CRT Electricity hook up bollards

[barkings]

I'm moored at Boston CRT moorings and went to the lock keepers yesterday to ask about the electric hook ups on the moorings and how to get electric to my boat.

The lock keeper on duty said that they were only for long term moorers not short stay visitors and you had to be registered (but he didn't know who with) to use them. He said it would be not good asking the local CRT office as they would only register long term moorers.

There are 8-10 hook ups on the moorings and only five long term mooring places (all taken). He said this system was rolling out to all CRT electric hook ups, ie they would be for long term moorers only.

Can he be right and does anyone else know of this happening? The bollards have key pads not card slots so, although I had some elec cards, they were unusable.

[Southern Star]

Don't know the answer, but have another, related, question. When we moored at Llangollen, we had use of a bollard included in the mooring fee, this is the only place I have come across this, but are there others? I can generate all of the electricity I need via the inverter, except to power the vacuum cleaner, and it might be an idea to hoover the boat once a year or so.

[valrene9600]

Few years back there were hook ups outside BW offices at Newark on the Trent. Card operated.

[metanoia]

Don't know the answer, but have another, related, question. When we moored at Llangollen, we had use of a bollard included in the mooring fee, this is the only place I have come across this, but are there others? I can generate all of the electricity I need via the inverter, except to power the vacuum cleaner, and it might be an idea to hoover the boat once a year or so.

 

I think that might be the unusual bit.... (in that a mooring "fee" on a BW site includes the electric - but wait to be corrected). There are a few where you can use a card (e.g. Stourport Basin (again, that might have changed now as I think there are fewer visitor moorings available)) and a there are a few private ones - like Radley Stop - buy a drink or meal and a top up card - get your ironing done!

 

You could always look at getting a lower powered vacuum cleaner.....?

[Southern Star]

 

 

 

You could always look at getting a lower powered vacuum cleaner.....?

I did try a Dirt Devil hand-held rechargeable vacuum cleaner once, but after about five minutes I decided to throw it in the skip.

[b0atman]

Liverpool Albert dock has electric points to each Berth for all .Leeds has electric bollards on visitor moorings as well as long term moorings.

[Alan de Enfield]

Few years back there were hook ups outside BW offices at Newark on the Trent. Card operated.

 

Still are - and at several visitors moorings on the Trent (ie Cromwell lock)

[haggis]

Scottish Canals in their infinite wisdom think that if they provide moorings at all they must include power and water to every boat

Needless to say they don't provide many moorings - and they have a virtual monopoly

SC are also under the impression that you can't tie up to the bank and need a pontoon, which of course, reduces the canal width

It is by boating south of the border that brings it home just how bad it is in Scotland.

Haggis

[metanoia]

I did try a Dirt Devil hand-held rechargeable vacuum cleaner once, but after about five minutes I decided to throw it in the skip.

Don't blame you - didn't mean THAT low powered .......!

 

ETA:

It is by boating south of the border that brings it home just how bad it is in Scotland.

Haggis

 

Oh no, Haggis, you've spoiled all my illusions now!

 

Edited March 4, 2016 by metanoia

[Roger Crown]

Liverpool now has free electricity to its bollards, apparently too expensive to renew the metering system, well it did have last October

LLangollen basin now has free electricity all year round, well it did have yesterday.

 

Roger

[haggis]

Melanoia,perhaps "bad" is the wrong word to use but since the lowland canals were reopened, we,the folk who love and value our canals,have had an uphill battle to persuade Brittish Waterways Scotland and now Scottish Canals to maintain and develop them so that they will be used as canals should be. Instead of using the limited resources available for the good of the canals they put money and resources into creating Living on Water sites where moorings are rented for ridiculous sums

They seem to put all their resources into these projects and little or no canal maintenance is done

The living on water boats don't move much so they don't need dredging done or visitor moorings provided

It has become so bad that boaters have formed themselves into a group which speaks to members of the Scottish parliament as well as SC to try and ensure the future of the canals we all fought so hard for.

It is all very sad but I fear for the future of Scotlands Lowland canals unless there is a change of view and direction from the Board.

Haggis

[barkings]

The lock keeper said that boaters will have to register with debit card details, then you get a PIN number which you key into the bollard on the keypad and they help themselves to the money for how much electric you use.

 

He was insistent that it will roll out to all CRT hook ups. I don't think it's CRT that you register with, I think it's an independent company and I'm wondering if they've franchised electric out or it's a trial for that in the future?

 

My alternator belt was slipping, so until I got it fixed I just wanted to charge the batteries up. It's being fixed tomorrow so no big problem really but just wondered how widespread this new 'system' was.

[metanoia]

Melanoia,perhaps "bad" is the wrong word to use but since the lowland canals were reopened, we,the folk who love and value our canals,have had an uphill battle to persuade Brittish Waterways Scotland and now Scottish Canals to maintain and develop them so that they will be used as canals should be. Instead of using the limited resources available for the good of the canals they put money and resources into creating Living on Water sites where moorings are rented for ridiculous sums

They seem to put all their resources into these projects and little or no canal maintenance is done

The living on water boats don't move much so they don't need dredging done or visitor moorings provided

It has become so bad that boaters have formed themselves into a group which speaks to members of the Scottish parliament as well as SC to try and ensure the future of the canals we all fought so hard for.

It is all very sad but I fear for the future of Scotlands Lowland canals unless there is a change of view and direction from the Board.

Haggis

 

So very sorry to hear that, Haggis - hope this isn't a "wake up" call for all of us - and it really isn't a taste of things to come down this way. "Living on water" projects, poems on lock gates, amazing statues - all very lovely, but speaks volumes about the possible future...

 

Obviously, from your post, there are local people who are lobbying to save their canals - is there any merit in highlighting it down here?

 

Sounds like you have your boat moored safely where you can use it - but agree, that's not the point.

 

Good luck

 

Met

 

Edit: for over enthusiastic punctuation

Edited March 4, 2016 by metanoia

[tillergirl]

Stourport Basin has 3 leccy hookups. You buy cards at Limekiln Chandlers

[haggis]

Metanoia, for the moment the boaters group have decided not to say much in the Waterways press as it was felt that we could achieve more by tackling the issue in our own back garden as it were

A lot of lobbying is taking place and some small hurdles have been overcome but we still have a big hill to climb

While do most of our boating in Englandshire we have a little Sea Otter in Scotland and we can therefore compare the situations

Very useful at times :-)

Haggis

Edited March 4, 2016 by haggis

[Victor Vectis]

The idea is that you have an account with Metermacs/CaRT.

 

We moor at Kingswood Basin, Lapworth and that is the system there. You have an account number and a PIN. You plug your hook up cable in, punch in CaRT 'customer' number, a/c number and PIN and hey presto! you're hooked up.

Payment is by pre pay using a credit/debit card.

 

The beauty of all this is that you can plug in, using your account, anywhere using this system.

 

Also, on Metermacs website, there is a neat graph showing your balance and usage.

[Alway Swilby]

The idea is that you have an account with Metermacs/CaRT.

 

We moor at Kingswood Basin, Lapworth and that is the system there. You have an account number and a PIN. You plug your hook up cable in, punch in CaRT 'customer' number, a/c number and PIN and hey presto! you're hooked up.

Payment is by pre pay using a credit/debit card.

 

The beauty of all this is that you can plug in, using your account, anywhere using this system.

 

Also, on Metermacs website, there is a neat graph showing your balance and usage.

I think you need a home mooring to get an account (I may be wrong, hope so). Bit hard on us ccers. There should be a whole load more posts, especially where land lubbers get hot and bothered about engines being run.

[cuthound]

Melanoia,perhaps "bad" is the wrong word to use but since the lowland canals were reopened, we,the folk who love and value our canals,have had an uphill battle to persuade Brittish Waterways Scotland and now Scottish Canals to maintain and develop them so that they will be used as canals should be. Instead of using the limited resources available for the good of the canals they put money and resources into creating Living on Water sites where moorings are rented for ridiculous sums

They seem to put all their resources into these projects and little or no canal maintenance is done

The living on water boats don't move much so they don't need dredging done or visitor moorings provided

It has become so bad that boaters have formed themselves into a group which speaks to members of the Scottish parliament as well as SC to try and ensure the future of the canals we all fought so hard for.

It is all very sad but I fear for the future of Scotlands Lowland canals unless there is a change of view and direction from the Board.

Haggis

Makes you wonder if this would be happening to the English & Welsh canals if BW were still in charge?

 

I think pobably not as these canals generally have well established hire and marina businesses, the owners of which would scream loudly if affected.

 

What do others think?

[pearley]

Over the years we have made good use of BW/CRT electricity pillars across the country. As there were at least 3 different types of card readers in use we have a large selection of pre paid cards.

 

In June 2013 coming up to Lapworth there was a heap of old bollards in the car park and the moorings above had just received new Smart Metered ones. I wrote to West Midlands regional office asking if all boaters would be able to register for the new system and pointing out that in his region were several permanent mooring sites with visitor moorings and extra, unused power outlets. My letter was referred higher up to a Rod Broadbent who gave me a long reply to the affect there were no plans at that time to allow other boaters to use them but the idea was under consideration and I should come back to him after a few months. I pointed the stupidity of installing the new bollards at dedicated visitor moorings like Ocker Hill which will never be used.

 

These are the visitor moorings that I know of:

 

Cuckoo Wharf, Birmingham 3 residential berths, at least 6 power outlets

Ocker Hill, Birmingham There are 2 moorings here that are not residential. One is designated as ‘operational but for visitors if unoccupied after 6pm, the other is designated for visitors. They share a new Smart Metered bollard. Why go to the expense of replacing the old card reader with the later version if it can never be used.

Engine Arm, Smethwick, Birmingham

Doncaster

Stourport

Worcester There are still two pillars available for visitors but as of Dec 2015 one of these is out of action due to the card reader having been removed.

Boston. The electricity pillars have been added since my original correspondence. There are 5 pillars with 10 power outlets for 4 permanent moorings.

 

These sites also have dedicated visitor moorings but divorced from the residential ones. What are your plans for these? Is it that you will have the residential part with smart metering and the visitor part with card readers? Do you not think a dual system will lead to confusion over repairs and maintenance plus the increased costs of supplying less cards in future.?

 

Shire Oaks Marina, Chesterfield Canal. Since writing this these moorings have been converted to residential/leisure moorings and are lost to visitors.

Bardney, River Witham

Eastwood, Rotherham

Clarence Dock, Leeds

 

And finally, these are completely separate visitor moorings with power. Will these stay as card readers or eventually change to smart metering?

 

Liverpool, Salthouse Dock.

Newark

Cromwell Lock

Gloucester Docks

Brentford VMs electricity pillars appeared over a year ago but no card readers and no indication of how usage will be charged.

 

When I finally wrote back Rob Broadbent had gone and he referred me to someone else who said it was nothing to do with him. The problem being that the sites we are talking about are administered by CRT Directly Managed Mooring Unit rather than regional offices so, presumably, don't talk to each other.

 

Finally, this January I wrote to Mike Grimes and Ian Rogers and received the following reply :

 

Dear Peter

 

Increasing the use of Electric Bollards is something that is being considered by the boating and regional teams, particularly in more urban areas. The boating team are now for example starting a mooring strategy in London where the use of electricity bollard is being considered in residential areas where the canal runs very close to housing. There is also some discussion how this could provide additional ancillary revenue for the Trust along the lines you suggest.

 

As I am relatively new to the Trust I am not familiar with the previous conversations, however am working closely with directly managed moorings on the broader mooring strategy, so linked into their plans for improved boater services.

 

I am unable, at this stage to give you timescales when you may start to see an increase in electric bollards however all being well we will be running a pilot in London before the end of the year, which if successful could provide a template to use elsewhere.

 

A few days later I received a further response:

 

Dear Peter

 

Further to my previous note I have now been sent a copy of your email attachment which unfortunately did not attach to the email you sent me. I am therefore sorry that I only addressed your general concerns previously.

 

It is clear that I will need to contact several of my colleagues to better understand the situation you set out in your attachment as this involves both the regional waterway and directly managed moorings teams, two departments that sit outside of the boating department. I will ensure that once I have some further information I will be in contact again.

 

I did bring all this up on CWDF a couple of years ago but there was little interest then. Perhaps if more people wrote to Mike Grimes it might progress quicker.

[barkings]

Thank you for your replies. I would like to get registered so that I have the option of using the electric but as I don't have a CRT mooring sounds like I'm not going to be able to at the present time.

Will get in touch with Mike Grimes just to add support to your correspondence, pearley and see what response I get.

[WotEver]

http://www.meter-macs.com tells you a bit about that organisation.

 

Section 4.4 of this doc: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/media/library/11619.docx explains a little about the relationship.

 

Dunno if that helps any.

 

Tony

 

Edited to fix broken links

Edited March 5, 2016 by WotEver

[DHutch]

Interesting topic.

 

 

Obviously when on the move most boats are self-sufficient, unlike caravans which all but depend on a hook-up to work, and hence should be fine for a night or two without power.

 

However most boats would struggle to do more than a couple of nights without either running the engine or significantly curbing electrical usage. At which point on a medium-term visitors mooring, such as Salthouse Dock in Liverpool the provision of electrical hook-up is likely to be both desirable and preferable to running an engine.

 

 

I have some cards which worked the likes of Salthouse, and also some of the showers before these all became free-vend and they did work. Often also there would be a few quid left on a post, which would have been enough to run the fridge for a few days while looking around the city if that had been or wish.

 

 

 

 

 

These are the visitor moorings that I know of:

 

Cuckoo Wharf, Birmingham
Ocker Hill, Birmingham
Engine Arm, Smethwick, Birmingham
Doncaster
Stourport
Worcester

Boston.

Shire Oaks Marina, Chesterfield Canal.

Bardney, River Witham
Eastwood, Rotherham
Clarence Dock, Leeds

Liverpool, Salthouse Dock.
Newark
Cromwell Lock
Gloucester Docks
Brentford

 

Good list.

 

 

Daniel