Tring Summit closure

[alan_fincher]

So do you think the stop plank groves will take the strain, surly they are designed to have the pressure on the other side trying to push them under the bridge, not out of the mouth.

The stated intention is only to drop it a foot, but we'll see!

 

I think they'd probably be fine if the dropped it completely, but looking at the brickwork on the side they need to seal against, it ain't going to seal without a bit of help is it ?

 

We met someone coming back through Berkhamsted today that thought they might get through.

 

Apparently Northchurch lock is now locked out of use.

 

The people who thought that the Bulbourne in Berkhamsted might help keep levels up need to do a rain dance! There is no water at all through the old watercress beds. They are dried out right across at the bit we looked at - not even a trickle down the middle!

 

I can't see it reopening in March if everything being said about the reservoirs is true, I'm afraid - I hope I'm wrong, though.

[MartinClark]

So do you think the stop plank groves will take the strain, surly they are designed to have the pressure on the other side trying to push them under the bridge, not out of the mouth.

 

The stop planks are in a groove. They are designed to work both ways.

 

There seem to be two half-bricks missing above the water line. If that is all then they will work fine. If there are more bricks missing below the water, they might need to stuff a few rags in the gaps!

Edited January 14, 2012 by MartinClark

[sheriff]

there are boaters today heading from bulls bridge to berko......I would imagine by the time it does open,there will be some column.....I was alway told if the grand union is closed then the oxford is open or other way round.....in this country it takes very little to shut road/rivers/railways/airports........

 

the amount of boats on the cut is getting bigger,the abuse and use lock gates take is getting worse........lock keepers would help in this...and there is plenty of MONEY to invest in the canals and rivers.

 

the goverment dont want to put the amount of money or time into doing it..........someone(important) dies in London....you dont just get a road cleaned..its replaced in 24hrs.with millons spent.

 

me and millons of other community charge payers HAD to contribute to the olympics......there's money......IM not saying you should take to the streets and protest

but you could....after all it takes very little to bring London to a halt.

 

the canals of this country are living history of britain and need to be maintained to show the world our working history still in use.after all we are also important

[koukouvagia]

It's going to take an awful lot of rain to fill these!

 

 

[LEO]

It's going to take an awful lot of rain to fill these!

 

KK,

 

Excellent pictures, judging by the established weeds on areas normally underwater the level of this particular reservoir in the Startops group has been low for some while. What are the others (including Wilstone) like?.

[mickspangle]

Why am I imagining a scene not unlike the end of the Bargee with the lock chained up and loads of boats all queued up trying to get through? That was filmed near-ish to there? (Marsworth I believe?)

 

Let's hope there's no mad lock keeper with a gun and explosives...

[Capt Ahab]

It's going to take an awful lot of rain to fill these!

 

 

Hmm think I had better come up with a plan B for the summer trip. I cant see those reservoirs filling up this winter.

[Black Ibis]

Why am I imagining a scene not unlike the end of the Bargee with the lock chained up and loads of boats all queued up trying to get through? That was filmed near-ish to there? (Marsworth I believe?)

 

Let's hope there's no mad lock keeper with a gun and explosives...

 

Jut make sure you don't knock up any lock-keeper's daughters and you'll be fine.

[jenlyn]

Hmm think I had better come up with a plan B for the summer trip. I cant see those reservoirs filling up this winter.

No need for plan b, just bring chainsaw and bolt cutters

[bizzard]

Jut make sure you don't knock up any lock-keeper's daughters and you'll be fine.

That's right Hugh Griffiths might appear and squeeze your head between his lock gates.

[davey b]

Q for a mate... is tring north or south of MK?

 

 

I might have helped lock your mate through Apsley this afternoon... Short wide beam cruiser type towing a tender at 69, 68, 67 about 3pm today?

Edited January 14, 2012 by davey b

[Savages]

I might have helped lock your mate through Apsley this afternoon... Short wide beam cruiser type towing a tender at 69, 68, 67 about 3pm today?

 

I think that was my boyfriend actually!

[jelunga]

I think that was my boyfriend actually!

Is there a difference? Mate covers a multitude of meanings!

[sheriff]

When the SONY building was set ablaze the fire service used the emergency water suppy,THE CANAL.to quench the inferno for several days......and I was informed it is a emergency water supply

 

so as the canal is noted as a emergency water supply......surely BW managers should be brought to book for investing money into there own pockets instead of the canal to maintain the emergency water supply.

 

for example berko lots of houses near the canal...more than before is the need to maintain this emergency water supply.with so much dense accomadation springing up all along the waterways..

 

can we have our money back NOW.

Edited January 15, 2012 by sheriff

[LEO]

When the SONY building was set ablaze the fire service used the emergency water suppy,THE CANAL.to quench the inferno for several days......and I was informed it is a emergency water supply

 

so as the canal is noted as a emergency water supply......surely BW managers should be brought to book for investing money into there own pockets instead of the canal to maintain the emergency water supply.

 

for example berko lots of houses near the canal...more than before is the need to maintain this emergency water supply.with so much dense accomadation springing up all along the waterways..

 

can we have our money back NOW.

 

Hi,

 

If (due to reasons beyond mere earthlings control) the water is not there, how do your suggest they maintain the supply?.

 

Last real emergency when canal water was extensively used locally was the Buncefield explosions/fire at Hemel.

 

Leo.

 

PS It does not help that the money is not there either, as I have written before if you break you payment to BW down, deducting VAT and Environmental charges there is not much to repay you with.

Edited January 15, 2012 by LEO

[sheriff]

Hi Leo .

my payment ? meant the ridiculous amount of money the management have took..SONY fire had an impact,there was boats on the river lee grounded without water below the ruddler......took photos myself..remember the big fire at Langley(total oil) next to canal on the slough arm

 

if this goverment wanted to ensure water levels i:e to maintain an emergency water supply then they would find the money from somehwere else.......for example with more and more people in the uk we need bigger reservoirs.not just to fiil the canals

 

The signs are all there.massive amounts of money, billions is need to be invested to ensure our infrasture ,to protect wildlife..our wonderfull waterways....farming etc.etc etc.

 

so that when rain arrives we have a modern system in place.the canal is simply more than just water for leisure,and this goverment needs to invest now...the uk is getting less and less rainfall....

[Water Rat.]

I walked to Marsworth from Cooks Wharf yesterday, at least I could enjoy the sunshine. I was talking with a friend who lives aboard and she said there are rumours that the intention is to close the canal up to Three Locks. Has anyone else heard this?

[bramley]

the three locks is closed at the moment I am sure I think it is for lock maintaince though

[mickspangle]

Jut make sure you don't knock up any lock-keeper's daughters and you'll be fine.

 

:-D

[LEO]

Hi Leo .

my payment ? meant the ridiculous amount of money the management have took..SONY fire had an impact,there was boats on the river lee grounded without water below the ruddler......took photos myself..remember the big fire at Langley(total oil) next to canal on the slough arm

 

if this goverment wanted to ensure water levels i:e to maintain an emergency water supply then they would find the money from somehwere else.......for example with more and more people in the uk we need bigger reservoirs.not just to fiil the canals

 

The signs are all there.massive amounts of money, billions is need to be invested to ensure our infrasture ,to protect wildlife..our wonderfull waterways....farming etc.etc etc.

 

so that when rain arrives we have a modern system in place.the canal is simply more than just water for leisure,and this goverment needs to invest now...the uk is getting less and less rainfall....

 

So how much is your payment? -- please break it down.

 

Agreed. investment needed, but really HM Gov needs only to provide a constant stream of water for drainage purposes, a workable system only benefits boaters (who actually pay very little).

 

Preserving heritage - HM Government does little to protect our heritage - consider the railways, preservation mainly funded by private schemes.

 

Increased water storage is needed - but mainly for drinking water storage purposes - the canal system could be used to move water around this overcrowded island, but fitting boats with 'grey water' holding tanks may be needed.

 

Let's face it, it's an old system, much over used by too many boats, it is heavily under funded, if I were asked to take it over on a charitable basis, I would decline the opportunity.

 

I remain,yours sincerely, sitting on the bottom @ Tring Summit,situation to be reviewed in March (which March not specified).

 

Leo.

 

PS - Why this Government? - all of HM Govs. have tried to forget the Waterways since nationalisation

Edited January 15, 2012 by LEO

[koukouvagia]

 

if this goverment wanted to ensure water levels i:e to maintain an emergency water supply then they would find the money from somehwere else.......for example with more and more people in the uk we need bigger reservoirs.not just to fiil the canals

 

 

How do you propose to raise the watertable in the Chilterns? Perhaps you should write to BW management and suggest they invest in a few cloud seeding aeroplanes . This is what the Chinese did when their own Grand Canal was restricted by drought conditions recently.

 

Let's face it. Droughts like this occur once in a hundred years. You just have to accept it.

 

I walked to Marsworth from Cooks Wharf yesterday, at least I could enjoy the sunshine. I was talking with a friend who lives aboard and she said there are rumours that the intention is to close the canal up to Three Locks. Has anyone else heard this?

 

If there is no water coming down from the summit, I suspect there's only so much that the newly refurbished Northern Engines can do by back pumping to maintain the water at lower levels.

Edited January 15, 2012 by koukouvagia

[alan_fincher]

Some more pictures from today, but, as GeoffS reports, although the planks are now in at New Ground, there is no discernible level difference.

 

Now I'm no expert on stop planks, but the way they are currently held into the grooves, I personally would expect a great deal of leakage if they do start lowering on the Northward side of them.

 

Some pictures from today....

 

Stop planks at New Ground Bridge, looking south. (I'm stood on the side to be lowered, the bit beyond the planks the level is meant to be retained. Whole summit currently about 9" off normal maximum.

 

 

The planks, (sorry all taken on a phone I'm unfamiliar with, so detail is not great)

 

 

Very depleted Startopsend Reservoir - more like a beach than a reservoir).

 

 

Bottom pound at Marsworth 7, looking North towards bottom lock. Looks very different to usual, as usually it is lined both sides with mostly live-aboard boats. Level currently about 18" down.

 

 

Same pound looking South up the flight. Again this is normally full of boats, at least on the right hand side.

 

 

Pound below the top Marsworth lock, looking North - the most depleted pound today, about 2 foot down at the moment.

 

 

Same pound looking North towards top lock, and Jem Bate's dry dock - now cut off from his customers.

 

 

Boats still in the summit at Bulbourne works. I presume it is thought they can stay here ? Despite the Narrowboatworld article, levels are only a maximum of 9" down, the same as at Cow Roasts, with the planks at New Ground currently doing nothing useful.

 

 

There are currently no planks at the end of the Wendover Arm, so, if it stays like this, if the main summit is dropped, so will the Wendover Arm be.

 

EDITED TO ADD:

 

The BW patrol boat "Verulam" is one of those trapped in a Bulbourne. So that will not be doing much "patrolling" for a bit.........

Edited January 15, 2012 by alan_fincher

[sheriff]

How do you propose to raise the watertable in the Chilterns? Perhaps you should write to BW management and suggest they invest in a few cloud seeding aeroplanes . This is what the Chinese did when their own Grand Canal was restricted by drought conditions recently.

 

Let's face it. Droughts like this occur once in a hundred years. You just have to accept it.

 

 

 

If there is no water coming down from the summit, I suspect there's only so much that the newly refurbished Northern Engines can do by back pumping to maintain the water at lower levels.

me I could just buy another nb up north and that solves my problems...one up north and one down here...

[LEO]

Some more pictures from today, but, as GeoffS reports, although the planks are now in at New Ground, there is no discernible level difference.

 

Now I'm no expert on stop planks, but the way they are currently held into the grooves, I personally would expect a great deal of leakage if they do start lowering on the Northward side of them.

 

 

Good pics Alan, hopefully the water on the Southern, (Cowroast side) of the stop planks will increase as they raise the level and the the boats will start to float.

 

As of this morning the pump at Cowroast was not running.

 

Mike

[jenlyn]

very good pics, but am gutted