Dave123 Posted December 5, 2017 Report Share Posted December 5, 2017 Anyone heard anymore about whether the pump has been fixed? Just hearing rumours the water levels are getting worse and the restrictions may be increased. Had hoped to get over the summit and down to Aylesbury for Christmas! Notice Details From Date: 8th November 2017 To Date: until further notice Type: Navigation Restriction Reason: Water resources Notice updates: 08/11/2017 @ 08:50 This restriction will extend to lock 46, Cowroast Lock. Description: Due to a pump breakdown we are needing to carefully manage water resources and restrict navigation on the Marsworth flight between lock 39 to Lock 45. The navigation will be open from 11am to 4pm, with last entry into flight 2:30pm. Updates to be provided as work progresses on temporary pumping installation and the reservoirs refilling and the towpath will remain open Location: Grand Union Canal Starts At: Lock 39 Ends At: Lock 46, Cowroast Lock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LEO Posted December 5, 2017 Report Share Posted December 5, 2017 I recall hearing someone say at the weekend m(02 december '17) it would take some months to get the pump fixed................water levels are low and locking opening times on the Marsworth flight are limited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave123 Posted December 5, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2017 But presumably there is some degree of pumping taking place? Or it surely would have run completely dry by now? Seemed to be plenty of water in Berko yesterday - the overflow weirs were flowing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEngo Posted December 5, 2017 Report Share Posted December 5, 2017 On addition to the Tringford pumps and the Cowroast pumps, The Tring summit is fed from Tring sewage works to the tune of about 10 locks a day and from the Tring drainage feeder, both on the Wendover Arm near New Mill. There is also the South Railway feeder which drains the railway cutting. The latter two are dependant on local rainfall for any significant input. This sounds more like another CART water control cock up given that there should be at least two pumps at Tringford and a back pump as well as a bore pump at Cowroast. N Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave123 Posted December 5, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2017 That's encouraging. Just need the residents of Tring to keep flushing lots haha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_fincher Posted December 5, 2017 Report Share Posted December 5, 2017 Which pump is supposed to be out of action? The Cow Roast bore hole pump was certainly in use over the past few days, so it can't be that one that is broken, surely? There's some splendid stuff about this on FaceBook. Apparently CRT stand accused of having sold off one of the Marsworth reservoir group to the local anglers. and now have to buy the water from it back off of them!..... (Yes, honestly!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matty40s Posted December 5, 2017 Report Share Posted December 5, 2017 This is also reputedly the reason that they have closed the Leicester Line. They cannot take the Saddington, Naseby and Welford reservoirs below 30% as they have sold the fishing rights off and this is part of the contract. Stuff boaters eh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_fincher Posted December 5, 2017 Report Share Posted December 5, 2017 Have just read an answer elsewhere from someone in CRT that seems to confirm the issue is a Tringford. Also that everywhere between Three Locks and Winkwell is now potentially subject to low water levels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matty40s Posted December 5, 2017 Report Share Posted December 5, 2017 8 minutes ago, alan_fincher said: Have just read an answer elsewhere from someone in CRT that seems to confirm the issue is a Tringford. Also that everywhere between Three Locks and Winkwell is now potentially subject to low water levels. .....and the rest, last Thursday all the bottom gates at the 3 Locks were open and a ground paddle on every top lock was open too. CRT water management services. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koukouvagia Posted December 5, 2017 Report Share Posted December 5, 2017 48 minutes ago, alan_fincher said: The Cow Roast bore hole pump was certainly in use over the past few days, so it can't be that one that is broken, surely? I've been told that CaRT have reached to limit of the annual volume of water allowed to be extracted at Cowroast. Waterways reckon that the spare parts for the broken Tringford pump are not readily available and as Leo says, it looks like several months of low levels on the summit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuscan Posted December 5, 2017 Report Share Posted December 5, 2017 Boats either side of the summit are being told they don’t have to move yet the stoppage has still not been declared. Winkwell to Three Locks is a long stretch. They’ve had problems since the summer , when we were stuck for a day above the Horton pound it was because the pump there had failed again so they ran water down from Marsworth back then. 4 hours ago, matty40s said: This is also reputedly the reason that they have closed the Leicester Line. They cannot take the Saddington, Naseby and Welford reservoirs below 30% as they have sold the fishing rights off and this is part of the contract. Stuff boaters eh. I drove down the lane bordering Saddington a couple of weeks ago and it was very empty . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Mack Posted December 5, 2017 Report Share Posted December 5, 2017 7 hours ago, Dave123 said: Anyone heard anymore about whether the pump has been fixed? Just hearing rumours the water levels are getting worse and the restrictions may be increased. Had hoped to get over the summit and down to Aylesbury for Christmas! Aylesbury Arm is closed until 15 December. Hopefully by the time you get there they will have sorted out the bridge at Broughton where the the towpath under the bridge had fallen into the canal. Have taken 2 large Woolwichs down earlier in the year and both got well and truly stuck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matty40s Posted December 5, 2017 Report Share Posted December 5, 2017 (edited) You didn't need a Woolwich to get stuck, brought 2 normal leisure boats out of the basin in early July and it was hard work most of the way up.....especially through that bridge. Edited December 5, 2017 by matty40s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave123 Posted December 6, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2017 12 hours ago, matty40s said: You didn't need a Woolwich to get stuck, brought 2 normal leisure boats out of the basin in early July and it was hard work most of the way up.....especially through that bridge. Well I managed to get down to the basin in May so hopefully it will be ok. And as to the low levels, again fingers crossed for lots of rain. I'd hope the last resort would at least be bookable passages on a handful of days as they are doing with the Leicester arm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuscan Posted December 6, 2017 Report Share Posted December 6, 2017 Posted elsewhere was the information that there are 3 pumps at Tringford the main one and 2 back ups, the back ups have not been maintained as the main pump was thought sufficient and the main one has now failed, being old it will take time to source spares. I have no personal confirmation of this but it rings true. http://www.fotr.org.uk/p/history-of-reservoirs.html?m=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_fincher Posted December 6, 2017 Report Share Posted December 6, 2017 It is also unofficially stated elsewhere that the stoppage at lower Dudswell for a paddle replacement has ended early, and the canal there is now reopened. I'm only passing on the statement - I haven't personally verified it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave123 Posted December 6, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2017 I think that may be true as 2 work boats just came past me heading south through Berko... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koukouvagia Posted December 29, 2017 Report Share Posted December 29, 2017 Latest on theTringford pump. https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/news-and-views/blogs/the-water-management-team/tringford-pump-lifting I notice it doesn't say when things will return to normal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter X Posted December 29, 2017 Report Share Posted December 29, 2017 It's dated 21st December and talks about the pump having a "Christmas break" for its bearings to be replaced, so sort of implies it'll be back in action early in the new year. My experience in IT tells me that a golden rule of fixing a program is to try to avoid promising it'll be OK by a specific date, even though you know there's over a 90% chance it will be working by then. I'm sure all kinds of engineers and technicians follow much the same policy as computer programmers on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuthound Posted December 30, 2017 Report Share Posted December 30, 2017 20 hours ago, Peter X said: It's dated 21st December and talks about the pump having a "Christmas break" for its bearings to be replaced, so sort of implies it'll be back in action early in the new year. My experience in IT tells me that a golden rule of fixing a program is to try to avoid promising it'll be OK by a specific date, even though you know there's over a 90% chance it will be working by then. I'm sure all kinds of engineers and technicians follow much the same policy as computer programmers on this. Not in project management. Everything is date driven, usually to very tight schedules, even commissioning when you find out what isn't working properly. When I left the game the bigger clients expected a data centre to be built and operational in 12 weeks, from cutting the first sod to completion, with only 6 months before that for specifying and ordering major items of plant. Rarely missed completion dates but often ended up with the contractors working 24/7 in shifts to get in done on time. Glad I'm out of it now and can enjoy a relaxing pace of life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LEO Posted December 30, 2017 Report Share Posted December 30, 2017 On 12/29/2017 at 11:30, koukouvagia said: Latest on theTringford pump. https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/news-and-views/blogs/the-water-management-team/tringford-pump-lifting I notice it doesn't say when things will return to normal. Interesting, but there seems to be long term problems with water supply to the reservoirs due to weed growth on the unrestored section of the Wendover arm, this is restricting flow and causing water to back-up and flood the tow path and area by the old wharf at Wendover. Levels on the summit were good at Cowroast this morning and the back pump was not being used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_fincher Posted December 30, 2017 Report Share Posted December 30, 2017 3 hours ago, LEO said: Levels on the summit were good at Cowroast this morning and the back pump was not being used. I know you know this, but I would suggest that what is at Cow Roast is not a back pump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LEO Posted December 30, 2017 Report Share Posted December 30, 2017 58 minutes ago, alan_fincher said: I know you know this, but I would suggest that what is at Cow Roast is not a back pump. Correct Alan, the only thing working at Cowroast at the moment are land based locals filling the rubbish bins with hardcore............... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUMPY Posted December 30, 2017 Report Share Posted December 30, 2017 1 hour ago, alan_fincher said: I know you know this, but I would suggest that what is at Cow Roast is not a back pump. Its both a pump from the well and a back pump or it was. 20 odd years ago they recommissioned the pump and ruined what was a wonderful source of spring water as it then mixed with canal water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Featured Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now