazlehurst Top Lock to Froghall will be closed from Wednesday 22nd September until further notice. We will review regularly and provide update as situation changes. Apparently Harecastle tunnel has been closed on and off too for the same reason. Is this connected to reservoir draw down for post-Toddbrook maintenance checks?