T&M closed

[Rob-M]

Just received a stoppage notice that the Trent and Mersey is closed at Hassall Green Lock 57 due to a failed gate post.  Update due on Friday for when it might be fixed.

 

Won't be making my booking for Harecastle on Friday afternoon, fortunately currently at Barbridge so will head back down the Shroppie instead.

[PeterF]

And another T&M c!osure.

What is happening here, too many boats going up and down between Stenson and Derwent Mouth compared to the lock movements above Burton or not enough water coming into the T&M at Alrewas or too much leakage through the broad lock gates or a leak in the canal bed.

Trent & Mersey Canal

Location: Derwent Mouth Lock - Trent & Mersey Canal
Starts At: Lock 1, Derwent Mouth Lock
Ends At: Lock 1, Derwent Mouth Lock

Wednesday 5 July 2023 until further notice

Type: Navigation Closure
Reason: Water resources

 

Due to the unexpected drop in water levels on the Trent & Mersey, we have made the decision to temporarily close Derwent Mouth Lock.  

Our local team are carrying out water control and the closure of the lock will help them to manage the levels.

 

Boaters are kindly asked to avoid travelling along the rest of the Trent & Mersey where possible, to minimise the levels from dropping further.  

We are working with our colleagues from the West Midlands to run water down the system and are doing all we can to get the levels back to normal. 

 

We will update the website on Friday 7th July. 

  Edited July 5, 2023 by magpie patrick
remove email address

[PaulJ]

9 minutes ago, PeterF said:

And another T&M c!osure.

What is happening here, too many boats going up and down between Stenson and Derwent Mouth compared to the lock movements above Burton or not enough water coming into the T&M at Alrewas or too much leakage through the broad lock gates or a leak in the canal bed.

 

Seem to remember every time I've come across that lock empty the bottom offside has gate has swung open.

Not helping with the leaky top gates.

[noddyboater]

It's a pity that the section isn't fed from something isn't it?

Like the River Trent at Wychnor. 

[Rob-M]

Today's update for Hassall Green Lock

 

Notice Alert

Trent & Mersey Canal

Location: Navigation Closure: Lock 57, Hassall Green, Trent & Mersey Canal

Starts At: Lk 57, Top Lock

Ends At: Lk 57, Top Lock

 

Tuesday 4 July 2023 17:00 until further notice

 

Type: Navigation Closure

Reason: Repair

 

Update on 06/07/2023:

Please be advised our specialist contractors have now attended site and established a method of repair for the broken heel post at Lock 57, Top Lock on the Trent & Mersey Canal.

 

We are currently in the process of fabricating the necessary part that is required for the repair, and we anticipate the repair works will start next week.

 

A further update will be provided Wednesday 12 July

[PeterF]

Today's update for Stenson lock to Derwent Mouth lock section says that Derwent Mouth lock is unlikely to be open before the weekend as water still needs to be let down below Swarkestone and travel on the whole section is discouraged.

[Arthur Marshall]

2 hours ago, Rob-M said:

Today's update for Hassall Green Lock

 

Notice Alert

Trent & Mersey Canal

Location: Navigation Closure: Lock 57, Hassall Green, Trent & Mersey Canal

Starts At: Lk 57, Top Lock

Ends At: Lk 57, Top Lock

 

Tuesday 4 July 2023 17:00 until further notice

 

Type: Navigation Closure

Reason: Repair

 

Update on 06/07/2023:

Please be advised our specialist contractors have now attended site and established a method of repair for the broken heel post at Lock 57, Top Lock on the Trent & Mersey Canal.

 

We are currently in the process of fabricating the necessary part that is required for the repair, and we anticipate the repair works will start next week.

 

A further update will be provided Wednesday 12 July

That's the second year in a row my boating plans have been stuffed because of crap maintenance. It would be nice to know when they anticipate the repair being completed, though I don't suppose there's anyone at CRT who has a clue.

[Rob-M]

We've managed one trip from Great Haywood to Middlewich in the last few years but been up and down the Shroppie quite a few times.  Turning round at Barbridge on Wednesday was the right decision for us as we have to be back to Great Haywood by Monday.

[Arthur Marshall]

Just seen on Facebook that Autherley stop lock has a broken paddle and is almost impossible to fill, and a stoppage is likely there to fix it, though with luck it won't take long, assuming they've got anyone left to do it who isn't desperately sticking bits of the system back together elsewhere.

I used to think it was always like this but before t'internet we just didn't know. Not now.

P S I've emailed CRT to ask if they can anticipate when the repair will be finished, as that's a damn sight more use than knowing when they might get round to starting it. I did put it politer than that.

Edited July 6, 2023 by Arthur Marshall

[Rob-M]

I always feel the gates could be forced without too much effort at Autherley.

[matty40s]

1 minute ago, Arthur Marshall said:

Just seen on Facebook that Autherley stop lock has a broken paddle and is almost impossible to fill, and a stoppage is likely there to fix it, though with luck it won't take long, assuming they've got anyone left to do it who isn't desperately sticking bits of the system back together elsewhere.

I used to think it was always like this but before t'internet we just didn't know. Not now.

Just needs a big pump with a fill/empty switch, although CRT will probably take 3 weeks to organise a contractor and another 10 to source an environmentally friendly pump/power supply that doesnt disturb the local spawning newts.

1 minute ago, Rob-M said:

I always feel the gates could be forced without too much effort at Autherley.

They can.

[noddyboater]

5 hours ago, PeterF said:

Today's update for Stenson lock to Derwent Mouth lock section says that Derwent Mouth lock is unlikely to be open before the weekend as water still needs to be let down below Swarkestone and travel on the whole section is discouraged.

Forgive my stupidity, but wouldn't travel higher  up on the section let water down towards Derwent Mouth?  Like every time someone went through a lock that's fed upstream by a river? 

[matty40s]

1 minute ago, noddyboater said:

Forgive my stupidity, but wouldn't travel higher  up on the section let water down towards Derwent Mouth?  Like every time someone went through a lock that's fed upstream by a river? 

The whole length below Alrewas is Trent fed, so either the Trent feed has been restricted to allow maximum Farmer extraction for crop irrigation(most likely), or there is a leak in the lower end which they have not identified yet(2nd most likely....that is failing to identify the leak, not that there IS a leak).

It is a ridiculous situation, holding hire companies and boaters to ransom, getting to peak season allowing everything to fail by not maintaining anything properly, ruining holiday plans(for next year as well according to MJGDoghouse).

There is NO leadership, sticking plaster solutions, and lots of bumph about how fantastic the towpaths are becoming....

 

[PeterF]

9 hours ago, noddyboater said:

Forgive my stupidity, but wouldn't travel higher  up on the section let water down towards Derwent Mouth?  Like every time someone went through a lock that's fed upstream by a river? 

it appears that the low water is not just at Derwent Mouth but along the whole stretch, so if the lower section is used then Derwent Mouth will improve but you end up with less water below Stenson so it is just shuffling the low pounds around. I wonder if problems also arise having two of the largest marinas just either side of this section meaning more frequent use of the locks compared to the Burton to Alrewas section.

[junior]

Autherley can definitely be done without the paddles if you've got a bit about you. If they cotton on to the face that people are doing this though I wonder if they might chain the gates somehow?

[Jen-in-Wellies]

30 minutes ago, junior said:

Autherley can definitely be done without the paddles if you've got a bit about you. If they cotton on to the face that people are doing this though I wonder if they might chain the gates somehow?

Chainsaw through the balance beams! British Waterways once did something similar to stop people taking boats through the Dudley Tunnel

[Arthur Marshall]

According to the bloke at CRT, the Hassal Green stoppage should take a day to repair once they've got the part. So should be open late Wednesday 12th.

[Guest]

12 hours ago, matty40s said:

ruining holiday plans(for next year as well according to MJGDoghouse).

 

Indeed we are now pretty much resigned to not bothering next year (and beyond too TBH).

 

We are just not prepared to spend four figure sums on a boat to find ourselves trapped in a (totally preventable) stoppage for days on end. The whole purpose is to move when hiring. It would be different if we had still had our own boat and could sit it out but not if if you only have have the boat for a week or two. You also can't expect the hire boat company to refund you when the inability to move is not actually their fault.

 

It's just not worth it.

 

I may be being overly pessimistic but unless there is a drastic improvement in the maintenance (unlikely) I think we have already had our last canal boating holiday.

[PeterF]

8 hours ago, PeterF said:

it appears that the low water is not just at Derwent Mouth but along the whole stretch, so if the lower section is used then Derwent Mouth will improve but you end up with less water below Stenson so it is just shuffling the low pounds around. I wonder if problems also arise having two of the largest marinas just either side of this section meaning more frequent use of the locks compared to the Burton to Alrewas section.

One of the boats waiting at Sawley phoned CRT who said it is likely to be Monday morning before all levels are back up along the stretch and Derwent Mouth hopefully reopened. No update to the stoppage notice though.

[Victor Vectis]

6 hours ago, junior said:

Autherley can definitely be done without the paddles if you've got a bit about you. If they cotton on to the face that people are doing this though I wonder if they might chain the gates somehow?

The fall there is so small I can never work out if the boat is going up or down.

 

 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

7 hours ago, junior said:

Autherley can definitely be done without the paddles if you've got a bit about you. If they cotton on to the face that people are doing this though I wonder if they might chain the gates somehow?

so can you get top and bottom open at same time? 🤔

[PeterF]

37 minutes ago, Goliath said:

so can you get top and bottom open at same time? 🤔

We went through Dutton stop lock both gates open in April, the Bridgewater seemed to be a bit higher than normal.

[Rob-M]

There were no issues going through Autherley Stop Lock, paddles worked fine at both ends.

[Sea Dog]

2 hours ago, Rob-M said:

There were no issues going through Autherley Stop Lock, paddles worked fine at both ends.

It's the gate at the Shroppie end that's the only issue with Autherley stop lock. It always seems to have something preventing it from opening fully. If only there was someone with a kedge and an interest in canals close by - for example a hire boat company who open and close it regularly to show their hirers how to use a lock perhaps. 

 

Edited July 8, 2023 by Sea Dog
Missed out an 'and'.

[PeterF]

Copy of what I posted on the other thread.

 

I have been sat in Sawley cur since Wednesday lunchtime. This morning lots of boats coming downstream said Derwent Mouth was open. So I set off and it was padlocked. Apparently the lock had been cut by someone early morning, lots of boaters go through believing the stoppage has cleared, at least a dozen. By time I get there it had been repadlocked by CRT. The galling thing is the water level even after all the boats had been through was still over the bywash weir.