Topical

Those customer forums...

BRITISH Waterways Chief Executive, Robin Evans, has completed his summer series of customer forums around the network. Open to those with an interest in their local waterway, Robin took questions and highlighted British Waterways' priorities for the management and maintenance of the network.

There were 18 meetings, attended mainly by boaters, but anglers, waterside businesses, neighbours, parish council members and local authorities were also present from time to time.

Of the meetings, Robin comments:

“The customer forums were a further opportunity for me to listen to boaters and towpath users and to get their views face to face about spending priorities and waterway related issues. There was discussion and debate across a number of topics, notably licence renewals, waterways maintenance priorities, the increasing cost of boating and the introduction of, and necessity for, minimum safety standards.

“Despite the obvious appreciation shown towards the work and effort put in by our bank staff, there is clearly much more for British Waterways to do and to get done across the waterways which we have to consider as part of our annual maintenance budgets. However there are other simple, and not necessarily costly, things we can do to make a difference to our customers. Greasing lock gearing, ensuring up-to-date information is always on our notice boards and not mooring work boats at lock landings or on visitor moorings are examples of the things I am asking our local managers to attend to.” 28/08

The Boat Yard Project

MANCHESTER may boast of having England’s first canal, but for the boater trying to finding the accessible working facilities in the city nowadays is a problem.

But this could soon alter with the Boat Yard Project, with David Hardman explaining:

"The industrial powerhouse of Manchester we know today has seemed to forget its proud and fascinating roots, which are directly linked to the historic waterways of the city. Over the last 30 years Manchester has seen great change, the classic Coronation Streets which used to line the canal network were once the personification of the inner city with cotton mills and big chimneys doted across the horizon are slowly disappearing under new canal side luxury apartments, and today it has become a sterile cash generating development 'ghost like' corridor which is changing the magic atmosphere of the canal."

No boater facility

But not everything is sweetness and light amidst the existing regeneration, After the recent closure of the last boatyard within the city area due to many years of poor neglect, it seemed to be the end of a community based boater facility until a small group of canal enthusiasts David Hardman and James Strangeways decided to try and do something about it, as the need could not be more stark, with David announcing:

"The Boat Yard Project has been developed as a local response to meet an urgent need, to develop a community led facility that brings back the magic atmosphere. Despite excellent work by British waterways, Peel holdings, the Trafford Open lock project and by others we believe that we have hardly begun to realise the contribution that the waterways can make to social problems in Manchester."

Plenty of boats moor at Castlefield, but no facilities

Inspired by the success of the Sobriety Project in Goole, the group have started to develop the new vision of 'The Boat Yard' for the modern needs of the community. The project aims to use the heritage, arts and environment of Manchester as a resource alongside traditional based skill and services to bring the community closer. Our aim is to provide access for people who would not otherwise think of using the waterway.

Adds David:

"The Boat Yard Project will provide people with a waterway attraction; A place to enjoy arts, culture, entertainment, sports and nature; A lively and attractive place; A place to invest, to work and to visit.

"During the next few months we are trying to gain support and advice from local authorities and other organisations but the priority now we feel is to find a new suitable location to start. The Boat Yard project we feel will not only restore an important asset to the inland waterways of Greater Manchester but will empower the local community in securing its waterway heritage.

"We are also looking for volunteers. Whether you are interested in narrowboats, local history and heritage or more active sports like kayaking or interested in working with a wide range of people who would like to put something back into your community."

Please contact:

theboatyardproject@hotmail.com or www.shellfen.co.uk for further details. 10/08

GPS boat security systems

OFTEN left unattended for lengthy periods of time, there is an increasing risk that not only will your boat be broken into and valuable equipment stolen, but the boat itself may be stolen altogether.

But now, Vetus, better known for its boat engines and accessories, has introduced two new security systems to make these worries a thing of the past. Both the Boat Detection System and the Boat Monitoring System will report unauthorised entry or removal of your boat.

In the case of theft, both systems will send a message with the current GPS location of the boat, as well as the speed and the direction in which it is moving (Track and Trace) monitored via your mobile phone or via an alarm station, with coverage throughout Europe. You can even track the movements of your boat via the internet.

The Boat Monitoring System can also be customised to report high bilge water level, smoke or low battery state among other things. As a further option, it is possible to remotely operate the heating system or the fridge. So not only can you arrive at the boat to find it where you left it, but warm and dry with even the beer chilling in the fridge!

The moment your boat is broken into you will know, and can immediately inform the police. If it is taken, you will know exactly where it is whether still on the water or on the back of a lorry. There will be no hiding place. 18/08

Filling Mercia Marina

By Ralph Freeman

THE southern end of the Trent & Mersey canal gets it's water from the Trent via a paddle above Wychnor Lock.

Note the paddle is in it's normal (middle) position

In order to fill Mercia Marina this paddle has been at it's maximum for the last few weeks. This in turn has meant mooring for the locks at Branston, Tatenhill and Barton Turns is quite tricky. The lock by-washes have been running quickly and exit at the head of the lock moorings. A strong current is therefore generated just where you want to moor for the lock!

You have to be swift with your bow or middle rope otherwise the bow heads towards the off side rapidly, powered by the current generated by the by-wash. The larger the angle of yaw the more force is required to restrain the boat, so you have been warned!

Have to get used to

It's a situation we may have to get used to when Mercia Marina is operational. The pound from Dallow Lane to Stenson Lock always tends to be short of water. During the day the level of this long pound drops, but tends to recover overnight (hopefully). The reason for this is simple. Dallow Lock is approximately 3ft deep x 7ft wide, whereas the mighty Stenson Lock is almost 12ft deep and 14ft wide.

The net result is every time a boat enters the pound at Dallow Lock 1 unit of water enters, but if that boat leaves the lock alone at Stenson, eight units of water are consumed! That's why it's important that boats share at Stenson Lock.

Limitation

The limitation of how much water can be extracted from the Trent, and fed down to the Dallow Lane / Stenson pound is finite. Whilst the supply from the Trent is plentiful, the pipes used to transport the water around the locks upstream of Dallow Lock are of a relatively small diameter and therefore limited capacity. Bear in mind too, these by-washes are prone to blockage from floating debris. The one at Barton Turns, being the first after the Trent, is particularly vulnerable. When British Waterways had lengthsmen it was often cleared twice a day in order to maintain a reasonable flow.

At the end of the day whether the water supply at places near to Mercia Marina, like Willington and Stenson, proves to be adequate or not will depend on how many boats leave Mercia Marina and head for Shardlow, versus those that head into the system via Dallow Lock. Only time will tell. 08/08