Jump to content

Kennet & Avon breach, Burghfield lock


Dave123

Featured Posts

https://www.facebook.com/groups/178384468913736/permalink/4430706040348203/

Video here of the river flowing through an alternative course to the side of the original weir just above Burghfield lock! Not sure how serious this is, presumably it's permanently dropped the levels above Burghfield and sped the river up below? Will it mess with flood control downstream?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, howardang said:

The link doesn't work because it is only visible to Facebook users.. Please bear in mind that not everyone does Facebook.

 

Howard

But if thats the only place the video is available there is not much you can do, it does mean some get to see it

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, howardang said:

The link doesn't work because it is only visible to Facebook users.. Please bear in mind that not everyone does Facebook.

 

Howard

 

It doesn't even work for those who DO do facebook. One needs to be a member of that group.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry, not my video so this is the only way to share it. But mostly just made the thread to inform boaters this has happened...

And anyway, if you want to see videos of this sort of thing Facebook groups are the place to be. I've noticed over the years less and less stoppages get a thread on here, even long term ones like this looks to be.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kennet & Avon Canal
Location: Lock 102 Garston, to Lock 103 Burghfield
Starts At: Lock 103, Burghfield Lock
Ends At: Lock 102, Garston Lock

Friday 22 October 2021 16:30 until further notice

Type: Navigation Closure 
Reason: Structure failure

Original message:

Please be advised that we have had a bank failure above the Lock at Burghfield. The water is running back into the river around the side of the weir. As a result of this the navigation has been closed. Lock 102, and Lock 103 have been secured. 

Our engineers have been mobilised to assess the situation and impact to navigation.

Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this may cause, we will endeavour to keep any disruption to a minimum.

You are welcome to contact us on enquiries.walessouthwest@canalrivertrust.org.uk  if you would like to discuss this information with a member of our Customer Service Team.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Dave123 said:

Sorry, not my video so this is the only way to share it. But mostly just made the thread to inform boaters this has happened...

And anyway, if you want to see videos of this sort of thing Facebook groups are the place to be. I've noticed over the years less and less stoppages get a thread on here, even long term ones like this looks to be.

If the video is via a YouTube link, that should work. Otherwise links to a private group don't work, which is another reason Facebook is a pain in the stern, and is a bad way to share information. Unlike, as you say, on here where we can all see it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

29 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

If the video is via a YouTube link, that should work. Otherwise links to a private group don't work, which is another reason Facebook is a pain in the stern, and is a bad way to share information. Unlike, as you say, on here where we can all see it.

 

I logged in to facebook, applied to join the group so I could view the video,

 

and....

 

Nothing. No response. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

I logged in to facebook, applied to join the group so I could view the video,

 

and....

 

Nothing. No response. 

Me too. I think we might have to wait a few hours for one of the group's moderators to accept our applications.

 

We're on the Thames aiming to get above the 1st November Fobney Lock 6-week closure ... but don't want to get stuck below Burghfield Lock ... as there are essentially no services in that stretch ... or, indeed, anywhere between Reading and Tyle Mill. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had an email from CRT this morning saying that the local team estimate the K&A between Burghfield and Garston Locks to be shut for 'a at least a week due to the nature of the issue'.  

 

So, at least they're talking in terms of a week or so, rather than months! 

 

I still haven't heard from the K&A Canal Boaters Society FB group (about being accepted as a member), so in the true spirit of the layed back boating lifestyle ... it may take some time. Or, I suppose, the bar for membership is set very high!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The K&A fb group will let anyone in I'm pretty sure. It's a pretty nice group although sometimes members need reminding the K&A goes further east than Devizes, posts about rivers are always assumed to be the Avon😅.

 

I wouldn't be considering trying to join the K&A from the Thames at the moment, I doubt they will fix the breach until Spring. Breaches usually take months. And I imagine being a river makes it harder? Or perhaps there is increased priority? As this breach must make it hard to control the river levels? I'm pretty sure the Kennet has moveable sluices along it's length as it never seems to rise or fall in response to rain, it only changes its flow rate...

Not my photos, lifted from fb

FB_IMG_1635185501150.jpg

FB_IMG_1635185506918.jpg

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Jim Batty said:

I had an email from CRT this morning saying that the local team estimate the K&A between Burghfield and Garston Locks to be shut for 'a at least a week due to the nature of the issue'.  

 

So, at least they're talking in terms of a week or so, rather than months! 

 

I still haven't heard from the K&A Canal Boaters Society FB group (about being accepted as a member), so in the true spirit of the layed back boating lifestyle ... it may take some time. Or, I suppose, the bar for membership is set very high!

 

Im a member so they can't be too selective 😀

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Dave123 said:

The K&A fb group will let anyone in I'm pretty sure. It's a pretty nice group although sometimes members need reminding the K&A goes further east than Devizes, posts about rivers are always assumed to be the Avon😅.

 

I wouldn't be considering trying to join the K&A from the Thames at the moment, I doubt they will fix the breach until Spring. Breaches usually take months. And I imagine being a river makes it harder? Or perhaps there is increased priority? As this breach must make it hard to control the river levels? I'm pretty sure the Kennet has moveable sluices along it's length as it never seems to rise or fall in response to rain, it only changes its flow rate...

Not my photos, lifted from fb

 

FB_IMG_1635185506918.jpg

 

Is that the same bit that used to be owned by Kate Bush? It was closed for a year a few years ago whilst they argued about who was going to pay.

 

Some breaches take months to fix whilst others get done in a week or two. That doesn't look too bad, as long as it doesn't get any worse,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for those photos Dave123, really helpful. I guess like many of these breaches, access is all important. That spot is pretty out-of-the-way. That said, there is a very rural small development of houses back below the weir. I wonder if a shallow grabber barge of boulders could be floated into place and placed into the gap? As I said, at the moment, CRT are saying 'at least a week'. I imagine there will be boaters backing up at both Theale, above the breach, and Cunning Man, below the breach, on their way to various end-of-season destinations.

 

Ho ho Dave1. Still haven't heard from the FB group yet. I think Kate Bush lived a lock and a swing bridge above this breached section -- in that pretty mill home opposite the Theale public moorings. (The things we learn on the canals!) I believe she now lives near Clifton Hampden -- high up on the wooded ridge below the bridge. Being the man with the child in his eyes, I called up 'Babooshka' as we cruised by there last week ... but heard no reply.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Update on 26/10/2021:

 

Further to the notice below, please be advised that our contractors attended site over the weekend to assess the extent of the damage and to attempt to stem the flow of water through the breach.

Our engineers are currently assessing the viability of all options and designing a repair in order to get the navigation open as soon as possible, but at this moment we do not have a firm timescale for this.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, dmr said:

 

Is that the same bit that used to be owned by Kate Bush? It was closed for a year a few years ago whilst they argued about who was going to pay.

 

Some breaches take months to fix whilst others get done in a week or two. That doesn't look too bad, as long as it doesn't get any worse,

No that was further upstream at Tyle Mill.

 

Keith

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry about that. 

 

Try this more direct FB link: https://www.facebook.com/NarrowboatLife/videos/868467340702035  With any luck that won't time out.

 

Or just the post on my FB page: https://www.facebook.com/NarrowboatLife/

 

There's about 14 boats at The Cunning Man at the moment waiting to go upstream. And I take it that the contractors have already begun to gather the equipment and materials needed to plug the gap.

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.