Shroppie Stoppage

[Night Hawk]

Tell ya what though - the queues for locks both North and Southbound on the T&M are amazing - 3+ hours wait....they're opening Harecastle earlier so I hear to let the large number of boats thru'

[casper ghost]

Tell ya what though - the queues for locks both North and Southbound on the T&M are amazing - 3+ hours wait....they're opening Harecastle earlier so I hear to let the large number of boats thru'

 

Oh great, i've just decided to wind and go around. Surely you can't mean a 3 hour que at each lock, that'll take an age to go round...

[Tiny]

Tell ya what though - the queues for locks both North and Southbound on the T&M are amazing - 3+ hours wait....they're opening Harecastle earlier so I hear to let the large number of boats thru'

 

 

Are BW giving out any info on this anywhere?

 

Will these close the Caldon beyond the summit to use it as a water source for the extra boats on the T&M. They have done this in the past.

[mayalld]

Are BW giving out any info on this anywhere?

 

Will these close the Caldon beyond the summit to use it as a water source for the extra boats on the T&M. They have done this in the past.

 

Perhaps if they had kept all the duplicate locks open, and retained the cross paddles, they wouldn't have to worry about water.

[Night Hawk]

Harecastle queues seem to have eased off.....queues at locks on the T&M are easing off somewhat...I hear there was an 18+ queue at Cholmondsen lock (or how ever you spell it) on the Middlewich branch of the T&M heading to Hurlston..but isn't there always!

 

Some boater told us there was a breach on the Middlewhich branch....not heard this one!

[journeyperson]

Some boater told us there was a breach on the Middlewhich branch....not heard this one!

 

When I was coming through Cholmondolonlinlonilly last Tuesday a guy told me there was a stoppage on Heartbreak Hill! Rumours flying around indiscriminately....

[Night Hawk]

Well I'm delighted to say that, apart from the 1000s of missing tonnes of water that BW engineers are having difficulty finding at Shebden, the T&M Middlewhich branch is fine...the hoards of nutty Hire Boaters are slamming their way into the locks with great guisto! I was tailgated...or is it 'tillergated' by a couple in a blue hireboat from Hurlston to Swanley and, when slowing down for moored boats as I often do, they were so close I could smell the bloke's BO! As I made it very clear I was going to slow down to take a right turn into Swanley Bridge, he tried to speed past starboard! I scowled, grabbed me grappling hook..and he slammed into reverse!

 

Oh I love the summer season!

[alan_fincher]

I was tailgated...or is it 'tillergated' by a couple in a blue hireboat from Hurlston to Swanley and, when slowing down for moored boats as I often do, they were so close I could smell the bloke's BO! As I made it very clear I was going to slow down to take a right turn into Swanley Bridge, he tried to speed past starboard! I scowled, grabbed me grappling hook..and he slammed into reverse!

And they reckon that canal boating is such a relaxing and stress free hobby!...........................

[Kraken]

Well I'm delighted to say that, apart from the 1000s of missing tonnes of water that BW engineers are having difficulty finding at Shebden, the T&M Middlewhich branch is fine...the hoards of nutty Hire Boaters are slamming their way into the locks with great guisto! I was tailgated...or is it 'tillergated' by a couple in a blue hireboat from Hurlston to Swanley and, when slowing down for moored boats as I often do, they were so close I could smell the bloke's BO! As I made it very clear I was going to slow down to take a right turn into Swanley Bridge, he tried to speed past starboard! I scowled, grabbed me grappling hook..and he slammed into reverse!

 

Oh I love the summer season!

 

 

Why didn't you just wave him by when he first came up behind you and continue at your leisure rather than suffer him tailgating you?

[Tiny]

On that part of the Llangollen the best way to let them pass is to moor up. It is quite narrow. Mind you mooring they often follow you in as they assume you are mooring for some reason so they should do. No doubt this hire boat was on the race to Llangollen. They are usually the worst offenders. Most of them seem to be from Middlewich.

[Night Hawk]

Why didn't you just wave him by when he first came up behind you and continue at your leisure rather than suffer him tailgating you?

 

....because I fancied being a tw*t as well!

 

Seriously though - my boat is a big heavy Hudson that sits low in the water - there's very little spare depth on that stretch for me to move over without becoming grounded....and I was looking forward to a visit to Swanley Marina's superb toilet block (if you know what I mean).... I chose not to move over and let him pass......

 

I've never been 'tillergated' before - found it quite amizung.....

[dor]

Eight boats jockeying for position at Hurleston this morning. Met a couple we know on a visitor mooring near Swanley who had come down from Ellesmere - told us there was a seven hour wait at Grindley Brook at one point. That's why I usually avoid the Llangollen from late May to early September.

 

Having said that we went up to Wrenbury and back a couple of weeks ago and had virtually no hold up.

[Night Hawk]

Eight boats jockeying for position at Hurleston this morning. Met a couple we know on a visitor mooring near Swanley who had come down from Ellesmere - told us there was a seven hour wait at Grindley Brook at one point. That's why I usually avoid the Llangollen from late May to early September.

 

Having said that we went up to Wrenbury and back a couple of weeks ago and had virtually no hold up.

 

We were the first up Hurlston at around 7.30 this morning.....Within minutes of us leaving the bottom lock there was a queue of four boats including my 'tillergater'....great timing!

 

Had a nice long natter with BW Linda and caught up on the gossip - Told her of the breach on the Wardle....

 

A x

[casper ghost]

Well, the facilities at Norbury are full so I couldn't empty my toilet atall . That's one way of BW's to get boaters to move off.. Mind you i've also heard that Wheaton Aston's facilities are full too so Gailey is now the nearest, hope boaters can hang on that far

 

Now i've seen the pics of the breach I've winded round ready to head the long way to Hurleston, can't see the canal being reopenned any time soon; probably reopen just as I get round....

[Night Hawk]

Well, the facilities at Norbury are full so I couldn't empty my toilet atall . That's one way of BW's to get boaters to move off.. Mind you i've also heard that Wheaton Aston's facilities are full too so Gailey is now the nearest, hope boaters can hang on that far

 

Now i've seen the pics of the breach I've winded round ready to head the long way to Hurleston, can't see the canal being reopenned any time soon; probably reopen just as I get round....

 

It's a big hole!

[dor]

We were the first up Hurlston at around 7.30 this morning.

 

Ahh so it was you! We were moored on the VM at the bottom. We often moor there at the weekend as the entertainment value in the early evening as the Bunbury boats hit their first solo lock is worth it!

 

Best was a tap on the window about 8:30 one night by a lady asking if they closed the locks at night. She said they were trying to get out of the bottom lock and "there seems to be a bar across the lock". I wnt up to help and found that they thought it would be quicker if they opened all the paddles; they had practically drained the entire flight! And they weren't even blond.

[Night Hawk]

It is indeed great fun watching the hire boaters....what really grinds my gears caused us quite some upset last night...the only real drama in the 5 week's we've been cruisin'

 

Why don't share mooring rings...why do boaters insist on leaving 15 feet between themselves and the next boat during peak holiday times? On the stretch of the T&M from Cholmondodiddlie lock by VM to just before Hurlston we couldn't moor up.....all the dredged 'BW' moorings were full of boats nicely spread out....the remaining concrete canal wall was so shallow I could only get my bow to within 2 foot of the towpath - not good for small kids n dogs.....

 

Quarter to eleven last night we finally moored up just outside Hurlston with our stern over five foot from the bank....grrr! The kids did, however, enjoy the night cruise!

 

Is that part of the Shroppie suffering due to the breach at Shebden? We've not had problems mooring there before?

[dor]

Hi NH.

 

THe shroppie on the long pound from Hack Green to Bunbury was about 6 - 8 inches down yesterday; there was a strong flow moving north through the bridgheholes south of Nantwich this afternoon so I guess it is slowly filling back up. Back on my mooring this afternoon it seemed a bit higher than it was yesterday morning when we left. The "shroppie shelf" is certainly more visible at the moment, but I don't think it is particularly any worse than it normally is. You have to remember it is a very variable article - it is not a straight-edged shelf as some people think but basically just where the concrete flooded out of the bottom of the piling so it is very variable. This is what makes it so difficult ot moor against as the bit where your fenders go might not be the bit that sticks out the most.

 

Maybe when more of the concrete edge has collapsed BW will pile it and remove the problem. If you walk up the llangollen you can often see the remains of the old edge 2 or 3 feet in from the current edge. That's what the Shroppie needs. But then BW seem to find boaters to be nothing more than an irritation these days so I don't suppose they will do anything about it. It is very dissapointing that even the VMs suffer from the edge.

[Night Hawk]

Hi NH.

 

THe shroppie on the long pound from Hack Green to Bunbury was about 6 - 8 inches down yesterday; there was a strong flow moving north through the bridgheholes south of Nantwich this afternoon so I guess it is slowly filling back up. Back on my mooring this afternoon it seemed a bit higher than it was yesterday morning when we left. The "shroppie shelf" is certainly more visible at the moment, but I don't think it is particularly any worse than it normally is. You have to remember it is a very variable article - it is not a straight-edged shelf as some people think but basically just where the concrete flooded out of the bottom of the piling so it is very variable. This is what makes it so difficult ot moor against as the bit where your fenders go might not be the bit that sticks out the most.

 

Maybe when more of the concrete edge has collapsed BW will pile it and remove the problem. If you walk up the llangollen you can often see the remains of the old edge 2 or 3 feet in from the current edge. That's what the Shroppie needs. But then BW seem to find boaters to be nothing more than an irritation these days so I don't suppose they will do anything about it. It is very dissapointing that even the VMs suffer from the edge.

 

D'ya know...considering Hurlston Junction heralds the most popular cut on the network, it's a bit grotty..The entrance to bottom lock could be tarted up a bit....those rotten buffer planks could be replaced. I have to confess to thinking that two huge cast iron rampant welsh dragons either side of bottom lock welcoming boaters to Wales might be quite nice....now how do we go about doing that?

 

How come on the Thames, all the locks are manned whereas only a few flights are manned up here?

[dor]

Ha ha! Yes, a couple of rampant Welsh dragons! I like that idea.

[AMModels]

D'ya know...considering Hurlston Junction heralds the most popular cut on the network, it's a bit grotty..The entrance to bottom lock could be tarted up a bit....those rotten buffer planks could be replaced. I have to confess to thinking that two huge cast iron rampant welsh dragons either side of bottom lock welcoming boaters to Wales might be quite nice....now how do we go about doing that?

 

How come on the Thames, all the locks are manned whereas only a few flights are manned up here?

 

Mention it to the Welsh assembly theyll pay for any rubbish. Not to say this is a rubbish idea as I think it'd be a great Croeso Y Cymru.

[sueb]

If you think the entrance to the Llangollen is bad, see the entrance from the Thames @ Brentford and from EA at Northampton.

Sue

[Dalesman]

D'ya know...considering Hurlston Junction heralds the most popular cut on the network, it's a bit grotty..The entrance to bottom lock could be tarted up a bit....those rotten buffer planks could be replaced. I have to confess to thinking that two huge cast iron rampant welsh dragons either side of bottom lock welcoming boaters to Wales might be quite nice....now how do we go about doing that?

 

How come on the Thames, all the locks are manned whereas only a few flights are manned up here?

Only problem is that Hurleston is not in Wales...but Cheshire..!!

[Night Hawk]

Only problem is that Hurleston is not in Wales...but Cheshire..!!

 

Diolch!

 

Then why not...just like the Angel of the North kinda thing...have a rampant dragon on one side and a rampant lion on the other....I think it would look fab!

 

Having just returned from 5 weeks on the cut, junctions are generally miserable places...on the map they herald great excitement...they may have been a focus of your journey for days...but when you get there there's often a crappy crumbling bridge festooned with grafitti....we saw one junction bridge that said....say no to the poll tax!!!

 

So I think we start with the Llangollen cut and commission something utterly spectacular....and something equally suitable for top of the Monty!

 

Now...where to get half a million quid for a feasability study!

 

Andrew

[Tiny]

On the Llangollen the Welsh money spenders could put their dragons on the border at Chirk Aqueduct.