Llangollen Breach

[dor]

It appears that a major breach has occured above Hurleston Locks.

 

This from Narrowboatworld (Thanks Tom):

 

Breach closes Llangollen Canal

A MAJOR breach yesterday (Sunday) on the Llangollen Canal has closed the waterway above Hurleston Locks.

 

The engineers on the scene have estimated that repairs to the breach will take four weeks.

 

The breach in between Stoneley Green Bridge 10 and Greenfield Bridge 13, around three miles above Hurleston, and was caused by a collapsed culvert, with 15th feet of towpath being swept away.

 

There is now no access allowed to the Llangollen through Hurleston Locks off the Shropshire Union Canal, and British Waterways say there will be no access for boats through Grindley Brook Staircase on the other side of the breach, though there is a winding hole nearer the breach at Thomason's Bridge 22.

 

The Llangollen supplies water to Hurleston Reservoir, and as in the past, repairs will be treated with urgency.

[waterdog]

Hi Dor,

 

More info please,

 

We have a week booked on the langollen out of whitchurch starting on the 18th (a week on sunday).

I don't know the area that well, but is the section between grindley brook locks and langollen town still ok, from what you say I think whitchurch is on the "good" side of the breach, am i right?

 

 

stuart,

[Liam]

Copied and pasted from waterscape.com...

 

 

Stoppage:

Emergency Closure of Llangollen between Grange Bridge 13 & Swanley Green Bridge 10 until further notice

Due to a collapsed culvert it has been necessary to close the canal between bridge 13 Grange Bridge and bridge 10 Swanley Green Bridge. The public footpath is closed between bridge 12 Halls Lane Bridge and bridge 10 Swanley Green Bridge. No craft is permitted passage down through Grindley Brook Locks. No access is allowed from the Shropshire Union Canal onto the Llangollen Canal. Further updates to follow. British Waterways would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused. (Enquiries: 01606 723800)

[waterdog]

Just phoned the hire base at whitchurch, no problems from there to langollen itself just cant get to the shropshire and vice versa.

 

Panic over,

 

Stuart

Edited June 5, 2006 by waterdog

[khaffra]

Just phoned the hire base at whitchurch, no problems from there to langollen itself just cant get to the shropshire and vice versa.

 

Panic over,

 

Stuart

As long as your hire boat was that side of the breach when it happened?

A week is quite a long while in that short section.

[waterdog]

As long as your hire boat was that side of the breach when it happened?

 

A week is quite a long while in that short section.

 

 

 

Doh ! Never thought of that, if it is we might have to do the shroppie instead.

 

 

that was the idea, a nice quiet relaxing week, last time we did the stourport ring in a week and felt it was just a little bit too much. My wife wants to do the aqueducts on the langollen and it does sound like a good relaxing trip but to be honest I dont really care where we go, I just want a week on a boat.

 

Stuart

Edited June 5, 2006 by waterdog

[Ian Davey]

Oh well back to the planning!

 

Was going to do the Llangollen in about 3 weeks time while on the Four Counties Ring, been looking forward to this for the past 9 months, now this. Will now probably do the Four Counties and include a trip up the Macc and Peak Forest Canals.

 

 

Ian

[kawaton]

Going from new mills to llangollen in 3 weeks and 5 days.

 

Due to reach Hurleston 4 weeks tomorrow

 

hmmm, guess it's fingers crossed

[Stephen Fulcher]

Thats bad - I was personally surprised at the amount of traffic going over Hursleton last week, so I guess a fair few boats will be stranded the wrong side.

[Paula]

I believe Saturn (the restored/rebuilt fly boat) is the wrong side of the breach. She was meant to be going to the IWA rally at Ellesmere Boat Museum on 24th June.

 

Paula XX

[mikevye]

An obvious diversion would be the monty to extend anyones trip but with the locks at frankton only open between 12 and 2 and restricted to 6 boats up/6 boats down anyone thinking ahead would book now with fingers crossed. PS they sometimes forget to tell you that you have to book to get out as well as in. Colin is one of the most helpful and knowledgable lock keepers on the system but woe betied any boater who trys to bend or flout the rules. Book now.

[dor]

UPDATE from Waterscape:

 

UPDATE AS AT 07/06/06: Following our initial investigations, repair works have now commenced to renew a section of the damaged culvert with teams scheduled to work dawn till dusk. We anticipate that full navigation will be reopened by Friday 16th June 2006. This completion date is earlier than the original expected time scale of 2-4 weeks. A further update will be available on Tuesday 13/06/06. British Waterways would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused. (Enquiries: 01606 723800)

[Pirate]

An obvious diversion would be the monty to extend anyones trip but with the locks at frankton only open between 12 and 2 and restricted to 6 boats up/6 boats down anyone thinking ahead would book now with fingers crossed. PS they sometimes forget to tell you that you have to book to get out as well as in. Colin is one of the most helpful and knowledgable lock keepers on the system but woe betied any boater who trys to bend or flout the rules. Book now.

 

I`ve just been down the Monty and was told that for hire boaters the locks are now open all day (I think it was 10 till 5pm) but it`s normal times for live aboards and live aboards still have to book??? Theres certainly more boats down there than usual

[Liam]

Hi Pirate,

 

Was there any mention of private boat owners on their annual 2 week holiday or whatever?

 

I've been told that friends of ours are on the Llangollen somewhere, and will be trapped on the "wrong" side due to this stoppage. They were only supposed to be out for 2 weeks.

[Pirate]

Hi Pirate,

 

Was there any mention of private boat owners on their annual 2 week holiday or whatever?I've been told that friends of ours are on the Llangollen somewhere, and will be trapped on the "wrong" side due to this stoppage. They were only supposed to be out for 2 weeks.

 

No sorry thats all I heard my boats being fitted out down there and its unusually quite busy, even lots of weed has been pulled down with the boats too.

 

I`m afraid all I was told was that locals still have to book and keep to the times but hire boats can pass. If I find out anymore I`ll let you know

[bottle]

From Narrowboat World open again the end of next week (16 June)

[Diane]

I`ve just been down the Monty and was told that for hire boaters the locks are now open all day (I think it was 10 till 5pm) but it`s normal times for live aboards and live aboards still have to book??? Theres certainly more boats down there than usual

 

Please tell me this can't be true?!! That would make no sense at all!!

 

 

PS Are you having your boat fitted out by Barry Tuffin by any chance? Think your boat is along side ours on their website http://www.maesburymarineservices.co.uk/progress.html Our boat is "Hakuna Matata"

 

Xxx

 

 

Well the rumour is true! I've just spoken to British Waterways & the locks will be open fron 9am-5pm until Sunday when it will be assessed again. It is supposed to be just for Hire Boats but I was told "if your boat is there the lockkeeper will let you through" Just hope someone has told Colin that?!

 

 

Seems crazy but there you go.

 

 

Xxx

[Pirate]

Please tell me this can't be true?!! That would make no sense at all!!

PS Are you having your boat fitted out by Barry Tuffin by any chance? Think your boat is along side ours on their website http://www.maesburymarineservices.co.uk/progress.html Our boat is "Hakuna Matata"

 

Xxx

Well the rumour is true! I've just spoken to British Waterways & the locks will be open fron 9am-5pm until Sunday when it will be assessed again. It is supposed to be just for Hire Boats but I was told "if your boat is there the lockkeeper will let you through" Just hope someone has told Colin that?!

Seems crazy but there you go.

Xxx

 

Yes you are exactly right about my boat being next to yours, he (Barry) tells me you may be down weekend so maybe I`ll get to meet you as I`m there on Saturday

 

all the best

[GRPCruiserman]

I`ve just been down the Monty and was told that for hire boaters the locks are now open all day (I think it was 10 till 5pm) but it`s normal times for live aboards and live aboards still have to book??? Theres certainly more boats down there than usual

 

What about if you own your boat but don't live on it? Are you not allowed down at all?

 

This is totally unfair and one stepaway from priorities at locks for certain boats. Next you'll be able to buy a 'high speed' licence that allows you to jump all the queues at locks.

 

This is the thin edge of the wedge, next it'll be if your boat is shiny then it has priority! Just another example of squeezing the little man out.

 

Why not just open the locks at 10, close them at 5 and let eveyone go through in order of arrival. Why do the locks haveto be manned anyway? There are plenty of staircases that are open for use around the system, including on The Llangollen, so why have these locks manned??

 

Who thinks these ideas up? Obviously not a boat owner.

 

[DHutch]

... Next you'll be able to buy a 'high speed' licence that allows you to jump all the queues at locks.

Roll on "BW Oneday FastTrack Tickets" and the like

[dor]

The Problem with Frankton Locks, which is a flight incidently rather than a staircase, is the short, narrow pounds which means it needs careful management. The second issue is that English Nature have decreed that this canal is not really for boats as it has a couple of rare plants in it.

 

Now I am a firm believer of "canals are for boats", and I have nothing but sympathy for the people that worked hard to restore this canal, only to have English Nature try and take it over. It amazes me that people are still prepared to volunteer on the on-going restoration of other parts of the canal.

 

Much of the land the canal runs through is not particularly good quality agricultural land, so I would have thought the obvious thing to do would be to dig a wide ditch along the offside of the canal, and transfer the wildlife to that. It could then remain undisturbed by boats or people.

 

English Nature operate like an uncontrolled mafia at times, and whilst I would support their aims at helping to maintain the environment for the benefit of wildlife, at times they seem very short-sighted and narrow-minded, and they seem to have the power to overrule just about anyone.

 

This latest idea that private boaters will be severely restricted, but hire boaters will be let through is to me sheer madness. What next?

[Hairy-Neil]

Why do the locks haveto be manned anyway? There are plenty of staircases that are open for use around the system, including on The Llangollen, so why have these locks manned??

 

Who thinks these ideas up? Obviously not a boat owner.

 

 

Its all because its an SSSI. Boat movements have to be restricted to apease the conservationists

[mikevye]

Frankton locks are unique in design the second lock from the top holding more water than the first. If a degree of overfill is not provided when going down the unaware could bottom out in the second lock. Where experienced boaters may feel competant enough to overfill would they know how much/how long? In the event a very experienced lockeeper does this FOC for all. In the efforts to conserve water No 4 lock should always be filled before emptying No3. This prevents overfill in the basin and loss of water through the overflow prior to No 4. No this is one set of locks left to the experts I'm afraid.

[Philip]

To anyone who is based on the Shroppie, has it been busy these last few days because of the limited choice of routes available because of the Llangollen situation?

 

We're have a long short break starting on Thursday night/Friday morning and returning late on Sunday night and we're going to go up towards Norbury. Has it been busier because of the Llangollen breach, have there been any queues for the locks this week?

[Ian Davey]

Good News.

 

Taken from Waterscape

 

Stoppage: Update of Emergency Closure of Llangollen between Grange Bridge 13 & Swanley Green Bridge 10

13/06/06 UPDATE: It has been confirmed that from 12noon on Friday 16th June 2006 the canal will be fully navigable and both Grindley Brook and Hurleston Locks will be operating as normal. British Waterways would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused. Due to a collapsed culvert it has been necessary to close the canal between bridge 13 Grange Bridge and bridge 10 Swanley Green Bridge. The public footpath is closed between bridge 12 Halls Lane Bridge and bridge 10 Swanley Green Bridge. No craft is permitted passage down through Grindley Brook Locks. No access is allowed from the Shropshire Union Canal onto the Llangollen Canal. Further updates to follow. UPDATE AS AT 07/06/06: Following our initial investigations, repair works have now commenced to renew a section of the damaged culvert with teams scheduled to work dawn till dusk. We anticipate that full navigation will be reopened by Friday 16th June 2006. This completion date is earlier than the original expected time scale of 2-4 weeks. A further update will be available on Tuesday 13/06/06. (Enquiries: 01606 723800)

 

 

Ian