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So the locks are closed


mayalld

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Well, a week on from the closure of Bosley locks due to the dry weather let's not kid ourselves, it's because they wasted most of the water through the gates at Bosley, and through the canal bed at Bollington, because they didn't fix known issues.

 

I have a fortnight off work, and whilst the cruising range is now VERY restricted, I'm blowed if I'm sitting at home. So we are on our (short) travels.

 

It is slightly surreal that at the end of day 2 we are sat on Marple Visitor Moorings. normally we are here by lunch on day 1.

 

It is also a little odd that so few boats are moving.  Only seen 3 other boats moving today.

 

As we travelled to Marple, there were, however a lot more boats moored than  usual, and it appears that a whole bunch of CCers have decided to make a race for the top pound before the closure, whilst most leisure boaters have given up on the idea of a trip out when there is only 20 mile to play with. Whilst I hope the visiting CCers enjoy the area, I do hope that they are here for the scenery, not to suddenly find themselves with an excuse to not move.

 

We've also walked down Marple flight, and it appears that they are not going to learn. All the locks have been left empty (even though the bywashes are running), and I can't say that I would be surprised if another chamber subsides as a result.

 

Somebody needs to get out of the "Welcome Station" (nobody around to be welcomed to a canal with no boats moving), and do something to try to preserve the infrastructure.

 

Mismanagement is the order of the day round here.

 

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Sadly, Volunteers, however many there are, can't make up for the fact that this Summer has shown up all the problems on the system.  I wonder whether CRT ever considered that shortage of water would ever be a contingency for which they ought to plan.

 

Seems to me that what 'management' has failed to grasp is that the network needs practical support, everywhere, ongoing - it simply doesn't need 'blue-sky thinking' vision statements, new signage.  It needs investment, and no amount of airy fairy ideas about 'wellness' will convince ordinary folk to donate to something they feel is simply part of the scenery.  

 

Can't even apply for an EU grant to preserve the Heritage now.

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2 hours ago, mayalld said:

Well, a week on from the closure of Bosley locks due to the dry weather let's not kid ourselves, it's because they wasted most of the water through the gates at Bosley, and through the canal bed at Bollington, because they didn't fix known issues.

 

I have a fortnight off work, and whilst the cruising range is now VERY restricted, I'm blowed if I'm sitting at home. So we are on our (short) travels.

 

It is slightly surreal that at the end of day 2 we are sat on Marple Visitor Moorings. normally we are here by lunch on day 1.

 

It is also a little odd that so few boats are moving.  Only seen 3 other boats moving today.

 

As we travelled to Marple, there were, however a lot more boats moored than  usual, and it appears that a whole bunch of CCers have decided to make a race for the top pound before the closure, whilst most leisure boaters have given up on the idea of a trip out when there is only 20 mile to play with. Whilst I hope the visiting CCers enjoy the area, I do hope that they are here for the scenery, not to suddenly find themselves with an excuse to not move.

 

We've also walked down Marple flight, and it appears that they are not going to learn. All the locks have been left empty (even though the bywashes are running), and I can't say that I would be surprised if another chamber subsides as a result.

 

Somebody needs to get out of the "Welcome Station" (nobody around to be welcomed to a canal with no boats moving), and do something to try to preserve the infrastructure.

 

Mismanagement is the order of the day round here.

 

You are right as we all know, but I despair of the mis- management ever being sorted because we are so low down the “pecking order” and maintaining navigations costs far more than towpaths! Just think of the positives you can’t be “done” for overstaying if you can’t go anywhere!

Edited by Halsey
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I trotted over to Bosley on Friday to see what was going on. 

 

The long term moorings above the locks were like a ghost town. Only three or four boats on their moorings where normally there are twenty or so. 

 

The pound between lock two and three was empty presumably water lost but those between three and five were full. 

 

Lock five has had new gates fitted and probably new balance beams by now (the old ones were sawn up). I spoke to one of the C&RT staff on site and they said they'd been given the lock for four weeks. We're currently in week two. They plan to grout the lock chamber while they've got it. The pound below five is completely empty. I would guess it is quarter of a mile long. 

 

The second photo shows the water level in Sutton resevoir.

Bosley lock 5.jpg

Sutton resevoir.jpg

empty pound.jpg

Edited by Cheshire cat
Photos didn't appear in the sequence I expected them to
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16 hours ago, mayalld said:

Well, a week on from the closure of Bosley locks due to the dry weather let's not kid ourselves, it's because they wasted most of the water through the gates at Bosley, and through the canal bed at Bollington, because they didn't fix known issues.

 

I have a fortnight off work, and whilst the cruising range is now VERY restricted, I'm blowed if I'm sitting at home. So we are on our (short) travels.

 

It is slightly surreal that at the end of day 2 we are sat on Marple Visitor Moorings. normally we are here by lunch on day 1.

 

It is also a little odd that so few boats are moving.  Only seen 3 other boats moving today.

 

As we travelled to Marple, there were, however a lot more boats moored than  usual, and it appears that a whole bunch of CCers have decided to make a race for the top pound before the closure, whilst most leisure boaters have given up on the idea of a trip out when there is only 20 mile to play with. Whilst I hope the visiting CCers enjoy the area, I do hope that they are here for the scenery, not to suddenly find themselves with an excuse to not move.

 

We've also walked down Marple flight, and it appears that they are not going to learn. All the locks have been left empty (even though the bywashes are running), and I can't say that I would be surprised if another chamber subsides as a result.

 

Somebody needs to get out of the "Welcome Station" (nobody around to be welcomed to a canal with no boats moving), and do something to try to preserve the infrastructure.

 

Mismanagement is the order of the day round here.

 

empty locks are a danger to wild life unless bottom gates are left open 

 

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On 21/08/2018 at 16:23, mayalld said:

Well, a week on from the closure of Bosley locks due to the dry weather let's not kid ourselves, it's because they wasted most of the water through the gates at Bosley, and through the canal bed at Bollington, because they didn't fix known issues.

 

I have a fortnight off work, and whilst the cruising range is now VERY restricted, I'm blowed if I'm sitting at home. So we are on our (short) travels.

 

It is slightly surreal that at the end of day 2 we are sat on Marple Visitor Moorings. normally we are here by lunch on day 1.

 

It is also a little odd that so few boats are moving.  Only seen 3 other boats moving today.

 

As we travelled to Marple, there were, however a lot more boats moored than  usual, and it appears that a whole bunch of CCers have decided to make a race for the top pound before the closure, whilst most leisure boaters have given up on the idea of a trip out when there is only 20 mile to play with. Whilst I hope the visiting CCers enjoy the area, I do hope that they are here for the scenery, not to suddenly find themselves with an excuse to not move.

 

We've also walked down Marple flight, and it appears that they are not going to learn. All the locks have been left empty (even though the bywashes are running), and I can't say that I would be surprised if another chamber subsides as a result.

 

Somebody needs to get out of the "Welcome Station" (nobody around to be welcomed to a canal with no boats moving), and do something to try to preserve the infrastructure.

 

Mismanagement is the order of the day round here.

 

Oh eck. i have found myself stuck on a 20mls pound with the worlds most miserable man.?

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33 minutes ago, captain birdseye said:

Now then George, my beards not that good, or my daughter that old. Any how I've been told we are only going to the Boars Head on Saturday and Buggy on Sunday

You'll be walking to Buggy. 

 

Not content with isolating up on the upper pound they've closed Buggy. 

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On ‎24‎/‎08‎/‎2018 at 11:33, Chris T said:

 

 

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notice/12878/bridge-14a-burgess-arm-towpath-bridge-near-higher-poynton-macclesfield-canal

 

This one.  Obviously hoping Bosley will be open by then for proper trips, but for weekend pottering about we won't be able to get very far.  

Interesting!

 

A closure from bridge 14A to bridge 14A that closes the navigation.

 

In normal parlance, that means a closure that prevents passage through that bridge.

 

But where is 14A? As I moor between 17 and 18, I really ought to know, but it took me a couple of minutes...

 

18 = Alongside Lyme View Marina

17 = Concrete decked bridge near Rams Clough Wharf

16 = Pedestrian bridge (former swing bridge) between Rams Clough Wharf and Poynton

15 = Minor Road bridge at Poynton between VM and Victoria Pit

14 = access bridge at other end of Victoria Pit.

 

I came this way yesterday, and did not pass under 14A.

 

Realisation dawns, 14A is the bridge over the side arm adjacent to bridge 15 (Braidbar Boats, Bailey's Trading post). Potentially, they are closing access to Braidbar's arm, which is of no consequence.

 

Apparently, the stoppage is to deal with voids in the foundations of the bridge over the arm. They can't be dewatering from 14 to 15 (too many moored boats to deal with), so unless they are intending on putting the planks in at 15 and a temporary dam just upstream of 14A, I can't see that the navigation will be blocked here.

 

Andy Bailey has asked, and after getting past the usual CRT response of telling you what the stoppage notice says, has had a response that there will be restrictions on the main line, but not an outright stoppage. He didn't sound 100% sure, but it sounds like it may be OK.

 

What is worrying is the lack of a stoppage at Bollington. This is the third successive year of emergency repairs in the summer. The past 2 failed within 12 months. This time in a hot summer, such that the water lost was enough to cause the canal to close. Are they REALLY not going to do the permanent repair again, and chance their arm on the temporary repair lasting longer this time?

 

Beggars belief!

 

Anyway, back to the current stoppage at Bosley, which isn't actually formally announced. The only notice is the restrictions notice for 23/7, which advises that they INTEND to do it.

 

Let us look at the text;

 

The Bosley Flight (locks 1 to 12) will be restricted to the period between 8am and 2pm. Whilst this will conserve water in the short term, we expect to temporarily close the canal at Bosley on Monday 13 August (last passage through the Bosley flight will be Sunday 12th August). The rest of the Macclesfield Canal (below Bosley) will remain unrestricted. 

It’s not clear how long the future closure will last for but it’s likely to be throughout August and potentially beyond if there are not significant and sustained periods of rainfall.

 

So, there we have it, LIKELY to be throughout August, and possibly beyond, unless we get lots of rain.

 

Well, the last couple of weeks have seen some serious rainfall, so happy days, they can re-open the locks.

 

Oh no they can't, because they have brought forward winter stoppages that mean that even with all the rain at present, they can't actually open the locks. Perish the thought that we count for anything.

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I hadn't actually considered which bridge it was, I'd just looked at the red line on the map and which winding holes the notice told you to use, but I went past today and you're right, it can only be the bit under the bridge at the Trading Post which I'd assumed was mostly privately land.  Fingers crossed then! 

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