Basingstoke Update

[Leo No2]

There's been a lot of work undertaken recently (and still be undertaken) to return the Basingstoke to a navigable state.

 

I have attempted to document things as they happen over the last few weeks on my blog so rather than rewrite everything I'll do my best to keep my blog up-to-date.

 

There are a few non-Basingstoke things on the blog I am afraid but there's still a good Basingstoke story there.

[tafelberg]

Great blog!

 

Thank you

[Tonka]

Wasted money on fitting speed camera's

Let us get the canal open

[the grinch]

Wasted money on fitting speed camera's

 

????

 

as for the bar in the middle of the canal that is most definately a waste of time. BW fitted safety gates on the BCN in the 80's and have since found that they are almost impossible to use due to silt covering them.

[Tonka]

This quote taken from Basingstoke Canal Authority latest newsletter.

 

"In case anyone is wondering what the purpose of

the four boxes that have appeared at Pablo’s Folly

in Woodham is, they are a system for counting

boats and monitoring their speed. They have been

paid for by Natural England. Let’s hope they actually

have the chance to do some counting!

A similar counter is being installed in Hampshire

next to Tundrey Pond.

Perhaps more usefully, equipment to enable water

levels on the canal to be monitored remotely is also

to be installed. This will be used, amongst other

Monitoring

things, to control the back-pumping systems more

efficiently."

[the grinch]

thanks. so do you get a £60 fine and 3 points for 5MPH?

[Leo No2]

This quote taken from Basingstoke Canal Authority latest newsletter.

 

"In case anyone is wondering what the purpose of

the four boxes that have appeared at Pablo’s Folly

in Woodham is, they are a system for counting

boats and monitoring their speed. They have been

paid for by Natural England. Let’s hope they actually

have the chance to do some counting!

A similar counter is being installed in Hampshire

next to Tundrey Pond.

Perhaps more usefully, equipment to enable water

levels on the canal to be monitored remotely is also

to be installed. This will be used, amongst other

Monitoring

things, to control the back-pumping systems more

efficiently."

I think you will find that was in the Basingstoke Canal News which is the magazine of Surrey and Hampshire Canal Society - the BCA are not renowned for their communications ability.

[Tonka]

but the waste of money is true. Speed cameras on an abandened canal. What a joke

[Leo No2]

but the waste of money is true. Speed cameras on an abandened canal. What a joke

An abandoned canal - I think not. Why would the Counties invest such huge sums of yours and my money (and continue to do so) in something that you describe as abandoned I wonder? The 'speed cameras' as you call them were paid for by Natural England (English Nature). There have been boat counters previously - I expect the modern technology allows for counting and speed checking.

[Tonka]

The counties are trying to reduce their spending. Clearly you have not completed Surrey CC survey with ref to planning on the Canal

[Leo No2]

I really don't know why you are being so negative about the work that's going on - this will be my last response I suspect to your rather silly comments.

[GUMPY]

So what are the chances of it being open next year and how far?

Would love to get to the tunnel again, havent been there for over 12years

[Leo No2]

So what are the chances of it being open next year and how far?

Would love to get to the tunnel again, havent been there for over 12years

Byfleet Boat Club (BBC - the other one) are intending to 'cruise' to Brookwood (proper) i.e. above Brookwood top lock between Christmas and New Year and then tackle Deepcut at Easter (it's very early this year). I suspect the Basingstoke Canal Authority (BCA) will place some restrictions on boat movements (Day of Week and/or numbers) and I expect there will be some kind of booking process but I hold out great hope that we'll see a number of boats to the 'top' (i.e. as far as the tunnel (King John's Castle)) but the BCA and the two Counties (Surrey and Hampshire) are so non-commital at the moment it makes predicting their stance extremely difficult but BBC will keep the pressure on.

[MtB]

An abandoned canal - I think not.

 

How many boats a week use it then?

 

It would be great for it to be back in use again. My best canal cruise EVER was in Autumn from New Haw to Brookwood and back again a few years ago. Was the spookiest thing to be cruising in what seemed like isolated countryside when I knew we were never more than a few hundred yards from bustling Surrey civilisation. Spookiest thing of all was the rangers shadowing us. They appeared out of nowhere each time we approached a lock, unchained it, waited for us to pass then chained it up again after us. CREEEPY or what!!!

 

Must do it again.....

 

Mike

[GUMPY]

Oh goody!

 

For me its possibly the best canal in the country.

 

I remember one year when it was closed being given free use of a cruiser that moored on the summit on the condition that i did multiple passes on the boat counter to confuse the checkers......

[Leo No2]

How many boats a week use it then?

 

Must do it again.....

 

Mike

There's about one boat a week up to Brookwood Country Park - not exactly Piccadilly Circus I know but it keeps things turning over. We have had a number of Guildford hire boats. We had nine boats to Brookwood Country Park over Easter this year and there are always boats moving on the top two pounds with at least four trip boats and there is, of course, the Galleon Marine hire fleet as well. The canal is open (despite best attempts by some to say it is closed) between Woodham Junction (River Wey) and Brookwood bottom lock and between Deepcut Top Lock (28) and King John's Castle so it's only the Brookwood three, Brookwood Pound and Deepcut that's closed. Brookwood will be finished next week I expect, there's Brookwood Pound to deal with (off-side bank is somewhat overgrown) and Deepcut to reopen but as per the posts on my blog it's being re-watered now (and I really mean now). In my mind I've given them until Easter (end of March-2013) to deal with any issues that they will inevitably find and then hopefully we'll get some boats to the top - by then I hope the BCA will have a process for booking (and I think it needs to be that sort of process because there's still a distinct lack of water which has plagued the Basingstoke since it was built) and there will be opportunity for all to explore it. We need to keep it open - that's the big issue and I can assure everyone that Basingstoke Canal Boating Club, Byfleet Boat Club, IWA and Surrey and Hampshire Canal Society are putting a huge amount of effort into that.

 

Sorry it was meant to be a short answer but .........

[MtB]

There's about one boat a week up to Brookwood Country Park - not exactly Piccadilly Circus I know but it keeps things turning over. We have had a number of Guildford hire boats. We had nine boats to Brookwood Country Park over Easter this year and there are always boats moving on the top two pounds with at least four trip boats and there is, of course, the Galleon Marine hire fleet as well. The canal is open (despite best attempts by some to say it is closed) between Woodham Junction (River Wey) and Brookwood bottom lock and between Deepcut Top Lock (28) and King John's Castle so it's only the Brookwood three, Brookwood Pound and Deepcut that's closed. Brookwood will be finished next week I expect, there's Brookwood Pound to deal with (off-side bank is somewhat overgrown) and Deepcut to reopen but as per the posts on my blog it's being re-watered now (and I really mean now). In my mind I've given them until Easter (end of March-2013) to deal with any issues that they will inevitably find and then hopefully we'll get some boats to the top - by then I hope the BCA will have a process for booking (and I think it needs to be that sort of process because there's still a distinct lack of water which has plagued the Basingstoke since it was built) and there will be opportunity for all to explore it. We need to keep it open - that's the big issue and I can assure everyone that Basingstoke Canal Boating Club, Byfleet Boat Club, IWA and Surrey and Hampshire Canal Society are putting a huge amount of effort into that.

 

Sorry it was meant to be a short answer but .........

 

 

Interestink!

 

I nearly went to have a look at the Deepcut locks again on my way home from Tooting tonight, but the traffic was godawful so I didn't.

 

I'm looking for a new mooring for Aldebaran (68ft) as from 1st October. Any marinas on the Basingstoke I could try?

 

(Sorry, too much Muscadet, already )

 

 

Mike

[Leo No2]

Interestink!

 

I nearly went to have a look at the Deepcut locks again on my way home from Tooting tonight, but the traffic was godawful so I didn't.

 

I'm looking for a new mooring for Aldebaran (68ft) as from 1st October. Any marinas on the Basingstoke I could try?

 

(Sorry, too much Muscadet, already )

 

 

Mike

There's nothing at the moment on the Basingstoke but Pyrford on the Wey have recently expanded and I believe there's room there.

[MtB]

There's nothing at the moment on the Basingstoke but Pyrford on the Wey have recently expanded and I believe there's room there.

 

Dare I say I'm not surprised there is room there...

 

From their website:

 

MOORINGS AFLOAT – STANDARD BERTH

Yearly Marina Mooring for annual in advance payment (per Metre): £250.00/M

Per Year

 

That makes £5,250 a year for Aldebaran

 

I'm having a sense of humour failure here.......

[Leo No2]

Dare I say I'm not surprised there is room there...

 

From their website:

 

MOORINGS AFLOAT – STANDARD BERTH

Yearly Marina Mooring for annual in advance payment (per Metre): £250.00/M

Per Year

 

That makes £5,250 a year for Aldebaran

 

I'm having a sense of humour failure here.......

I knew there was a reason I didn't put mine there......

[MtB]

I knew there was a reason I didn't put mine there......

 

Ok I'll compromise.

 

Can you suggest some marinas or online moorings on the Wey that are cheaper then?

 

 

Mike

[Tim]

How many boats a week use it then?

 

It would be great for it to be back in use again. My best canal cruise EVER was in Autumn from New Haw to Brookwood and back again a few years ago. Was the spookiest thing to be cruising in what seemed like isolated countryside when I knew we were never more than a few hundred yards from bustling Surrey civilisation. Spookiest thing of all was the rangers shadowing us. They appeared out of nowhere each time we approached a lock, unchained it, waited for us to pass then chained it up again after us. CREEEPY or what!!!

 

Must do it again.....

 

Mike

 

Was on the John Pinkerton Sunday last from Odiham to KJC, met 2 Galleon Marine boats and the boat from the four seasons!! Never seen it so busy.

[MtB]

Was on the John Pinkerton Sunday last from Odiham to KJC, met 2 Galleon Marine boats and the boat from the four seasons!! Never seen it so busy.

 

Where DID they find the water??!

[Leo No2]

A couple of pictures of the Easter Trip just in case anyone doesn't believe we did go there.

 

Leo No2, Orion's Wey, Nancy Bell and Zavala in Brookwood Country Park. Nancy Bell is the late Nancy Larcombe's old boat nicely 'restored' by Dick King - not sure about the Pram Hood - it's just not my style but am sure others would be happy with it.

 

 

Aqua Vitae and ThatWey descending St John's flight on Easter Sunday morning

 

 

Edited to fix some early morning typos

Edited September 29, 2012 by Leo No2

[the grinch]

 

 

Aqua Vitae and ThatWey descending St John's flight on Easter Sunday morning

 

 

 

 

it must be 30 years since I've seen that lock from that angle! mind you it didn't have any water then!!