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Edgbaston Tunnel. W & B Canal

pearley

By pearley
in General Boating

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Athy Veteran II

AthyDonate to Canal World

Posted
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Yes, some years (10 years?) ago Newbold tunnel was equipped with a row of multi-coloured lights which, as well as illuminating the towpath, shone rather fetchingly across the roof. The tunnel had a towpath both sides and the lights were mounted at ground level on the offside.

 

Regarding Edgbaston tunnel, a bit of research on Cyclistswhowhinge.com, or some such site, suggests that its lights didn't work for a period in 2012 and again for an extended period (over three months) in 2015. Whether there were otherblackouts as well I don't know.

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alan_fincher Veteran II

alan_fincher

Posted
Posted

Been through newbold a few times over the last two years, never seen them working.

 

I don't think the Newbold lights have worked at all for considerably longer than that now.

 

Now we have all the old junk associated with them installed in the tunnel, but nothing else to show for it!

 

IIRC the cost was many many thousands of pounds.

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john6767 Veteran II

john6767

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Examples that reduce it beyond the ability for two boats of the advertised maximum beam to pass each other?

 

Do you not think the original canal companies made a rod for everyone's back way back in the beginning by building perhaps the majority of bridges effectively for one way working only? It's nothing new.

 

JP

 

ETA - I do realise that the bridges on the W&B were built to 14' width despite it being a narrow canal. I have never tried to pass a another boat in one of the bridge holes though. Might cause a bit of consternation with the other party.

I think that originally the W&B was built out of Birmingham as a wide canal, with the intention of bringing barges from the River Severn. When they got to Tardibigge they were short on money and built the locks narrow. So on the first stretch at least the bridges are wide, but now there are 2(?) railway bridges in the area on Edgebaston tunnel that are narrow, ie about the same width as a narrow lock. These railway crossings are also at an angle and are probably as long as Edgebaston tunnel, so there are other similar length single operation sections close by anyway.

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RLWP Veteran II

RLWP

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I think that originally the W&B was built out of Birmingham as a wide canal, with the intention of bringing barges from the River Severn. When they got to Tardibigge they were short on money and built the locks narrow. So on the first stretch at least the bridges are wide, but now there are 2(?) railway bridges in the area on Edgebaston tunnel that are narrow, ie about the same width as a narrow lock. These railway crossings are also at an angle and are probably as long as Edgebaston tunnel, so there are other similar length single operation sections close by anyway.

 

I checked the other day. The tunnel is about 90 metres, the railway bridges 60 metres

 

Richard

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MoominPapa Veteran II

MoominPapa

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I checked the other day. The tunnel is about 90 metres, the railway bridges 60 metres

 

Richard

 

A lot shorter than Barnton Tunnel on the T&M which is north of 500m and wiggly with angled entrances but manages fine with a "don't enter if there's a boat coming" rule.

 

Cheers,

 

MP.

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BEngo Veteran II

BEngoDonate to Canal World

Posted
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A lot shorter than Barnton Tunnel on the T&M which is north of 500m and wiggly with angled entrances but manages fine with a "don't enter if there's a boat coming" rule.

 

Cheers,

 

MP.

When we went through last year all three northern T&M tunnels were on timed entry IIRC.

 

N

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MoominPapa Veteran II

MoominPapa

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When we went through last year all three northern T&M tunnels were on timed entry IIRC.

 

N

 

When we went through last year, Preston Brook and Saltersford were timed entry, but Barnton was normal one-way rules. Has that changed? I confess it never made much sense to me since Saltersford and Barnton are very close.

 

 

MP.

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alan_fincher Veteran II

alan_fincher

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When we went through last year, Preston Brook and Saltersford were timed entry, but Barnton was normal one-way rules. Has that changed? I confess it never made much sense to me since Saltersford and Barnton are very close.

 

 

MP.

 

Our experience the year before.

 

The odd thing is that Barnton is actually not that easy to see through at all, and it would seem to make more sense to have that one as timed operation as well.

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cuthound Veteran II

cuthoundDonate to Canal World

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So who was diwali who was supposed to change the bulbs and didn't?

No idea, but I expect they found the capital account budget to install them and didn't think about the current account budget needed to maintain them, as happens with so many things these days.

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PeterG Proficient

PeterGDonate to Canal World

Posted
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Bikes and pedestrians are at least as quick as boats so they can just wait as most of them do already which will just cost a couple of signs to implement rather than substantial modifications to the towpath through the tunnel and force boats to wait for longer.

  • Greenie 1
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MoominPapa Veteran II

MoominPapa

Posted
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Bikes and pedestrians are at least as quick as boats so they can just wait as most of them do already which will just cost a couple of signs to implement rather than substantial modifications to the towpath through the tunnel and force boats to wait for longer.

 

But I suspect that there are far more bikes and pedestrians using the towpath than boats using the canal. Boats having to wait will be pretty rare, (and probably no more frequent than now, since most people won't try and pass in the tunnel). Contention between bikes going in opposite directions, and between bikes and pedestrians is much more likely now, and would be reduced by widening the towpath. I can't see the problem with the proposal, to be honest.

 

MP.

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frangar Veteran II

frangar

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I'm truly shocked at the people on here who don't see a problem with drastically altering a historical structure for little gain. All it will mean is cyclists will go faster...then moan pedestrians are causing an obstruction...surely nothing is solved apart from what's a rather nice historic structure.

As I said before if this gets allowed what's next??

 

Gareth

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