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How much will be “cruisable” by August?..


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On 04/07/2018 at 19:16, Athy said:

Apparently your glass, as well as the canal, is half-empty!

We plan to cross the Oxford summit next week. We are quite deep-draughted (22" prop). Any problems, I'll report them.

 

On 04/07/2018 at 19:40, Nightwatch said:

As you are probably aware, we don't rush about. We are planning on leaving where we are now, South of Banbury but north of the M40 tomorrow, we may well stop somewhere between here and Cropredy to do some planned maintainance. (A bit of paint application.) So, we may well 'bump' into you. Ideally either Croppers or the Folly, if you know where that is! I think you do.

 

The summit has always suffered from lack of water, sometimes in Winter! We are only 1'10" so should be okay, but we have dragged our bottom at times.

 

Keep an eye out for Lily Rose then, it looks like our paths may cross next week.

 

 We got back to the boat yesterday, currently in the marina and planning to leave Saturday afternoon but only as far as Napton then up to the summit on Sunday. We aim to take about 8 to 10 days to get to Oxford then down river for a few days at Abingdon before heading further down stream. Assuming the Thames still has enough water to float my boat!

 

 

 

 

 

 

On 04/07/2018 at 19:40, Nightwatch said:

 

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1 hour ago, Lily Rose said:

 

 

Keep an eye out for Lily Rose then, it looks like our paths may cross next week.

 

 We got back to the boat yesterday, currently in the marina and planning to leave Saturday afternoon but only as far as Napton then up to the summit on Sunday. We aim to take about 8 to 10 days to get to Oxford then down river for a few days at Abingdon before heading further down stream. Assuming the Thames still has enough water to float my boat!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Wow! Look at that, GREEN grass! Will indeed lookout for you. Enjoy.

Edited by Nightwatch
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10 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

Wow! Look at that, GREEN grass! Will indeed lookout for you. Enjoy.

 

Well it is was a month or so ago , before the current scorchio period and around the time of the thunderstorms. How things have changed.

 

It's so hot but... must try not to complain, it won't be long before we're moaning about mrsmelly's personal rain cloud again.

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6 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

Rain would, I think be refreshing. I was in Torquay last weekend and it rained on Sunday. Was out and about without mac, so it was cold rain. Cleared the air though.

 

Just saw the weather forecast on the beeb. Wasn't really paying too much attention but there was talk of thunderstorms in the South East tomorrow so maybe there'll also be rain elsewhere soon as well. As you say, it will probably be refreshing, for a short while at least.

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On 04/07/2018 at 18:14, Halsey said:

This year looks like it will prove how inept CRT management is and how badly if at all our licence is being spent - todays announcements - no deep drafters out of Brum via Knowle due to water levels and a failed pump and same day Curdworth closed indefinitely - add that to everything else going on and the Oxford summit being sure to shut next where are we all supposed to enjoy this outdoor gym we pay far too much for?

We have just come back to our mooring before there is no water to do so and the whole system goes into meltdown once the vandals , sorry little darlings are on holiday in 2 weeks time

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I moor below Knowle Locks and the level of the 'Eight Mile Pound' (i.e. between Knowle Bottom Lock and Hatton Top Lock) is currently OK. I was rather surprised returning to my mooring yesterday, having attended the Stratford River Festival, that this was the case having suffered some minor problems with water levels on the Southern Stratford.

On a lighter note, some years ago, a fellow moorer emailed C&RT complaining that having come up the Southern Stratford with by-washes overflowing he was sitting on the bottom at his mooring on the GU south of Knowle Locks. The response was highly technical using many long and obscure words. However, cutting through the jargon it would seem that C&RT wanted him to believe that water coming down the Northern  Stratford was incapable of turning left onto the Grand Union ...

Edited by Allan(nb Albert)
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6 hours ago, Allan(nb Albert) said:

I moor below Knowle Locks and the level of the 'Eight Mile Pound' (i.e. between Knowle Bottom Lock and Hatton Top Lock) is currently OK. I was rather surprised returning to my mooring yesterday, having attended the Stratford River Festival, that this was the case having suffered some minor problems with water levels on the Southern Stratford.

On a lighter note, some years ago, a fellow moorer emailed C&RT complaining that having come up the Southern Stratford with by-washes overflowing he was sitting on the bottom at his mooring on the GU south of Knowle Locks. The response was highly technical using many long and obscure words. However, cutting through the jargon it would seem that C&RT wanted him to believe that water coming down the Northern  Stratford was incapable of turning left onto the Grand Union ...

Whilst the water from the North Stratford can feed the GU, it is also true that with the “Lapworth Link” the South Stratford can now take water from the GU.  The original layout without the link I believe was designed so that the Stratford could not take water from the GU (when they were separate companies), only feed it.

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7 hours ago, Lily Rose said:

 

Just saw the weather forecast on the beeb. Wasn't really paying too much attention but there was talk of thunderstorms in the South East tomorrow so maybe there'll also be rain elsewhere soon as well. As you say, it will probably be refreshing, for a short while at least.

Not really I'm afraid.  The odd storm around probably more so on Tuesday but no widespread/organised rain on the horizon.  Continuing pretty warm as well.

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Presently moored at Whaley Bridge just been and checked water flow through Transhipment warehouse .Flowing but slower than usual and definitely lower level above the Doombar. However Marple is closed and the Bosley closures next week should allow levels to increase on the top level

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10 hours ago, john6767 said:

Whilst the water from the North Stratford can feed the GU, it is also true that with the “Lapworth Link” the South Stratford can now take water from the GU.  The original layout without the link I believe was designed so that the Stratford could not take water from the GU (when they were separate companies), only feed it.

Indeed, and there is a sluice by the water point at Lapworth services  which when open continuously feeds water from the GU to the Southern Startford.

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11 hours ago, john6767 said:

Whilst the water from the North Stratford can feed the GU, it is also true that with the “Lapworth Link” the South Stratford can now take water from the GU.  The original layout without the link I believe was designed so that the Stratford could not take water from the GU (when they were separate companies), only feed it.

 

When originally built there was a level connection between the (then) Warwick and Birmingham and Stratford Canals. However the W&B weren't happy about losing water to the Southern Stratford, so insisted on the original junction being closed, and the junction lock (20) being added. So water from the North Stratford fed into the W&B. As a result the Stratford had to built the two reservoirs at the junction, particularly since boats moving between the W&B and the South Stratford would take 2 lockfuls from North Stratford.

 

When the NT restored the Southern Stratford they negotiated a feed of water from BWB, which left the link arm and entered the Stratford below Lock 22. So the pound between 20 and 21 had a habit of running dry. 

 

After BW took the Southern Stratford back from NT they reinstated the original level junction, so that the pound 21-22 is at the same level as the GU, water use is reduced, and boats moving between the GU and Southern Stratford are saved 2 locks.

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1 hour ago, Tuscan said:

Hoping to get to Fradley from Great Heywood Saturday - hearing some horror stories about lack of water

We came through from Fradley to Great Haywood yesterday, levels were fine. There had been an issue Wednesday between Wood End and Shade House as someone managed to drain the pound overnight but levels had just about been restored.

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Hopefully the upper level Peak Forest and Macclesfield will improve after the Bosley locks rectification work that starts next week. The Whaley Bridge transhipment water feed from reservoir is low and slow but still flowing in.

 

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On 05/07/2018 at 07:21, Halsey said:

last time it was this hot 76 I was boating and life WAS better......or is my memory clouded with old age and wine - thanks again Tesco’s for the wine reservoir which is always at least half full

 

On 04/07/2018 at 20:05, matty40s said:

The Leicester Line from Foxton to Kings Lock Aylestone will no doubt be next to go, CRT like to blame the little scoundrels but still haven't found the leak they were looking for when they shut it last September for 6 months.

 

If I recall correctly, in 1976 BW emptied the Leicester Branch from Foxton into the GU Mainline to keep it open.

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17 minutes ago, cuthound said:

 

 

If I recall correctly, in 1976 BW emptied the Leicester Branch from Foxton into the GU Mainline to keep it open.

We hired a Barney Boat from Braunston in the summer of '76. We could go to the top of Buckby, the foot of Napton, the foot of Watford, the top of Calcutt and the top of Atherstone. And that was it. And we had a fortnight, so we did the lot, including Coventry.

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1 minute ago, BruceinSanity said:

We hired a Barney Boat from Braunston in the summer of '76. We could go to the top of Buckby, the foot of Napton, the foot of Watford, the top of Calcutt and the top of Atherstone. And that was it. And we had a fortnight, so we did the lot, including Coventry.

 

What you mean you missed out on going up the Ashby? ?

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On 06/07/2018 at 17:19, Alway Swilby said:

Indeed, and there is a sluice by the water point at Lapworth services  which when open continuously feeds water from the GU to the Southern Startford.

I've never understood this as the basin is now on the same level as the GU's eight mile pound (i.e. the level between Hatton and Knowle locks).

BTW C&RT have just announced that the GU between Hatton and Camp Hill is closed to preserve levels on the B&F following a pump failure. 

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16 hours ago, Allan(nb Albert) said:

I've never understood this as the basin is now on the same level as the GU's eight mile pound (i.e. the level between Hatton and Knowle locks).

BTW C&RT have just announced that the GU between Hatton and Camp Hill is closed to preserve levels on the B&F following a pump failure. 

 

16 hours ago, Allan(nb Albert) said:

I've never understood this as the basin is now on the same level as the GU's eight mile pound (i.e. the level between Hatton and Knowle locks).

BTW C&RT have just announced that the GU between Hatton and Camp Hill is closed to preserve levels on the B&F following a pump failure. 

Following 2 pump failures as the first pump wasn’t repaired in time to stop the second standby impacting  - sound familiar?..

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35 minutes ago, Halsey said:

 

Following 2 pump failures as the first pump wasn’t repaired in time to stop the second standby impacting  - sound familiar?..

Old technology was wind driven water pumps think Norfolk and the fens .New technology should surely be able to improve on them and not have to rely on electricity.

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On 04/07/2018 at 19:16, Athy said:

 

We plan to cross the Oxford summit next week. We are quite deep-draughted (22" prop). Any problems, I'll report them.

 

Presumably there were no problems then Athy? We are due to come off the Thames onto the Oxford this weekend so I'm hoping the levels will be high enough.

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57 minutes ago, Grassman said:

 

Presumably there were no problems then Athy? We are due to come off the Thames onto the Oxford this weekend so I'm hoping the levels will be high enough.

 

We're on the Oxford summit at the moment and heading down towards Fenny Compton in a while then onto the Thames in 8 to 10 days. The level here is fine, perhaps and inch of two below the level of the overflow above Marston Doles top lock when we came up the flight yesterday. A contrast to when we were here last year, about a foot down then as I recall.

 

How is the Thames at the moment?

 

When I was at Abingdon lock (not on the boat) a couple of weeks ago there didn't seem to be much coming over the weir and the relief lockkeeper was talking about sandbagging the leaks and, ultimately, stopping single boats going through the locks if we didn't get rain soon.

 

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2 minutes ago, Lily Rose said:

 

We're on the Oxford summit at the moment and heading down towards Fenny Compton in a while then onto the Thames in 8 to 10 days. The level here is fine, perhaps and inch of two below the level of the overflow above Marston Doles top lock when we came up the flight yesterday. A contrast to when we were here last year, about a foot down then as I recall.

 

How is the Thames at the moment?

 

When I was at Abingdon lock (not on the boat) a couple of weeks ago there didn't seem to be much coming over the weir and the relief lockkeeper was talking about sandbagging the leaks and, ultimately, stopping single boats going through the locks if we didn't get rain soon.

 

All the Thames locks have been 'shut in' for at least a week now, but the EA has to maintain a minimum flow - presumably until  an official drought is declared. I get notices on a regular basis, but it's bee so long since there's been a drought that I don't know what the procedure is / may be...

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