C&RT - A National trust for the waterways?? read on .....

[Machpoint005]

Why not put speed cameras in and go the whole way?

 

Because speeding (exceeding the 4mph limit) isn't a problem. A boater may pass a moored boat 'too fast' but he/she is unlikely to be speeding.

[bassplayer]

Because speeding (exceeding the 4mph limit) isn't a problem. A boater may pass a moored boat 'too fast' but he/she is unlikely to be speeding.

Yes but it might generate more revenue!

[Laurence Hogg]

I'm not sure but here is what is on the CRT website:

 

While the canal was closed to boats for many years, it is now being reborn as a cruiseway through the picturesque Welsh Marches. One restored section connects to the [/size]Llangollen Canal, while the other is only accessible by a slipway at Welshpool. Work continues to join the two sections through volunteers and the work of the restoration partnership.[/size]

Whilst this is a picturesque canal, restoration of the severed section seem very unlikely. I took pictures of locks and features in 1973 which were in better fettle than today, I cannot see Powys CC ever coming up with a solution to the dropped bridges. Maybe, this is one waterway we should forget about.

[mango]

Whilst this is a picturesque canal, restoration of the severed section seem very unlikely. I took pictures of locks and features in 1973 which were in better fettle than today, I cannot see Powys CC ever coming up with a solution to the dropped bridges. Maybe, this is one waterway we should forget about.

My post was in reply to the comment about the canal being a nature reserve. That has certainly not prevented part of the canal being navigable from Frankton Junction, though one of the delays was to allow building of an offline nature reserve.

 

You might well be right about lowered bridges and other practical considerations making restoration unlikely, but it largely depends on whether boaters are prepared to put in the effort. We would have a much smaller navigable network without the efforts of boaters.

[Laurence Hogg]

Thank you.

A email very similar to my posting has been sent to Richard Parry, I will see what he has to say, it is an absurd situation, we quoted, went out and surveyed the work at Coseley tunnel, prepared a working method for CRT and then they gave it to contractors, that's just one example recently.

 

This is the reply received yesterday (Saturday evening).

 

"Thanks for the email Laurence – not happy reading for me of course, but I can see it comes from the heart. I don’t understand why your experience is one of such frustration when everywhere I look I see more volunteers doing ever more ambitious work. I know you have spoken in the recent past with both Simon and Dean but I am happy to meet to try to understand what more we can do to make the most of the support you are offering. I suggest Dean joins us given the impact his new role can have on this. I’ll ask Kelly to contact you to arrange this.

Regards

Richard

Richard Parry

Chief Executive

Canal & River Trust"

I wonder what will happen next?

[baz gimson]

What sort of work are you looking to do?

 

If it's civils then maybe a group of volunteers are not seen as having the ability/expertise that an experienced civil engineering company has.

[Allan(nb Albert)]

 

This is the reply received yesterday (Saturday evening).

 

"Thanks for the email Laurence – not happy reading for me of course, but I can see it comes from the heart. I don’t understand why your experience is one of such frustration when everywhere I look I see more volunteers doing ever more ambitious work. I know you have spoken in the recent past with both Simon and Dean but I am happy to meet to try to understand what more we can do to make the most of the support you are offering. I suggest Dean joins us given the impact his new role can have on this. I’ll ask Kelly to contact you to arrange this.

Regards

Richard

Richard Parry

Chief Executive

Canal & River Trust"

 

 

I wonder what will happen next?

Has Richard already fired Head of Customer Services, Ian Rogers and reappointed Dean Davis then?

 

My understanding was that Dean moved elsewhere in CaRT at the end of last year and Ian started 2 February.

 

.. or is this an old email?

 

 

[cotswoldsman]

Has Richard already fired Head of Customer Services, Ian Rogers and reappointed Dean Davis then?

My understanding was that Dean moved elsewhere in CaRT at the end of last year and Ian started 2 February.

.. or is this an old email?

 

I think Dean is now Head of Engineering Projects (or something like that)

[Allan(nb Albert)]

I think Dean is now Head of Engineering Projects (or something like that)

 

He is Direct Services Manager -

 

This team will bring together our construction, M&E maintenance and repair and lock gate production skills, techniques and expertise to optimise quality, productivity and best practice. It will consist of the construction and M&E teams (currently in the waterways) and our Stanley Ferry and Bradley workshops.

 

Perhaps the intention is for Laurence to deliver lock gates by canal ..

[cotswoldsman]

 

He is Direct Services Manager -

 

Perhaps the intention is for Laurence to deliver lock gates by canal ..

Another day another title!!

I know is he is a big loss to the Customer Service role

[Sabcat]

It seems a ridiculous way to go about things but if the end of this is Barnet doing something genuinely useful on the system it will be a result.

[Laurence Hogg]

Re Email and suggested meeting with Richard Parry,

 

Dean has been suggested as being useful to come along due to his new job which will possibly involve transport of materials. What seems crazy to me is the line in Richard Parry's email about the increase in volunteers and what they are doing, has anyone seen any evidence of this? Certainly in the Birmingham area there is little evidence of anything beyond litter picking unless CRT are trying to hijack operations like the "BCN clean ups" which have been going on for years, well before CRT was ever thought of.

 

He is Direct Services Manager -

 

Perhaps the intention is for Laurence to deliver lock gates by canal ..

 

That is something we have suggested as Bradley is so near yet as usual there is no response. The problem could be Bradley workshops though. although on the BCN is not run from Fazeley but from Leeds.

Edited February 22, 2015 by Laurence Hogg

[baz gimson]

So is your boat owned and run by a volunteer group/charity?

 

What sort of work do your volunteer group hope to do on the canals ?

 

Edit to add......I've just found some posts on the forum that answer all my questions about canalscape BCN and also explain why work hasn't been forthcoming

Edited February 22, 2015 by baz gimson

[Laurence Hogg]

So is your boat owned and run by a volunteer group/charity?

 

What sort of work do your volunteer group hope to do on the canals ?

 

Edit to add......I've just found some posts on the forum that answer all my questions about canalscape BCN and also explain why work hasn't been forthcoming

Not sure what your last line means.

 

The boat is owned and maintained by me. I operate it with the group which includes people who are trained in various skills, ie JCB driver, Crane operator etc. We don't do litter picking and simple stuff we prefer to get involved with carrying which is what the boat was built to do.

[baz gimson]

It means that I have read your posts about canalscape BCN and they have answered my question about your groups' status.

 

ie it's not a charity/trust but you and your boat with a few friends who help out.

 

 

Your posts also say why you haven't got any work.

 

ie CRT don't give you anything you want to do.

[baz gimson]

You said that your group were going to do some carrying of spoil but you didn't get the job.

 

CRT used contractors instead, how did they remove the spoil?

[Laurence Hogg]

You said that your group were going to do some carrying of spoil but you didn't get the job.

 

CRT used contractors instead, how did they remove the spoil?

We visited the sites with CRT, worked out the methodology and drew up a scheme for CRT. Then they gave it to a contractor who as far as I know used boats to take the spoil to the tip on the Bradley arm.

[Laurence Hogg]

It means that I have read your posts about canalscape BCN and they have answered my question about your groups' status.

 

ie it's not a charity/trust but you and your boat with a few friends who help out.

 

 

Your posts also say why you haven't got any work.

 

ie CRT don't give you anything you want to do.

Effectively that's correct. But we do have vast experience between us and could take on most boat based jobs. I have been with working boats now for 45 years and have done most things. Having also done all of the system and indeed bits you now cannot do. canal pleasure cruising isn't my goal or that of my colleagues, we prefer hands on proper work.

And if it transposes CRT cannot find us anything to do (bearing in mind BW found us plenty) then I shall sell the boat and we shall disband.

CRT isn't being run efficiently imho, hence we are idle.

Edited February 22, 2015 by Laurence Hogg

[Tuscan]

It seems a real shame that a role can't be found for your team. Especially as it seems that's it's a matter of function rather than cost. Is it a. H&S insurance problem?

[Laurence Hogg]

It seems a real shame that a role can't be found for your team. Especially as it seems that's it's a matter of function rather than cost. Is it a. H&S insurance problem?

No we are covered by CRT insurance when working with them.

[FadeToScarlet]

We visited the sites with CRT, worked out the methodology and drew up a scheme for CRT. Then they gave it to a contractor who as far as I know used boats to take the spoil to the tip on the Bradley arm.

But which kind of boats? I can't help thinking that a series of pans and a pushtug with a digger at each end would be more practical than Barnet. You'd hardly want a grab dropping into the hold and ripping up the false floors, or grabbing onto the knees.

[Laurence Hogg]

But which kind of boats? I can't help thinking that a series of pans and a pushtug with a digger at each end would be more practical than Barnet. You'd hardly want a grab dropping into the hold and ripping up the false floors, or grabbing onto the knees.

Without going into all the detail "Barnet" would have acted as a tug and plant carrying boat and would have reverse stemmed the joey boats into the Bradley arm to the tip. Extraction empty by tow, drop off wind and start again.

As I have stated several times on this thread I am more concerned at the overall picture developing with CRT than our particular case which simply highlights the vast amount of shortcomings. We have an organization of which you cannot be a member, waterway partnerships which have no control over their patch and volunteer figures presented which are simply unrealistic. Compare CRT to the National Trust or a large preserved railway and its chalk and cheese.

[Machpoint005]

No we are covered by CRT insurance when working with them.

 

Not quite sure what this means, Laurence -- does CRT agree that its own insurance covers you for:

(1) Third party risks (public liability)

(2) Employers' liability risks

(3) Professional indemnity

 

Somehow I doubt it.

[Laurence Hogg]

Not quite sure what this means, Laurence -- does CRT agree that its own insurance covers you for:

(1) Third party risks (public liability)

(2) Employers' liability risks

(3) Professional indemnity

 

Somehow I doubt it.

Yes it does and I have a copy of the certificate, as long as CRT have authorised us and we undertake to comply with their regs we become "them" for the duration.

edited to add: It is with the XL Group and is current to 28th March this year.

Edited February 23, 2015 by Laurence Hogg

[thunderbird]

I sincerely hope that the Llangollen is one of those canals in receipt of maintenance. As CRT's boasted 'jewel in the crown' the state of some of its banks were parlous to say the least, and a bit of oil on some of the lock paddles wouldn't have gone amiss! That the lockies operating the flight where boaters enter the Llangollen were being told to record the name of every boat using the locks, not to check up on boaters but to check up on their own workload with a view to the necessity to continue to employ them, tells me CRT is not a trust for boaters!

No doubt I am about to be shouted down but I have seen an increase in repair and maintenance on our canals over the last year or so.

Ian

Welcome to the club. Seems we all get there eventually. Start off supporting BW/Cart then realising it is a waste of effort