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Preston Brook Tunnel


MPR

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So that's why the 3 fire engines and 2 long wheel based transit type vans turned up. They parked in the railway access lay-by yesterday but as they didn't appear to be in any rush I assumed it was a training exercise as they've done it before under the M56 bridge opposite the Chandlers.

 

The outfit was met shortly after by 2 RIB's coming from the tunnel to be lifted out the water and taken away. I didn't see any widebeam go either way so assumed they came from the Anderton area. That's interesting in itself as the lock is narrower than the tunnel, so it must have a really tall and/or boxy profile above the water.

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5 minutes ago, Liam said:

So that's why the 3 fire engines and 2 long wheel based transit type vans turned up. They parked in the railway access lay-by yesterday but as they didn't appear to be in any rush I assumed it was a training exercise as they've done it before under the M56 bridge opposite the Chandlers.

 

The outfit was met shortly after by 2 RIB's coming from the tunnel to be lifted out the water and taken away. I didn't see any widebeam go either way so assumed they came from the Anderton area. That's interesting in itself as the lock is narrower than the tunnel, so it must have a really tall and/or boxy profile above the water.

The Widebeam thing might be a red herring.....especially since press reports suggest it may have been an underwater obstruction.

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Well funnily enough, just after I'd submitted that last post, a widebeam came through the A56 Bridge needing north. Seems to be a fair few scuffs along the top bend and a liberal coating of red brick dust everywhere.

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1 minute ago, Liam said:

Well funnily enough, just after I'd submitted that last post, a widebeam came through the A56 Bridge needing north. Seems to be a fair few scuffs along the top bend and a liberal coating of red brick dust everywhere.

That will learn 'em!

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Preston Brook does have a slightly unusual profile. This is us in 2011 waiting for timed passage. I would imagine a wide beam would find it quite easy to strike the tunnel structure if it was close to the limits of tunnel dimensions.

 

Screenshot-20230113-123054-Photos.jpg

 

Edited by M_JG
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Maybe, after all the rain we have had, the water level was high and the top corners of the cabin sides got caught on a narrow bit of tunnel. Though it shouldn't be if it goes over a bywash somewhere.

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50 minutes ago, Liam said:

Well funnily enough, just after I'd submitted that last post, a widebeam came through the A56 Bridge needing north. Seems to be a fair few scuffs along the top bend and a liberal coating of red brick dust everywhere.

Was it a black widebeam by any chance ? One appeared next to our mooring a few months ago and they were launched at Wincham and had a mooring booked in Northwich on the weaver but as the lift was shut they were staying in park farm till it opens. They might have decided to go exploring 😊

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1 hour ago, Liam said:

Well funnily enough, just after I'd submitted that last post, a widebeam came through the A56 Bridge needing north. Seems to be a fair few scuffs along the top bend and a liberal coating of red brick dust everywhere.

Well that suggests it was from the bridgewater and was heading south as that would be too wide for Dutton if it got stuck on width....Im guessing it has to reverse out...fun and games all round!

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I’ve been informed that it was a widebeam from Lymm that tried to go towards Dutton but got stuck and had to spend a night in the tunnel until a narrowboat found the tunnel blocked and reversed out and called for help. 
 

The phrase “serves them right” springs to mind. 

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2 minutes ago, frangar said:

I’ve been informed that it was a widebeam from Lymm that tried to go towards Dutton but got stuck and had to spend a night in the tunnel until a narrowboat found the tunnel blocked and reversed out and called for help. 
 

The phrase “serves them right” springs to mind. 

Did they pull it out backwards do you know?

 

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Well if they got the handrails at the front stuck under the tunnel roof as Liam's post suggests, surely it doesn't take much gumption to work out that if you move everything movable (including the crew) to the front of the boat, the front end should drop down enough that you can push your way backwards.

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36 minutes ago, David Mack said:

Well if they got the handrails at the front stuck under the tunnel roof as Liam's post suggests, surely it doesn't take much gumption to work out that if you move everything movable (including the crew) to the front of the boat, the front end should drop down enough that you can push your way backwards.

Don think they have any gumption or they wouldn't have a widebeam in the first place. 

Just now, Jon57 said:

Don think they have any gumption or they wouldn't have a widebeam in the first place. 

🤣🤣

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25 minutes ago, Jon57 said:

Don think they have any gumption or they wouldn't have a widebeam in the first place. 

🤣🤣

 

Wide beams are fine. On the correct waterways.

 

The problem isnt the width of the boats its the the empty gap between the ears of some wide beam skippers.

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1 hour ago, David Mack said:

Well if they got the handrails at the front stuck under the tunnel roof as Liam's post suggests, surely it doesn't take much gumption to work out that if you move everything movable (including the crew) to the front of the boat, the front end should drop down enough that you can push your way backwards.

Also depends how fast you are going as the wedge is pushed in

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On 13/01/2023 at 19:03, M_JG said:

 

Wide beams are fine. On the correct waterways.

 

The problem isnt the width of the boats its the the empty gap between the ears of some wide beam skippers.

FTFY 🙂

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