Bosley Locks 9th-11th July

[Bugsworth Tippler]

Notice Alert

Macclesfield Canal
Starts At: Lock 1
Ends At: Lock 12

Monday 9 July 2018 07:00 until Wednesday 11 July 2018 18:00

Type: Navigation Closure
Reason: 3rd Party Works

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Original message:

 

Due to the prolonged dry weather that we have experience this year we find ourselves with low water levels in our reservoirs and rivers that feed the Macclesfield and Peak forest canals, the local Trust teams are working hard to conserve water at every opportunity and provide an open navigation for our customers to enjoy. To support this the Trust will need to run two short stoppages starting on Monday 9^th July,

The above works are to refurbish the head and tail gates including cills to improve water retention in the pounds between locks 1 to 2 and locks 2 to 3 on the Bosley flight of locks, the works are taking place on locks 2 & 3 of this flight.

Carrying out these works will help conserve water and maintain water levels through this section of the network during what is forecast to be a prolonged period of dry weather.

You can view this notice and its map online here:
https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notice/13390/lock-1-to-12-macclesfield-canal

You can find all notices at the url below:
https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices

 

Personal opinion :

It was obvious to any and everyone that Bosley locks were in a dreadful state last year with water pouring under the top gates of several locks. Didn't they close these locks for repair over the winter? What exactly did they do?

Edited June 29, 2018 by Bugsworth Tippler
Merged text passages were too close.

[Machpoint005]

1 hour ago, Bugsworth Tippler said:

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Personal opinion :

It was obvious to any and everyone that Bosley locks were in a dreadful state last year with water pouring under the top gates of several locks. Didn't they close these locks for repair over the winter? What exactly did they do?

Perhaps they could see a bigger picture and prioritised accordlngly?

[b0atman]

Maybe its been a good thing Marple locks have been limited usage.

[Neil TNC]

CaRT have now altered the stoppage notice, the two sets of dates have been added:

 

Confirmed dates which the two closures will take place are.

•           Monday 9th July 7 am to Wednesday 11th July finishing at 5pm

•           Monday 16th July 7am to Wednesday 18th July finishing at 5pm

[mayalld]

On ‎30‎/‎06‎/‎2018 at 09:19, Neil TNC said:

CaRT have now altered the stoppage notice, the two sets of dates have been added:

 

Confirmed dates which the two closures will take place are.

•           Monday 9th July 7 am to Wednesday 11th July finishing at 5pm

•           Monday 16th July 7am to Wednesday 18th July finishing at 5pm

 

Good to see that CRT have understood that Bosley locks are currently the only way into and out of a popular cruising area, and thrown huge amounts of effort into minimising disruption.

 

Oh, that's right, they haven't!

 

Two 3-day closures right in the middle of the busiest time of the year.

 

I really am not one for CRT bashing (I've been accused of being an apologist for them before now), but it seems that any thought of planning works, or of dealing with problems as soon as they become apparent, have gone out of the window.

 

It isn't news that there is a leakage issue at the top of Bosley. There have been issues there for a couple of years, and it was dire 4 weeks ago, but CRT wait until the leakage is so bad that they absolutely have to do something now, and close the locks at a busy time.

 

PS, spotted that NB Earnest seems to have taken up residence in our marina!

[b0atman]

They have to sort Bosley leakage now at the last minute because Marple flight may reopen and that will be two losses of water from the top pound .

[Sea Dog]

Came up today and there were indeed problems with water levels. The sooner they can take action the better as it'll be impassable anyway if not attended to.

 

What was a surprise was that some of the Volockies were unaware of the works and closures of the very flight they were assigned to.  Looks like their briefing needs a bit more thought.

[mayalld]

1 hour ago, Sea Dog said:

Came up today and there were indeed problems with water levels. The sooner they can take action the better as it'll be impassable anyway if not attended to.

 

 

I have no argument with the proposition that immediate action is now needed.

 

However, it has needed urgent action for the past two years.

 

They failed to take action when it would have caused minimum disruption, and then they arrive at a point where they have no choice about when to do it.

 

[Bugsworth Tippler]

Came down today and there was plenty of water except in the first pound where I went aground mid channel. The volunteer lockies needed to let more water down but they were no use at all - one was too busy having a family picnic, and the others were blissfully unaware of the dangers that the low water level was creating.

[PhilR]

On ‎03‎/‎07‎/‎2018 at 20:10, Bugsworth Tippler said:

Came down today and there was plenty of water except in the first pound where I went aground mid channel. The volunteer lockies needed to let more water down but they were no use at all - one was too busy having a family picnic, and the others were blissfully unaware of the dangers that the low water level was creating.

Are you talking about "Long Pound" (between locks 1 and 2)? How low was the water?  That is a deep pound and it was never an issue under BW control. But maybe the issue is that CaRT prefer to spend our money on non-navigational infrastructure?

[b0atman]

9 hours ago, PhilR said:

Are you talking about "Long Pound" (between locks 1 and 2)? How low was the water?  That is a deep pound and it was never an issue under BW control. But maybe the issue is that CaRT prefer to spend our money on non-navigational infrastructure?

Long pound was very low in May when i came through.

 

[Sea Dog]

On 03/07/2018 at 20:10, Bugsworth Tippler said:

Came down today and there was plenty of water except in the first pound where I went aground mid channel. The volunteer lockies needed to let more water down but they were no use at all - one was too busy having a family picnic, and the others were blissfully unaware of the dangers that the low water level was creating.

Hmm, now you come to mention it... When we came up last week it was busy going up and quiet coming down with similar water issues but another pound lower down being very low too.  There were 3 Volockies at the top lock (very nice, but not achieving much), no-one assisting in the extremely low long pound between 1 & 2, a full time employee greasing paddle gear (isn't that a job for when it's quiet?) and 2 Volockies assisting boats going down who had all the locks in their favour due to boats coming up. Even then we had a lock in our favour turned against us as we exited the lock below.  One volocky we spoke too had no idea of the forthcoming closures of the locks he was working. Plenty of volunteers, but sadly a waste of resources due to a lack of management.

[b0atman]

Quote

 

Spoke to some Volockies at Bugsworth yesterday and they where uninformed about Bosley locks yet boaters leaving Bugsworth have to go that way whilst Marple flight is closed.Surely CRT could have a FB site for Vollockies and use it to keep them informed !

[Sea Dog]

16 minutes ago, b0atman said:

Spoke to some Volockies at Bugsworth yesterday and they where uninformed about Bosley locks yet boaters leaving Bugsworth have to go that way whilst Marple flight is closed.Surely CRT could have a FB site for Vollockies and use it to keep them informed !

A nice idea, but isn't it quite likely that most Volockies who have a mobile phone will have one of those with the big buttons?

[Arthur Marshall]

Last time I came up Bosley singlehanding, one lockie spent the entire time helping a fully crewed hire boat, while the two at the top just watched then gave me a lecture on what I'd been doing wrong. 

[Boater Sam]

They are like bananas, only in bunches. Are they frightened of being on their own at a lock each?

Bosley has been leaking water from the 2 top locks for years. We were moored on the Macc for 8 years and they were always a problem. Its a shame but nothing gets done in time, I suppose that the pump out at the top lock is still unusable because the arm is silted up?

[billh]

There was a time, some of you may remember, when Bosley Locks were a delight to use. That time was when there was a permanent lock keeper, Alan Kick, who lived at  the top lock cottage. 

The paddle gear was oiled and all worked, the  fresh painted gates closed properly without leaking, the grass was cut, the hedges neatly trimmed. All in perfect rural setting.

Now, the location is still wonderful, the rest has gone to pot. Invariably there are low pounds, there's nobody to regulate the  water feed to suit demand and going downhill with a 70' boat you can rely on having  an involuntary shower courtesy of  the dilapidated top gate cills.

Progress I suppose, but I bet it costs more in real terms to "firefight"  today's problems than it would to have a new generation Alan looking after things. Some parts of the canal system were better 40 years ago than now.

[b0atman]

it must be interesting at the top of locks when lots of boats turn up not knowing about closure as the long term moorings take up all space ok some will go on water point .What a pity there is no winding hole as the farmer would have allowed one to be put in if he could have permission to moor boats against his field .A case of a much needed amenity and some more income but rejected out of hand.