Tring Summit closure

[Hairy-Neil]

But probably a lot less than will be used to up the level just to allow boat movements into a dry dock or on to a slipway.

 

I have the greatest sympathies for Darren Killick and Jem Bates, but seriously wonder if BW wouldn't be better bunging them some compensation for lost trade, rather than raising the level of 4.5 miles of water just to allow these two very limited operations.

 

They wouldn't want to set a precedent....

[koukouvagia]

Recieved a automated e-mail, regarding Tring so there is now crossing,on those two weekends,which as I understood the day before it was for urgent traffic etc...

 

SO IN REALITY ARE WE ALLOWED ACROSS OR NOT...YES OR NO PLEASE...I WISH THOSE IN COMMAND WOULD ISSUSE CLEAR COMMUNICATIONS..I.E IN BLACK AND WHITE..SIMPLE'S(WHERES THAT MERE CAT GONE).

 

I will be there for the 9th ready or not.

 

As I understand it, if you're there on one of those weekends, you'll be able to cross the summit. I agree the wording is ambiguous but BW simply want to convey the message, "Yes, we'll open the summit for local businesses and if you want to cross during that period you can. However, we don't want all and sundry thinking that it's business as usual."

 

Mind you filling the canal twice for the dry dock and the slipway uses the equivalent of 22 Mls of water - enough for nearly 80 lockfuls of water!

 

[Quaffer]

As I understand it, if you're there on one of those weekends, you'll be able to cross the summit. I agree the wording is ambiguous but BW simply want to convey the message, "Yes, we'll open the summit for local businesses and if you want to cross during that period you can. However, we don't want all and sundry thinking that it's business as usual."

 

Mind you filling the canal twice for the dry dock and the slipway uses the equivalent of 22 Mls of water - enough for nearly 80 lockfuls of water!

 

I assume BW will unlock Dudswell Lock on the 9th to 11th to allow passage from the south up to Cowroast and then across the Summit.

[sheriff]

As I understand it, if you're there on one of those weekends, you'll be able to cross the summit. I agree the wording is ambiguous but BW simply want to convey the message, "Yes, we'll open the summit for local businesses and if you want to cross during that period you can. However, we don't want all and sundry thinking that it's business as usual."

 

Mind you filling the canal twice for the dry dock and the slipway uses the equivalent of 22 Mls of water - enough for nearly 80 lockfuls of water!

Thanks..understood...I like to think jim im a intrested party around Marsworth,when I stop there for a week and wander up and down thinking about that film the bargee,,I carry my windlass in my small daybag and help at the locks,keeping the leaky one shut at the bottom..I generally do that every where..

 

I have till october before I come back.I assume once on the summit all boats have to continue across and down marsworth,

 

Thanks

[Savages]

For some reason BW have stopped including me in the update emails (even though they promised they would keep me in the loop!) So I am trying to catch up on the situation...

Our boat has been stranded in Berkhampstead for the last few weeks while we have been in and out of hospital with our newborn twins (born in Milton Keynes at the start of Feb) we would obviously very much like to have our home here to join them as we are currently being forced to stay with family. We have a wide(ish) beam boat with a fairly deep draft, what is the likely-hood of us being able to bring the boat to mk anytime soon? My partner will be calling Jeff Whyatt on Monday but from what I have read on here it seems like we may be in for a long term problem?! Starting to get quite stressed now, really could do with being able to live in our own home

[koukouvagia]

For some reason BW have stopped including me in the update emails (even though they promised they would keep me in the loop!) So I am trying to catch up on the situation...

Our boat has been stranded in Berkhampstead for the last few weeks while we have been in and out of hospital with our newborn twins (born in Milton Keynes at the start of Feb) we would obviously very much like to have our home here to join them as we are currently being forced to stay with family. We have a wide(ish) beam boat with a fairly deep draft, what is the likely-hood of us being able to bring the boat to mk anytime soon? My partner will be calling Jeff Whyatt on Monday but from what I have read on here it seems like we may be in for a long term problem?! Starting to get quite stressed now, really could do with being able to live in our own home

 

I would have thought you'd be able to use one of the two windows (Fri 9^th – Sun 11^th March and Fri 16^th – Sun 18^th March) when the summit level will be raised temporarily. I'm sure your case constitutes an urgent need! Since the summit will be raised to normal levels during those two weekends, you shouldn't have any problem with your widebeam.

Jeff Whyatt has asked us to take our pair of boats over the summit later in the week to check whether deep drafted boats will be able to navigate when the level is kept low after the summit re-opens on 26th March.

Edited March 4, 2012 by koukouvagia

[sheriff]

im stuck....fishery lock still shut..till the ninth..will be looking to double up with anybody going to tring and across on that weekend...apparently nash mills is shut monday so a boater told me,which means if there are any northbound boats after nash mills and before fishery lock pm me,will walk from apsley marina to fishery lock tomorrow and look myself..might be some boaters waiting..

 

I thought nashmils was done and dusted..apparently it starts tomorrow and ends friday also..lots of rain here and then snow for a short period...

[Timleech]

They wouldn't want to set a precedent....

 

It's very likely that their agreements with BW give them no guarantee of the canal being available to use, in which case compensation would be technically unnecessary and straying into dubious territory. They're more likely to try to help in other ways.

 

Tim

[Alan de Enfield]

It's very likely that their agreements with BW give them no guarantee of the canal being available to use, in which case compensation would be technically unnecessary and straying into dubious territory. They're more likely to try to help in other ways.

 

Tim

 

 

Between Nov 2007 & March 2009 the Mon & Brec was closed by BW for 'Major Work' and during this period no-one could trade.

BW paid an ex-gratia payment to operators for the 2008 season - the rationale behind these payments (as stated by BW) was that the operators should be "neither better or worse off than if they had been able to trade during the period". The implementation of this policy was put into the hands of Loss Ajusters who struggled to understand the nature of the businesses and based their evaluations on the previous trading period.

 

So whilst the circumstances are not identical maybe there is already a precedent.

Edited March 4, 2012 by Alan de Enfield

[LEO]

Hi,

 

Current summit water level higher than normal, Not sure whether Marworth flight has been refilled.

 

Leo.

[classicstove]

Think it was all tghe rain we had in the area yesterday

 

Would hope the water table had been raised but suspect it made little difference

 

More rain due in the area this week

[alan_fincher]

Hi,

 

Current summit water level higher than normal, Not sure whether Marworth flight has been refilled.

 

Leo.

According to the BW men at Cow Roast yesterday, raised levels are due to water pumped in to allow movements into Bulbourne dock and/or off the Cow Roast marina slip, rather than directly due to rainfall.

 

The stop planks were removed yesterday morning, and summit level is much higher, but of course the locks at each end are still locked.

 

Photo from 29th Jan

 

 

Photo from Yesterday

 

 

Looks like a nearly 9" raising of the level from previous photos to me, so not surprising that the suggestion to take Koukouvagia's deep draughted boats across to see how the low levels affected things got abandoned!

 

The BW men on the ground are totally frustrated by not being able to get information from the BW management about their intentions, and specifically when they will want the Marsworth flight re-filled. They say it would be better to do this slowly, but expect they will actually be told to do it with the usual short notice.

 

A new boat has arrived tow-path side at Cow Roast - unless it is from the marina, I can only assume that until yesterday it was somewhere the other side of the stop planks......

Edited March 9, 2012 by alan_fincher

[koukouvagia]

Looks like a nearly 9" raising of the level from previous photos to me, so not surprising that the suggestion to take Koukouvagia's deep draughted boats across to see how the low levels affected things got abandoned!

 

 

Postponed rather than abandoned. The level will eventually go down - presumably sometime before summit opens on 26th March. We've been asked to do a test run and I'll take the butty breasted up to see if the reduced levels will be likely to restrict widebeams.

 

 

It'll be nice to do a run down from Cowroast to Bulbourne this weekend. Jules (on Towcester) is making the most of the temporary lifting of the stoppage and will be bringing much needed diesel and coal to those of us who have been trapped in since the beginning of January.

Edited March 9, 2012 by koukouvagia

[LEO]

Hi,

 

Locks off at Cowroast this am, first boat through (northbound) at about 12.30, seemed to tie up at New Ground bridge.

 

Water levels very good, BW pumping/backpumping at Cowroast.

 

Leo.

[tug-major]

Postponed rather than abandoned. The level will eventually go down - presumably sometime before summit opens on 26th March. We've been asked to do a test run and I'll take the butty breasted up to see if the reduced levels will be likely to restrict widebeams.

 

 

It'll be nice to do a run down from Cowroast to Bulbourne this weekend. Jules (on Towcester) is making the most of the temporary lifting of the stoppage and will be bringing much needed diesel and coal to those of us who have been trapped in since the beginning of January.

 

 

has any one come over it yet ??? if jules gets over will b ok all over boats !!! cos she need about 3ft 4ins

 

well thats if she not got much on .............. i hopeing to do a run up north and back if i can get over in about 3weeks time

[koukouvagia]

has any one come over it yet ??? if jules gets over will b ok all over boats !!! cos she need about 3ft 4ins

 

well thats if she not got much on .............. i hopeing to do a run up north and back if i can get over in about 3weeks time

I've just gone to Bulbourne and back. The levels are down to about -200mm after about 20 lockfuls have been drawn off the summit this weekend. I draw just over 3'. It was slow going in parts, but no real problems.

After next weekend the level will drop further. I'll report how I get on then.

Edited March 11, 2012 by koukouvagia

[BlueStringPudding]

Hi,

 

It's caused by pumping pure water (ie drinking quality) from deep chalk boreholes, BW would have to add a huge amount of chemicals to the water they have been pumping to change the water colour.

 

BW have issued an interesting up date press release outlining the problems, lock leakage accounts for very little of the actual water loss.

 

Individuals running water down from the summit caused real problems a few months ago.

 

The situation is due to be reviewed at the end of February.

 

Leo.

 

Hi Leo,

 

While moored in Northchurch we heard the same via a BW chap. It is the very clear water being pumped into the Cow Roast and Northchurch stretches that are making the water so clear. I've seen some herons makin te most of the clear view to the carp buffet too.

[LEO]

Hi Leo,

 

While moored in Northchurch we heard the same via a BW chap. It is the very clear water being pumped into the Cow Roast and Northchurch stretches that are making the water so clear. I've seen some herons makin te most of the clear view to the carp buffet too.

 

Hi,

 

Not sure if BW are backpumping up from the Dudswell pound or from the borehole, I suspect the former.

 

Water not very clear at the lock due to weather and boats going through.

 

It has not been too clear for some while which indicates the borehole is not being used.

 

Leo.

[BlueStringPudding]

Water at Northchurch has been clear as glass till at least ten days ago

[koukouvagia]

We took the boats out yesterday for the first time since the Tring Summit was closed two months ago. It was a perfect spring day. The engine started first touch of the button; there was plenty of room to moor at Bulbourne; and we were accompanied by a very tame kingfisher. There was just enough water (although it's not yet down to the level BW want at -250mm) though we had to stick rigidly to the centre of the cut.

 

level at New Ground bridge yesterday (cf' Alan's earlier photos)

 

BW has been very active over the winter tree cutting. I've never seen the summit so clear of overhanging branches. BTW there are loads of neatly sawn logs all the way along, just waiting to be gathered. Watch out, though the cut is full of prop-fouling branches and debris.

 

 

tree cutting

 

Since the level is down it's easy to see previous different attempts that have been made over the years to plug the leaks. From Bulbourne to just beyond the winding hole next to the Grand Junction Arms the canal has been lined with bricks. This must have been a huge undertaking when it was done in 1901.

 

brick lining

 

Then there are long sections where there are concrete slabs, tied together with railway lines and other sections which have have been lined with concrete. I would guess this work was done in the 1930s.

 

Yet other sections have been lined with the more modern piling and there are other places where some rather ramshackle galvanised sheeting has been used.

 

Galvanised sheeting

 

This leaves about half a mile of unlined canal where the original chalk sides of the canal are clearly visible. I suspect, although I'm no expert, that this is were most of the water is leaking from. Over the years sandbags filled with cement have plugged the worst of these gaps.

 

unlined canal

 

 

BW has dismissed as completely unthinkable and unrealistic to stop all the leaks on the summit –after all, no one has succeeded up to date. However, I would be interested to hear from the experts how much difference it would make if the existing defects – missing brickwork, cracked concrete,broken piling etc. were remedied. It might not make a difference,but someone in the past clearly thought it was worth doing.

 

one of the many obvious defects

[sheriff]

first of eight boats crossing summit saturday morning.

very slow due to branches left in cut,locks both ends shut at 1pm,problems in pounds above hemel,we decided that eight boats at hemel,should continue up to cowroast to travel at the same time two by two to converse water,

 

and the next day we all crossed togther,two boats ran aground trying to get to berko from tring,get someone on the towpath to do the locks and stay in the middle with your boat,

 

managed to shift the two stranded boats,,berko and marsworth full house..jules was moored in the dudswell pound and i informed her partner to check water level before going further down,dudswell pound normal.

 

I would imagine if the weather stays dry.Tring would be unpassable to fully laden disel boats in a few weeks..unless lots of water is pumped up from the bore.

Edited March 12, 2012 by sheriff

[Lady Muck]

first of eight boats crossing summit saturday morning.

very slow due to branches left in cut,locks both ends shut at 1pm,problems in pounds above hemel,we decided that eight boats at hemel,should continue up to cowroast to travel at the same time two by two to converse water,

 

and the next day we all crossed togther,two boats ran aground trying to get to berko from tring,get someone on the towpath to do the locks and stay in the middle with your boat,

 

managed to shift the two stranded boats,,berko and hemel full house..jules was moored in the dudswell pound and i informed her partner to check water level before going further down,dudswell pound normal.

 

I would imagine if the weather stays dry.Tring would be unpassable to fully laden disel boats in a few weeks..unless lots of water is pumped up from the bore.

 

But at least you are free though? Spare a thought for those of us left behind. Have a great trip!

[debbifiggy]

first of eight boats crossing summit saturday morning.

very slow due to branches left in cut,locks both ends shut at 1pm,problems in pounds above hemel,we decided that eight boats at hemel,should continue up to cowroast to travel at the same time two by two to converse water,

 

and the next day we all crossed togther,two boats ran aground trying to get to berko from tring,get someone on the towpath to do the locks and stay in the middle with your boat,

 

managed to shift the two stranded boats,,berko and marsworth full house..jules was moored in the dudswell pound and i informed her partner to check water level before going further down,dudswell pound normal.

 

I would imagine if the weather stays dry.Tring would be unpassable to fully laden disel boats in a few weeks..unless lots of water is pumped up from the bore.

 

 

Noticed quite a few boats about this weekend and everyone that I saw was travelling solo. The last one that I saw heading south away from the summit yesterday left a "leave empty" lock with both bottom gates closed but didn't draw a paddle so there was a full leaky lock within a very short time. Lovely weekend to be out walking and was jealous of those on the move.

 

 

D

[cazberry]

first of eight boats crossing summit saturday morning.

very slow due to branches left in cut,locks both ends shut at 1pm,problems in pounds above hemel,we decided that eight boats at hemel,should continue up to cowroast to travel at the same time two by two to converse water,

 

and the next day we all crossed togther,two boats ran aground trying to get to berko from tring,get someone on the towpath to do the locks and stay in the middle with your boat,

 

managed to shift the two stranded boats,,berko and marsworth full house..jules was moored in the dudswell pound and i informed her partner to check water level before going further down,dudswell pound normal.

 

I would imagine if the weather stays dry.Tring would be unpassable to fully laden disel boats in a few weeks..unless lots of water is pumped up from the bore.

 

I for one am really happy that you got over the summit and cant wait for Easter!! hurry up Mr. Sheriff

[jenlyn]

I for one am really happy that you got over the summit and cant wait for Easter!! hurry up Mr. Sheriff

oooooooo! i say lol