Victor gives a bit of praise

IT WAS good to read from Canal & River Trust of all the maintenance being carried out on the northern waterways.

Certainly gives us boaters a better chance of completing our cruises, as those waterways have suffered far too many stoppages over recent years.  Particularly pleased to learn leaking gates are getting attention, as these are all too often the reason for enforced stoppages.

But alas, no mention of those ever failing Leeds & Liverpool swing bridges...  Perhaps next year?

A bit stingy

The Inland Waterways Association tell it has been overwhelmed by the support it has received from members, businesses, celebrities and waterway groups who have all come together to generously donate to its 75th Anniversary online charity auction.

We hear that many of the donations are products or experiences, including a donation from Canal & River Trust to—name a bridge!

Expect all those blue things have taken up any spare cash...

Not so wild

I'm told that the notion that CaRT should provide charging points isn't so wild after all. And asked if this is a cunning plan to measure resistance to the idea which can be used as justification for NOT providing charging points:

A sort of reverse psychology?

But no boating

People had their own ideas about those crowded beaches during June of last year of people making the most of the June sunshine after months of restrictions creating an appalling risk of coronavirus infection.

Eight months later, the headlines tell a different story—there was no real danger at all!

So if there was no danger at those crowded beaches there certainly couldn't be any risk of our boating. So why are we still being prevented?

Here it comes again

Guess what?  Another drowning in a canal and another cry for it to be fenced off, but this time with the addition of lights in the bargain.

Notwithstanding the man had already had a pint of alcohol then imbibed another seven pints of booze at another pub then took to the dark and dangerous Wigan Flight to walk home in the dark.

It is not fencing and lights that are needed but just common sense.  And I'm not apologising for again showing this very sensible notice...

Was it dropped?

During February we were informed there was a stoppage at Radcliffe Lock owing to an unexpected maintenance issue.

So consequently the lock was out of action.  But I ask—what was this unexpected maintenance issue?

Another case of the contractors dropping another lock gate?

Victor Swift