Escape from Aylesbury

[LEO]

Hi,

 

I drove by the basin this morning and activity around a large crane suggests that boats are being lifted out.

 

They may be being relaunched at Watford or Bletchley.

 

Leo.

[PiRSqwared]

At CaRT's expense?

[matty40s]

Hopefully D&V will be along later to confirm. their new boat is stranded in there.

[LEO]

Hi,

 

Not sure who is picking up the tab, but craning in and out plus travelling makes for an expensive job..... bur people will do anything to get out of Aylesbury.

 

L.

[BEngo]

CaRT are organising it and paying for it, as they have done in similar circumstances in the past. There's quite a few boats- more than at an ACS lift. I won't say where the lift-in is so as to not generate a load of spectators getting under everyone's feet, but it's not either of Leo's suggestions.

 

N

[KevMc]

Doesn't tell us any more than we already know I guess

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-22165326

[GUMPY]

Typical that the first boats to be craned out according to the Gazzette was Brentford!

[BEngo]

It wouldn't need to go far to get to the crane would it!

 

N

[DandV]

Was advised that this is to be a low profile operation, hence the lack of posting details. Arrived London Wednesday, Boarded our boat Friday and have spent the last few days familiarising ourselves as to where things are, stowing our gear, and replacing picture hooks with coat hooks. We were presented with our Aylesbury Canal Society membership cards on arrival and have enjoyed the convivial surroundings since. 22? boats total involved in the crane and carry operation ,with Whio, no not WH10, due commence her first voyage, (as a motorhome!!) tomorrow at 0930. Love the boat. Had difficulty arranging insurance meeting an almost universal refusal to insure non UK residents, until Googling our requirement rapidly led to a solution. Lebara prepay phone cards give calls to NZ and Australia at 2p a minute! enabling us to resolve some banking and tenancy issues without breaking the bank. Heading north with the intention, as from midmorning today to catch up with Auckland friends on the Llangollen who had unbeknown to either party booked a hire boat there to coincide with our intentions. Thanks to Cart, and the ACS for organising what so far has been a very professional operation.

 

Don & Val

Whio

Edited April 16, 2013 by DandV

[adam1uk]

Some photos on this blog ( for those who don't find blogs boring): http://nbgecko.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/escape-from-aylesbury.html

[DandV]

We were advised that it was desired that was a low profile operation hence the lack of posts.

Yes we arrived in cold London early Wednesday morning and were delivered to Whio (no not WH10) in the Aylesbury basin Friday lunch time.

We have been made most welcome by the Aylesbury Canal Society with our membership cards awaiting our arrival. Insurance bought an unexpected problem with most insurers restricting cover to UK residents only however with the help of Google it has been resolved.

We are settling in, stowing our gear, and finding out how things work and have spent three very comfortable nights onboard with the eberspacher getting a bit of a work out though. Our lebara prepaid card gives calls to NZ and Aus at only 2p a minute which has been useful resolving some banking issues getting our money tranfered to the vendor. The crane and carry operation with 11 boats transported today, 22? total has gone smoothly no doubt due to work and cooperation between the society and CaRT. We are very grateful. An early start tomorrow as we re-stow our equipment yachting style for our first voyage, As a motorhome! Once on the water we are heading northeast and this morning we were advised friends from Auckland had booked a hire boat on the Llangollan mid May which coincides with our plans! We will, internet permitting, post more often now so hope to catch up with more of you.

 

Don & Val

Whio

 

Sorry the post disappeared so reposted to have it turn up.

Don

Edited April 16, 2013 by DandV

[jake_crew]

Thanks for that DandV.

 

;-)

[alan_fincher]

Typical that the first boats to be craned out according to the Gazzette was Brentford!

 

Well "Brentford" came South past Cheddington today, so I think we can be fairly confident that the "secret" crane in site is North of there.

 

(He was clearly in a hurry to escape, our boats were buffeted together more than by any other passing boat whilst I was on board.)

 

EDITED TO ADD:

 

Well that blog says Willowbridge, which I would count as Bletchley, so I'm confused now!

Edited April 16, 2013 by alan_fincher

[Dekazer]

CRT tweeted a few photos earlier - if you look back through their timeline you should see.

 

They may have facebooked too but I don't go on their often.

 

Glad you all made it out ok

[Ray]

I wonder how many lorries would be needed to move 12 boats from Aylesbury to (say) Willowbridge with the chance of getting more than one journey out of each lorry in a day? However, other than Cooks Wharf, I'm at a loss to suggest anywhere else where the boats could be craned back in and Cooks Wharf is far from ideal from a road access point of view I would have thought.

 

How long does it take to load a boat onto a lorry, secure it and replace lorry one with lorry two ready for the next cycle to begin? Is an hour excessive?

[DandV]

I wonder how many lorries would be needed to move 12 boats from Aylesbury to (say) Willowbridge with the chance of getting more than one journey out of each lorry in a day? However, other than Cooks Wharf, I'm at a loss to suggest anywhere else where the boats could be craned back in and Cooks Wharf is far from ideal from a road access point of view I would have thought.

 

How long does it take to load a boat onto a lorry, secure it and replace lorry one with lorry two ready for the next cycle to begin? Is an hour excessive?

Three lorries were used but one made only one trip due to a tyre failure. As each lorry left the next boat was positioned and the slings placed and tensioned waiting for the next lorry to arrive. Lift out and placement took only a very few minutes. In the end today they could have moved more boats had any more been prepped and ready. By mid afternoon the return time for each lorry appeared to be about 1.5hrs.

 

Don

[Ray]

That's pretty impressive as the journey time between the two has to be around 30 minutes for a car. You have to add at least another 5-10 minutes to that because its a lorry, especially passing through Wing eastbound with the 90º turn there. Chuck in at least 5 minutes at each end to enter/leave & position the lorry and there's barely time to load or unload

 

I wonder of CRT will take the opportunity to attend to the several other things along the arm which tend to see it closed for a couple of months each winter and will the returning boats (in August) go back where they were or to the proposed new base at Aylesbury?

[bigcol]

i can confirm all the boats are being taken here Willowbridge marina Bletchley for relaunching

being done over 2 days yesterday and today,

 

carlt has organised it. Tuckys are doing rhe transport, and using their own mobile crane

 

An area is caldrened off at willowbridge for this operation and will continue through out today

 

Col

Edited April 17, 2013 by bigcol

[alan_fincher]

I had no idea carlt was involved!

[matty40s]

Wish i'd known earlier, what a fantastic timelapse film it would have made.

[BEngo]

SNIP

 

I wonder of CRT will take the opportunity to attend to the several other things along the arm which tend to see it closed for a couple of months each winter and will the returning boats (in August) go back where they were or to the proposed new base at Aylesbury?

The new Aylesbury Canal Society facility at Circus Field basin is expected to open in late June. Returning ACS moorers should go to their new moorings there.

 

 

N

[Doorman]

Doesn't tell us any more than we already know I guess

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-22165326

Interesting photograph of the collapsed lock. I recall one forum member commenting about the effects of leaving a lock full for long periods and how the surrounding earth becomes sodden and unstable. Could this have been the cause here?

[bigcol]

getting tired of it!!

 

Some of these boats being relaunched

 

they must be desperate to get back, weve had some pompous twats going past.

they obviously dont appreciate the speed their going, as their noses are pointing to the sky.

obblivious to the bouncing of boats, the wake and the fact that have pulled pins out, off a boat thats been their a week without breaking loose.

 

weve had 2 boats full of freindlys, the others look skywards

nameing no names but the last one 5 mins ago him looking for planes, and the lady next to him looking away at the trees!!

 

how do they steer,and get to where they going?

and how do they know when they reach a lock?

 

weve got wyvern near us, and yes somtimes you get speeders, but dont bother us as some of them dont know rules etc, or are just getting use to the boat.

but hey they all are enjoying themselves and looking forwards which is a bonus lol

 

 

omg

and another flipping one!!! no face

 

ps to the folks that have smiling faces, happy to be on the water and apreciate others arround them wishing you a great journey, and to the 2 lovely couples that gave us moorers a wave Thankyou

Edited April 17, 2013 by bigcol

[alan_fincher]

Interesting photograph of the collapsed lock. I recall one forum member commenting about the effects of leaving a lock full for long periods and how the surrounding earth becomes sodden and unstable. Could this have been the cause here?

There have been suggestions made that works associated with building the Arla "mega dairy" immediately beside this lock may have in some way contributed to its collapse.

 

Whether there are any facts that substantiate this, or whether it is because it just makes a good headline, I really have no idea.

 

Aren't most canal locks, by design, expected to be full about 50% of the time on average? If it is something likely to cause them to collapse, surely things like this would happen far more often?

[bizzard]

getting tired of it!!

 

Some of these boats being relaunched

 

they must be desperate to get back, weve had some pompous twats going past.

they obviously dont appreciate the speed their going, as their noses are pointing to the sky.

obblivious to the bouncing of boats, the wake and the fact that have pulled pins out, off a boat thats been their a week without breaking loose.

 

weve had 2 boats full of freindlys, the others look skywards

nameing no names but the last one 5 mins ago him looking for planes, and the lady next to him looking away at the trees!!

 

how do they steer,and get to where they going?

and how do they know when they reach a lock?

 

weve got wyvern near us, and yes somtimes you get speeders, but dont bother us as some of them dont know rules etc, or are just getting use to the boat.

but hey they all are enjoying themselves and looking forwards which is a bonus lol

 

 

omg

and another flipping one!!! no face

 

ps to the folks that have smiling faces, happy to be on the water and apreciate others arround them wishing you a great journey, and to the 2 lovely couples that gave us moorers a wave Thankyou

Plenty of those pompous unfriendly twats speeding about on harmless benign canals, they need teaching a lesson by pi--ing off to sea to do their boating where almost every boater is courtious and friendly for they never know when each other might need help in an emergency.