Jump to content

BCN Challenge 2022


Tom and Bex

Featured Posts

4 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

I genuinely believe that the challenge should be televised.  I think lot's of people would love it.  If indoor bowls gets tv coverage, why not this?

Because you would need to bleep out most of the sections before the 9o'clock watershed every time someone picked up another mattress/tyre/armoured cable!


Alec

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

I genuinely believe that the challenge should be televised.  I think lot's of people would love it.  If indoor bowls gets tv coverage, why not this?

The drink and debauchery would probably relegate it to a subscription service only

  • Greenie 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have done it three times over the last 25(?) years.

 

The first time was a hire boat from Aldersley. They had just recently bought two old boats and had no restrictive clauses. We took the boat up the 21, onto the Curly Wyrley which was full of weed. Using reverse to 'unwind' the weed from the prop established that the Lister Blackstone gearbox had not been adjusted at all and the braking band promptly gave up. We called them out, they agreed it was not fixable but asked why we were on the BCN as they had assumed nobody would want to go there! It was agreed that we would return the boat down the 21 and pick up their other boat, which we did, then up the 21 again. We made it to Walsall Basin that night, then round some of the old and new main lines and back to the 21 again. Following that weekend it is now forever known as the Wolverhampton 84.

 

The second time we did OK in an Anglo Welsh hire boat, with a route round the Northern BCN, to Walsall Basin overnight and then up to Titford Pools and on to the finish. That was the plan until we picked up an armoured cable in Titford Pools on the Sunday morning. A good three hours from the support team, cutting it out one strand at a time. We took the opportunity of the available time to clear a tree which had blocked the route up one side of the pools for years, cutting it out with a hand saw, but we didn't get any extra points for that.

 

The third time was around 6 years ago I think. We had a crew of four, one of whom was very heavily pregnant (to the point where she gave birth a couple of days later). We weren't really in it for points, but we did another loop round the Northern BCN, this time via the Rushall. Having had a breakdown which required an engineer to fix on the Tame Valley, we were already out of any serious points race, but we did OK and made it to Walsall overnight, then poked it as far up the Gospel Oak branch as was possible and finished up following Spey up Ryders Green. We thought about Tipton but decided we didn't really have enough time. As it happens, that turned out to be a good decision as a lot of people got stuck up there. We then pootled around the various arms just south of Netherton and finished nicely on time at Hawne Basin. I am told we came in the top quarter.

 

I don't think I have ever known what we have scored, or what the winning score was. Getting to the other end with the boat intact has always been the objective - so far we have always managed that (oh, and mooring in Walsall at midnight...!)

 

Alec

  • Greenie 2
  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have just been told that Black Cock bridge on the Daw End Branch will be closed when the Challenge is taking place.

 

This means there is no through route up the Rushall and onto the  Wyrley and Essington canal.

Obviously we want to encourage people to visit these canals, so we are going to rejig the points to allow passage in both directions to count either side of the blockage.

 

I'll send out the redone route planner when we've decided what to do.

 

Sue

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, Mrs Tawny Owl said:

I have just been told that Black Cock bridge on the Daw End Branch will be closed when the Challenge is taking place.

 

This means there is no through route up the Rushall and onto the  Wyrley and Essington canal.

Obviously we want to encourage people to visit these canals, so we are going to rejig the points to allow passage in both directions to count either side of the blockage.

 

I'll send out the redone route planner when we've decided what to do.

 

Sue

 

Catshill and Aldridge as winding holes so scoresheet locations, scoring both ways and maybe even a photo bonus at the stoppage?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not sure there is a publicly available winding hole at Aldridge. The spur at the marina appears to be private and looks to be barriered off on Google maps. It's also a residential mooring site so lots of boats trying to wind may not be a great thing. Longwood is possible - and technically it is the junction at the south end of the Daw End branch even though it doesn't feature on the current score sheet -  but even that is a residential mooring site. However it may just be one at which there are some allies of the BCN Challenge to pave the way for it to be used without upsetting the locals. It's certainly a place that encourages use of the Rushall Canal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 24/01/2022 at 09:29, tree monkey said:

The drink and debauchery would probably relegate it to a subscription service only

 

That'll be the surreptitious whisky drinking and giggling by the crew of Tawny Owl I presume? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is a winding hole just north of Daw End bridge, the one by The Boatman pub. It isn't shown on CanalPlan but it's clearly there on Google maps, and it's on CRT's list of winding holes.

 

Interestingly it's the only winding hole that CRT list on the Daw End branch, neither Aldridge or Longwood are listed, but then again they aren't winding holes in the strictest sense.

 

Daw End is strategically well placed for crews to stop for a quick pint at the Manor Arms while the steerer continues on to wind the boat and pick the crew up on their return.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, Mrs Tawny Owl said:

Hi Jan. yes.

 

I need to find an hour to reply to everyone. Been a bit manic with work recently.

 

Sue

 

Thank you,

 

I hoped it was just a case of being busy but with not having any acknowledgement I wanted to check you had received it 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 30/01/2022 at 10:01, Captain Pegg said:

There is a winding hole just north of Daw End bridge, the one by The Boatman pub. It isn't shown on CanalPlan but it's clearly there on Google maps, and it's on CRT's list of winding holes.

 

Interestingly it's the only winding hole that CRT list on the Daw End branch, neither Aldridge or Longwood are listed, but then again they aren't winding holes in the strictest sense.

 

Daw End is strategically well placed for crews to stop for a quick pint at the Manor Arms while the steerer continues on to wind the boat and pick the crew up on their return.

 

I wonder how that got missed .......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hmmm this seems a bit rude since they know the BCN challenge is held (nearly) ever year around that time. I wonder if they could be persuaded to delay until end of June.

 

Notice Alert

Daw End Canal
Location: Black Cock Bridge, Camden Street, Walsall Wood, Daw End Canal
Starts At: Black Cock Bridge
Ends At: Walsall Wood Bridge
Up Stream Winding Hole: Catshill Junction, junction with the Wyrley and Essington Canal
Down Stream Winding Hole: Daw End Winding Hole

Monday 9 May 2022 08:00 until Friday 21 October 2022 18:00

Type: Navigation Closure
Reason: (Re)Construction

 

The navigation and towpath will be closed while works will be undertaken to replace Black Cock Bridge due to the life span of its structure has expired. The existing steel structure will be demolished, but the existing brick abutments will be reused in the construction of a new bridge deck. There will be a pedestrian diversion route along Hall Lane. We kindly remind customers to take extra care when using diversion route.

Please note these are indicative dates of navigation and towpath closures. We are awaiting the Council’s final approval and will provide an update in April advising the outcome of this application as well as the confirmed start and finish dates of the proposed works.

Edited by nicknorman
Link to comment
Share on other sites

59 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

Hmmm this seems a bit rude since they know the BCN challenge is held (nearly) ever year around that time. I wonder if they could be persuaded to delay until end of June.

 

Notice Alert

Daw End Canal
Location: Black Cock Bridge, Camden Street, Walsall Wood, Daw End Canal
Starts At: Black Cock Bridge
Ends At: Walsall Wood Bridge
Up Stream Winding Hole: Catshill Junction, junction with the Wyrley and Essington Canal
Down Stream Winding Hole: Daw End Winding Hole

Monday 9 May 2022 08:00 until Friday 21 October 2022 18:00

Type: Navigation Closure
Reason: (Re)Construction

 

The navigation and towpath will be closed while works will be undertaken to replace Black Cock Bridge due to the life span of its structure has expired. The existing steel structure will be demolished, but the existing brick abutments will be reused in the construction of a new bridge deck. There will be a pedestrian diversion route along Hall Lane. We kindly remind customers to take extra care when using diversion route.

Please note these are indicative dates of navigation and towpath closures. We are awaiting the Council’s final approval and will provide an update in April advising the outcome of this application as well as the confirmed start and finish dates of the proposed works.

 

They should speak to the folks at Network rail who have just installed a new bridge over the Stroudwater canal in five days!

Edited by Tim Lewis
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We have been notified of this, and advised there is no alternative as the bridge is becoming unsafe.

 

We are just waiting for the official preferred winding hole details, then we'll rejig the route planning document to take this closure into consideration.

 

Sue

 

 

And I have 8 entries so far, so do send yours in if you want to join in.

 

Sue

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Mrs Tawny Owl said:

We have been notified of this, and advised there is no alternative as the bridge is becoming unsafe.

 

We are just waiting for the official preferred winding hole details, then we'll rejig the route planning document to take this closure into consideration.

 

Sue

 

 

And I have 8 entries so far, so do send yours in if you want to join in.

 

Sue

Out of curiosity, how many entries are typical? Not that it really matters as such, but we have a tentative plan forming ... :)

 

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.