Moss Lane Swing Bridge L & L

[pearley]

Four years since last there. The last news letter from CRT gave instructions that looked a tad complicated and my news feed has come up with lots from local councillors about its frequent failures.

I guess it doesn't have simple open/ close buttons like newer CRT bridges.

And is it a swing like the original or a lift as many of the comments call it.

Edited June 10, 2023 by pearley

[nine9feet]

5 hours ago, pearley said:

And is it a swing like the original or a lift as many of the comments call it.

From West Leeds Dispatch :

https://westleedsdispatch.com/progress-made-at-rodleys-moss-lane-as-bridge-is-installed/

 

"Progress made at Rodley’s Moss Lane as bridge is installed

November 13, 2022

 

The new Moss Lane Swing Bridge is now in place on the Leeds Liverpool Canal. Photo: Keef Williamson

 

[Kendorr]

Watch from 10-30 onwards

 

 

[pearley]

Looks over complicated to me.

[enigmatic]

The company that installed it is apparently making a 'how to use it' video to be posted online. I was passing through it when they were there with their drone.

 

Which is just as well really, because they confirmed it's not designed to be possible to operate for single handers (I think I could figure out a way if I really had to...). Apparently this was discussed at the design stage but CRT said it wasn't a priority because several of their other bridges on that stretch are also particularly difficult to operate for single hander...

 

It's privately owned and I think the only thing on the other side is the cricket club.

 

The next bridge in the direction of Leeds is awful too (standard CRT pedestrian swing bridge, but impossibly stiff in certain conditions)

[dixi188]

The Mill lift bridge at Heyford on the Oxford canal used to be virtually impossible single handed when it was manual, but now it is powered it is operated from the towpath side so easy.

Why not improve the L&L swing bridge while it is being replaced? And why not one push button to open and one to close like the power operated ones on the K&A?

Did they give the design to the apprentice or just someone who knows nothing about boat operation?

Dixi.

[enigmatic]

2 hours ago, dixi188 said:

The Mill lift bridge at Heyford on the Oxford canal used to be virtually impossible single handed when it was manual, but now it is powered it is operated from the towpath side so easy.

Why not improve the L&L swing bridge while it is being replaced? And why not one push button to open and one to close like the power operated ones on the K&A?

Did they give the design to the apprentice or just someone who knows nothing about boat operation?

Dixi.

I assume the reason it's manual is to do with budget. always an issue but the Moss Lane one has the added complication of being privately owned and maintained

and the L&L is just terrible for swing bridges in general. 

 

-

a friend who lives near the Heyfords says his kids love pressing the button to open the boat for boaters. I let him into the secret of the CRT key. After the second beer, he said he'd also like to try using it half open for bike jumps  

[Midnight]

Whoever designed this is an idiot. There's going to be a lot of aggravation when the traffic starts to get busy to & from the new housing estate. Someone said it takes 25 minutes to get through. Can you imagine that at rush hour when people are trying to go to work..

Anyone tried it yet?

[TheBiscuits]

25 minutes ago, Midnight said:

Can you imagine that at rush hour when people are trying to go to work..

Anyone tried it yet?

 

Not yet, but I do like doing Plank Lane bridge just before the timer prevents operation ...

 

[pearley]

1 minute ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

Not yet, but I do like doing Plank Lane bridge just before the timer prevents operation ...

 

Plank Lane has, or used to have, my footprint in  the concrete on offside.

[Jon57]

27 minutes ago, Midnight said:

Whoever designed this is an idiot. There's going to be a lot of aggravation when the traffic starts to get busy to & from the new housing estate. Someone said it takes 25 minutes to get through. Can you imagine that at rush hour when people are trying to go to work..

Anyone tried it yet?

Crt will put a time restriction on it like plank lane and the rest. Properly 12pm till 6 am 😁

[David Mack]

Looking at how difficult that is to operate, it must be tempting to forego the cost of a CRT key (which is presumably trapped in the mechanism), just climb back on board the boat as it passes through, and leave the bridge in the open position, to save the effort of closing it again!

[TheBiscuits]

28 minutes ago, David Mack said:

Looking at how difficult that is to operate, it must be tempting to forego the cost of a CRT key (which is presumably trapped in the mechanism), just climb back on board the boat as it passes through, and leave the bridge in the open position, to save the effort of closing it again!

 

Or at least an eBay knock-off key ...

[David Mack]

2 hours ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

Or at least an eBay knock-off key ...

In my experience that gets trapped in the mechanism whether you want it to or not!

[jpcdriver]

16 hours ago, Midnight said:

Anyone tried it yet?

Yes ,went through it twice in September. And yes it is totally bonkers.

I didn't time it but 25 mins is probably about right. I've also still got the small blood blister on my left palm from trapping it in the folding handle mechanism on one of the winding wheels.

 

I also had the thought of sacrificing a key and let the waiting motorists get some exercise - just to protest/show how stupid it is. The thing is as traffic starts to build you naturally try to speed up to minimise their inconvenience. Or at least I do - I'm not bolshy enough. It certainly gave me a work out. I was breathing heavy for a good couple of minutes after. My wife would probably have taken twice as long to do the bridge.

 

When we went through there was a 'security'? person sat in a van by the bridge, who came out to advise me how to use the bridge properly the first time we went through. I'm not sure if this the only function of this person or they are also providing security for the development site (but work doesn't seem to have started on that yet). 

[Jon57]

37 minutes ago, jpcdriver said:

Yes ,went through it twice in September. And yes it is totally bonkers.

I didn't time it but 25 mins is probably about right. I've also still got the small blood blister on my left palm from trapping it in the folding handle mechanism on one of the winding wheels.

 

I also had the thought of sacrificing a key and let the waiting motorists get some exercise - just to protest/show how stupid it is. The thing is as traffic starts to build you naturally try to speed up to minimise their inconvenience. Or at least I do - I'm not bolshy enough. It certainly gave me a work out. I was breathing heavy for a good couple of minutes after. My wife would probably have taken twice as long to do the bridge.

 

When we went through there was a 'security'? person sat in a van by the bridge, who came out to advise me how to use the bridge properly the first time we went through. I'm not sure if this the only function of this person or they are also providing security for the development site (but work doesn't seem to have started on that yet). 

Won't take long for the local scrotes to get a key and have a play. I know of a incident where they snap the key in the lock just to stop the bridges working on the canal. Looking like they will be trouble ahead for the new home owners 😬😬

[Midnight]

1 hour ago, jpcdriver said:

I also had the thought of sacrificing a key and let the waiting motorists get some exercise - just to protest/show how stupid it is.

 

I think there's a likelihood of that happening. C&RT or whoever built/owns this bridge won't react to complaints from boaters, but if the residents or works traffic get held up and they get lots of complaints they may look at an alternative mechanism. 

[Ken X]

I really can't imagine that the addition of a hydraulic power pack, as per several swing bridges on the L&L, would have made a massive difference to the overall cost of the installation.

 

There are already shoot bolts and rack/pinion systems fitted together with a plc to operate the lights and barriers so full automation would seem to need minimal extra work.

[jonathanA]

Agreed and then they can easily add the time restriction as per Plank Lane / Hancocks etc when the housing estate is built. 

 

does make you wonder why it wasn't done like that in the first place. 

[Midnight]

2 hours ago, jonathanA said:

does make you wonder why it wasn't done like that in the first place. 

 

Oh no it doesn't! This is typical lightweight C&RT management. Even if they didn't design and build it they must have approved it.

[Ken X]

I wondered about this as well. 

 

Given the bridge crosses their water and is used by their "customers", (for want of a better word), I would have thought C&RT would have been all over this like a rash. 

 

At the very least they should have been able to approve (or not) the design proposal as "fit for purpose". 

 

I am unclear who the owner/installer is but some accountability would seem to be due for the poor operation of this bridge.

[Jon57]

15 hours ago, Ken X said:

I wondered about this as well. 

 

Given the bridge crosses their water and is used by their "customers", (for want of a better word), I would have thought C&RT would have been all over this like a rash. 

 

At the very least they should have been able to approve (or not) the design proposal as "fit for purpose". 

 

I am unclear who the owner/installer is but some accountability would seem to be due for the poor operation of this bridge.

That's probably why a separate company was set up to manage the bridge so the development could wash it's hands of it sort of speek. So they could get on with the planing permission. If the development gets approved I feel sorry for the new owner's new homes. 

[pearley]

2 minutes ago, Jon57 said:

That's probably why a separate company was set up to manage the bridge so the development could wash it's hands of it sort of speek. So they could get on with the planing permission. If the development gets approved I feel sorry for the new owner's new homes. 

And who ends up responsible if/when this separate company goes bust?

[Jon57]

13 minutes ago, pearley said:

And who ends up responsible if/when this separate company goes bust?

Precisely. 😡

15 minutes ago, pearley said:

And who ends up responsible if/when this separate company goes bust?

Crt should have replaced the bridge and charged the developer for the work. And had a long standing charge over it passed on to the owner's in some kind of way with the homeowners possibly. 

[jonathanA]

I would expect the developer will be landing some sort of ground rent/service charge on the new homes to pay for the 'communal facilities' like plays areas and for some cowboy to fly round cutting the public grass 3 times in summer, so i assume the upkeep of the bridge would be covered by that..

 

seems to be the way with most modern developments and a nice little earner for someone i'm sure.... no doubt the home owners are obliged to pay the charge so no danger of going bust -  just push the cost on to the house owner....