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Preston Brook Tunnel

MPR

By MPR
in General Boating

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MPR Engager

MPR

Posted
Posted

What's going on here ythen?

 

Trent & Mersey Canal
Location: Navigation Closure: Preston Brook Tunnel, Trent & Mersey Canal leading to/from the Bridgewater Canal
Starts At: Preston Brook Tunnel
Ends At: Preston Brook Tunnel

Please be advised Preston Brook Tunnel on the Trent & Mersey canal is currently closed to navigation due to an obstruction.  

Our team are on their way to site to assist with the situation.

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frangar Veteran II

frangar

Posted
Posted

Latest update says obstruction removed but tunnel still closed with an update tomorrow (fri 13th) as they want to check its  all clear.....which makes you wonder whats happened even more!!

 

I did wonder at first if with all the rain there had been a collapse but that now sounds unlikey thankfully...be interesting to know whats gone on.

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Paul Savage Gongoozler

Paul Savage

Posted
Posted
14 hours ago, David Mack said:

Boat sunk?

Someone ignored the red light and two boats got stuck in there as happened some months ago?

Or maybe the sky has fallen in!

There is no red light on this tunnel, just timed. The timing boards are obvious, unlike on Saltersford, where the timing board going north is situated immediately after coming out of Barnton Tunnel!!

From anecdotal messages a widebeam attempted to get through and became jammed. It is still closed as the structure needs checking to ensure it is safe. 
If it isn't, does anyone want to buy a narrowboat (only half joking)?

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Tam & Di Influencer

Tam & Di

Posted
Posted (edited)

BBC News quote a report from Runcorn and Widnes World with the headline: 6 fire engines rush to free barge which was stuck in a canal tunnel". C&RT were in attendance.

Apparently now freed with no casualties  😁

 

Tam

Edited by Tam & Di
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frangar Veteran II

frangar

Posted
Posted
8 minutes ago, Tam & Di said:

BBC News quote a report from Runcorn and Widnes World with the headline: 6 fire engines rush to free barge which was stuck in a canal tunnel". C&RT were in attendance.

Apparently now freed with no casualties  😁

 

Tam

Do you have a link for that item? Can’t seem to find it. 

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PaulJ Experienced

PaulJ

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Paul Savage said:

North of Preston Brook is broad beam dimensions also. Preston Brook tunnel allows 10ft easily, max is 13ft. The stop lock at Dutton will only allow 10ft though

Apologies for being pedantic but unless my memory has got it totally wrong its actually 9ft.

Wincham Wharf make the 9ft 'Pioneer' class widebeams so as they can just squeeze through - and having done it , it really is.

Got wedged coming out of Dutton Stop Lock  because the gate wouldnt open fully until another couple of boaters happened to turn up and helped by sitting on the gate and pushing it open at the same time. Quite a hard thing to do when you are single hander!

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frangar Veteran II

frangar

Posted
Posted

Going to ask a few folk I know up that way to see if they know really what went on…I guess it could have been a narrowboat that found something underwater & now crt have to check what it was eg just something like an industrial bin…I’ve found one of those in Stoke!…or something more serious like the tunnel floor raised up. 

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ditchcrawler Veteran II

ditchcrawlerDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Mike Hurley said:

https://www.runcornandwidnesworld.co.uk/news/

No sign of @junior

1 hour ago, frangar said:

Cheers. I presume it’s come off the bridgewater…I know they are dropping widebeams in at wincham wharf but unless it’s a very odd shape I think anything that would get over Croxton Aqueduct wouldn’t have an issue in the tunnel. 

When I was moored at Park farm a wide beam left there to cruise the Bridgewater, Bashed it about in the tunnel and decided not to try coming back.

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ditchcrawler Veteran II

ditchcrawlerDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

The report goes in people trapped in tunnel, They probably didn't know what Preston brook tunnel was until they got there. Going into a tunnel could well be a full BA gear and maybe even going in relays. I wonder how long it was before they turned up with the boat after the first unit was there.

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frangar Veteran II

frangar

Posted
Posted
22 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

When I was moored at Park farm a wide beam left there to cruise the Bridgewater, Bashed it about in the tunnel and decided not to try coming back.

One less to contend with on that stretch of the T & M then!!

 

Ive met one on a test cruise from Wincham Wharf to Anderton....they really dont fit up there.

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haggis Veteran

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Posted
Posted
Just now, frangar said:

One less to contend with on that stretch of the T & M then!!

 

Ive met one on a test cruise from Wincham Wharf to Anderton....they really dont fit up there.

Park Farm has several wide beams but fortunately, they don't go anywhere.  The only place they could go is along to Anderton and down the lift, if it is working!

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frangar Veteran II

frangar

Posted
Posted
6 minutes ago, haggis said:

Park Farm has several wide beams but fortunately, they don't go anywhere.  The only place they could go is along to Anderton and down the lift, if it is working!

I'm sure on the that stretch they exceed the published dimensions for the waterway...therefore technically in breach of the licence t & c....sadly CRT despite being told this seem reluctant to act.

20 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

The report goes in people trapped in tunnel, They probably didn't know what Preston brook tunnel was until they got there. Going into a tunnel could well be a full BA gear and maybe even going in relays. I wonder how long it was before they turned up with the boat after the first unit was there.

You'd like to hope they know about structures like that on their patch....A fire fighter I know was tasked with visiting all the heritage railways on his patch to see where line side access was and what they had in place in case of an incident.

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