C&RT pumpouts

[Detling]

When on the Llangollen last week we enquired at the Ellesmere C&RT offices about using the C&RT pump out at Grindle Brook, they did not sell the required card there and a helpful man gave us a list of places that sold the cards. What he gave us was a list of places that did sell the cards as none now do so. It is not possible on the Llangollen canal to purchase a card to use the pump out. When at Grindle brook we found out why, BW used to give the cards to shops etc who paid BW the money when they sold them. in practice this meant at the end of the season for shops only open in the season or when they had sold the last one and wanted more for everyone else. Now C&RT want the shop to buy a pack of tickets for £400 , these tickets according to the shop sell slowly maybe just one pack per year. The shop keeper does not want to tie up £400 on a slow moving item with a small profit margin, particularly late in the season. The lock keeper has had to overide the payment system on several occasions this year since the boats had a need which couldn't wait till a marina.

 

This will only encourage the use of self pump out kits, and we know they are not always used responsibly, Is it the intention of C&RT to get out of providing pump out facilities at all, if so what will marina's charge then and can we afford it.

[Mick and Maggie]

When on the Llangollen last week we enquired at the Ellesmere C&RT offices about using the C&RT pump out at Grindle Brook, they did not sell the required card there and a helpful man gave us a list of places that sold the cards. What he gave us was a list of places that did sell the cards as none now do so. It is not possible on the Llangollen canal to purchase a card to use the pump out. When at Grindle brook we found out why, BW used to give the cards to shops etc who paid BW the money when they sold them. in practice this meant at the end of the season for shops only open in the season or when they had sold the last one and wanted more for everyone else. Now C&RT want the shop to buy a pack of tickets for £400 , these tickets according to the shop sell slowly maybe just one pack per year. The shop keeper does not want to tie up £400 on a slow moving item with a small profit margin, particularly late in the season. The lock keeper has had to overide the payment system on several occasions this year since the boats had a need which couldn't wait till a marina.

 

This will only encourage the use of self pump out kits, and we know they are not always used responsibly, Is it the intention of C&RT to get out of providing pump out facilities at all, if so what will marina's charge then and can we afford it.

 

Wait until you pop the card that you purchased into the controller, it goes click, sucks in the card, but does not turn the pump on and keeps the card. It's such a prospect that I tend to use the marinas. They are often cheaper, than CaRT . Usually provide blue if you use it and often they have a bod to do the pump out for you. One marina gives us a free pump out when we fill up with diesel, we get a token and have to do it ourself. However, we do have a pump out kit as our backup option. Used it twice and we always use it responsibly.