Yorkshire Gravel Barges - Happier days

[Guest]

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/people/barge-operator-finally-makes-history-after-getting-grounded-2980268

[fanshaft]

24 minutes ago, Up-Side-Down said:

Not wishing to cross swords with you David, a burst hydraulic hose and no means of effecting a repair on the grab loading the pan does not stack up in my book as efficient. We managed to offload 50 tons approx before terminal breakdown of the grab and decided to give it another go despite the aft hold not being lightened. Got stuck at the same spot again and was dragged through by the tug pushing the pan.

 

Arrived at Lemonroyd at 15.30 to find that there was no lock keeper to pen us through. Fortunately a charming young lady with a Watermate key did the business for us. Same situation at Woodelsford where I pursuaded a boater to sell me their spare key and I put Farndale up the next three locks!

 

Several desperately shallow spots on the canal at the museum and below Knostrop Fall Lock where we pretty much came to a halt. 440 horse power is the only thing that saved the day! Finally arrived at the wharf at 18.00 with our depleted 360 ton load wondering what the outcome would have been with a 500 ton full load.

 

 

 

My 'efficient' comment related to the speed and willingness of the CRT guys to come and assist.  I didn't know about the burst hose but that is really just unfortunate.  You'd hardly expect every Trust maintenance boat to carry spare hoses and a suitably qualified fitter to replace them!  The comment about the stretch from Thwaite Mill to Knostrop lock is interesting as that was the length that Karl had most difficulty with as there was nowhere really to move the silt to and was the main reason for requesting a maximum draft of 7 ft on this first trial trip. Thinking is that this stretch will need dredging in the conventional sense.  500 tonnes was never contemplated until the run settles down and the extra dredging is carried out.  The lack of lock keepers was probably because they weren't available or ordered on, not having been expected to be needed.  I will ask the question though.

regards David L 

[Up-Side-Down]

5 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/people/barge-operator-finally-makes-history-after-getting-grounded-2980268

Thank you for that. A link to this morning’s YP will find the piece and the videos I was on about.. I guess I’ve just lost track of time being the boat for several days and forgotten it was in fact yesterday that the YP reporter and photographer rode with us to Pollington Lock

[fanshaft]

18 minutes ago, Up-Side-Down said:

I’ll second David’s endorsement of Karl’s skills and experience. But Matty is right when he says the fault lies with CRT in this case. Karl was given a fixed sum to do the job and told that when he clocked up the hours that this sum represented he was to go home.  There is little doubt that Karl would have travelled this known shallow spot several times until he’d got a depth reading he was happy with if the money had not effectively run out.

 

I understand that the design of the relatively new Lemonroyd Lock is the problem with the river always dropping silt in the mouth of the lock and for a 300 yd stretch below it. I’m told by experienced boatmen that a strategically placed stone heap in the ness below the lock would solve the problem by speeding up the river’s flow and encouraging a natural scouring action.

 

But then CRT aren’t best known for employing the skills and experience of the professionals amongst their customers.

The suggestion of a 'training wall' or stone heap is a good one and has been mooted ever since the new lock was built.  Maybe now is the time to resurrect the idea within the Trust Freight Group (of which I am a member) as part of the proposed improvements to the A&CN for which government funding is being sought in the Autumn budget.   Karl was given a budget obviously but on the understanding that if more work is needed it can be done but  apart from the section below Knostrop lock which really needs conventional dredging our understanding was that Karl had generally achieved the desired 3 metres otherwise. 

[TheBiscuits]

6 minutes ago, fanshaft said:

You'd hardly expect every Trust maintenance boat to carry spare hoses and a suitably qualified fitter to replace them!

 

Of course not.  I'd expect them to be replaced on schedule as part of a programme of preventative maintenance!

[fanshaft]

2 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

Of course not.  I'd expect them to be replaced on schedule as part of a programme of preventative maintenance!

Having had experience of these machines the hoses are very susceptible to damage (I used to get protective steel pieces welded on) so it may be that this was an accident and nothing to do with preventative maintenance. I don't ever remember one failing otherwise.

Regards David L

[Up-Side-Down]

1 minute ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

Of course not.  I'd expect them to be replaced on schedule as part of a programme of preventative maintenance!

I was expecting them to make a call to a mobile hydraulic fitter such as Pirteck instead of attempting a repair with gaffer tape ......... or going on the colour it might in fact have been insulating tape. I kid you not ........

[TheBiscuits]

7 minutes ago, fanshaft said:

Having had experience of these machines the hoses are very susceptible to damage (I used to get protective steel pieces welded on) so it may be that this was an accident and nothing to do with preventative maintenance. I don't ever remember one failing otherwise.

Regards David L

 

Fair comment.  I'm delighted to see the boats are running, and it's only to be expected that there will be "lessons learned" from the first few trips.  Maybe if CRT keep having to send a tug and pan out to lighten the load they'll agree to a bit more dredging!

 

3 minutes ago, Up-Side-Down said:

I was expecting them to make a call to a mobile hydraulic fitter such as Pirteck instead of attempting a repair with gaffer tape ......... or going on the colour it might in fact have been insulating tape. I kid you not ........

 

Heh.  I used to do failure analysis for BTR / Dunlop hose, and one of the old favourites was chewing gum stuck over a pinhole with a jubilee clip round it to hold it in place.

 

Full credit to the bloke for trying to fix it and carry on, but big hydraulic needs a lot more than a sticking plaster to keep the internal pressure.

[DandV]

5 hours ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

Fair comment.  I'm delighted to see the boats are running, and it's only to be expected that there will be "lessons learned" from the first few trips.  Maybe if CRT keep having to send a tug and pan out to lighten the load they'll agree to a bit more dredging!

 

 

Heh.  I used to do failure analysis for BTR / Dunlop hose, and one of the old favourites was chewing gum stuck over a pinhole with a jubilee clip round it to hold it in place.

 

Full credit to the bloke for trying to fix it and carry on, but big hydraulic needs a lot more than a sticking plaster to keep the internal pressure.

I have heard that an essential bit of kit of the Philippino marine engineers working onboard  geriatric ships, is bicycle inner tubes and jubilee clips. Stretch and wrap several times tightly  around the split before securing in place with the jubilee clips.

[Up-Side-Down]

Started unloading at 08.45 and left Leeds empty at 13.15 carrying 200 tons water ballast to get under A&C bridges. Grounded seriously twice and arrived back on Goole moorings for 20.30. Next load from Albert Dock, Hull due to be loaded Wednesday with Farndale departing Goole on Tuesday. Loads to be limited to 350 tons while CRT make a few ‘important decisions’ which, hopefully, will be guided by reference to the Transport Act 1968, Section 105, amended 2012.

[mykaskin]

Good news the traffic is starting, bad news regards the problems encountered but as you've said it's par for the course.

 

The dredging below the lock was probably done to spec, but any loose in the area soon builds up a scour again below locks (assuming scale makes no odds). It's important to ensure that you can eat your dinner off the lock apron and below and put some big holes where it gets shallow to stop it filling quite so quickly.

 

You want to try carrying on pleasure canals with a deep boat - not sure you'd be able to flush a 500 tonne barge in with the paddles however...

 

Cheers,

 

Mike

[Dav and Pen]

Nice photo in the Torygraph this morning.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Dav and Pen said:

Nice photo in the Torygraph this morning.

 

Looks like the stretch between Pollington lock and Bridge Lane.

[Up-Side-Down]

2 hours ago, The Happy Nomad said:

Looks like the stretch between Pollington lock and Bridge Lane.

Spot on!

5 hours ago, Dav and Pen said:

Nice photo in the Torygraph this morning.

John Branford is asking for a link to the Torygraph article. Please could you post it. Ta.

[Dav and Pen]

14 minutes ago, Up-Side-Down said:

Spot on!

John Branford is asking for a link to the Torygraph article. Please could you post it. Ta.

Sorry can’t post a link as read it on the Telegraph paper which is downloaded via an app. This photo shows the text that accompanied it..

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, Dav and Pen said:

Sorry can’t post a link as read it on the Telegraph paper which is downloaded via an app. This photo shows the text that accompanied it..

Mmm.

 

Sloppy journalism again.

 

There has been commercial traffic on there well since19 years ago....

 

 

 

Edited September 24, 2020 by The Happy Nomad

[Up-Side-Down]

On 22/09/2020 at 22:21, matty40s said:

I would love to have a steer of one of those.

This is the bit of kit you'd need Matty! 

 

Left to Right: rudder position indicator; rudder operating control (on a long enough lead to reach the guard railings outside the wheelbox to answer calls of nature and the like!) fixed joystick rudder control.

Edited September 24, 2020 by Up-Side-Down

[WotEver]

17 minutes ago, Dav and Pen said:

Sorry can’t post a link as read it on the Telegraph paper which is downloaded via an app. This photo shows the text that accompanied it..

What does that ‘share’ button do?

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, WotEver said:

What does that ‘share’ button do?

They normally bring up links to share on Facebook, Twitter, via email, link address. etc etc...

[WotEver]

4 minutes ago, The Happy Nomad said:

... via email, link address. etc etc...

Which is what was requested, no?

[Dav and Pen]

5 minutes ago, WotEver said:

Which is what was requested, no?

On the iPad it offers air drop, e mail. Copy, messenger. I can’t see any way of giving a link to this site. If you know how I would be pleased to find out

[WotEver]

1 hour ago, Dav and Pen said:

On the iPad it offers air drop, e mail. Copy, messenger. I can’t see any way of giving a link to this site. If you know how I would be pleased to find out

Copy might work but I have my doubts. Select copy, then paste that link into a post. Selecting email should put the same link into an email. Try it and let us know. 
 

 

Edited September 24, 2020 by WotEver
Typo

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, WotEver said:

Which is what was requested, no?

Ok, well lets rephrase your response.

 

Wotever said

 

'if you look on the page you will see there is a share icon. If you click on this it will open another window with links to facebook, twitter etc etc.'

[WotEver]

Just now, The Happy Nomad said:

Ok, well lets rephrase your response.

 

Wotever said

 

'if you look on the page you will see there is a share icon. If you click on this it will open another window with links to facebook, twitter etc etc.'

No, WotEver said no such thing because he’s never used the Telegraph app and therefore doesn’t know what the button does. So he asked the question.
 

It was YOU who stated that it would offer a link. 

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, Dav and Pen said:

On the iPad it offers air drop, e mail. Copy, messenger. I can’t see any way of giving a link to this site. If you know how I would be pleased to find out

Select copy.

 

Open a new post.

 

Right click in the body of the new post.

 

Select paste.

Just now, WotEver said:

No, WotEver said no such thing because he’s never used the Telegraph app and therefore doesn’t know what the button does. So he asked the question.
 

It was YOU who stated that it would offer a link. 

Calm down. 

 

The share function from any app or web page is a pretty well established way of er 'sharing' content.