Birmingham towpath annexation by Sherborne Wharf.

[nicknorman]

We enjoyed our recent stay in central Birmingham as usual. However I was a bit annoyed to find that the whole stretch of towpath in front of the Fiddle and Bone / Roundhouse, that used to be prime 14 day mooring, has now been annexed by Sherborne Wharf. With the relocation of their (very expensive) services there, I think it would be reasonable to reserve 70' for services moorings. However the whole stretch (3 or 4 boat's worth) is now plastered with (unofficial looking) signs messily tie wrapped to the railing asking boats not to moor there as it is reseved for the services. Which is a complete lie as in fact one of their 70' trip boats is firmly ensconced there when it is not actually out on a trip. So SW has not only gained a more visible place for their overpriced services, they have also now got free unlimited mooring for one of their trip boats in a prime spot. Why do CRT agree to this sort of commercial favouritism?

 

Anyway, I've emailed Ian lane to protest but it seems he is on holiday, I'll re-send it when he is back. Not holding my breath though!

 

 

[frangar]

I did wonder if this would happen....I'm all for the fiddle and bone being resurrected but thought they might need need somewhere for the trip boats....sounds like what's happened at Coventry basin....I hope that CRT are charging very heft fees in both cases......why do I think they probably aren't?

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

[nicknorman]

I did wonder if this would happen....I'm all for the fiddle and bone being resurrected but thought they might need need somewhere for the trip boats....sounds like what's happened at Coventry basin....I hope that CRT are charging very heft fees in both cases......why do I think they probably aren't?

Cheers

Gareth

Since there are no official CRT "no mooring" signs, just SW's one that admittedly say "please", I'm hoping it was not part of the deal. Of course there is not much point in saying "please don't moor..." when there is a hulking great trip boat glued to the towpath nearly all day.

[trackman]

I have similar concerns about this Nick. I'm delighted to see the pub reopened but the loss of 14 day moorings is a disgrace. There were already far too few of those. The ones by the facilities past Refuse Turn are very poor and since the Cube was built are blighted by strong winds most of the time. That left only the few that have now apparently been half conceded to Sherborne Wharf and a very few in Cambrian Wharf.

As a matter of interest was that red & grey boat still occupying a mooring opposite the reopened pub? It has been there so long I can't recall exactly when I first saw it!

[nicknorman]

I have similar concerns about this Nick. I'm delighted to see the pub reopened but the loss of 14 day moorings is a disgrace. There were already far too few of those. The ones by the facilities past Refuse Turn are very poor and since the Cube was built are blighted by strong winds most of the time. That left only the few that have now apparently been half conceded to Sherborne Wharf and a very few in Cambrian Wharf.

As a matter of interest was that red & grey boat still occupying a mooring opposite the reopened pub? It has been there so long I can't recall exactly when I first saw it!

Can't say I noticed what was moored opposite, but it was full.

 

Can I suggest that more people email CRT (Ian Lane, manager for W Midlands) to complain? Otherwise I will get the "ah but you are the only one to complain" response. He's back to work tomorrow according to the OOOR.

Edited August 31, 2015 by nicknorman

[Keith M]

Is not Sherborne Wharf being re-developed

Therefore the trip boats have to be re-located

I think this was discussed sometime a go

 

 

Keith

[frangar]

Is not Sherborne Wharf being re-developed

Therefore the trip boats have to be re-located

I think this was discussed sometime a go

 

 

Keith

 

But being relocated with the loss of 14 day public moorings is rather annoying.....in my dealings with the company they seem to think they own the canals in the middle of brum....

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

[Mrs Trackman]

Yes it was discussed. It was never clear how many 14 day moorings Sherbourne would take. It wouldn't be so bad if the re developed Sherbourne wharf had some 14 day moorings. Doesn't seem very likely.

The grey/red boat on the new main line was on one of the 3 14 day moorings opposite the fiddle and bone every time we walked round birmingham from may 2014 and was still there on our last visit probably in early july.

[Tom and Bex]

Can't say I noticed what was moored opposite the pub but did notice the unofficial looking signs and wondered how enforceable they were. It does seem rather unfair that Sherbourne Wharf have taken so much prime mooring in central Birmingham where mooring seems to be at a premium at times.

 

We did enjoy our recent stay and do like mooring there for a short break. I just wish other boaters would be prepared to share mooring bollards! There was so much wasted space between boats when we were they're recently.

 

Tom

[b0atman]

its happening everywhere with the hire boats but CRT are never out of the office to see.Talk about space between boats the 24 hour lovely new moorings at Macclesfield room for 5 boats but 3 on it one at each end and one in middle its the selfish private one in the middle .

[valrene9600]

Can't say I noticed what was moored opposite the pub but did notice the unofficial looking signs and wondered how enforceable they were. It does seem rather unfair that Sherbourne Wharf have taken so much prime mooring in central Birmingham where mooring seems to be at a premium at times.

 

We did enjoy our recent stay and do like mooring there for a short break. I just wish other boaters would be prepared to share mooring bollards! There was so much wasted space between boats when we were they're recently.

 

Tom

Just tie to the bollard. Just like sharing rings.

[pearley]

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=58218&hl=fiddle+%26amp%3Bamp%3B+bone#entry1103458

 

All that was said in this thread seems to come to be.

[ROBDEN]

its happening everywhere with the hire boats but CRT are never out of the office to see.Talk about space between boats the 24 hour lovely new moorings at Macclesfield room for 5 boats but 3 on it one at each end and one in middle its the selfish private one in the middle .

Not there but somewhere else, I was accused of that.

The accuser never stopped to consider that I had sqeezed in between two smaller boats....now gone...about half an hour ago.

 

Rob....

[Hawkmoth]

We too used these 14 day moorings while visiting Birmingham. It would seem that once again the pleasure boater is getting shafted when a business wants space. Remember the Upton on Severn controversy.

Bob

[Tom and Bex]

Just tie to the bollard. Just like sharing rings.

That's what we did and just squeezed on the end. Every other boat on the whole length of moorings outside the NIA were moored exactly 1 bollard apart (about 20 ft?) why? Especially in August when you expect it to be busy.

 

Tom

[Nightwatch]

Anyone been to Castle Gardens in Leicester recently. We are due there in the next day or. So just wondered if it is busy or not.

 

Someone said there's a long stayer taking up room.

[Sea Dog]

Hmm, so it's not just me either. We were there a couple of months back, spent copious amounts in the Fiddle and Bone after having to moor somewhere less desireable (where we were cast off in the night to boot), then when we came alongside just to top off the water tank we were clearly unwelcome. We moved on, but not before the missus had banged her head on their sign to add injury to insult.

[Mrs Trackman]

Being cast off in the centre of Birmingham does seem to be an issue this year.

[Rob-M]

Being cast off in the centre of Birmingham does seem to be an issue this year.

Not happened on the several occasions I've stayed in Birmingham this year, or any previous years. I have seen well spaced out boats including watching a small boat moor bang in the middle of a space that had been vacated by probably two 57 footers leaving about 40ft in front and behind him.

[Little Else]

It always makes things look really busy until you notice the space between each boat. However when space is tight you can get more than one boat on a space!

[Mrs Trackman]

Not happened on the several occasions I've stayed in Birmingham this year, or any previous years. I have seen well spaced out boats including watching a small boat moor bang in the middle of a space that had been vacated by probably two 57 footers leaving about 40ft in front and behind him.

 

Cast off twice in 2 nights 20 years ago. No problems since till this year. Have seen boats cast off near mail box and when we were in cambrian wharf a pair of empty joey boats were cast off and drifted into the wharf blocking our exit.

[ROBDEN]

Being cast off in the centre of Birmingham does seem to be an issue this year.

This year it seems the toe rags in Market Drayton on the Shroppie are not content with casting you off, the little gits are cutting the ropes

leaving you with two short bits and a trip to the shops to buy some more.

 

Rob....

[Mrs Trackman]

This year it seems the toe rags in Market Drayton on the Shroppie are not content with casting you off, the little gits are cutting the ropes

leaving you with two short bits and a trip to the shops to buy some more.

 

Rob....

 

 

Definitely more annoying and inconvenient. AND expensive

[StephenA]

This year it seems the toe rags in Market Drayton on the Shroppie are not content with casting you off, the little gits are cutting the ropes

leaving you with two short bits and a trip to the shops to buy some more.

 

Rob....

 

The towpath in MD used to be quite well "patrolled" and all the time we've been moored there we've not heard of any problems. I assume that you did report it to CRT?

[Arthur Marshall]

 

The towpath in MD used to be quite well "patrolled" and all the time we've been moored there we've not heard of any problems. I assume that you did report it to CRT?

I never thought to tell CRT when it happened to me. What do you expect them to do? Same with motorbikes on towpath...