Middlewich Branch breach - Shropshire Union

[matty40s]

2 hours ago, Alway Swilby said:

Have they put in some new mooring rings at the site like they did at Dutton? Or maybe that will come later (or not at all).

The project consultants probably didn't bother consulting anybody - or the right people - for that is what consultants are good at.

 

 

(I will gladly be corrected on this point)

[howardang]

1 minute ago, matty40s said:

The project consultants probably didn't bother consulting anybody - or the right people - for that is what consultants are good at.

 

 

(I will gladly be corrected on this point)

I would have thought that what we really should be saying is "Well done, CRT, for completing a complex job at the time you pronised, rather than looking for criticisms." Maybe, that is too much to ask for on this forum of experts!

 

Howard

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Graham Davis]

30 minutes ago, howardang said:

I would have thought that what we really should be saying is "Well done, CRT, for completing a complex job at the time you pronised, rather than looking for criticisms." Maybe, that is too much to ask for on this forum of experts egg spurts!

 

Howard

Corrected that for you.

[matty40s]

12 minutes ago, Graham Davis said:

Corrected that for you.

you missed the sperling mistook.

I would be happy if I thought this repair had been done swiftly, well and further efforts would be made to ensure no repetition. Unfortunately, as is seen with dredging, showcase things are great, hide or don't worry about the rest. The bridgeholes and some other sections on the newly "dredged" and publicly signposted as such Weedon-Whilton section are almost impassible now in a deep boat ( I brought one down last week).  There's no good doing an Emperors Clothes with projects if the emperors property is falling apart and clogging up at the seams.

[Captain Pegg]

1 hour ago, matty40s said:

The project consultants probably didn't bother consulting anybody - or the right people - for that is what consultants are good at.

 

 

(I will gladly be corrected on this point)

I will gladly do that 

 

In the case of an engineering project it is the consultant that is being consulted (by the client). It is the client's job to determine the requirements.

 

From an engineering perspective it all looks fine to me and I've dealt with similar failures in my own line of work.

 

JP

[howardang]

32 minutes ago, matty40s said:

you missed the sperling mistook.

I would be happy if I thought this repair had been done swiftly, well and further efforts would be made to ensure no repetition. Unfortunately, as is seen with dredging, showcase things are great, hide or don't worry about the rest. The bridgeholes and some other sections on the newly "dredged" and publicly signposted as such Weedon-Whilton section are almost impassible now in a deep boat ( I brought one down last week).  There's no good doing an Emperors Clothes with projects if the emperors property is falling apart and clogging up at the seams.

So sorry about mis-spelling, and I fully acept your reprimand! I didn'nt appreciate that you had already been through the new repairs and found faults. I should have known better. For godness sake give some credit when it is due, although there is no fun in that is there?

 

Howard

[Allan(nb Albert)]

33 minutes ago, matty40s said:

you missed the sperling mistook.

I would be happy if I thought this repair had been done swiftly, well and further efforts would be made to ensure no repetition. Unfortunately, as is seen with dredging, showcase things are great, hide or don't worry about the rest. The bridgeholes and some other sections on the newly "dredged" and publicly signposted as such Weedon-Whilton section are almost impassible now in a deep boat ( I brought one down last week).  There's no good doing an Emperors Clothes with projects if the emperors property is falling apart and clogging up at the seams.

I suspect C&RT would have more credibility regarding the cause of the breach if they had not twice refused to provide post breach reports.

[howardang]

8 minutes ago, Allan(nb Albert) said:

I suspect C&RT would have more credibility regarding the cause of the breach if they had not twice refused to provide post breach reports.

Hi Allan,

 

That may be true, but I wasn't speaking about cause; rather I was trying to give some praise where it is due, namely finishing the repairs when CRT had promised, which is laudable, but there are those on this forum who only look for something to critisise. 

 

Howard

 

 

[Allan(nb Albert)]

13 minutes ago, howardang said:

Hi Allan,

 

That may be true, but I wasn't speaking about cause; rather I was trying to give some praise where it is due, namely finishing the repairs when CRT had promised, which is laudable, but there are those on this forum who only look for something to critisise. 

 

Howard

 

 

I'm not sure that praise is due for completing a project on time. Early might warrant praise. Late might warrant criticism. On time is just doing your job.

 

Edited December 18, 2018 by Allan(nb Albert)

[howardang]

14 minutes ago, Allan(nb Albert) said:

I'm not sure that praise is due for completing a project on time. Early might warrant praise. Late might warrant criticism. On time is just doing your job.

 

You may well be right, but it does make a refreshing change to the frequent critisism of CRT (and believe it or not, I am also a critic of what they have become), and I have heard a number of people suggest that CRT didn'tbstand a chance of finishing on time. 

 

Howard

[MHS]

44 minutes ago, Allan(nb Albert) said:

I'm not sure that praise is due for completing a project on time. Early might warrant praise. Late might warrant criticism. On time is just doing your job.

 

Except many large projects, typically run by local authorities / government don’t and go way over budget. Well done CRT. 

[The Ents]

8 hours ago, MHS said:

Except many large projects, typically run by local authorities / government don’t and go way over budget. Well done CRT. 

Yes, well done CRT and the contractors, Keir.

[Boater Sam]

 I would like to thank C&RT and their contractor Kier for repairing the breach within the estimated time scale.

Admittedly it is no more than we could reasonably expect as licence payers having waited since the end of March, approximately 9 months.

I would also thank C&RT for the massive financial contributions the project has made to the local farming economy.

Has a boat managed to navigate the repaired length yet?

[Ray T]

PRESS RELEASE

MIDDLEWICH BRANCH CANAL REOPENS FOLLOWING £3 MILLION BREACH REPAIRS

 

The Shropshire Union Canal, Middlewich branch, in Cheshire, reopened today ( Friday 21 December), following repairs to a major breach.

 

Canal & River Trust, the waterways and wellbeing charity, has carried out repairs to the canal after a section of the 200-year-old embankment washed away into the River Wheelock below in March.

 

More than 4,000 tonnes of stones have been needed to rebuild the canal embankment so that it can be refilled with water and can once again be enjoyed by boaters, walkers, runners and the local community.

 

The work cost nearly £3 million and was funded by the Trust as well as players of People’s Postcode Lottery.  Generous donations from the local community also raised over £30, 000 for the emergency appeal. 

 

Contractors, Kier and CPC Civils, on behalf of the Canal & River Trust, have rebuilt the 12m high embankment prior to constructing new concrete canal walls, a PVC lining membrane and concrete protection slab as well as reinstating the towpath in preparation for the reopening.

 

Volunteers have worked closely with the Trust, removing debris from the canal bed, carrying out towpath improvements, recovering bricks for re-use, painting lock gates and clearing vegetation. Several volunteers also undertook some hedge laying training recently, to learn how to restore the historic hedgerows that can be found along the towpath.

 

Andy Johnson, senior project manager at the Canal & River Trust said: “We’ve been working hard on site to repair the canal as quickly as we could.  We faced some complex challenges like removing stranded boats and access along the canal bed to reach the breach but we’re pleased that we can re-open the canal before Christmas.  We still have some work to do on site in January and we might need to close the towpath at times early in the New Year to complete the work.  I would like to appeal to the public not to deviate from the towpath over the next few weeks as the topsoil on the verges either side has just been laid and grass seeding still needs to be done.”

 

Andy continues: “The Middlewich branch of the Shropshire Union Canal is not only loved by boaters but by the local community who use it to walk, cycle and run.  The support for our charity’s work has been fantastic. We would like to thank everyone who has donated money and all the amazing volunteers who have given their time and effort to help restore this much-loved canal.”

 

Sanjay Singh, Senior Programmes Manager for environmental charities at People’s Postcode Lottery said: “I am delighted that players have supported Canal & River Trust to make this stretch of the waterway accessible again to the local communities who most benefit. Waterways provide a hugely positive experience for everybody to enjoy throughout the year and I’m delighted it will be enjoyed once more.”

 

The Middlewich Branch is 10 miles long and connects the Shropshire Union Canal at Barbridge Junction to the Trent & Mersey Canal at Middlewich.  The canal is due to re-open on Friday 21^st December.  Work will still be ongoing until mid-January with some restrictions in place.

 

For more on the work of the Canal & River Trust and to find out how you can support our work visit www.canalrivertrust.org.uk  

 

-ends-

 

For further media requests please contact:

Helen Hall, Canal & River Trust

m 077177 60284 e helen.hall@canalrivertrust.org.uk 

[Jonkx]

And the news according to the Winsford and Middlewich Guardian, it should be open today. 

 

https://www.winsfordguardian.co.uk/news/17312094.middlewich-canal-reopened-after-3-million-repairs/

[Alway Swilby]

Just now, Jonkx said:

And the news according to the Winsford and Middlewich Guardian, it should be open today. 

 

https://www.winsfordguardian.co.uk/news/17312094.middlewich-canal-reopened-after-3-million-repairs/

It opened this morning. Fuel boats Bargus and Halsall were the first through. Facebook Link

[matty40s]

1 hour ago, Alway Swilby said:

It opened this morning. Fuel boats Bargus and Halsall were the first through. Facebook Link

Good to see my paint still in good nick ?

[ditchcrawler]

And we came the other way just as Halsall was coming down Wardle Lock

[LadyG]

err, a naive person here, but it looks rather "wide" or is it the photo. I'd have thought a canal, as in an engineered ditch needs to be as narrow as practicable?

[Captain Pegg]

18 minutes ago, LadyG said:

err, a naive person here, but it looks rather "wide" or is it the photo. I'd have thought a canal, as in an engineered ditch needs to be as narrow as practicable?

I suspect it's built to the same width as the original. It's still presumably sits on the same width of embankment for starters. The lack of vegetation and clean lines of the banks possibly make it look wider than established canals. It's also common for piling to have been installed inside the line of the original bank, sometimes even on the towpath side, which makes some canals narrower than they originally were.

 

The channel will originally have been deep and wide enough to pass a pair of loaded horse boats with an approximate maximum draft of 4' with sufficient space for the effects of the arising water displacement. Width is determined in part by the required depth. Overall a balance has to be struck between the costs of construction and aiding the expedient passage of cargoes. There are also considerations regarding holding sufficient water for lock operations as this is a pound between two relatively close locks.

 

JP

Edited December 22, 2018 by Captain Pegg

[ditchcrawler]

49 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

I suspect it's built to the same width as the original. It's still presumably sits on the same width of embankment for starters. The lack of vegetation and clean lines of the banks possibly make it look wider than established canals. It's also common for piling to have been installed inside the line of the original bank, sometimes even on the towpath side, which makes some canals narrower than they originally were.

 

 

Its actually about 20cm narrower as the new concrete walls sit just inside the old edge, but still about 30 feet

 

Edited December 22, 2018 by ditchcrawler

[MoominPapa]

Have they added any overspill weir length to avoid a repeat of the original overtopping if someone opens all the paddles at Stanthorne lock on another night?

 

MP.

 

[Boater Sam]

The Middlewich branch was built to an average 30ft width originally. ( from the original plans )

[furnessvale]

12 hours ago, MoominPapa said:

Have they added any overspill weir length to avoid a repeat of the original overtopping if someone opens all the paddles at Stanthorne lock on another night?

 

MP.

 

Probably not, but hopefully they HAVE cleared out the existing bywash on that pound which I understand was blocked on the day in question!

 

George

[Boater Sam]

Update.

 

It would appear that after 9 months "works" and £3M spent that life in Middlewich is not as rosy as C&RT would like us to believe.

 

There is now a free car wash on the main A530 road under the aqueduct adjacent to where the breach was.

 

This is courtesy of the leak in the new embankment.

 

There will be a free skating rink also  as soon as the temperature drops to the normal seasonal average.

 

If it was not so serious and ridiculous it would be a comedy.