Boat sinking

[starman]

This is NOT good news. there have been a number of incidents where the response from CaRT has differed from what one would have expected from BW.

Just my impression over the past two/three weeks.

 

Good news that once again local boaters saved the day.

 

Hope no major damage or contamination.

 

Martyn

 

I'm not sure I quite understand this comment: it suggests that all the BW staff have gone out one door and CaRT people have come in another one. All I've seen around the place is the same people in new tee-shirts - and of course the same bosses that we always complain about. Can someone explain what the changes actually mean?

[MtB]

I'm not sure I quite understand this comment: it suggests that all the BW staff have gone out one door and CaRT people have come in another one. All I've seen around the place is the same people in new tee-shirts - and of course the same bosses that we always complain about. Can someone explain what the changes actually mean?

 

My understanding is the whole CaRT thing was conceived by the govt so they could stop subsidising BW by £75m a year. The paln is that the charity (CaRT) raises this money itself by fundraising from the general public.

 

Hence the loss of interest in boaters' issues and the sudden courting of of walkers, nature lovers, cyclists etc. Boaters' contributions (licence, mooring charges etc) being compulsory not optional.

 

 

Mike

[bizzard]

A few years ago BW and probably the local counsel totally wasted a fortune here in B.Stortfort, they'd decided to enhance the stretch of river from Southmill lock to the town centre, with better towpaths, moorings ect. It was ridiculous, contractors all over the place, diggers, machines, a constant stream of dump lorries carting spoil away, cutting all the trees down, painting the sanitory station door,big deal, they didn't fix the busted door lock though i did a botch on that for nowt and its still like it, installing a self pumpout machine which never works properly, indeed i'm told its out of action at the moment.

They were at it for a number of weeks and then suddenly all work stopped. They suddenly decided to treat the Stort as a remainder waterway and abandoned the whole operation. Needless to say everything has reverted back to how it was, trees and bushes all flourishing again, moorings in a mess, wooden fendering along the moorings all rotten falling apart and drifting away, its a job to find the mooring rings now for weeds and nettles.

A total washout and a massive waste of money.

[Nightwatch]

I'm not sure I quite understand this comment: it suggests that all the BW staff have gone out one door and CaRT people have come in another one. All I've seen around the place is the same people in new tee-shirts - and of course the same bosses that we always complain about. Can someone explain what the changes actually mean?

My post wasn't to suggest that BW people have walked and CaRT have arrived.

 

What I am suggesting is that the priorities of CaRT differs from that of the BW 'organisation'.

 

Having now seen the alledged boat in the lock on it's side, I think and only that, that the CaRT chaps on site commented that the owners ought to get their insurance company to authorise the major task of removing this boat. In which case I would agree, as should everyone pay towards it's removal through our contributions.

 

Incidentally, how quickly can insurance companies give the go ahead for such incidents?

 

Is it not CaRT's priority to get the waterway cleared and usable?

 

 

Martyn

 

edit to add. Just logged on this morning and have read anther thread asking very similar questions. So I am not alone with my thoughts.

Edited August 3, 2012 by Nightwatch

[MartinClark]

It got the stern stuck on the cill how bad is this the new CRT engineers took one look at the boat and said let the insurance sort it so my uncle just told me that a group of boaters have pumped it up

 

You might be interested to hear the official C&RT version of events, which differs slightly from the above version:

 

“We were made aware of a sunken craft at lock 58 (Top Lock) on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal on Tuesday afternoon.

 

“Canal & River Trust staff are working with specialists contractors to assist the craft to safety.”

 

“We were looking at the possibility of craning the boat out but we managed to get it the right way up and the water’s being let back into the lock which is lifting the boat up and we are going to pump the water out.

 

“What we thought was a really, really big job, with the contractors and our waterways staff, we have managed to work out.

 

“We had to close a section of the canal from the Top Lock.”

 

“Safety is paramount to the Trust and we try to advise boaters on how to use the locks in a safe manner.

 

“Incidents like this are very rare and we are relieved that nobody was hurt.”

 

From Lancashire Evening Post website.

[Nightwatch]

I am/was interested to hear what actually happened, in the end, once contractors were brought in.

 

It may be, as mentioned elsewhere, that CaRT employees are in some cases a little de-motivated in the changes that are taking place.

 

To manage change is a specialist skill. Perhaps this is not, as yet, spread through out the new company and it's employees.

 

Good job well done, so far.

 

Martyn

[Timleech]

Last week (or was it the week before) I watched a CaRT crew trying to rehang the top gate on lock 90 on the Rochdale with the aid of a small hydraulic car jack and several lumps of timber. They didn't succeed!

 

That can be all the equipment that's needed, if you're lucky.

 

Tim

[MartinClark]

I am/was interested to hear what actually happened, in the end, once contractors were brought in.

 

I made no comment as to which version of events was more accurate!

[Nightwatch]

I made no comment as to which version of events was more accurate!

Okay, if you want. Did I say you did?

 

 

Martyn

[MartinClark]

Okay, if you want. Did I say you did?

 

No, but you said you were "interested to hear what actually happened" which seemed to be suggesting that you thought that perhaps the official version, which I had quoted, was what had actually happened.

 

It may well have been. Or it may have just been the official line and the version about local boaters sorting it out may have been the true one. I wasn't there, so I have no way of knowing. That was all that I was saying.

 

Nothing to see - move along, please...

Edited August 3, 2012 by MartinClark

[John Holden]

That can be all the equipment that's needed, if you're lucky.

 

Tim

 

They weren't, it took about a week to get permission to close the road to get a crane on the job