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Weed Hatch Prop Fouls


dmr

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18 minutes ago, Goliath said:


I’ll agree although I’ve limited knowledge of this stretch, most of it appears in good condition. I think all paddle gear work? Which is a rarity. 

How do you fancy volunteering as a lockie?

It’s something I’ll consider doing when I come back next Spring. 


(and yea, most common name for a lockie is?……Dave! You’ll fit right in 😃)

 

 

 

I think there was one non working paddle, and one where I couldn't undo the handcuff, but ithats pretty good, and only a few real leaking gates.

 

I've already assisted three boats up or down the 18, yourself included 😀.

Trouble is our current plan is to be on the Rochdale in the winters and out boating in the summer, and its summer when most boats transit Manchester.

There is other stuff to be doing, a bit of litter picking, vegetation reduction, and a bit of paint would make the locks look a bit less derelict and so less prone to vandalism.

 

It would be really good to get the magnet fishers taking stuff out, magnet fishing is a big thing up here, and they do grappling hook fishing too. Trouble is CRT disapprove. We would then need a few volunteers with wheelbarrows and CRT to be waiting nearby with a wagon. I would be happy to sponsor a prize for the biggest item lifted out, but that would be open to abuse, you would end up with the locals deliberately driving yellow BMW's into the cut. 😀

 

Sunshine tomoro so will have another go at the weedhatch, then there is a very good chance the summit will be open on Friday.

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41 minutes ago, dmr said:

 

There is other stuff to be doing, a bit of litter picking, vegetation reduction, and a bit of paint would make the locks look a bit less derelict and so less prone to vandalism.


If I were here this winter I’d gladly help you with the litter picking and the bits and bobs of painting. 
 

I reckon there are lots of locals who would help with stuff like that, if they ain’t doing something to help already. 

 

Edited by Goliath
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3 minutes ago, Goliath said:


If I were here this winter I’d gladly help you with the litter picking and the bits and bobs of painting. 
 

I reckon there are lots of locals who would help with stuff like that, if they ain’t doing something to help already. 

 

 

Recruiting volunteers is not really my area of expertise, I like engineering stuff 😀 I wonder if CRT have people who are good at recruiting and organising volunteers, or maybe they would just demotivate them?  There are a lot of Rochdale boaters but they are mostly residential and strictly Eastern End.

Its easy to get people to work locks but doing less interesting stuff in inner Manchester is a bit less attractive. I have some idea to discuss over beer.

Anyway, one step at a time, I hear that CRT are going to put a bit of effort in over the winter, maybe even a bit of dredging.

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On the CRT volunteer opportunities page there are several opportunities listed at various locations on the Rochdale Canal including "litter ranger", "towpath taskforce" and "towpath ranger", all of which seem to overlap in their scope, and it is not clear which are actually happening and which are currently on hold due to covid. There do not seem to be any volunteer lockkeeper posts within 30 miles of Hebden Bridge (unless hidden under some completely different job title). Indeed the whole site is quite confusing to use. Why can't I even search for opportunities on a specific canal?

If CRT can't make it easy to volunteer, is it surprising that they don't get as many volunteers as they might?

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2 hours ago, dmr said:

 

The Rochdale will always be a hard canal to navigate and will always have problems, it has a lot of big locks going up a big hill, and does not have enough water, but its mostly in pretty good condition. It needs more boats and it needs some boaters or other volunteers to work with CRT and help look after it.

 

 It certainly is but mainly on the North West side. Charles the lockie/lengthsman on the Yorkshire side seems to do a good job of raking out the rubbish and keeping things clean. Admittedly the North West has some major grot spots, Rochdale in particular has, in my experience, always been a big disappointment (Gentlemen's drinking club apart). That is more or less down to the local council and people of Rochdale. I've travelled West to East twice and had issues but both East to West transits were relatively trouble free apart from weed hatch visits in Rochdale.

 

I fully support the idea of encouraging more boaters to use it. Others need to play their part too or any attempt at promoting it could turn out to be a publicity nightmare. C&RT were promoting their 'Boating Buddies' campaign not too long ago, so maybe a great opportunity for Mr Parry to try his hand at the stretch from Castlefield to Littleborough. 

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2 minutes ago, David Mack said:

On the CRT volunteer opportunities page there are several opportunities listed at various locations on the Rochdale Canal including "litter ranger", "towpath taskforce" and "towpath ranger", all of which seem to overlap in their scope, and it is not clear which are actually happening and which are currently on hold due to covid. There do not seem to be any volunteer lockkeeper posts within 30 miles of Hebden Bridge (unless hidden under some completely different job title). Indeed the whole site is quite confusing to use. Why can't I even search for opportunities on a specific canal?

If CRT can't make it easy to volunteer, is it surprising that they don't get as many volunteers as they might?

I’ve just been looking and the stretch we’re on about is off the radar.  

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13 minutes ago, dmr said:

 

Recruiting volunteers is not really my area of expertise, I like engineering stuff 😀 I wonder if CRT have people who are good at recruiting and organising volunteers, or maybe they would just demotivate them?  There are a lot of Rochdale boaters but they are mostly residential and strictly Eastern End.

Its easy to get people to work locks but doing less interesting stuff in inner Manchester is a bit less attractive. I have some idea to discuss over beer.

Anyway, one step at a time, I hear that CRT are going to put a bit of effort in over the winter, maybe even a bit of dredging.

Not asking you to recruite but you would be a very good lockie. 
The residents east side don’t give a shit. Why should they? I dare say they have never done the west side. 
 

we know most volunteer lockies like to do and be seen to do the honey spots. 
we need some more hard core volunteers like Ian. 

 

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8 minutes ago, Midnight said:

 It certainly is but mainly on the North West side. Charles the lockie/lengthsman on the Yorkshire side seems to do a good job of raking out the rubbish and keeping things clean. Admittedly the North West has some major grot spots, Rochdale in particular has, in my experience, always been a big disappointment (Gentlemen's drinking club apart). That is more or less down to the local council and people of Rochdale. I've travelled West to East twice and had issues but both East to West transits were relatively trouble free apart from weed hatch visits in Rochdale.

 

I fully support the idea of encouraging more boaters to use it. Others need to play their part too or any attempt at promoting it could turn out to be a publicity nightmare. C&RT were promoting their 'Boating Buddies' campaign not too long ago, so maybe a great opportunity for Mr Parry to try his hand at the stretch from Castlefield to Littleborough. 

 

The Yorkshire side is possibly the best canal in the country, and Charles likes been out and about generally fixing things ,and does a very good job (I think he lives in Rochdale). Its a nice job. Its needs somebody like Charles down the other end, but thats a less attractive job.

 

We find Rochdale a bit of a grim slog but its much much easier than Manchester. Got through without a weedhatch visit this year even though we had the bit of camping chair there as a potential hook. Bottom gate on top lock would not close but a bit of flushing fixed that. I have still not met the drinking club, might have met just one or two members in July, it looked a bit threatening but turned out they just wanted us to help to rescue some stranded ducklings. They had phoned CRT but got no response 😀 

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8 minutes ago, Goliath said:

Not asking you to recruite but you would be a very good lockie. 
The residents east side don’t give a shit. Why should they? I dare say they have never done the west side. 
 

we know most volunteer lockies like to do and be seen to do the honey spots. 
we need some more hard core volunteers like Ian

 

 

ok, lets do the job advert:

Physically large and imposing man

Must have 50 years boating experience with a deep drafted boat

Hands on knowledge of the restoration of the canal and every bit of its under water profile.

Willing to work very long days helping boaters (and be patient when they are not very good)

 

Another 40 years and we could both could apply (but I need to get taller) 😀

 

There are a few very good boaters east side, like many they got to Hebden, stopped for a while and got stuck for ever.

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5 minutes ago, dmr said:

 

ok, lets do the job advert:

Physically large and imposing man

Must have 50 years boating experience with a deep drafted boat

Hands on knowledge of the restoration of the canal and every bit of its under water profile.

Willing to work very long days helping boaters (and be patient when they are not very good)

 

Another 40 years and we could both could apply (but I need to get taller) 😀

 

There are a few very good boaters east side, like many they got to Hebden, stopped for a while and got stuck for ever.

 

Ok

🙄

 

i give up

 

keep the north 

 

2 minutes ago, Goliath said:

 

Ok

🙄

 

i give up

 

keep the north 

 

Full of northerners anyway. 
 

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14 minutes ago, Midnight said:

 And then there's the wolves on the summit to contend with.

 

The wolves of the summit might or might  not be an urban myth (to be discussed over beer) but either way are less scary than some (not all) of the people of Rochdale and Newton Heath.

The giant emu at the summit has long gone but the man eating llamas are still there.

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14 hours ago, dmr said:

 

The wolves of the summit might or might  not be an urban myth (to be discussed over beer) but either way are less scary than some (not all) of the people of Rochdale and Newton Heath.

The giant emu at the summit has long gone but the man eating llamas are still there.

Choose a pub. 
I can make tomorrow afternoon. 
After that, I’m working full time till the end of the month. 



Red Lion at Littleborough?

It’s by the station, so easy for anyone to get to. And a trot around the corner for yourself. 

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1 hour ago, Goliath said:

Choose a pub. 
I can make tomorrow afternoon. 
After that, I’m working full time till the end of the month. 



Red Lion at Littleborough?

It’s by the station, so easy for anyone to get to. And a trot around the corner for yourself. 

 

CRT have just pushed back the summit opening by a week so yes, lets have an afternoon drink in the Red Lion, do they open in the afternoon????

Shall I invite Janine to our drinking club?  She likes drinking and knows a bit about the Rochdale now.

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On 21/10/2021 at 13:27, Goliath said:

Choose a pub. 
I can make tomorrow afternoon. 
After that, I’m working full time till the end of the month. 



Red Lion at Littleborough?

It’s by the station, so easy for anyone to get to. And a trot around the corner for yourself. 

Is the beer at the Red Lion still ridiculously cheap?

 

Only 4 years ago, seems longer...

 

(and we got all the way across the Rochdale without any significant prop fouls IIRC...)

IMG_20170811_231900.jpg

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I got the very last bit of the camping chair off the propshaft, it had tightly wrapped about 1-1/2 turns onto the shaft behind the prop. Gillie does a lot of ropework and has some very strong thin cord so I managed to thread this round the steel tube and then using a length of 3x2 as a big lever slowly unwound the tube. Each time it unwound a bit the cord jumped off so I just did it over and over till I won. It took all afternoon. Rewarded myself with several pints in the Red Lion. Its a proper pub with lots of strict rules, no beer can be served in bottles, staff must pour it into a glass, and dogs must leave at 9pm.

Only one beer was on, the Red Lion beer, which is nothing special but adequate. I did not see the price list but it was very cheap. I think a pint of the beer, a pint of lager and a bottle of PunkIPA (in a glass) was well under £10.

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I agree it's a good pub but the dog rules are hard to understand. 

When we spent 4 evenings in there two years ago, my bitch labrador was allowed in all evening on the first three nights, then banned on the fourth.

I had words with the strange manageress after which I was about as welcome as the dog! Hey ho.

Edited by JamesWoolcock
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3 minutes ago, JamesWoolcock said:

I agree it's a good pub but the dog rules are hard to understand. 

When we spent 4 evenings in there two years ago, my bitch labrador was allowed in all evening on the first three nights, then banned on the fourth.

I had words with the strange manageress after which I was about as welcome as the dog! Hey ho.

I don’t get pubs who don’t let dogs in….and I don’t even own a dog!! No problem with them especially if I can give them a stroke and sneak a treat to them…it’s my one gripe with Wetherspoons that they don’t allow dogs. 

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7 minutes ago, frangar said:

I don’t get pubs who don’t let dogs in….and I don’t even own a dog!! No problem with them especially if I can give them a stroke and sneak a treat to them…it’s my one gripe with Wetherspoons that they don’t allow dogs. 

Ha ha.

This girl is so well behaved that we did take her into Spoons in Rotherham later on that trip, and no one knew she was there!

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1 hour ago, frangar said:

I don’t get pubs who don’t let dogs in….

I don't get pubs which allow dogs in why should those who don't like dogs (or for that matter animals in general) have to spend the evening near them.   Ok if there is a room for dogs and a room for no dogs.

 

What if somebody turned up with a falabella or a mini pig.   I realise this will bring all sorts of flak from the dog lovers.

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1 minute ago, Jerra said:

I don't get pubs which allow dogs in why should those who don't like dogs (or for that matter animals in general) have to spend the evening near them.   Ok if there is a room for dogs and a room for no dogs.

 

What if somebody turned up with a falabella or a mini pig.   I realise this will bring all sorts of flak from the dog lovers.

I’d rather not spend time in the company of people that don’t like dogs or animals in general…maybe you could sit outside or just stay at home…..

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I can see that a wet smelly dog can be a problem, especially when people are eating, and a few young thuggish men do like badly trained staffies etc, and letting your dog sit at the table and lick your plate is maybe pushing it a bit, but dogs are very much part of the pub scene. Many pubs have a jar of dog treats on the bar, one or two provide blankets for the dogs to lie on.

I can live without the 'spoons.

"Well behaved dogs on leads, no children" outside a pub makes me want to go right in.

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4 minutes ago, dmr said:

I can see that a wet smelly dog can be a problem, especially when people are eating, and a few young thuggish men do like badly trained staffies etc, and letting your dog sit at the table and lick your plate is maybe pushing it a bit, but dogs are very much part of the pub scene. Many pubs have a jar of dog treats on the bar, one or two provide blankets for the dogs to lie on.

I can live without the 'spoons.

"Well behaved dogs on leads, no children" outside a pub makes me want to go right in.

 

When did that change? When I was a children, I absolutely wasn't allowed in pubs. Nor were they when I first started drinking in them, aged 17. Nor when I first lived on a boat (next to a pub) from 1977 to 1980. Then fast forward 20 years, pubs seemed to be full of them, along with 'Families Welcome" signs outside. I suppose it coincided with the advent of pubs deciding to try to be restaurants too. A very bad retrograde step IMO. 

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7 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

When did that change? When I was a children, I absolutely wasn't allowed in pubs. Nor were they when I first started drinking in them, aged 17. Nor when I first lived on a boat (next to a pub) from 1977 to 1980. Then fast forward 20 years, pubs seemed to be full of them, along with 'Families Welcome" signs outside. I suppose it coincided with the advent of pubs deciding to try to be restaurants too. A very bad retrograde step IMO. 

 

I remember going into my first pub when I was 17 and been really scared in case they sussed me.

When my first child was born and I collected first wife and baby from the hospital we went directly to the pub.

I was at school (sixth form) when the  Ugandan Asians arrived, one was quite tall with a fair bit of facial hair and a lot of attitude, he claimed that he used to go for a lunchtime pint in his school uniform, still can't decide if this was true or not.

 

Children appear to have little interest in pubs that sell beer rather than food, and they are usually the best.

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