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Leeds & Liverpool breach


TheBiscuits

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On 11/10/2021 at 16:43, dmr said:

 

I think there is always a supply of water, there has to be. It might be that CRT or United Utilities do not want to increase the flow so will just have to wait till the existing flow rate does its stuff.

There's been no significant rainfall for most of the summer, UU has sent emails out to customers over last few weeks warning of water shortages. Therefore, that wouldn't surprise me 

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9 minutes ago, rgreg said:

North West News tonight report that CRT expect the repair could take 6 months.

I'm sure that if they tried really hard they could spin it out to 12 months at the first attempt and then another year to get it right. Sorry, but I have lost patience with C&RT and their "contractors".

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@dmr re Rochdale Summit, rang today to see if they will allow enough water into 35/36 pound to float me off the bottom to go east for a week or so. Didn't speak to the supervisor personally, but it looks like Saturday morning. The phone operator, very helpful, also said they had run out of water allowance and they were negotiating with UU. Quite what that means for you, I don't know, but I will talk to them on Saturday and report back.

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5 hours ago, StarUKKiwi said:

There's been no significant rainfall for most of the summer, UU has sent emails out to customers over last few weeks warning of water shortages. Therefore, that wouldn't surprise me 

September's Resvervoir Watch has L&L reservoirs at second worst capacity of 36% slightly behind Peak Forest & Macc. at 34%,. Seems poor considering they are usually two of the wettest places on the network.

 

It isn't looking too hopeful for the pound from the breach to Barrowford - it's a good 8-12 inch down. Apparently it is rising slowly. Whether it recovers enough to allow movement, time will tell. Hopefully there aren't any boats between Rishton and Blackburn that need to move - there's usually one or two at the cafe and another couple at the Eanam Wharf. CRT are pumping water round the breach. This may release any stuck that need to get to the services or escape altogether or it might just piss past the leaky locks at Blackburn. Escape east is blocked at Skipton. I fear any movement may be short lived.

 

The work may not take 6 months, but getting permissions and doing the environmental studies might. With access from the towpath side being steep one might expect to approach the job from the uphill side but those Accy golfers won't want caterpillar tracks all over their fairways.

Edited by Psychalist
typo
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It was mentioned earlier in the thread that there might be a lot of rain, and therefore water,  in the North West region in general but they might have been keeping reservoir levels lower to avoid another reservoir incident. If they are lower to start with then a bit less rain for a period will result in them being lower than usual. 

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3 hours ago, Psychalist said:

September's Resvervoir Watch has L&L reservoirs at second worst capacity of 36% slightly behind Peak Forest & Macc. at 34%,. Seems poor considering they are usually two of the wettest places on the network.

 

It isn't looking too hopeful for the pound from the breach to Barrowford - it's a good 8-12 inch down. Apparently it is rising slowly. Whether it recovers enough to allow movement, time will tell. Hopefully there aren't any boats between Rishton and Blackburn that need to move - there's usually one or two at the cafe and another couple at the Eanam Wharf. CRT are pumping water round the breach. This may release any stuck that need to get to the services or escape altogether or it might just piss past the leaky locks at Blackburn. Escape east is blocked at Skipton. I fear any movement may be short lived.

 

The work may not take 6 months, but getting permissions and doing the environmental studies might. With access from the towpath side being steep one might expect to approach the job from the uphill side but those Accy golfers won't want caterpillar tracks all over their fairways.

Have not checked the specifics but following the Toddbrook near disaster, CRT has some reservoirs at low level either for inspection or safety reasons.

 

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On 11/10/2021 at 10:18, Alan de Enfield said:

 

You know the answer.

You will be following the footsteps of many others ...............................

 

I went the opposite way to you with every intention of returning to the 'briney'(spelling) after a few years.Unfortunately the bones suggested otherwise. Mind you I would have done it in something  like a Rival 38 

 

 

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22 minutes ago, Slim said:

I went the opposite way to you with every intention of returning to the 'briney'(spelling) after a few years.Unfortunately the bones suggested otherwise. Mind you I would have done it in something  like a Rival 38 

 

 

 

 I swing both ways, and for many years did both concurrently.

 

The declining abilities and creaking bones are not so much of an issue when you have a couple of hundred horses doing the hard work for you. The creaks start to come to the forefront when crawling in the engine room and scrabbling about under an engine to pick up the tiny, tiny 3/16" brass screw (from the impellor front plate) that you have dropped into the bilge, and being non-magnet cannot be retrieved by dragging a magnet thru the bilge.

We now rarely use the 'Big-Cat' its hard work and it has not been in the water for the last 2 years. No1 Son is planning on getting some use out of it if he moves back to, or closer to, the UK

 

I was starting to find that the difficulties encountered by lack of maintenance on the cut was making it less and less enjoyable and, in many places required two people to work a single lock gate, never knowing if you could get somewhere without waiting for days or weeks due to 'incidents' and failures finally drove us back to the lumpy waters 2 years ago.

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9 hours ago, Jim Riley said:

@dmr re Rochdale Summit, rang today to see if they will allow enough water into 35/36 pound to float me off the bottom to go east for a week or so. Didn't speak to the supervisor personally, but it looks like Saturday morning. The phone operator, very helpful, also said they had run out of water allowance and they were negotiating with UU. Quite what that means for you, I don't know, but I will talk to them on Saturday and report back.

From a couple of days ago.....

Not much flowing in and Longlees lock given some anti-dribble assistance.

summit Longlees sm.jpg

Summit sm.jpg

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9 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

 

 

I was starting to find that the difficulties encountered by lack of maintenance on the cut was making it less and less enjoyable and, in many places required two people to work a single lock gate, never knowing if you could get somewhere without waiting for days or weeks due to 'incidents' and failures finally drove us back to the lumpy waters 2 years ago.

Your post sums up my feelings exactly.

I won't though be going on "lumpy water" as the nearest is the Humber and anyway I like the reassuring sight of dry land a few yards either side.

Probably will go back to motorbikes.

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5 hours ago, Boaty Jo said:

From a couple of days ago.....

Not much flowing in and Longlees lock given some anti-dribble assistance.

summit Longlees sm.jpg

Summit sm.jpg

Called by on Wednesday, saw the special anti leak membrane. 

Had a call back from CRT, they are meeting me tomorrow at 8.30 to fill the pound and get me off the mooring. While the summit pound is low and stopping passage they are repairing paddles etc on the littleborough flight. 

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21 hours ago, StarUKKiwi said:

There's been no significant rainfall for most of the summer, UU has sent emails out to customers over last few weeks warning of water shortages. Therefore, that wouldn't surprise me 

 

Re Rochdale summit
I was told by a local that although the agreement between CRT & UU is 1 lockful a day it's an average arrangement so if CRT get 3 lockfuls on one day they there's 2 days when they get none. It seems over the past few weeks they had their allocation. 

 

7 hours ago, Boaty Jo said:

 

 

Summit sm.jpg

 

The dribble on the right is the feeder. In the past when we have been over the summit that is pouring. I'm guessing it will be closed for quite awhile until we get heavy rain. Just relieved we got through minutes before it was locked up.

 

I believe dmr of this parish is planning to go that way shortly so would forum members please join in a communal rain dance at 4pm today.

Edited by Midnight
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18 hours ago, Ianws said:

It doesn't feel like that where I am. Dry a lot of the time but some very heavy rainfall as well. I'm in South Lancashire. 

Over the north west it's been one of the driest 6 month periods on record according to United Utilities and they should know, despite the downpours at the beginning of the month. Admittedly it's been particularly dry further north in the Lake District and Thirlmere and Haweswater are only at 38% of capacity. The Pennine supplies, which are of more relevance to the canals, are better at about 70%.

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4 minutes ago, JohnEW2912 said:

Over the north west it's been one of the driest 6 month periods on record according to United Utilities and they should know, despite the downpours at the beginning of the month. Admittedly it's been particularly dry further north in the Lake District and Thirlmere and Haweswater are only at 38% of capacity. The Pennine supplies, which are of more relevance to the canals, are better at about 70%.

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😅

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On 15/10/2021 at 11:39, Midnight said:

 

Re Rochdale summit
I was told by a local that although the agreement between CRT & UU is 1 lockful a day it's an average arrangement so if CRT get 3 lockfuls on one day they there's 2 days when they get none. It seems over the past few weeks they had their allocation. 

 

 

The dribble on the right is the feeder. In the past when we have been over the summit that is pouring. I'm guessing it will be closed for quite awhile until we get heavy rain. Just relieved we got through minutes before it was locked up.

 

I believe dmr of this parish is planning to go that way shortly so would forum members please join in a communal rain dance at 4pm today.

 

Have just had a really hard time getting up the Rochdale, even Ian Mac said it was bad. Left New Islington at 6:45 (am) and got to Boat and Horses in the dark at 8pm. Low water, rubbish on the bottom, gates not opening, gates not closing, and a serious prop foul. (I gave up, Ian did it for me, took an hour as we bow hauled the next lock). Boat and Horse to Irk took 5 hours due to more low water. More trouble today, stuff on cill in Rochdale and stuck swing bridge mechanism (had to get the big hammer out).

Summit closure looks like 2 weeks so now stuck in Littleborough but we can see and smell the Hills.

 

New Islington now charges £25 per night for crap breasted up moorings. Another problem for Rochdale boating. We hid in the pub (all afternoon and evening) so they could get the money. It cost more than £25 but was more enjoyable.

 

Spent a couple of nights in the little Droylsden marina and they rounded up a super team of lock hobblers to get us down the Ashton locks.

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2 hours ago, dmr said:

 

Have just had a really hard time getting up the Rochdale, even Ian Mac said it was bad. Left New Islington at 6:45 (am) and got to Boat and Horses in the dark at 8pm. Low water, rubbish on the bottom, gates not opening, gates not closing, and a serious prop foul. (I gave up, Ian did it for me, took an hour as we bow hauled the next lock). Boat and Horse to Irk took 5 hours due to more low water. More trouble today, stuff on cill in Rochdale and stuck swing bridge mechanism (had to get the big hammer out).

Summit closure looks like 2 weeks so now stuck in Littleborough but we can see and smell the Hills.

 

New Islington now charges £25 per night for crap breasted up moorings. Another problem for Rochdale boating. We hid in the pub (all afternoon and evening) so they could get the money. It cost more than £25 but was more enjoyable.

 

Spent a couple of nights in the little Droylsden marina and they rounded up a super team of lock hobblers to get us down the Ashton locks.

So you are put to date then. Met a CRT chap who filled the pound to float me off and out, now moored below 35. Engine trouble, not engaging reverse properly. Have had it apart and put it back together, awaiting testing in the morning. 

I got the update from CRT chap this morning. 

No water down there cos there's none flowing from here. Used up October's allowance as Ian said. See you around. 

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2 hours ago, dmr said:

 

Have just had a really hard time getting up the Rochdale, even Ian Mac said it was bad. Left New Islington at 6:45 (am) and got to Boat and Horses in the dark at 8pm. Low water, rubbish on the bottom, gates not opening, gates not closing, and a serious prop foul. (I gave up, Ian did it for me, took an hour as we bow hauled the next lock). Boat and Horse to Irk took 5 hours due to more low water. More trouble today, stuff on cill in Rochdale and stuck swing bridge mechanism (had to get the big hammer out).

Summit closure looks like 2 weeks so now stuck in Littleborough but we can see and smell the Hills.

 

New Islington now charges £25 per night for crap breasted up moorings. Another problem for Rochdale boating. We hid in the pub (all afternoon and evening) so they could get the money. It cost more than £25 but was more enjoyable.

 

Spent a couple of nights in the little Droylsden marina and they rounded up a super team of lock hobblers to get us down the Ashton locks.

A sad tale of woe! and we are paying a licence fee for this!

Where's the person who suggested that the licence fee should be £5000 pa!  😰 

 

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29 minutes ago, Jim Riley said:

So you are put to date then. Met a CRT chap who filled the pound to float me off and out, now moored below 35. Engine trouble, not engaging reverse properly. Have had it apart and put it back together, awaiting testing in the morning. 

I got the update from CRT chap this morning. 

No water down there cos there's none flowing from here. Used up October's allowance as Ian said. See you around. 

 

Keep hearing that a boater drained the summit so that he could avoid leaving the Rochdale/not have to CC. Is there any truth in this? My guess is its the same person (non boater) who raised a paddle on Longlees several times whilst we were "locked down" just below it.

 

The Rochdale through Manchester is going downhill quite rapidly, we would not have got through without the help of the "volunteer locky". Is it time for some of us to form some sort of co-ordinated pressure group?

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13 hours ago, dmr said:

 

Keep hearing that a boater drained the summit so that he could avoid leaving the Rochdale/not have to CC. Is there any truth in this? My guess is its the same person (non boater) who raised a paddle on Longlees several times whilst we were "locked down" just below it.

 

The Rochdale through Manchester is going downhill quite rapidly, we would not have got through without the help of the "volunteer locky". Is it time for some of us to form some sort of co-ordinated pressure group?

 No boats came down from 37 for two days before we escaped. I talked to the last boat down at Littleborough he'd been there 2 nights. "Paddle left up by boater" I suspect counts as vandalism so doesn't count to CRT's dismal record of maintaining the Pennine crossings. If you left a paddle up it's unlikely to drain that much water in a day and leaving a paddle up each end would flush your boat out of the lock. 

 

Re coordinated pressure group - it's being discussed this side of the hill. I'll see you and Goliath when you eventually get over.

Edited by Midnight
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22 hours ago, dmr said:

 

Keep hearing that a boater drained the summit so that he could avoid leaving the Rochdale/not have to CC. Is there any truth in this? My guess is its the same person (non boater) who raised a paddle on Longlees several times whilst we were "locked down" just below it.

 

The Rochdale through Manchester is going downhill quite rapidly, we would not have got through without the help of the "volunteer locky". Is it time for some of us to form some sort of co-ordinated pressure group?

Sounds like the waterways version of an urban myth.

If I remember the Rochdale, admittedly from some years back, it would have been hard pressed to go much further downhill without dismantling itself.

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