Which restoration project would you back and why?

[AMModels]

I'm going a bit sideways. I would like to see the development of tunneling techniques. There are several schemes that need tunnels - the Lapal, the Chesterfield for instance, and some that need to pierce through motorway embankments

 

If it were possible to find a cost effective way of tunneling, these schemes would stand a much better chance

 

Richard

 

I think such a technique would be beneficial to so many schemes, both the Lichfield and the Hatherton have large problems with the M6 and the rail lines that need major works to enable the canal to pass under them. I can think of at least one canal which isnt even under consideration for restoration that such a tunnelling rig would make possible.

[Cloudinspector]

For me it would something local and/or a project that may possibly be completed in my lifetime.

So with that in mind,

Manchester, Bolton & Bury canal

Northern reaches of the Lancaster.

[FadeToScarlet]

I'm going a bit sideways. I would like to see the development of tunneling techniques. There are several schemes that need tunnels - the Lapal, the Chesterfield for instance, and some that need to pierce through motorway embankments

 

If it were possible to find a cost effective way of tunneling, these schemes would stand a much better chance

 

Richard

There are many people on CWDF who are good at boring, perhaps the knowledge is here already....

 

 

 

 

(only a cheap pun, not really!)

[RLWP]

There are many people on CWDF who are good at boring, perhaps the knowledge is here already....

 

 

 

 

(only a cheap pun, not really!)

 

Haven't you got some moderating you could be doing...

 

 

Richard

[bag 'o' bones]

There are many people on CWDF who are good at boring, perhaps the knowledge is here already....

 

 

 

 

(only a cheap pun, not really!)

So your the nasty mod! shame on you!

[Ange]

Lichfield and Hatherton, would give many new cruising rings and open up an under used stretch of canal for leisure use.

That'd be my choice too. Is that the one with the hopeful aquaduct?

[magpie patrick]

 

Will Brexit affect funding for restoration schemes heavily?

 

 

Historically the serious funding has come from the lottery, the EU and with matched funding from local authorities and/or central government regeneration money. The Wey and Arun canal is the exception where a lot has been raised from other, often private funds

 

The problem isn't just that losing EU funding will lose a third of the pie, it's that funding begets match funding, so the rest may not be forthcoming either. You can't match funding with "same source" funding, so HLF money can't be matched with money from other lottery funds for example

 

Some schemes don't have EU funding, e.g the Cotswolds phase 1a, but quite a large number do/did, and it was certainly an avenue that gets pursued by most. Not all schemes will suffer, but many will. Of course, the government could spend the money they aren't sending to the EU on canal restoration, but I wouldn't hold your breath

 

So yes, certain schemes now won't get going, although I'd hesitate to say which ones. What the impact will be on others is less clear, they may suffer as the whole movement slows down, or they may find themselves in pole poisition for the resources that are available

Edited July 9, 2016 by magpie patrick

[magpie patrick]

English is great isn't it?

I don't feel strongly enough about the link and would hate to offend Magpie Patrick by typing you can shove it up your....

Hence the you can keep it comment, not short for you can keep it in place of another scheme.

 

 

I'll add a bit - the idea of linking the GU to the Ouse is quite a good one, although I suspect Canal Centric - it's always the ditchcrawlers that fancy a bit of river, never the peaked caps that want to go on the cut

 

I don't think this is the best way to do it though, they seem to have chosen a route that is topographically difficult given the GU actually crosses the Ouse at Wolverton - when defining your project, decide which problem you want to solve first, being all things to all people didn't work in the canal age, and it doesn't work now

[Athy]

English is great isn't it?

I don't feel strongly enough about the link and would hate to offend Magpie Patrick by typing you can shove it up your....

Hence the you can keep it comment, not short for you can keep it in place of another scheme.

Oh, sorry, yes, wrong end of stick firmly grasped.

As we live on the Middle Level and have boated on the Great Ouse, I suppose this project is of more interest to us than it would be to many people who (understandably) aren't interested in venturing that far.

[gazza]

 

 

I'll add a bit - the idea of linking the GU to the Ouse is quite a good one, although I suspect Canal Centric - it's always the ditchcrawlers that fancy a bit of river, never the peaked caps that want to go on the cut

 

I don't think this is the best way to do it though, they seem to have chosen a route that is topographically difficult given the GU actually crosses the Ouse at Wolverton - when defining your project, decide which problem you want to solve first, being all things to all people didn't work in the canal age, and it doesn't work now

I've only met one peaked cap, I ran out of petrol just passed the entrance to Jones in St Ives, matey followed me out in his IP 24, realised we had ground to a halt and was a fag paper off throwing us a line before I had even had a chance to explain I had only run out of juice and had spare fuel onboard.

Helpful, keen well spoken chap mind

 

The reason im a bit selfish about it is the mooring infrastructure is unlikely to improve on the Ouse, couple that with the real risk of overstaying boats in places like St Ives, Ely, St Neots. And even Huntingdon it would spoil it totally.

 

As for the Ouse at Wolverton, didn't they build the iron trunk due to the regular flooding of the Ouse?

Oh, sorry, yes, wrong end of stick firmly grasped.

As we live on the Middle Level and have boated on the Great Ouse, I suppose this project is of more interest to us than it would be to many people who (understandably) aren't interested in venturing that far.

It would if built to broad dimensions give us an inland route to the smoke, somewhere I couldn't ever imagine wanting to go to.

I guess many would have the opposite view, but me being a simple lad from Northants would rather things stayed the same

[john6767]

Surprised that no one has mentioned the Higher Avon. That seems to be a missing strategic link, linking Stratford to Warwick and the GU. For Narrowboats that can do that via the Stratford canal the link will take out approximately 50 locks from the trip, but importantly it provides a wide beam link between the Severn/Avon and the GU/Thames. The tourism potential is huge, taking people fron Stratford to Warwick castle by boat for example. It also make a good short ring for hire boats with Avon/Stratford/GU.

 

My understanding is that there is very little of the length of the river that needs much work, the weirs are already there, but they need locks, I think 4 river locks, and then the link up to the GU at Warwick where the GU crosses the Avon on an aqueduct is another 4 locks (or a boat lift).

 

I believe one of the big issues is riparian land owners not wanting boats going past the end of their garden, but The Avon Navigation Trust is now pushing this scheme and the Stratford & Warwick Waterways Trust is being merged into ANT to provide a single focus. They are now calling the scheme The Avon Extension, and have produced a booklet.

[Tim Lewis]

I'm going a bit sideways. I would like to see the development of tunneling techniques. There are several schemes that need tunnels - the Lapal, the Chesterfield for instance, and some that need to pierce through motorway embankments

 

If it were possible to find a cost effective way of tunneling, these schemes would stand a much better chance

 

Richard

I think that any tunnelling techniques for restoration have already been developed, it's just that they are very expensive!

 

In the 1980's I was working for the contractor that rebuilt the middle third of Blisworth tunnel, now that was an interesting exercise.

 

Tim

Edited July 9, 2016 by Tim Lewis

[magpie patrick]

I'm going a bit sideways. I would like to see the development of tunneling techniques. There are several schemes that need tunnels - the Lapal, the Chesterfield for instance, and some that need to pierce through motorway embankments

 

If it were possible to find a cost effective way of tunneling, these schemes would stand a much better chance

 

Richard

 

The cheapest would be volunteers with picks and shovels, using an old fashioned timber shield like they did in "the old days"...

 

I'm not sure I'd want to sign off the risk assessment though!

 

That said, with a downturn in infrastructure expenditure there will be an opportunity for someone to develop a cheaper method, especially for roads. Either that or we will have to accept that roads that need improvement won't get it. Historic England want the A303 past Stonehenge in Tunnel, they can't pay for it and the Highways Agency won't because the cost is excessive, time for someone to develop the cheap but slow TBM?

[Pluto]

Collect all the water voles on the canals, remove them, and train them to excavate tunnels. This scheme would have the added advantage of reducing the damage they do to canal banks.

[Nightwatch]

Wilts &Berks.

[Athy]

Collect all the water voles on the canals, remove them, and train them to excavate tunnels. This scheme would have the added advantage of reducing the damage they do to canal banks.

Perhaps round up all unemployed liveaboards instead? They might get the job done more quickly.

[Nightwatch]

Perhaps round up all unemployed liveaboards instead? They might get the job done more quickly.

i agree in principle. However............................"

[Athy]

i agree in principle. However............................"

 

i agree in principle. However............................"

"Unemployed", not respectable former members of Her Majesty's armed forces. Quite different.

[Laurence Hogg]

I am surprised restoration groups and CRT haven't got involved with this scheme, seems a golden opportunity to get more young hands on the job, a fact almost every restoration is now lacking.

 

National Citizen Service - GOV.UK

[Nightwatch]

"Unemployed", not respectable former members of Her Majesty's armed forces. Quite different.

Arh! Gee thanks.

Once again,I have to question your post.specifically the reference to "respectable".

 

Well I suppose I am, thank you.

 

Martyn

[Heartland]

Funding is without doubt a key issue

 

Canal construction, maintenance and improvement has usually been restricted by available finance. Though restoration has benefited from people willing to give their services often free of charge. Such resources will continue and lead to ongoing restoration of canals.

[saltysplash]

The widening of Watford locks and rebuilding the Inclined Plane at Foxton to provide a widebeam route North and South

[bag 'o' bones]

The widening of Watford locks and rebuilding the Inclined Plane at Foxton to provide a widebeam route North and South

Would love to see foxton rebuilt just for the engineering marvel alone.

[Athy]

Arh! Gee thanks.

Once again,I have to question your post.specifically the reference to "respectable".

 

Well I suppose I am, thank you.

 

Martyn

So, next time I should write "disreputable"? You're damned if you do do and damned if you don't do.

[Ian Mac]

I would like to build the West Haughton to Littleborough Canal and restore the M&BB as part of the process, thus making a new ring or two :-)

Easy Wins

Runcorn Locks

Avon extension

MK and Bedford

Bradley

High cost high Gain wins

Lichfield

T&S

Lapal

Must dos

Gratham

Cromford

--

Cheers Ian Mac