The Roundabout Island (BCN)

[ditchcrawler]

2 minutes ago, Rob-M said:

Towpath both sides passing Albion and Dudley Port junctions, can't recall how far either side it continues though.

And how much is still there but unusable. I take it CRT or BW could just stop maintaining or even close towpaths as they saw fit?

[Alan de Enfield]

10 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

And how much is still there but unusable. I take it CRT or BW could just stop maintaining or even close towpaths as they saw fit?

 

No C&RT must maintain all towpaths that they inherited in 2012.

 

They can have a short term closure as long as there is an alternative route. Anything more needs DEFRA approval.

 

 

2.4 The Trustee must obtain the Settlor’s prior written consent before:
2.4.1 disposing of any part of the Infrastructure Property
a) by way of freehold; or
b) by way of any leasehold disposal that would have the effect of restricting any generally available public access to the Infrastructure Property existing at the time of the disposal (for the avoidance of doubt the Parties agree that all towpaths are generally available to public access at the time of disposal);
2.4.2 seeking to amend this Settlement in any way (and any such amendment shall be ineffective without the Settlor’s prior written consent);
2.4.3 restricting pedestrian access to any part of the towpaths within the Infrastructure Property; for example by charging a fee for access, save that consent will not be needed for any temporary restrictions either to allow maintenance/repair works or to protect persons from risks to their safety;
2.4.4 diverting the route of any towpath or part of a towpath, other than as permitted at Clause 3.5.1; and
2.4.5 carrying out any activities requiring the Settlor’s consent specified in any agreement between the Settlor and the Trustee or other arrangement.

 

And :

 

3.5 to divert reasonable lengths of the route of free-access towpath away from a position immediately adjacent to the waterway:
3.5.1 on a temporary basis and for reasonable periods only where such diversion is required for the purposes of temporary restrictions either to allow maintenance/repair works or to protect persons from risks to their safety; or
3.5.2 on a permanent basis but only with the prior written consent of the Settlor (and therefore subject to the provisions contained in 2.5) and where such diversion is necessary to preserve the integrity of the curtilage of property suitable for setting aside for paid or restricted access on account of its special interest use or other quality;

Edited December 28, 2024 by Alan de Enfield

[Jonny P]

The new main line from Old Turn to Factory Junction had a towpath on both sides throughout as built and that still remains apart from between Bridge Street North bridge just west of Smethwick Junction and Bromford Lane bridge just west of Bromford Junction. The towpath is on the northern side through the majority of this section but switches to the south side at Bromford Junction when heading west.

 

The towpath was recently closed past the Chance glassworks. I’m unsure if it has now reopened.

[Rob-M]

48 minutes ago, Jonny P said:

The towpath was recently closed past the Chance glassworks. I’m unsure if it has now reopened

Still closed when I came past in September.

[springy]

7 hours ago, Heartland said:

<snip> As to the gauging Islands on the New Main Line there is also the issue of which side to pass, I suspect <snip>

 

 The "Blue Book" page ML1 from 1984 suggests using the right hand channel when heading north, as the left "may be shallow". I seem to remember something about BW not dredging the left channel, though I think that some years later this was withdrawn as both channels had then been dredged. 

 

 

springy

[Rob-M]

Heading away from Birmingham I use...

 

Harborne Branch railway bridge - Right hand

Winson Green Gauging island  - Right hand

Smethwick Stop - Right hand

Bromford Stop - Left hand

Dunkirk Stop - Left hand

 

[spud]

7 minutes ago, Rob-M said:

Heading away from Birmingham I use...

 

Harborne Branch railway bridge - Right hand

Winson Green Gauging island  - Right hand

Smethwick Stop - Right hand

Bromford Stop - Left hand

Dunkirk Stop - Left hand

 

what about the double arched bridges in birmingham, approaching smethwick and the aquaduct at Oldbury / motorway supports

 

smethwick island was not a stop but was what you have called a gauging island, but i is sure you knew that really

[Rob-M]

Right hand side of each of them when leaving Birmingham, left when heading in to Birmingham.

[pearley]

5 hours ago, 5239 said:

 

 

 

5 hours ago, 5239 said:

Yes that’s Bromford where the offside tends to over hang,

it’s all pretty filthy and nasty around there,

 

Bloomfield being the one between Factory Junction and Coseley Tunnel, long gone.

5 hours ago, 5239 said:

 

 

 

5 hours ago, 5239 said:

 

5 hours ago, 5239 said:

 

 

 

5 hours ago, 5239 said:

 

5 hours ago, 5239 said:

 

 

 

5 hours ago, 5239 said:

 

5 hours ago, 5239 said:

 

 

5 hours ago, 5239 said:

 

Edited December 28, 2024 by pearley

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

Pearly you had trouble with your editing 😃

 

 

[ditchcrawler]

What about the one just down from Windmill End Junction, its wide one side and gauging width the other 

[agg221]

2 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

What about the one just down from Windmill End Junction, its wide one side and gauging width the other 

Are you meaning the one as you are heading towards Hawne Basin? If so, much to my surprise I can get both sides of that with no problems.

Alec

[ditchcrawler]

39 minutes ago, agg221 said:

Are you meaning the one as you are heading towards Hawne Basin? If so, much to my surprise I can get both sides of that with no problems.

Alec

Yes so can I but why was it so wide one side

[pearley]

11 hours ago, 5239 said:

Pearly you had trouble with your editing 😃

 

 

Yes. Don't know why it posted several times. But then couldn't delete.

[David Schweizer]

2 hours ago, pearley said:

Yes. Don't know why it posted several times. But then couldn't delete.

 

I have found that the "Submit Reply" button sometimes fails to respond when pressed, even though the post has usually has been loaded.  Persistant pressing of the button usually fails to give any response, but can result in numerous reply postings. The unwanted replies can usually be deleted by editing, if you do that within the first hour or so.

 

 

Edited December 29, 2024 by David Schweizer

[midnight cowboy]

Similar dilemma on the Paddington arm when crossing the North Circular Road.  I have dropped passengers there on the island while I we t further to wind the boar

[John Brightley]

On 28/12/2024 at 14:18, 5239 said:

Anyone got any photos prior to ‘84?

a very quick google hasn’t revealed any images

See this thread...

 

[Francis Herne]

On 28/12/2024 at 15:28, 5239 said:

But why take the trouble to rebuild it?

 

I could ask why remove it at all. 

A few months ago I asked the chap responsible (Alan ???, involved with Spey) why it was done.

If I remember what he said correctly:

The original island's walls had become unstable - having been built rather hastily as a wartime measure - so it had to be taken down. He had a fixed budget from the council to do up that whole area, and there was a bit left over, so he decided to put the new roundabout in as a decorative focus and as a nod to the original. The new one was put a bit further out to make boaters' lives easier, German bombs no longer being a design consideration.

 

@agg221 did you get the 70-footer to go round? I've spent a few minutes measuring the satellite view and still couldn't decide whether it was possible... haven't yet dared try it with Atlas in case the answer is "no"!

Edited December 31, 2024 by Francis Herne