Excellent Picture in Todays Times Online

[Tim Lewis]

Well I like it 

 

 

[MtB]

Did they build the tunnel in black and white?

 

[Hudds Lad]

17 minutes ago, MtB said:

Did they build the tunnel in black and white?

 

It was originally built in sepia but converted to grayscale in the 60’s, it then became full colour in 1975. Sadly due to the lack of funding the colour palette has had to be removed and sold at auction to raise funds for a new Spectrum Manager to ensure the general public can look forward to a full colour canal in the future, possibly.

[magnetman]

This is a bit of a dodgy publicity image as it may insert into people's heads the idea that they can go through canal tunnels in their canoes. 

 

In sime circumstances this would be enormously unwise and I seem to think they are not allowed anyway. 

 

 

 

 

The last thing needed is to get all these inflatable canoes and paddle boards venturing into tunnels. All hell will break loose and there could be nasty accidents. 

 

But if the team leader is allowed to do it then presumably everyone else can as well. 

[Tim Lewis]

1 hour ago, magnetman said:

This is a bit of a dodgy publicity image as it may insert into people's heads the idea that they can go through canal tunnels in their canoes. 

 

In sime circumstances this would be enormously unwise and I seem to think they are not allowed anyway. 

 

 

 

 

The last thing needed is to get all these inflatable canoes and paddle boards venturing into tunnels. All hell will break loose and there could be nasty accidents. 

 

But if the team leader is allowed to do it then presumably everyone else can as well. 

 

[magnetman]

Yes I noticed that and it is a good point. I was just thinking if the general idea is that its okay to canoe through tunnels someone is going to go through Braunston tunnel and get into trouble. 

 

Not everyone takes note of signage or the requirement to book. 

 

 

Presumably when the canals were commercial something was done to avoid the day trippers in their Rob Roy canoes using the tunnels.

 

Edited June 13, 2024 by magnetman

[cuthound]

5 hours ago, magnetman said:

This is a bit of a dodgy publicity image as it may insert into people's heads the idea that they can go through canal tunnels in their canoes. 

 

In sime circumstances this would be enormously unwise and I seem to think they are not allowed anyway. 

 

 

 

 

The last thing needed is to get all these inflatable canoes and paddle boards venturing into tunnels. All hell will break loose and there could be nasty accidents. 

 

But if the team leader is allowed to do it then presumably everyone else can as well. 

 

Hopefully they will only allow unpowered craft like canoes into tunnels in organised trips when the tunnel is closed to normal traffic.

 

Canoeists do not understand that narrowboat steerers have significant blindspots to the sides and especially in front.

 

A few years ago I as going up the Shroppie, approaching the set of narrows near the Southern end, when I heard a shout. Unbeknown to me a canoeist was trying to overtake me on my left and then he realised the canal suddenly got narrower. I engaged reverse and tried to move to the right when I heard another shout, this time from my right. He was in danger of me crushing him against the bank as I tried to make more space for his colleague. 

 

Yes, two IQ challenged canoeists had decided to overtake me, one on each side, just as I was approaching a narrows (which they hadn't seen until they were alongside my boat).

 

When I explained that they were in my blind spots, being close to my cabinside, they seemed surprised. They seemed even more surprised when I said I couldn't see the canal directly in front of my boat for about a boats length.

[Lady M]

3 hours ago, magnetman said:

Yes I noticed that and it is a good point. I was just thinking if the general idea is that its okay to canoe through tunnels someone is going to go through Braunston tunnel and get into trouble. 

 

Not everyone takes note of signage or the requirement to book. 

 

 

Presumably when the canals were commercial something was done to avoid the day trippers in their Rob Roy canoes using the tunnels.

 

These days, unfortunately in my view, canoeists are allowed to paddle through some shorter tunnels.  They only have to show a light on the front so you have to remember to look low down on the water to see if there is a canoe in front of you heading in the same direction.

[magnetman]

3 hours ago, Lady M said:

These days, unfortunately in my view, canoeists are allowed to paddle through some shorter tunnels.  They only have to show a light on the front so you have to remember to look low down on the water to see if there is a canoe in front of you heading in the same direction.

 

This is exactly why I think the publicity image is dangerous. 

 

I suppose it is all part of the Great Dumbing Down but it does have the potential to cause nasty 15 ton v less than a hundredweight Boat collision issues. 

 

Torpedoes needed here I think. 

 

 

 

 

 

If there are any survivors in the water then strafe the blighters !

Something a bit Marchioness about it all. 

[Lady M]

I think it is potentially very dangerous.  When we realised there was a canoe going through Newbold Tunnel ahead of us, we waited until they were out.  We noticed that the area provided for 'tunnel waiting' was extremely overgrown and unusuable.  I do think that proper tunnel waiting areas should be provided where canoes are permitted to use our tunnels.

[zenataomm]

10 hours ago, magnetman said:

Presumably when the canals were commercial something was done to avoid the day trippers in their Rob Roy canoes using the tunnels.

They just ran them down while loudly quoting "Herbert Spencer's survival of the fittest" it was a pertinent lesson for all. While on The Northern Road of The Trent & Misery they kept insisting that Common Sense was not to be ignored.  Especially as it was dispensed in corner shops using paper bags by the quarter.

[midnight cowboy]

On 13/06/2024 at 08:30, magnetman said:

This is a bit of a dodgy publicity image as it may insert into people's heads the idea that they can go through canal tunnels in their canoes. 

 

In sime circumstances this would be enormously unwise and I seem to think they are not allowed anyway. 

 

 

 

 

The last thing needed is to get all these inflatable canoes and paddle boards venturing into tunnels. All hell will break loose and there could be nasty accidents. 

 

But if the team leader is allowed to do it then presumably everyone else can as well. 

I was unable to persuade a kayaker not to follow me through the Angel tunnel on the Regent’s some years ago , but at least I was protesting him.  Go boats improved their lighting after our comments and they go through Maida Hill 

Just now, midnight cowboy said:

I was unable to persuade a kayaker not to follow me through the Angel tunnel on the Regent’s some years ago , but at least I was protesting him.  Go boats improved their lighting after our comments and they go through Maida Hill 

**protecting him!!!

[MtB]

On 13/06/2024 at 18:06, magnetman said:

 

This is exactly why I think the publicity image is dangerous. 

 

I suppose it is all part of the Great Dumbing Down but it does have the potential to cause nasty 15 ton v less than a hundredweight Boat collision issues. 

 

Torpedoes needed here I think. 

 

 

 

 

 

If there are any survivors in the water then strafe the blighters !

Something a bit Marchioness about it all. 

 

 

Once there have been a few canoeist fatalities in tunnels, proper action will be taken by CRT.

 

Expect narrowboats to be banned in tunnels.

 

 

 

[Peanut]

Would that be the new, "Hierarchy of canal users," as per the Highway Code, to protect vunerable users?

[PeterScott]

10 hours ago, MtB said:

... Expect narrowboats to be banned in tunnels.

 

Well, seven foot (wide) narrowboats already are ...

 

 

... and that's from an (approximately) fifteenfoot wide and fifteenfoot high tunnel ...

 

 

On 13/06/2024 at 10:18, magnetman said:

... Not everyone takes note of signage ...

 

hear hear !!

 

 

[Pluto]

You can't see much from a short boat, as we have tried to explain to canoeists, and CRT.

[magnetman]

1 hour ago, PeterScott said:

 

Well, seven foot (wide) narrowboats already are ...

 

 

... and that's from an (approximately) fifteenfoot wide and fifteenfoot high tunnel ...

 

 

 

I hope they don't have the 'give way to oncoming traffic' sign at both ends

 

 

[PeterScott]

1 hour ago, magnetman said:

I hope they don't have the 'give way to oncoming traffic' sign at both ends

 

Sadly they do exactly that. If it said to give way to boats already in the tunnel, that might be more sensible - even though there is space to pass inside.

[Ewan123]

I've been through a couple of tunnels in our canoe, it's quite fun (Chirk and... one at the top of the Ashby I think?) I did have a high vis vest and two lights (one headtorch, one mounted on the boat) and a good hand bell to ring ;). Plus I can usually outpace most narrowboats if I try hard enough, so escape is usually an option 😀.

[Ken X]

Always enjoyed the Bruce Tunnel on the K & A when canoeing in the Devizes to Westminster race. Around 500 yds so you are in there for a little while.

[Pluto]

14 hours ago, Ewan123 said:

I've been through a couple of tunnels in our canoe, it's quite fun (Chirk and... one at the top of the Ashby I think?) I did have a high vis vest and two lights (one headtorch, one mounted on the boat) and a good hand bell to ring ;). Plus I can usually outpace most narrowboats if I try hard enough, so escape is usually an option 😀.

Hi-viz would be no use in Foulridge if Kennet entered the tunnel, as you can see from the photo a couple of posts earlier that you cannot see anything in front, and the JP3 would drown out a hand bell.

[IanD]

Isn't all this rather making a mountain out of a molehill? CART aren't planning to open up new tunnels to canoeists, all they're doing is opening up Standedge to them on days when there are no boat passages to make some vitally needed money.

 

You'd think all the people who keep saying that CART should find new ways of raising funding instead of relying on the DEFRA grant would be all in favour of this, but it seems not, it's just another opportunity to kick a beleaguered organisation when they're down... 😞 

Edited June 17, 2024 by IanD

[magnetman]

My point was that a newspaper having a great image of someone in a canoe in a canal tunnel might make some people think taking their canoes in tunnels might be fun. 

 

Not everyone would ask permission, book or adhere to signage. 

 

If someone did then go for a paddle and get anihilated by a canal Boat I reckon it would be made into a mountain. 

 

The image shows a sole canoeist in a  beautiful tunnel. I wonder if the reality is you end up there with a load of other chattering people unless you take your own canoe. 

 

Someone will no doubt be chatting about their hairdresser or next foreign holiday. 

 

 

 

Edited June 17, 2024 by magnetman
erroneous punctuation

[Ewan123]

4 hours ago, Pluto said:

Hi-viz would be no use in Foulridge if Kennet entered the tunnel, as you can see from the photo a couple of posts earlier that you cannot see anything in front, and the JP3 would drown out a hand bell.

In which case I'd be making a swift exit back the way I'd entered I'd only try this where it's permitted and that's only the shorter tunnels, I'd certainly not enter/continue if I couldn't see the skipper and confirm they'd seen me.

[PeterScott]

On 16/06/2024 at 09:48, Pluto said:

You can't see much from a short boat, as we have tried to explain to canoeists, and CRT.

 

 

Paddlers in Foulridge -  following the shortboats, on a special trip as part of the bicentenary flotilla