Enforcement on the Bridgewater

[Paul C]

Install the superior pump-out loo system?

[valrene9600]

Install the superior pump-out loo system?

Or a composting loo. There we go turned the thread to toilets.

[frangar]

Well unless he's on overtime still no knock from an enforcement officer....off v early tomorrow to try and spend a couple of nights at Castlefield while I send the other half off to work.....wonder if there's room and if I will get a tap there? I'm fully expecting to see the same boats that were there in April...do they have a proper mooring or just ignored? If they do have a proper mooring why can't it be over by the YHA rather than in the grocers arm?

 

Cheers

 

 

Gareth

[Tacet]

I may have a solution to our entire summer cruising problem......I've just discovered that if I go up the Rochdale...a

 

Be thankful that you are no longer required to buy a Rochdale Canal licence from the Ducie Street car park attendant.

[kevinl]

Is the floating towpath still there at the M62 culvert, you used to have to book a passage if you aren't a narrowboat.

"M62 Motorway Bridge: This culvert has a floating towpath, which restricts the channel to narrowboats only. Broad craft up to 13ft 7in wide should pre book their passage at least 72 hours."

K

[Liam]

Well unless he's on overtime still no knock from an enforcement officer....off v early tomorrow to try and spend a couple of nights at Castlefield while I send the other half off to work.....wonder if there's room and if I will get a tap there? I'm fully expecting to see the same boats that were there in April...do they have a proper mooring or just ignored? If they do have a proper mooring why can't it be over by the YHA rather than in the grocers arm?

Cheers

Gareth

I think whether you get a knock or not depends on what day it is as he also manages a marina on the Bridgewater.

 

I've heard that the arms and water space near the YHA are owned and managed by the council. Something to do with when they were filled in and then dug out re-opened a few years ago.

 

Will look out for you passing tomorrow

[Jim Riley]

I may have a solution to our entire summer cruising problem......I've just discovered that if I go up the Rochdale...above lock 63 for safety.......which is only a 6hr 18-lock journey, easily done in a day....I can catch a train for £3.30 from Mills Hill station back to Manch for work....and if I keep cruising up to Castleton, there's a station there as well...so direct links in to work.....and some nice towpath areas.....

 

Would anyone worry about leaving their boat between locks 63 and 55 or thereabouts on it's own once in a while.

Does anyone know where the nearest winding point would be for a 57ft widebeam...?

About time!

 

Smithybridge, Littleborough station, Walsden, Todmorden, Hebden Bridge, all next to the canal, Sanitary stations at Littleborough, Todmorden, Hebden. You'll be fit as a fiddle coming up and over the hill. Did 16 locks 6 hours, Summit to Tod on Saturday, down to Hebden 4 hours Sunday, all solo.

 

Winding... Littleborough, Oldham Rd old Rochdale basin arm, Warland pound 35/36 just over summit, several wide pounds on way to Todmorden, probably Todmorden Sanitary station. Rose of Lancaster is ok to stay, next to mills hill station, slattocks is fine, 5mins to Castleton, then smithybridge and Littleborough onwards anywhere is ok.

 

Edited to add a bit.

Edited June 9, 2015 by Jim Riley

[frangar]

I think whether you get a knock or not depends on what day it is as he also manages a marina on the Bridgewater.

I've heard that the arms and water space near the YHA are owned and managed by the council. Something to do with when they were filled in and then dug out re-opened a few years ago.

Will look out for you passing tomorrow

I'll try not to wake you up! I might be back out if I can't find a space although I've always managed to squeeze in somewhere there!

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

[Liam]

Early bird then eh?

 

Space shouldn't be a problem, as you say there's always somewhere to tie up there.

[frangar]

Early bird then eh?

Space shouldn't be a problem, as you say there's always somewhere to tie up there.

Need to send the other half off to work in brum on a train at midday so will be leaving lymm at 7!

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

[Liam]

See you at around 9.15 then

[DeanS]

Why the sudden change of heart with regards commuting Dean?

 

You were dead set against it a couple of days ago when it was suggested

 

My wife has a week off and 3 days off the week after that. That means it's only myself having to commute for the next 2 weeks, so it's not a time to be sitting fighting with Peel...I'm going to go exploring...but the Peel battle isn't over...something will have to change for the long term....can't sit above lock 63 for the rest of the year....however...if I like it....you never know...

Sorry, the latest plan is go up nine locks, wait for 14 days, go down the locks, wait 14 days and repeat - all on CRT waters?

 

Richard

 

If I can't get my widebeam up the Rochdale....YES.

[cotswoldsman]

Need to send the other half off to work in brum on a train at midday so will be leaving lymm at 7!

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

Would it not be easier for her to catch the train from Warrington bus from Lymm goes to warrington station

[DeanS]

Bad news. There's no Elsan before Littleborough according to C&RT boating guides. 3 cassettes won't be enough for any period of time.

 

That's quite a community you've got going now at the bottom of the Rochdale. Spotted from the tram. Are all four of you banned from the Bridgewater?

 

I have access to a van once a week...so I can go empty them at my marina

The community is quite nice....which is why I'm happy to stay here....love the vibe My marina is currently a building site on all fronts.

Is the floating towpath still there at the M62 culvert, you used to have to book a passage if you aren't a narrowboat.

"M62 Motorway Bridge: This culvert has a floating towpath, which restricts the channel to narrowboats only. Broad craft up to 13ft 7in wide should pre book their passage at least 72 hours."

K

 

Thanks Kevin..I thought it was 2 days notice...I better phone them tomorrow....

Edited June 9, 2015 by DeanS

[Derek Porteous]

Early bird then eh?

 

Space shouldn't be a problem, as you say there's always somewhere to tie up there.

[Derek Porteous]

Space was a problem when we arrived on Friday early afternoon. We got the last mooring spot. Not many (if any) departing boats on Saturday although the basin did empty out a bit on Sunday morning (including our good selves). As mentioned in an earlier post a goodly number of the boats were ones we saw when we were last in Castlefield last August, and indeed were still there when we left on Sunday morning.

[frangar]

Would it not be easier for her to catch the train from Warrington bus from Lymm goes to warrington station

But we need to be moving towards Liverpool for the next job!....and the less modes of transport the better tbh...besides I can do more shopping in Manchester!

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

[Liam]

If you're stuck for time tomorrow morning, there's always the metrolink once you're either at or past Altrincham.

 

Regular service into Manchester Piccadilly from Altrincham, Timperley, Brooklands, Sale, Dane Road and Stretford.

[frangar]

As mentioned in an earlier post a goodly number of the boats were ones we saw when we were last in Castlefield last August, and indeed were still there when we left on Sunday morning.

Im betting on quite a few boats will be the same as the last few years! Seems odd they can stay unless they are paying for a mooring but even if they are I'm not sure it's a great idea to be letting moorings in what is a prime visitor site when they could be somewhere else with a little thought.

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

If you're stuck for time tomorrow morning, there's always the metrolink once you're either at or past Altrincham.

Regular service into Manchester Piccadilly from Altrincham, Timperley, Brooklands, Sale, Dane Road and Stretford.

Yeah we thought of that but we should be fine to get into town unless something goes wrong! I like boating early tbh.

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

[StarUKKiwi]

I think whether you get a knock or not depends on what day it is as he also manages a marina on the Bridgewater.

I've heard that the arms and water space near the YHA are owned and managed by the council. Something to do with when they were filled in and then dug out re-opened a few years ago.

Will look out for you passing tomorrow

Liam, so who is this paragon then?

I emailed Peel about getting a short term licence, but haven't had a reply, so will just do the week Worsley through to Altrincham in July. Would have been nice to see where we used to live for a couple of days, sounds as though they don't want people stopping at all

[johnmck]

Dean is undoubtedly a nice chap. And a mod on here.

 

Is it just me, or would his proposed cruising pattern engender the same level of understanding, if he was a newbe outlining a similar intention?

 

I may well be wrong, oft am, but I think a lot more flack would be incoming.

 

Just musing.

[DeanS]

Dean is undoubtedly a nice chap. And a mod on here.

 

Is it just me, or would his proposed cruising pattern engender the same level of understanding, if he was a newbe outlining a similar intention?

 

I may well be wrong, oft am, but I think a lot more flack would be incoming.

 

Just musing.

 

John, I think you've got the wrong end of the stick....

 

I'm not contravening any rules.

I have a residential mooring in Manchester

I pay council tax.

I pay CRT fees.

In the past 3 years, anyone could toodle down onto the Bridgewater and there was hardly any enforcement, and life was good.

After sitting in my marina all winter, I went on for a mere 5 days over the designated 7 free days, and in those 5 days, had 3 knocks on my boat. I decided I'd just remove myself from the Bridgewater until I figure out if I can afford to pay them what they are asking, or find another place to cruise.

My options are very limited, due to lack of water on the Rochdale, security, litter etc.

 

The thread was purely to let people know that things have certainly changed, and in no way a hope that anyone would say I should be able to be a rule-breaker. In contrast there are many rule breakers in Castlefield basin, which is quite confusing as the new enforcement officer knows about those boats, yet seems to only be chasing boats that look like liveaboards...ones with solar panels, wood on the roof etc....

 

perhaps some folk may empathise with me...being a widebeam owner with no where to cruise, but some have also been forthright in saying..."you chose where to live"...and they are also right....;-)

I've heard that the arms and water space near the YHA are owned and managed by the council. Something to do with when they were filled in and then dug out re-opened a few years ago.

 

Are you saying that if I went and moored in one of those arms, the Enforcer couldn't shout at me...? That would be cool, because it must have been grating him seeing my purple boat on the other side of the lock these past 10 days...I'd love to wave at him from Council waters....lol

Edited June 9, 2015 by DeanS

[johnmck]

A wide beam that moves on the Bridgewater, let alone a purple one, will certainly attract attention!

[Liam]

Dean, I think so but please don't take this as verbatim!

 

At the moment there seems to be little or no response from Peel. In my opinion this is due to the new General Manager taking over from Mike Webb, who had no hand over and openly admits himself that he's learning as he goes along with the job.

 

Also there will be,I imagine, lotsbof queries to follow up due to the increased enforcement. They're not exactly well staffed in the office either. I believe there's just 2 people.

 

A wide beam that moves on the Bridgewater, let alone a purple one, will certainly attract attention!

Oh I don't know, there's not that many BCC registered widebeams on the canal, and most of them do move. I passed 2 of them on the Runcorn arm last Saturday.

[frangar]

Well I'm safely back in CRT waters!

 

Six odd days on the Bridgewater including 2 at Lymm and 2 at Castlefield and not a sniff of a patrol officer...dunno if I was just lucky or have an honest looking boat!

 

I reckon of the boats moored at Castlefield at least 4 or 5 were ones that have been there for a while...by a while I mean at least August last year...certainly April this year....and although they might just be there when I am it's amazing how they always find the same space!

 

Peel having a workboat moored there with a Work Cabin on it for the chaps relaying the Cobbles isn't helping mind you....and probably best gloss over the fact it's genny was running all night....and there is space on the land for said hut....and all the cobbles are delivered by road....

 

Cheers

 

Gareth