Jump to content

Damian deluded again?


Featured Posts

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

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

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??

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

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

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 by David Mack
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)

 

😁

Arthur & Rose Bray.JPG

You spoilt a good quote there! :clapping:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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'.

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

 

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

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

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 by Allan(nb Albert)
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.