Mon & Brec Burst

[Denis R]

Reported on the Beeb this morning:

 

The Brecon and Monmouthshire canal has burst its banks, sending water crashing through villagers' houses.

Ten people were evacuated from their homes in Gilwern, near Abergavenny, after the alarm was raised at 0730 BST.

[debbifiggy]

Reported on the Beeb this morning:

There's an audio interview on the BBC website and pics.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7046727.stm

 

 

The following is from BW's site.

 

Stoppage: Breach at Gilwern Embankment

 

The Mon & Brecon Canal is closed due to a breach at Gilwern Embankment between Bridges 105 and 106. Winding points at Bridge 104 and Bridge 107 once canal levels are restored.

 

(Enquiries: 01606 723800)

Debbi

Edited October 16, 2007 by debbifiggy

[Kar]

Some important information regarding the mon & brec, which will be closed to navigation from 5 November.

 

http://www.waterscape.com/canals-and-river...nd-brecon-canal

 

http://www.waterscape.com/canals-and-river...ating/stoppages

[whammy]

I would be interested in views of the forum members re this latest problem on this canal, from what I can see this canal is very prone to breaching and media reports the latest breach will cost over a million pounds to put right, one would assume this will have to come from BW coffers. Now here is the controversional question, is it time to call it a day on this canal ???

One argument would be that as it is not connected to the main system and therefore not many of BW licence fee payers would benefit from it, why keep it open ????

Personally I am split down the middle on this one, if we close this one to boating which one wold be next but given the cuts in BW funding would it be throwing good money after bad = Oh and should we bring back the football home internationals, maybe not England might not qualify !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Machpoint005]

Sell off the Mon and Brec, use the cash to support the connected network.

 

Let the buyer look after the trendy waterfront apartments free from views of ugly boats.

 

Forget soccer, enjoy the Six Nations in the New Year.

 

Then watch the British and Irish Lions show the southern hemisphere how rugby is played.

 

...Most if not all of the above are meant to be taken seriously!

 

Ian

[WRGie James]

noooooo

 

Keep the restoration going and repair the breach. It is a beautiful canal and the guys who do all the organising for the restoration of 14locks etc work so hard it would be a real shame to see it go under. I have also spent quiet a lot of time spending weeks and weekends down there restoring the area around 14 locks and lock 3.

[Paul And Vikki]

noooooo

 

Keep the restoration going and repair the breach. It is a beautiful canal and the guys who do all the organising for the restoration of 14locks etc work so hard it would be a real shame to see it go under. I have also spent quiet a lot of time spending weeks and weekends down there restoring the area around 14 locks and lock 3.

 

 

They are an amazing sight but every time the 14 locks looks like they are going to get the money to carry on from national lottery or government it gets pulled from under them. The latest plans is to open it and connect it to the brook, at the bottom of malps and then into a marina in Crindu, but the new plans for the waterfront at Crindu dont have any marina in the pictures of what it is going to look like.

 

paul

[Chop!]

I have just cycled down from Talybont on Usk towards the breach, very sad to see the lack of water below the LLangynidr locks, cycled back to Talybont then towards Brecon, very nice to see NB FoxWorthy on the move although they were having to cope with a lot of debris.

I'm told that BW are proposing to keep a 16 mile section closed until March 2009!

[Chop!]

I would be interested in views of the forum members re this latest problem on this canal, from what I can see this canal is very prone to breaching and media reports the latest breach will cost over a million pounds to put right, one would assume this will have to come from BW coffers. Now here is the controversional question, is it time to call it a day on this canal ???

One argument would be that as it is not connected to the main system and therefore not many of BW licence fee payers would benefit from it, why keep it open ????

Personally I am split down the middle on this one, if we close this one to boating which one wold be next but given the cuts in BW funding would it be throwing good money after bad = Oh and should we bring back the football home internationals, maybe not England might not qualify !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I'm amazed that you would suggest such a thing! We in Wales pay taxes but are very poorly served in return

We have only one motorway (& we have to pay to return to Wales on that! Just had another above inflation rise in the tolls)

A Capital City with no ring-road

And almost no railways left.

The canals in Wales were decimated as were the Railways

We have almost no surviving canals as it is, The Mon & Brecon is unique in that it does not follow the valley & deserves to be saved for posterity

It is all too easy for those in areas with canals everywhere to feel that such a small and inconsequential section would not be missed.

I hope we see the day when M & B connects once again with the Severn & the 14 locks & the Crumlin branch are reconnected to this beautiful canal.

 

Blwyddyn Newydd DDa! (Happy New Year!)