Forth and Clyde Closure

[Iain_S]

14 hours ago, Up-Side-Down said:

But it seems nobody got round to telling BWS that this was the score. Or if they did, no one was inclined to listen! The words 'bite' and bum' spring to mind (amongst others).

At the time of the millenium link, the management of BW(Scotland) were very aware of the score. The top management at the time were, however, engineers rather than carpetbaggers 

[Iain_S]

15 hours ago, jeanb said:

(snip)

However, Scottish Canals head office must be the most swish building in Edinburgh after their Parliament, with lots and lots of people sitting at desks. (Allegedly).

Which building's that?

[Naughty Cal]

16 hours ago, Jess-- said:

probably down to just enough being done to get it open and what it really needed to be in perfect condition

for a silly example take a 70's ford escort
for £500, it will run but the gearbox grinds, the passenger window doesn't go up, the boot falls off if you open it and it's got 3 bald tyres.
for several thousand you can get one that is as good as (if not better than) it rolled off the production line.

I would like to know where you have found a 70's Escort for "several thousand".

I'll take three please.

[rusty69]

It would have to be a high class escort,not so old for that kinda money.

[cuthound]

2 hours ago, Naughty Cal said:

I would like to know where you have found a 70's Escort for "several thousand".

I'll take three please.

Try this one. A snip at £59k.

https://m.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C402570

 

[jeanb]

Quote

3 hours ago, Iain_S said:

Which building's that?

 

Many apologies all, brainstorm, it was at the Glasgow end.

[haggis]

4 minutes ago, jeanb said:

Many apologies all, brainstorm, it was at the Glasgow end.

yes, the Scottish Canals head office is at Applecross Street in Glasgow but I would hardly call it  a swish building. It is pretty old but not attractive like some old buildings 

haggis

[Naughty Cal]

56 minutes ago, cuthound said:

Try this one. A snip at £59k.

https://m.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C402570

 

A bit more then several thousand

 

[WotEver]

3 hours ago, Naughty Cal said:

A bit more then several thousand

I love how the country is Portugal and the region is Bedfordshire. 

[ronnietucker]

9 hours ago, 13-10 said:

I think my summer plans will be paddle a canoe to Glasgow and sit and listen to Ronnies new stereo

You'll be able to go to Bowling Upper and rent a canoe from them and paddle up to me.

If you're feeling adventurous you could go for their stand-up paddle board thing. Personally, I think that's just asking for a mouthful of canal water though...  

9 hours ago, Up-Side-Down said:

Hope it's not that loud as I moor 50 yds away from him in Bowling

Not a chance of that. It's some dodgy Chinese thing that I got for about £20. It'll be a bonus for me if it even works!

[haggis]

We had some good news yesterday! Dunlop, the Chief Executive of Scottish Canals is leaving us soon to take up a position in charge of Scottish Enterprise (God help them!). No word yet about who his replacement will be but fingers crossed that it will be someone who understands and cares about the canals. Richard Millar - Director of Infrastructure, Heritage, Enterprise and Sustainability, would be the boaters choice, I think. 

haggis

[13-10]

Here's hoping. The blurb on the SC website reads like the reference you give to somebody you're wanting rid of 

[Jokar]

Sinking boat springs to mind, but I thought the captain was last to jump. I'm at Bowling today if anyone is about introduce  yourselves.

[Up-Side-Down]

Gratifying to see that both the Scotsman and the Falkirk Herald have picked up on the story (in much the same words!):

https://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/concerns-over-forth-clyde-canal-future-as-repair-bills-mount-up-1-4720540

https://www.falkirkherald.co.uk/news/concerns-over-canal-future-as-repair-bills-mount-up-1-4720653

[ronnietucker]

8 minutes ago, Up-Side-Down said:

Gratifying to see that both the Scotsman and the Falkirk Herald have picked up on the story (in much the same words!):

https://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/concerns-over-forth-clyde-canal-future-as-repair-bills-mount-up-1-4720540

https://www.falkirkherald.co.uk/news/concerns-over-canal-future-as-repair-bills-mount-up-1-4720653

A very badly disguised copy/paste job.

Crazy how many Scotsman readers are (in the comments) just foaming at the mouth blaming the SNP.

For anyone wanting to read the story through those newspapers' paywall: start the page loading and when you see a photo/text stop the page loading. You'll get to read the story and stopping the page load will stop the paywall getting in the way.  

[Jokar]

If the next CEO could read this it may make all the difference,  it's taken from Transport Scotland  website, seems to have been ignored the past 8yrs

 

Responsibilities

Scottish Canals’ primary responsibilities are:

• to maintain Scotland’s 137 mile canal network, comprising the Caledonian, Crinan, Forth & Clyde, Union and Monkland canals
• to act as navigation authority for the canals and four lochs in the Great Glen, which are linked to form the Caledonian Canal

The canals are Scheduled Ancient Monuments and there are 22 Sites of Special Scientific Interest on or within 500m of a canal.

[Jokar]

1 hour ago, Up-Side-Down said:

Gratifying to see that both the Scotsman and the Falkirk Herald have picked up on the story (in much the same words!):

https://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/concerns-over-forth-clyde-canal-future-as-repair-bills-mount-up-1-4720540

https://www.falkirkherald.co.uk/news/concerns-over-canal-future-as-repair-bills-mount-up-1-4720653

I'm glad Alastair is keeping the news flowing, and there must be a few scunnered boaters who want the full service to resume to what it should be, and what they have paid for

[WotEver]

1 hour ago, ronnietucker said:

For anyone wanting to read the story through those newspapers' paywall: start the page loading and when you see a photo/text stop the page loading. You'll get to read the story and stopping the page load will stop the paywall getting in the way.  

Great tip, thanks

[Mr Venus]

I found the comments by Scottish Canals concerning the number of boats affected by the closure of the F&C very interesting. They seem to have forgotten that they took over the 19 strong hire boat fleet, based at the Falkirk Wheel, for the 2018 season. I happen to know that in the last 5 years, the number of days booked on this fleet rose from 1,992 in 2012 to 3,482 in the 2017 season. Nearly all those hirers, on average a crew of 4, will go West at some point to pass through both Bonnybridge and Twechar bridges, and of course they have to go and come back. My maths makes that boaters affected by the closures in the 20 thousands. All water off a duck's back to SC of course, the day when all boat traffic has ceased on the Lowland Canals is that day they will be much happier.

[AllanD]

I had a brief look on the Boat Hire website but found no mention of any restrictions or closures. Does anyone know if hirers have been informed? 

[Mr Venus]

Hirers have been informed by the hiring companies. Otherwise, it's the usual reply from SC - look on their website. 

[Up-Side-Down]

7 minutes ago, AllanD said:

I had a brief look on the Boat Hire website but found no mention of any restrictions or closures. Does anyone know if hirers have been informed? 

Booking a hire boat on the Scottish Canals is quite a commitment, often involving flights or train bookings, so this implies an inbuilt reluctance to cancel. I understand that the opportunity to change to another ABC or Black Prince hire base is on offer and there has been a small uptake. 

However, it will be next year's bookings that take the real hit once word of the limited opportunities for cruising the Lowland Canals has got about.

The situation is not helped by SC closing the Union Canal at Linlithgow for five days next week, thereby rendering any form of hiring all but impractical! (no, you couldn't make it up!)

[Up-Side-Down]

21 minutes ago, Mr Venus said:

the day when all boat traffic has ceased on the Lowland Canals is that day they will be much happier.

This was actually stated some five years ago at a meeting chaired by Mark Smith, chief henchman to Ms Hughes – Director of Property, who has recently been given responsibility for canal operation degeneration.

[Jokar]

At the weekend  I was at Bowling  cleaning my boat, I could hardly move the boat for the weed around it, it won't take long for the canal to be unpassible,  especially  if  no boats are moving along it, it's a disgrace it got to this stage.

[Jokar]

THIS HAS GOT TO BE A JOKE, we need a meeting now to discuss the lack of service and the fact the canal is closed

Dear boater

 

We have listened to our customers and following feedback, will be holding evening meetings on each canal once a year.

 

The first Forth and Clyde canal meeting will be held in the Lowland Canal offices, Southbank Marina, 4 Strathkelvin Place, Kirkintilloch, G66 1XT on Thursday 8^th November 2018 from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.

 

I hope you are able to join us.  Could I please ask you to confirm your attendance in writing via this email address so I can ensure adequate seats and refreshments are available.

 

If you are unable to make this one, there will be other events you will be able to attend throughout the year – please check the Customer Hub on the home page of the Scottish Canals website for other venues and dates.

 

Best wishes

 

Paula

 

Paula Carson Customer Relations Supervisor . Email: Paula.Carson@scottishcanals.co.uk Tel:   07920 802628 Mob: +447920802628