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BCN Challenge 2018


RLWP

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4 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

Those were my thoughts in terms of the construction but I take it you mean it was groundwater being pumped to replenish the upper level? Obviously the shaft would still be several hundred metres away from the lower pound hence my suggestion of a low level connection. I think your explanation is more likely.

I was thinking of how the Severn and Mersey rail tunnels are pumped vertically from the bottom of deep shafts into which water is collected via independent drainage culverts. Different scenario there though as the source of the water being pumped very much matters.

JP

Yes, I would expect a connection from the Wolverhampton level through to the bottom of a pump well at the pumphouse

This is pretty normal canal engineering

Richard

Quote

It is still a pump house, with an electric pump in the building, drawing water from below lock 6, out to the grills just by the junction between the Tat Bank canal (and feeder arm) and the Titford Canal.

http://bcnsociety.com/moorings/titford/titford-pump-house/

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1 minute ago, matty40s said:

Car parking at Titford, how much available, is it free, safe??

Very little that is safe and that probably won't be available while the rally is on. Bring Old Friends. There will be lots of us in the same boat (metaphorically) and plenty of help if things get tricky. I can't believe the BCNS top brass who will be present for the rally won't have the influence to ensure that the pumps are doing the business.

I presume this means you are crewing for the opposition?

JP

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21 minutes ago, RLWP said:

Yes, I would expect a connection from the Wolverhampton level through to the bottom of a pump well at the pumphouse

This is pretty normal canal engineering

Richard

http://bcnsociety.com/moorings/titford/titford-pump-house/

Splendid. I had allowed myself to be convinced otherwise by others' scepticism and also to me a well inferred a groundwater source.

Must remember that I'm the one with the credentials for Victorian stuff.

JP

Edited by Captain Pegg
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12 minutes ago, RLWP said:

Yes, I would expect a connection from the Wolverhampton level through to the bottom of a pump well at the pumphouse

This is pretty normal canal engineering

Richard

http://bcnsociety.com/moorings/titford/titford-pump-house/

Interesting, and it was going like the clappers on the Sunday last year, so it certainly moves some volume.

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4 hours ago, RLWP said:

Yes, I would expect a connection from the Wolverhampton level through to the bottom of a pump well at the pumphouse

This is pretty normal canal engineering

Richard

http://bcnsociety.com/moorings/titford/titford-pump-house/

I've read somewhere that there are some very long underground culverts which serve the backpumps on the Garrison and Camp Hill flights. The current pumps were installed as part of the modernisation in the 1930s and are centrifugal pumps at the bottom of deep shafts driven by motors at the surface. The motors have been replaced over the years but I believe the pumps are the 1930s originals.

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15 minutes ago, David Mack said:

I've read somewhere that there are some very long underground culverts which serve the backpumps on the Garrison and Camp Hill flights. The current pumps were installed as part of the modernisation in the 1930s and are centrifugal pumps at the bottom of deep shafts driven by motors at the surface. The motors have been replaced over the years but I believe the pumps are the 1930s originals.

Just checked that out and it seems there is 2.6km long 1.4m diameter culvert to pump water from the River Tame at Salford Junction to the top of Camp Hill locks.

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13 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

Where are the pumps?

Salford Bridge, Artillery Street and Bowyer Street all seem to have pumping stations but there may be others.

Artillery Street is on the Garrison flight near St Andrews, Bowyer Street is at Digbeth on Camp Hill flight.

Edited by Captain Pegg
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Carpe Vinum will again be taking part, as for the beer well I did have a boat full you should have shouted!!!!

No idea on route this year and conscious of the fact that I normally leave later on the Sunday and head back to Lady Lane, it was fun trying to get down the locks whilst everyone was rushing up.

And was shattered to say the least when I finally did crawl back into Lady Lane late the Sunday night.

Still sorting crew and such, and will have the usual Just Giving page for a charity of sorts.

May bring a few kegs along again this year although it did sink us a lot further in the water and even took a little water on in one of the back lockers, maybe I should have drunk the beer faster :)

 

Look forward to seeing old and new faces.

Daz

 

IMG_8931.jpg

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As a BCN virgin - I've just got the route through but wondered if anyone knows/can recommend a detailed map of the BCN.  I normally use  Nicholsons but in the ones I have the BCN seems to be split across two volumes and also I don't seem to be able to find the exact limits of the BCN ie where to find somwehere to start, which I guess is probably important.  I suppose by asking this I've failed at the first  hurdle but dare I say it we don't intend to take it that seriously!!

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Yes the Nicholson’s is a pain in that respect. For free you have Crt’s interactive zoomable map: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/canal-and-river-network/birmingham-canal-navigations

We have a single folded sheet map of the BCN on the boats but can’t remember who published it. In terms of which canals are BCN, well not the Worcester and Birmingham, not the Stourbridge and not the grand union! I think the B&F is technically part of the BCN but you don’t normally score from further out than Salford Jn. When you get the scoring pack (which you get before the day) it is obvious which bits score and which bits don’t. Since the rules change a bit each year, you can’t really optimise your route until you get that.

Enjoy the Challenge, we did!

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39 minutes ago, larryjc said:

As a BCN virgin - I've just got the route through but wondered if anyone knows/can recommend a detailed map of the BCN.  I normally use  Nicholsons but in the ones I have the BCN seems to be split across two volumes and also I don't seem to be able to find the exact limits of the BCN ie where to find somwehere to start, which I guess is probably important.  I suppose by asking this I've failed at the first  hurdle but dare I say it we don't intend to take it that seriously!!

Unless it has changed in the recent ones the BCN is all in a single edition No. 2, Severn, Avon and Birmingham. There is the through routes of the Main Line and Dudley canals in No. 3 as well, but it is all in No. 2.

Edited by john6767
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12 minutes ago, larryjc said:

But I thought Fazely junction was one starting point - and thats in book 3.  Anyway I've also bought the map above so between the two shoul managae to find something.

 

That is being picky, Fazeley junction is of course part of the BCN, but perhaps it is not in No. 2, I don't know, the books are on the boat and I'm not.  But anyway why start at Fazeley Junction, that does not sound like a wining plan to me!  You can start anywhere on the BCN, there are no specific start points with bonus point this year as last year.

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'The Cat Who Walks By Himself', of this forum (but he hasn't posted for ages. Where have you got to Ian?), produced this a few years back:

http://www.thecatwhowalksbyhimself.co.uk/bcnChallenge.php

Great fun to play with but remember the scoring is per the 2015 rules.

Edited by Victor Vectis
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47 minutes ago, john6767 said:

That is being picky, Fazeley junction is of course part of the BCN, but perhaps it is not in No. 2, I don't know, the books are on the boat and I'm not.  But anyway why start at Fazeley Junction, that does not sound like a wining plan to me!  You can start anywhere on the BCN, there are no specific start points with bonus point this year as last year.

Reason I looked at Fazely is that I'm coming down from oop north and either fazely or Autherly seemed the two best options.  I've got this years route and Fazely inwards in one of the listed routes.

 

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3 hours ago, larryjc said:

Reason I looked at Fazely is that I'm coming down from oop north and either fazely or Autherly seemed the two best options.  I've got this years route and Fazely inwards in one of the listed routes.

 

If you are coming from that direction, then strictly you enter the BCN at Whitington, midway between Fradley and Fazeley. The 5.5 mile section from Whittington to Fazeley, often regarded as part of the Coventry Canal, was built by the BCN when the Coventry company ran out of money, and remained part of the BCN until nationalisation.

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6 hours ago, larryjc said:

As a BCN virgin - I've just got the route through but wondered if anyone knows/can recommend a detailed map of the BCN.  I normally use  Nicholsons but in the ones I have the BCN seems to be split across two volumes and also I don't seem to be able to find the exact limits of the BCN ie where to find somwehere to start, which I guess is probably important.  I suppose by asking this I've failed at the first  hurdle but dare I say it we don't intend to take it that seriously!!

Just follow NB Clarrie, you'll be OK.

:)

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6 hours ago, nicknorman said:

Yes the Nicholson’s is a pain in that respect. For free you have Crt’s interactive zoomable map: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/canal-and-river-network/birmingham-canal-navigations

We have a single folded sheet map of the BCN on the boats but can’t remember who published it. In terms of which canals are BCN, well not the Worcester and Birmingham, not the Stourbridge and not the grand union! I think the B&F is technically part of the BCN but you don’t normally score from further out than Salford Jn. When you get the scoring pack (which you get before the day) it is obvious which bits score and which bits don’t. Since the rules change a bit each year, you can’t really optimise your route until you get that.

Enjoy the Challenge, we did!

Fazeley Junction to Salford Junction (up only) is in the scoring this year.

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