My name is Roger Lang and I believe you will recognise the name, as T Lang was one of your very first and regular contributor to your columns.
T. Lang was my father, but sadly passed away this January but I have followed in his footsteps and continued boating in his narrowboat and would like to further carry on in his footsteps and continue his campaign to point out the vagaries of Canal & River Trust.
So first I would like to take exception to its ‘A waterways boat holiday makes more sense than ever’
The Leeds & Liverpool Canal is mentioned, but very risky as that canal has had two stoppages already this month. Trailing through the stoppage notices I discovered that this canal had seven stoppages in April, so is hardly worth recommending for a cruise.
I believe that boaters who have cruised over or through the Pennines on the Huddersfield Narrow and Rochdale canals will accept those are among the most atrtractive, yet in the trust’s list they are not even mentioned, and we know why, as both are more closed that open through stoppages. The ‘Narrow’ twice already this month and the Rochdale closed three times!
I accept the Llangollen Canal should be on the list, but really, except for the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct to Llangollen itself, the canal goes through fairly uninteresting farmland, for that’s how my father and myself found it. And new hire people would find that rush of water to the reservoir below every lock somewhat daunting when attempting to moor to operate the many locks.
So this is my first effort, but I don’t expect it to be to my fathers’ standard, but could get there eventually and to me be in memory of a most kind and considerate figure.
[Looking back in our log it was on Sunday 7th May 2017 when I met your father at Bugsworth Basin, promising that I would never publish his first name―so never have! And most pleased to welcome you as a contributor—Editor.]