Why no Hungerford Stoppage

[Flocal]

http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices/results/page/1?waterways%5B%5D=81&noticetypes%5B%5D=1&noticetypes%5B%5D=2&region=11&datefrom=2014-01-07&dateto=2014-04-17&Search=Search

 

Hungerford lock is due for a complete overhaul, temporary road has been put down, compound being built today.

There is no warning of it.

[MtB]

How do you know it's being closed for a complete overhaul? Maybe the work started doesn't affect navigation.

 

Or did the geezers doing the work say otherwise?

 

MtB

[Guest]

How do you know it's being closed for a complete overhaul? Maybe the work started doesn't affect navigation.

 

Or did the geezers doing the work say otherwise?

 

MtB

 

Even if not a complete stoppage any such work would normally appear as an 'advisory'

[Flocal]

Taking all the gates out and fixing the walls seems major to me.

 

The difference in major work and minimal is not that hard to see. Fact they had a massive crane in this morning, have removed part of a residential wall and trees for acsess kind of makes me believe its a big job.

Hey, i might be wrong tho

 

Even if not a complete stoppage any such work would normally appear as an 'advisory'

 

Of course they should, if i over stay on a 48 hr mooring for a few days they are soon to notify me!

[matty40s]

Hungerford Lock 74

06/01/2014 to 14/02/2014

 

 

from winter stoppages....

[Guest]

Hungerford Lock 74

06/01/2014 to 14/02/2014

 

 

from winter stoppages....

 

Still weird though that it doesn't appear on that search the OP linked too. As far as I can see 'winter navigation closures' should appear on there and others do. But yes it does appear on there.

 

Southern Waterways winter stoppages linky

Edited January 7, 2014 by The Dog House

[Flocal]

Hopefully nobody will head tha. Way on a important journey. Still open today mind!

[dmr]

We are moored just above the swing bridge and walked past the lock 20 mins ago.

No work has started yet!

The pound is very high and water is pouring over the top gates and round the top gates iover the side of the lock.

Even with a bottom paddle open the lock is still half full of water.

Can't even see the groove where the stop planks would go.

I don't expect any work to start for a few days.

This work has been on the winter stoppage list for ages, and there has been a notice on the lock for a year apologising for the state of the lock and saying a complete refurb iis due n 2014.

 

............Dave

[Richard Fairhurst]

Have you told CRT this rather than just posting on a forum?

[matty40s]

Why? As DMR says, plenty of notice has been given, the notices were certainly there when I passed through on a boat in September.

[Flocal]

Maybe people didn't see the notices? According to the swing bridge notice its shutting mid December and only for a week. Two people I have spoken to assumed that wasthe complete stoppage.

Are you staying on that pound DMR and gettin 'locked' in or moving before they lock them up

Bottom line is it should be on that page, was just raising that very simple point.

[MtB]

Taking all the gates out and fixing the walls seems major to me.

 

The difference in major work and minimal is not that hard to see. Fact they had a massive crane in this morning, have removed part of a residential wall and trees for acsess kind of makes me believe its a big job.

Hey, i might be wrong tho

 

Of course they should, if i over stay on a 48 hr mooring for a few days they are soon to notify me!

 

 

But your initial post just said they'd laid a roadway and built a compound.

 

Did they take all the gates off between your post at 11.59 this morning and my post 11 minutes later?

 

 

MtB

[Gillie]

Have you told CRT this rather than just posting on a forum?

If you mean have we told CRT about the water pouring over the gates I guess they know as they are in their hut keeping warm and dry just next to the lock!

Here is a picture of the water coming over the gates and that is with the bottom paddles open too..

It is starting to come over the towpath as well, as the River Dun above the lock has burst it banks..

[dmr]

Maybe people didn't see the notices? According to the swing bridge notice its shutting mid December and only for a week. Two people I have spoken to assumed that wasthe complete stoppage.

Are you staying on that pound DMR and gettin 'locked' in or moving before they lock them up

Bottom line is it should be on that page, was just raising that very simple point.

 

I hope we are not locked in but we are stuck here for now.

Walked the dog up to Hungerford Marsh this morning and that lock is also impassible. Both bottom paddles open but lock still has about a foot of water in it.

Water tank full, Diesel tank half full and poo tank empty and a good view from the windows so quite happy for a few days. Also still working on the ten pints for the price of 9 offer at the John O gaunt. Weather forecast looks quite good so hope to get up to Bedwyn at the weekend, then the long pound and the western end.

 

The notice on the swing bridge was for an additional "pre-stoppage stoppage" that was not on the main winter stoppage list. Rumour says it was to fix the stop plank groove prior to the main stoppage.

 

Surely all boaters who plan to cruise in the winter must be aware of winter stoppages and so keep an eye on the winter stoppage list. Easy if you are on-line, not so easy otherwise.

 

..........Dave

[billS]

 

Also still working on the ten pints for the price of 9 offer at the John O gaunt.

 

I can't bring myself to go in there, since they took a perfectly good historic pub and mushroomed it...........

[Richard Fairhurst]

 

If you mean have we told CRT about the water pouring over the gates I guess they know as they are in their hut keeping warm and dry just next to the lock!

 

Heh. No, I was asking if Flocal had told the CRT web people/customer services that the stoppage was missing from the online listings.

[arpeeuk]

I was told by one of the CRT guys doing the work that the stoppage before Christmas was to repair the channels in the wall above the lock that take the stop planks.

 

Looking at Gillie's photo ,I guess the stop planks won't not come up high enough to enable them to stop the flow and so the official stoppage is now delayed.

 

 

Rik

[Gillie]

 

I can't bring myself to go in there, since they took a perfectly good historic pub and mushroomed it...........

Totally agree with you..I really miss Paddy and the locals and the sofa with the books..

 

We went in the Three Swans the other night and was pleasantly surprised that

a..they let the dog in and

b..it was full of friendly locals and bar staff..

so maybe that will be our place to goto..

well when Dave has had his free pint anyway!!

[dmr]

 

I can't bring myself to go in there, since they took a perfectly good historic pub and mushroomed it...........

 

He sells some very nice beer but it is indeed just a shadow of its former self. I reckon that under the previous ownership (Paddy) it was one of the best pubs on the entire system. Many happy evenings spent getting gently drunk whilst sat on the lovely sofa in the side bar, reading books off the bookshelf.

 

...........Dave

 

edit oops cross posted with wife!

Edited January 7, 2014 by dmr

[Flocal]

Had a wanDer up this evening, even the compound is flooded now! Hopefully it will go down over night and not rise again, forecast looks better for next week or so, well dry atleast!

Alto has gone on since I looked Sunday afternoon, the temporary step, gantry is impressive.

Wharf is flooded too, needed to put a pallet down to get onto boat !

[alan_fincher]

Why? As DMR says, plenty of notice has been given, the notices were certainly there when I passed through on a boat in September.

 

Because I would hope to be able to plan a trip based on live stoppage notices alone, and not rely on an historical listing of a winter stoppage program that is often not updated as changes arise.

 

It is also dodgy to assume that someone will know about it by virtue of recently having passed through and seen notices, of course.

 

I don't think you picked up on where I had queried your comments about an apparent stoppage at Rising Sun in Berkhamsted. so far as I could see it was not on the live stoppage list, and it doesn't seem to be on that winter map either, unless I'm missing the obvious.

 

I live in the town, but not having been down there for a week or two, was completely unaware of any stoppage, and still can't find details.

 

These lists are fairly useless, if incomplete - not something I hugely ever came across under the old arrangements.

[dmr]

It would certainly do no harm at all to send out winter stoppage reminders a week or so in advance using the new eMail system.

 

I am still amazed at the number of boats we meet who have no idea of what winter stoppages are about to happen, though I suspect many of these do not use the internet and eMail

.

....and whilst talking about the new eMail notifications.system I do feel that some of the headings are a bit unimaginative.

The current restrictions on the K&A are due to "water resources" and recently we had a stoppage due to "vegetation".

I am just a straight speaking engineer but feel that "strong flows/flooding" and "fallen tree" might be a bit more informative!

 

and another thing......

 

Just about every stoppage here gets extended because the state of the lock/whatever was worse than expected and/or the lime mortar needs extra time to dry. Now if this happens EVERY time surely it is not unexpected?????

 

.........Dave

[Keeping Up]

The thing that annoys me about the new system is that often it doesn't state where the stoppage is, you have to click the link and look at the map which isn't always possible if you're on a slow connection

[Willber G]

The information regarding when and where stoppages are expected must be known in order to plan and manage the work. There is no excuse for not making this information readily available to all users of the waterways. Relying on local knowledge is not a lot of good when planning a long trip.

[Flocal]

 

Because I would hope to be able to plan a trip based on live stoppage notices alone, and not rely on an historical listing of a winter stoppage program that is often not updated as changes arise.

 

It is also dodgy to assume that someone will know about it by virtue of recently having passed through and seen notices, of course.

 

My exact thoughts..since being in Hungerford i have spoken to two seperate boaters who didnt have a clue about the planned lock work at Hungerford. Thinking the week long stoppage before christmas was it.

 

It seems the work will be delayed now due to flooding but would imagine by the weekend the levels would have dropped, only took a few hours for the Wharf level to drop!

The information regarding when and where stoppages are expected must be known in order to plan and manage the work. There is no excuse for not making this information readily available to all users of the waterways. Relying on local knowledge is not a lot of good when planning a long trip.

 

Again, good point, multi ton lifting vehicles, units, generators, security dont get booked in a week. Oh and not too mention the making of several tons of lock gate, they would know months in advance when the work will take place!