Jump to content

Lift bridge no 26, Hockley Heath, North Stratford


MoominPapa

Featured Posts

2 hours ago, Rob-M said:

I thought closing a footpath required planning consent.

Planning Dept will not have been involved. Closure will have been dealt with by the Right of Way Dept who will probably have issued a TRO (Traffic Regulation Order) that might state a diversion, but doesn't have to. And a TRO can be extended in both time and distance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Well a month on and here we are again. Very similar reading the previous comments to our experience now. A tardy stoppage notice has led to us being stuck with no response so far to our request for C&RT to winch the bridge up for us as they did last month, or with any info as to what's happening apart from 'at least' the end of the week as to re-opening. By then we will have run out of water so will have to try to turn our 70' in the 60' winding hole by bridge 22. Does anyone know if that might be possible? Could really do with a contact phone number for the team who might do the winching, or we may have to use our own winch.......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, wandering snail said:

Well a month on and here we are again. Very similar reading the previous comments to our experience now. A tardy stoppage notice has led to us being stuck with no response so far to our request for C&RT to winch the bridge up for us as they did last month, or with any info as to what's happening apart from 'at least' the end of the week as to re-opening. By then we will have run out of water so will have to try to turn our 70' in the 60' winding hole by bridge 22. Does anyone know if that might be possible? Could really do with a contact phone number for the team who might do the winching, or we may have to use our own winch.......

I thought that was a full size hole, but then I dont have a 70 footer so could be wrong

Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 minutes ago, wandering snail said:

Well a month on and here we are again. Very similar reading the previous comments to our experience now. A tardy stoppage notice has led to us being stuck with no response so far to our request for C&RT to winch the bridge up for us as they did last month, or with any info as to what's happening apart from 'at least' the end of the week as to re-opening. By then we will have run out of water so will have to try to turn our 70' in the 60' winding hole by bridge 22. Does anyone know if that might be possible? Could really do with a contact phone number for the team who might do the winching, or we may have to use our own winch.......

It may be possible but I doubt easy, I have used it quite a few times (50ft boat) but I doubt that winding hole sees much use at all and it is shallow and not overly large.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, wandering snail said:

Have now heard from C&RT who have no recollection of winching the bridge open just last month! So, we will have to try the winding hole. Lunch first though.

Good luck. The last winching may just have been the chaps on the ground sorting it unofficially.

Edited by ditchcrawler
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, wandering snail said:

Have now amended our Pearsons that the winding hole by bridge 22 is in fact doable in a 70. Took a while but we've escaped and are now on our way back again to Brum to try the GU to get to Oxford instead.

But but you can’t do that, the canal is closed all the way to King Norton.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, wandering snail said:

Yep, we've now got to Shirley liftbridge and discovered it's been disabled. No reason at all of course but I bet they won't come out to let us through.

I would have driven by you about an hour ago!  It’s a bit nuts, you would think that the stoppage notice would explain what is going on, as clearly it is more than the Hockley Heath bridge that is an issue.

 

If you do end up reversing again to turn round watch out with the winding hole just past the railway, it looks massive, but you will probably ground the bow when it not that far in.  I had less than 10ft to spare with the bow grounded (50ft boat) last time I used it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

41 minutes ago, john6767 said:

I would have driven by you about an hour ago!  It’s a bit nuts, you would think that the stoppage notice would explain what is going on, as clearly it is more than the Hockley Heath bridge that is an issue.

 

If you do end up reversing again to turn round watch out with the winding hole just past the railway, it looks massive, but you will probably ground the bow when it not that far in.  I had less than 10ft to spare with the bow grounded (50ft boat) last time I used it.

That one did look too short for our 70' when we passed it but thanks for the heads up. Now rather forlornly hoping that a C&RT bod might take pity on us and press the buttons to let us through tomorrow. If we have to wait it out by the bridge, praps the Drawbridge pub will give us some water in a few days time. They will have got to know us by then!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is ridiculous. Why the need to close such a long stretch? If there is a need why not explain in the stoppage notice? Why can't CRT give more info? None of this makes any sense st all. 

 

Last time I seem to recall it was a boater that winched it open and left it that way, but don't think CRT were very happy about it! Can't think of any reason CRT couldn't open it and leave it that way until fixed. Only carries a footpath and not a very long diversion to get round. 

 

Bet this would have been sorted much quicker in the main hire session with hire companies pestering them!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, Tom and Bex said:

This is ridiculous. Why the need to close such a long stretch? If there is a need why not explain in the stoppage notice? Why can't CRT give more info? None of this makes any sense st all. 

 

Last time I seem to recall it was a boater that winched it open and left it that way, but don't think CRT were very happy about it! Can't think of any reason CRT couldn't open it and leave it that way until fixed. Only carries a footpath and not a very long diversion to get round. 

 

Bet this would have been sorted much quicker in the main hire session with hire companies pestering them!

Agree. We have a winch on board but weren't happy to chance doing it. Now hoping we haven't made the effort to turn round and head back all for nothing if they won't open Shirley for us either. Getting cross now not helped by the fact that no-one will actually talk to us, it's all done by email and not with the maintenance team either but with an 'enquiries' bod. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

A public right of way

But public rights of way are closed on an emergency basis all the time with or without signed diversions in place. Not beyond the wit of CRT and the local council to come up with a short term solution surely? It's not exactly a busy thoroughfare!

 

I'd also be asking questions why the original repair failed so soon -: it's a simple hydraulic system, permanent repair should be easily sorted in a matter of hours not weeks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, wandering snail said:

Have now heard from C&RT who have no recollection of winching the bridge open just last month! So, we will have to try the winding hole. Lunch first though.

My understanding is that the bridge was raised unofficially by a boater. If you;re desperate, you could have a go at the same tactic.

 

MP.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, wandering snail said:

Yep, we've now got to Shirley liftbridge and discovered it's been disabled. No reason at all of course but I bet they won't come out to let us through.

That;s crazy. I'd be going to the top at this point. If you want some backup on what happened last month, count me in.

 

MP.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, MoominPapa said:

That;s crazy. I'd be going to the top at this point. If you want some backup on what happened last month, count me in.

 

MP.

 

Thank you, but where is/who is/how do we contact the top? We did copy and paste the link to this thread on our last email to 'enquiries' which apparently was forwarded to whoever needed to know. This is a big part of the frustration, there's always a middleman/woman.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, wandering snail said:

Getting cross now not helped by the fact that no-one will actually talk to us, it's all done by email and not with the maintenance team either but with an 'enquiries' bod. 

That's not my experience on the Rochdale Canal. A couple of times last yeari (a few months apart and at different locations) I had to phone CRT - once in the evening and once in the daytime. Rang the main CRT number both times. First time I was asked if it was urgent, as it was out of hours.  Explained I didn't feel comfortable spending the night in the middle of the Rochdale Nine, and I was put through to the North West duty manager. He was helpful and said he would get the local on-the-ground team to contact me. Shortly afterwards the local man phoned and said he would be with me in about 45 minutes, which he was, and he then proceded to remove a carpet from between the bottom gates, and we got on our way again. Second time I again got put through to the local duty manager. He said there were a couple of chaps already in the area (we had passed them earlier clearing debris from bywashes). About 30 minutes later they walked up the towpath, armed with keb and grappling iron. This time they pulled out a button fender from the bottom cill and we were on our way again. I thought it was very good service both times.

Ring them. Don't rely on email.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, David Mack said:

That's not my experience on the Rochdale Canal. A couple of times last yeari (a few months apart and at different locations) I had to phone CRT - once in the evening and once in the daytime. Rang the main CRT number both times. First time I was asked if it was urgent, as it was out of hours.  Explained I didn't feel comfortable spending the night in the middle of the Rochdale Nine, and I was put through to the North West duty manager. He was helpful and said he would get the local on-the-ground team to contact me. Shortly afterwards the local man phoned and said he would be with me in about 45 minutes, which he was, and he then proceded to remove a carpet from between the bottom gates, and we got on our way again. Second time I again got put through to the local duty manager. He said there were a couple of chaps already in the area (we had passed them earlier clearing debris from bywashes). About 30 minutes later they walked up the towpath, armed with keb and grappling iron. This time they pulled out a button fender from the bottom cill and we were on our way again. I thought it was very good service both times.

Ring them. Don't rely on email.

 

That sounds much better service as we have rung them and no-one has got back to us. We will try again tomorrow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • 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.