Lift bridge no 26, Hockley Heath, North Stratford

[MoominPapa]

33 minutes ago, wandering snail said:

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.

0800 47 999 47

 

The website implies this is for life-and-death stuff only, but in fact it gets you to people who know what's happening.

 

I think in your situation I'd try and contact Richard Parry, but I've never done that and have no experience on the best way to do it.

 

MP.

 

[john6767]

I have tried asking CRT on a Twitter what’s going on, but there are not explaining.  There has to be more to this than the Hocley Heath bridge if they have locked out Shirley liftbridge.  There a quite a few long term mooring between those two locations, and it seems they are all now trapped.

[ditchcrawler]

I have had quite good success emailing the area enquiries address 

[wandering snail]

2 minutes ago, MoominPapa said:

0800 47 999 47

 

The website implies this is for life-and-death stuff only, but in fact it gets you to people who know what's happening.

 

I think in your situation I'd try and contact Richard Parry, but I've never done that and have no experience on the best way to do it.

 

MP.

 

Another phone call to do in the morning, thank you. It's all so different to when we left to take Snail to Europe when it was still BW (although Richard Parry's name rings a bell). Then you could actually speak to someone easily plus we don't remember sooo many stoppages in the couple of years we travelled the UK canals fulltime.

[Graham Davis]

1 hour 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!

Which is a Public Right of Way and would require Legal Notice and cost to divert, even temporarily.

[wandering snail]

Just now, ditchcrawler said:

I have had quite good success emailing the area enquiries address 

Yes, we've now a long list of emails to and fro with Sarah there and have sent another this afternoon now we are stuck again. Such a short length of canal, such a lot of problems!

5 minutes ago, john6767 said:

I have tried asking CRT on a Twitter what’s going on, but there are not explaining.  There has to be more to this than the Hocley Heath bridge if they have locked out Shirley liftbridge.  There a quite a few long term mooring between those two locations, and it seems they are all now trapped.

That's exactly what we thought as we crawled by them, even slower than normal as this length of canal is so shallow! Thank you for trying, we really would like to be freed from here even though we are now next to a pub.

[Victor Vectis]

3 hours 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.

 

Us too.

 

I know you are not at Hockley Heath any more but I've always found the CaRT chaps at Lapworth helpful.

 

Might have been worth a yomp down the towpath to talk to them (always assuming they were there and not out and about)

[wandering snail]

1 minute ago, Victor Vectis said:

Us too.

 

I know you are not at Hockley Heath any more but I've always found the CaRT chaps at Lapworth helpful.

 

Might have been worth a yomp down the towpath to talk to them (always assuming they were there and not out and about)

Thank you for your support too. We did wonder about biking to Lapworth but were told after several pleading emails to 'enquiries', including copying them in to previous posts about winching the bridge last month on this thread that it was too 'unsafe' to winch up and at that point we gave up trying to get any help at Hockley.

[john6767]

32 minutes ago, wandering snail said:

Thank you for your support too. We did wonder about biking to Lapworth but were told after several pleading emails to 'enquiries', including copying them in to previous posts about winching the bridge last month on this thread that it was too 'unsafe' to winch up and at that point we gave up trying to get any help at Hockley.

What CRT are not letting on about is why the close the whole North Stratford, if they Bridge at Hockley Heath is ker put then fine but why all this other malarkey, like locking off Shirley lift bridge.

[Tom and Bex]

11 hours ago, john6767 said:

What CRT are not letting on about is why the close the whole North Stratford, if they Bridge at Hockley Heath is ker put then fine but why all this other malarkey, like locking off Shirley lift bridge.

This. There must be more to this that for whatever reason CRT are not willing to say.

 

There's been problems with individual lift bridges on this section before that just result in isolated stoppage notices relating just to the actual bridge. With so many winding holes and moorings it makes no sense to close the entire 10 mile section. 

[wandering snail]

Quick update - Shirley liftbridge was remotely reset for us this morning. There were no problems at Kings Norton and we have made good our escape from the North Stratford. We still have no idea why such a long length of canal has been included in the Hockley stoppage.

[john6767]

1 hour ago, wandering snail said:

Quick update - Shirley liftbridge was remotely reset for us this morning. There were no problems at Kings Norton and we have made good our escape from the North Stratford. We still have no idea why such a long length of canal has been included in the Hockley stoppage.

Glad you made it out OK.

[Flyboy]

On 25/02/2020 at 20:32, MoominPapa said:

0800 47 999 47

 

The website implies this is for life-and-death stuff only, but in fact it gets you to people who know what's happening.

 

I think in your situation I'd try and contact Richard Parry, but I've never done that and have no experience on the best way to do it.

 

MP.

 

richard.parry@canalrivertrust.org.uk        I emailed him some time ago and got a good reply.

[David Mack]

They've nòw amended the closure to just between bridge 25 and Lapworth top lock.

[Dave_P]

12 minutes ago, David Mack said:

They've nòw amended the closure to just between bridge 25 and Lapworth top lock.

That was my doing!

 

[Victor Vectis]

Well done that man.

 

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