MtB Posted May 7, 2022 Report Share Posted May 7, 2022 11 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said: I broke down in the Harecastle a few years back, no other boats in it. Got the engine restarted after ten minutes and limped out with smoke pouring out of the rocker box caps. That's when I found that if I had called for the tug I'd have had at least an hour's wait as nobody in attendance was authorised to drive it and they had to call a crew in from miles away. This is apparently the norm. That's odd isn't it. You'd think an integral part of being a Harecastle Tunnel supervisor would be using the tug to get broke-down boats out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy D'arth Posted May 7, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2022 52 minutes ago, MtB said: That's odd isn't it. You'd think an integral part of being a Harecastle Tunnel supervisor would be using the tug to get broke-down boats out. Its a Fire Boat, not for tugging a broken down boat. Last year when that boat thought he was on fire in the tunnel no one took any notice of his horn blowing. As luck would have it the crew got it under control and the boat behind eventually pushed it out. It is correct that the staff of volunteers cannot use the boat. Neither could the full time staff previously. As an aside, the crew noticed when they emerged from the tunnel that the ignition light was lit on the tug so the battery was probably too flat for it to start anyway! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Mack Posted May 7, 2022 Report Share Posted May 7, 2022 28 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said: Its a Fire Boat, not for tugging a broken down boat. Last year when that boat thought he was on fire in the tunnel no one took any notice of his horn blowing. So if there's a boat on fire in the tunnel...... they still can't crew it. What's the bleeding point of having it then?? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy D'arth Posted May 7, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2022 17 minutes ago, David Mack said: So if there's a boat on fire in the tunnel...... they still can't crew it. What's the bleeding point of having it then?? Exactly! And consider that there is only one boat at the north end. If the boat on fire is going south and there are other boats following it, how can the fire boat help? Its a waste of time and money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuthound Posted May 7, 2022 Report Share Posted May 7, 2022 5 hours ago, Stroudwater1 said: I’m missing out, never met a broken down boat in a tunnel ☹️ Not sure how many times I’ve been through longer ones but it’s at least 100 🤔 It’s fairly unusual outside a tunnel too, other than boats aground. you must attract them MtB. Me too, ive never broken dow in a tunnel in almost 50 years of canalling. Came close in the early 90's, when we moored for the night just before Brandwood Tunnel and the next boat passed picked up a sprung mattress as he entered the tunnel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Mack Posted May 7, 2022 Report Share Posted May 7, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, Tracy D'arth said: Exactly! And consider that there is only one boat at the north end. If the boat on fire is going south and there are other boats following it, how can the fire boat help? Or if the boat on fire is going north and there are other boats in front of it. Even if the fire boat was ready and crewed you would have to wait for them all to come out before it could enter. Someone somewhere has done a risk assessment and ticked a box by having a rescue boat, without apparently giving any thought as to how it could be used in practice. Edited May 7, 2022 by David Mack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy D'arth Posted May 7, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2022 1 hour ago, David Mack said: Or if the boat on fire is going north and there are other boats in front of it. Even if the fire boat was ready and crewed you would have to wait for them all to come out before it could enter. Someone somewhere has done a risk assessment and ticked a box by having a rescue boat, without apparently giving any thought as to how it could be used in practice. That situation would be the easiest to deal with, it just means that the boat would be burnt out before they could get to it. I would imagine the boats in front would exit sharpish! But then consider the boats behind with the fans pulling smoke and heat and noxious fumes onto them. How fast could you reverse out of a tunnel? I suspect it is for this reason that the fire boat is moored at the north end. Still not a ha'pence of use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Marshall Posted May 7, 2022 Report Share Posted May 7, 2022 4 hours ago, David Mack said: So if there's a boat on fire in the tunnel...... they still can't crew it. What's the bleeding point of having it then?? I'm sure I remember that, a long time ago, I got to the tunnel early to be told that I had to wait while the tug went through to check all was well. And I'm sure I've been told on several occasions that the horn blowing would summon help. Maybe they've got a canoe tucked away somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dav and Pen Posted May 7, 2022 Report Share Posted May 7, 2022 It would seem that the French have worked out how to use radios it a tunnel. The rather low and narrow tunnel on the Burgundy canal is controlled by the lock keepers at each end. You have to show your light works and that you have life jackets on and then they give you a hand held vhf.and a time to go. On one crossing I received a call asking if we were near the end as the trip boat was waiting. All of the big tunnels have cctv cameras in the roof at intervals and are monitored and entry is controlled, (hopefully). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy D'arth Posted May 7, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2022 1 hour ago, Arthur Marshall said: I'm sure I remember that, a long time ago, I got to the tunnel early to be told that I had to wait while the tug went through to check all was well. And I'm sure I've been told on several occasions that the horn blowing would summon help. Maybe they've got a canoe tucked away somewhere. That is how it is supposed to be. One long blast on the horn every 30 seconds. They ignore it, probably working on the assumption that like car crashes, if you have time to sound the horn it is not desperate and you are still breathing and nor burning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanD Posted May 7, 2022 Report Share Posted May 7, 2022 1 hour ago, Tracy D'arth said: That is how it is supposed to be. One long blast on the horn every 30 seconds. They ignore it, probably working on the assumption that like car crashes, if you have time to sound the horn it is not desperate and you are still breathing and nor burning. We got told off at the north exit of Harecastle by the tunnel attendant because I'd been having a melodeon and trumpet tune session with the boat a hundred yards or so behind us, he claimed nobody would have been able to hear a distress horn. We were of course the last two boats through, if they'd got into trouble I'm sure he could have alerted everyone with an appropriate tune on the trumpet -- any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewIC Posted May 7, 2022 Report Share Posted May 7, 2022 Had the alternator belt break once in Barnton tunnel, fortunately close to the exit. Pushed out with the pole and changed the belt. Came through Harecastle late one day and moored at the end for the night. The following morning the gearbox packed up just before Longport Wharf! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray T Posted May 7, 2022 Report Share Posted May 7, 2022 (edited) Got my dates wrong, so deleted. Edited May 7, 2022 by Ray T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy D'arth Posted May 7, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2022 2 minutes ago, Ray T said: Escape from pedant's corner. Arthur left this mortal coil on the 26th of December 1998. The first Nokia cell phone wasn't launched until 1982. when was the first Nokia phone made - Search (bing.com) 😁 You spoilt a good quote there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Harold Posted May 7, 2022 Report Share Posted May 7, 2022 2 hours ago, IanD said: I'm sure he could have alerted everyone with an appropriate tune on the trumpet -- any suggestions? Lend Me Your Aid by Gounod. 😞 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Mack Posted May 7, 2022 Report Share Posted May 7, 2022 4 hours ago, IanD said: We were of course the last two boats through, if they'd got into trouble I'm sure he could have alerted everyone with an appropriate tune on the trumpet -- any suggestions? Since there were two boats in there, how about 'Stuck in the middle with you'. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan(nb Albert) Posted May 10, 2022 Report Share Posted May 10, 2022 On 06/05/2022 at 19:24, Tracy D'arth said: So he thinks Knapton is on the Oxford canal. Where do they find these people? BW/CRT always like to play up any connection with boating however tenuous. I think they claimed to have found Damian on a submarine. Actually, even that is not strictly true as he out of the navy 10 years before joining BW. Here is what Damian says about himself - Quote Experienced Communications Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the civic & social sectors as well as private industry. Skilled in Copywriting, Corporate Social Responsibility, Marketing Strategy Development, Environmental Issues, Crisis Communications, Event Management, and Media Relations. I pride myself on my professionalism, creativity and candour 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy D'arth Posted May 10, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2022 2 minutes ago, Allan(nb Albert) said: BW/CRT always like to play up any connection with boating however tenuous. I think they claimed to have found Damian on a submarine. Actually, even that is not strictly true as he out of the navy 10 years before joining BW. Here is what Damian says about himself - No orienteering, map reading or navigation qualifications obviously. Too much left hand down a bit in a submarine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchcrawler Posted May 10, 2022 Report Share Posted May 10, 2022 4 hours ago, Allan(nb Albert) said: BW/CRT always like to play up any connection with boating however tenuous. I think they claimed to have found Damian on a submarine. Actually, even that is not strictly true as he out of the navy 10 years before joining BW. Here is what Damian says about himself - Is it a part time number he has as maybe a contractor, or does he do otherer things for CRT beside writing that dribble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan(nb Albert) Posted May 10, 2022 Report Share Posted May 10, 2022 (edited) 3 hours ago, ditchcrawler said: Is it a part time number he has as maybe a contractor, or does he do otherer things for CRT beside writing that dribble. He joined BW in 2009 and for some years took part in the conveyer belt of consultations and a few meetings. Now seems stuck with just the bi-weekly Boaters Update. Edited May 10, 2022 by Allan(nb Albert) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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