Basingstoke Canal----do they want us?

[Ratty's Retreat]

My Wife phoned the BCA in March to plan our July holiday. We wanted to go up on a Monday to return the following Friday, no problem they said just phone the previous day to book. I called this week to see all was OK, apparently not. The 1st two flights of locks are only open Sat and Sun between 9.30 and 11.30 and the 2nd two on Mon and Friday, so the minimum time on the canal is a week, which is impossible for us. Apparently the land slip at Dogmersfield has not yet been removed, so cruising is limited.

 

We are asked to "use it or lose it" we would love to but the BCA don't seem to want visitors or the revenue.

 

John.

[Graham and Jo]

The land slip is also preventing any of Galleons Marine's Fleet or the holiday boat from Accessible Boating operating. Both organisations can only hire out day boats with a maximum cruise of about 1.5 hours from Odiham in both directions. Not too good!

 

Graham

[Bod]

We're in Fleet staying with in-laws at present, not far from the canal, and in 3 weeks have seen 2 boats moving!

Lovely canal, but woefully under used.

 

Bod

[Leo No2]

I have forwarded on a link to this thread to the Chair and Vice-chair on the Basingstoke Canal Society and Basingstoke Canal Boating Club in the hope it can be used in future discussions with the BCA.

[WJM]

I finally made it onto the Basingstoke over Easter with the Byfleet Boat Club Cruise (thank you Leo2 for organising an excellent event). It is a lovely canal, well worth the effort. But for many years it was my missing link, having done every other waterway in the South East. It would be wonderful to see it being made more accessible, it does take some determination to navigate it!

[Ratty's Retreat]

I have forwarded on a link to this thread to the Chair and Vice-chair on the Basingstoke Canal Society and Basingstoke Canal Boating Club in the hope it can be used in future discussions with the BCA.

Thank you.

[nipper]

I'm due to go up the Basingstoke Canal tomorrow at 9am!

 

I have family in the area,so I'm booked for two weeks at the cost of around £60.

 

Lets hope i can get under the 5ft 8" bridge without difficulty!

 

Nipper

[Gypsey_Kings]

In April we contacted the Basingstoke Canal Authority after reading about the Easter trip. We were interested in getting contacts for moorings for the end of 2013 & 2014 as we have family that way....They were of no help at all. Gwenyth actually got the impression that the canal was closed and was staying that way.

[Leo No2]

I'm due to go up the Basingstoke Canal tomorrow at 9am! I have family in the area,so I'm booked for two weeks at the cost of around £60. Lets hope i can get under the 5ft 8" bridge without difficulty! Nipper

When we measured it for the Easter trip it was 6' 4" - I think Nicholson's takes a very worst case scenario view of the bridge assuming you are talking about Reading Road South.

[GUMPY]

Isn't Fleet road lower?

[MtB]

The Basingstoke is an excellent example of a dying canal. I drove over the bridge over it at West Byfleet today and every time I look it looks more like a stinking ditch instead of a navigable canal.

 

There are few boats to speak of, boatyards, diesel suppliers, chandleries, moorings, and severe access restrictions. Is it any surpise no-one uses it?

 

Check out the Basingstoke canal for a glimpse of the future of all our canals if CRT continue to court dog walkers, cyclists and fishermen at the expense of boaters.

 

MtB

[luctor et emergo]

The Basingstoke is an excellent example of a dying canal. I drove over the bridge over it at West Byfleet today and every time I look it looks more like a stinking ditch instead of a navigable canal.

 

There are few boats to speak of, boatyards, diesel suppliers, chandleries, moorings, and severe access restrictions. Is it any surpise no-one uses it?

 

Check out the Basingstoke canal for a glimpse of the future of all our canals if CRT continue to court dog walkers, cyclists and fishermen at the expense of boaters.

 

MtB

But it is very pretty to walk along, fish can live in a stagnant trickle of water, and without those bothersome boaters about, the dog walkers don't need to worry where they leave or fling Fido's shit ...

 

I think you're right.

[nipper]

Well, 4 of a convoy of 8 boats have arrived at Arthur's Road Bridge safely while the rest, I presume, has stopped at Woking Town Center, or perhaps have been swallowed up by the mud and c..p that's at the bottom of the shallow canal!

The frustrating thing is that we all have to wait about today and be ready do the 5 locks or the St Johns flight tomorrow, that will take an hour or two, and then wait about to do the 14 locks of the Brookwood flight on Monday!

The other frustrating thing is that after my crew walked eastwards along the canal it seems that the St Johns flight is unlocked and ready for action now at 4.30 this afternoon!

Why we can't use it is beyond me!

Nipper

[Hair Bear Bunch]

I've only ever done the top two pounds and it's very picturesque and worth a visit, but whenever I've had to deal with the BCA I'm usually left with the feeling of " I'ts our toy, and you're not playing with it.".

Very sad.

Edited June 22, 2013 by Hair Bear Bunch

[Leo No2]

Well, 4 of a convoy of 8 boats have arrived at Arthur's Road Bridge safely while the rest, I presume, has stopped at Woking Town Center, or perhaps have been swallowed up by the mud and c..p that's at the bottom of the shallow canal!The frustrating thing is that we all have to wait about today and be ready do the 5 locks or the St Johns flight tomorrow, that will take an hour or two, and then wait about to do the 14 locks of the Brookwood flight on Monday!The other frustrating thing is that after my crew walked eastwards along the canal it seems that the St Johns flight is unlocked and ready for action now at 4.30 this afternoon!Why we can't use it is beyond me!Nipper

3 Locks at Brookwood followed by 14 in Deepcut so it is 5 tomorrow for you and 17 the following day. The reason they don't want you to use St Johns this afternoon/evening is because any loss of water will cause huge issues for a week or so because the canal has a very limited water supply - they don't want to see any water leaking round or under the gates and of course being County Council run they are very H&S conscious. If you work with the BCA you will have a lovely time (Deepcut is beautiful - I do know because I lived between Brookwood top and Deepcut bottom locks for 22 years) critise them and you'll find it less of a pleasure I suspect.

 

It's a bit shallow between the top of Deepcut and the Centre at Mytchett and espectially just before the aqueduct over the mainline railway but perfectly navigable - we had 22 boats up there at Easter.

[nipper]

3 Locks at Brookwood followed by 14 in Deepcut so it is 5 tomorrow for you and 17 the following day. The reason they don't want you to use St Johns this afternoon/evening is because any loss of water will cause huge issues for a week or so because the canal has a very limited water supply - they don't want to see any water leaking round or under the gates and of course being County Council run they are very H&S conscious. If you work with the BCA you will have a lovely time (Deepcut is beautiful - I do know because I lived between Brookwood top and Deepcut bottom locks for 22 years) critise them and you'll find it less of a pleasure I suspect.

 

It's a bit shallow between the top of Deepcut and the Centre at Mytchett and espectially just before the aqueduct over the mainline railway but perfectly navigable - we had 22 boats up there at Easter.

Yes, but for those that have booked for a week, that means that it will take about six days for the locks,up and down, leaving just one day to see the top section!

 

As it is, we will be going up tomorrow, which is just a few hours away, having us all use one day of our holidays for just 5 locks that are close together and saying that water is the problem, strikes me as a little tedious!

 

There was and is only one boat going back down this weekend, so water will be used tomorrow whether its in short supply or not!

 

Never mind, I suppose they have there reasons.

 

Nipper

[Leo No2]

I think you will find that was the deal you signed up to when you purchased your licence. I agree it is not ideal and both the Basingstoke Canal Society and the Basingstoke Canal Boating Club would agree; may I suggest you give the BCA some considered feedback after you have left the canal on what was good and what wasn't. It is only by boaters telling them how they perceived it that it will improve. I could let you see my 'Open Access' document which said open sunrise to sunset 24x7x365 but what we have is restricted hours Friday to Monday - believe me we did try for more; I do believe it will get better but only if it is used and you provide considered feedback.

[Ratty's Retreat]

I was told by the BCA information office that the restricted opening days had been agreed with the local boaters, seems at odds to what you are saying?

 

Re your last sentence, how can the BCA get significant use and feedback with such restricted use?

 

John.

[MtB]

Agreed. I don't think we need to use the canal in order to realise how anti-boater the locking restrictions are.

 

It's the other way around. If they want boaters to use the canal and bring it to life, they need to do something to attract them rather than make life difficult..

 

 

MtB

[Leo No2]

I was told by the BCA information office that the restricted opening days had been agreed with the local boaters, seems at odds to what you are saying?Re your last sentence, how can the BCA get significant use and feedback with such restricted use?John.

Agreed NO - imposed I think is the correct word. We wrote an an Open Access proposal which was accepted in January-2012 but never put into place. The canal management changed in October-2012 and the current opening hours were 'imposed' on the understanding that they would be enhanced over time. Believe me we all (BCS, BCBC, IWA) tried our very best to get a better deal but what we have at the moment was 'imposed'. Again feedback from using it at the moment, not only on the state of the canal but things such as opening hours can only help towards the BCA understanding the needs of the boaters. The reluctance of he BCA to have more extensive opening hours is, IMHO, due entirely to the challenging water supply situation which is being worked on in conjunction with engineering students from Southampton University.

[twbm]

For what it's worth, as I understand it the Basinsgstoke had water supply problems from the day it was opened as there was/is no pukka feeder into the top pound.

 

Leo N2 is one of a relatively small band of heros who have worked tirelessly to restore and preserve the canal, so if she proposes a course of action, my guess is what she's after is an approach that she knows will support ongoing campaigning in a positive way.

[Leo No2]

Bless you Trevor. You are right the Basingstoke has had a challenging time. Now is not the time to try and challenge and demand things from the owners but it is the time to work with the owners, accept what can and can't be done, keep a good working relationship with the owners and work with them to push things forward which benefit, the owners, the other users and last (but by no means least) the boaters. We must never ever lose sighted the fact that the canal was built as a navigation and not a linear country park and that must always be the guiding light in what we all do.

[Ratty's Retreat]

Thank you for all your replies.

 

Let's hope that the situation improves by next year.

[WJM]

There is only one real solution to all the Basingstoke's problems - a massive set of pumps feeding the top pound. With that done, all major problems are solved.

[Leo No2]

Thank you for all your replies.

Let's hope that the situation improves by next year.

I'd be very interested in your honest opinion of the canal (Deepcut in particular) and the whole experience so far because without honest (and considered feedback) the canal authority will not know what their customers think (and you are a customer) of the experience and I know the canal society would be 'happy' to pass on any feedback - not anything just denigrating the canal but things that could be done to make your experience better would, I am sure, be welcome.

 

There is only one real solution to all the Basingstoke's problems - a massive set of pumps feeding the top pound. With that done, all major problems are solved.

William - there are plans for back pumping the Brookwood 3 (although that pound does refill very quickly) and I believe there is an outline plan to back pump each lock in Deepcut (rather than try and lift the water from Lock 15 to Lock 28 in one go).