Kennet & Avon Canal - ongoing discussion, anniversaries and incidents

[whole diary]

[stuving]

An update, from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

A 30m (98 ft) winch was used to pull the boat off the cill before the water was pumped out and it was refloated.

Now which dimension of that winch would be 30 m? And is that its most important parameter?

Looking at this picture sequence, it appears that the main thing that they did was to put flotation bags underneath it - and did not, in fact, keep it anywhere near level while it was being pumped out.

[TonyK]

"Roll roll roll your boat
Gently down the stream....."

Oh, that was mean, wasn't it?  So who will have to pick up the bill for recovery?  I assume it's a holiday let, and the hand-over would have included a warning about keeping away from the cills when in the lock, so will the helms(wo)man have to pay, or is this kind of incident covered by the letting company's insurance?  Good job no-one was hurt, anyway.

I am a veteran of more than one canal boat holiday, both very enjoyable, and enable crossing the fantastic Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. (Pronounced "Pon-ki-suth-ti". Or "A-kwe-ducked"). We were given a YouTube link to an instructional video prior to taking up occupancy, and a full briefing on arrival. Both including considerable emphasis on avoiding the cill. It isn't difficult, because you drive a narrowboat from the back, and the sides of the lock are painted with white lines and the words "Avoid cill" or similar. You do not tie up in a lock, and the helmsman continues to drive against the inrush or outrush of water from the sluice and then the lock gate.

We were also told of the first ever fatality on the Llangollen Canal, only a week before.  The cause was someone reversing into a berth in a basin whilst sitting. The rudder struck the wall, the tiller spun around, and as the unfortunate gentleman was knocked into the water, his foot struck the throttle. Two later generations of his family witnessed his demise, the gruesome details of which I shall not go into here.

The correct "uphill" procedure is available here, thanks to the throughly lovely Mrs FT,N, our commentator and pundit, and my youngest daughter and my son-in-law on lock duties. FT,N, ever the master mariner. is in charge

[grahame]

HOWEVER ... in a wide lock such as the K&A, you may we advised to use ropes to stop the boat crashing across the lock, and you may need to open paddles in the right order. But don't tie it - have crew control it.   The Shroppie / Llangollen - your film - is narrow locks.

[Chris from Nailsea]

The correct "uphill" procedure is available here, thanks to the throughly lovely Mrs FT,N, our commentator and pundit, and my youngest daughter and my son-in-law on lock duties. FT,N, ever the master mariner. is in charge

Many thanks for posting that delightful link: there's a certain irony in 'Four Track, Now!' being seen at the tiller of narrowboat 'In My Own Time No. 50' 

[Richard Fairhurst]

We were also told of the first ever fatality on the Llangollen Canal, only a week before.  The cause was someone reversing into a berth in a basin whilst sitting. The rudder struck the wall, the tiller spun around, and as the unfortunate gentleman was knocked into the water, his foot struck the throttle. Two later generations of his family witnessed his demise, the gruesome details of which I shall not go into here.

Absolutely imperative that you stand forward of the tiller when reversing, for exactly that reason. There are many that say you should never stand beside the tiller at all, even when going forward. I wouldn't go that far personally (I stand ahead of it usually, but sometimes to the side when manoeuvring), but when I was editing Waterways World, we always got letters of complaint if we had the temerity to publish a cover photo with someone standing beside the tiller...

[TonyK]

Many thanks for posting that delightful link: there's a certain irony in 'Four Track, Now!' being seen at the tiller of narrowboat 'In My Own Time No. 50' 

It wasn't lost on me at the time! They say it's the fastest way of slowing down.

Absolutely imperative that you stand forward of the tiller when reversing, for exactly that reason. There are many that say you should never stand beside the tiller at all, even when going forward. I wouldn't go that far personally (I stand ahead of it usually, but sometimes to the side when manoeuvring), but when I was editing Waterways World, we always got letters of complaint if we had the temerity to publish a cover photo with someone standing beside the tiller...

Not for the first time, I marvel at the vast pool of experience and knowledge, on practically any subject, to be found here in the Coffee Shop.   

[Godfrey Tables]

Someone's sunk another one (Kennet & Avon - Bath):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-29870376

[Richard Fairhurst]

I like the way that the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) is now quoting random passers-by as expert opinion.

"Mr Wheeler added that the boat probably needed repairs and it looked like a crane could be needed to remove it."

Presumably next time there's a derailment they'll flag down some nearby ramblers and quote their opinion on whether the train needs repairs.

[TonyK]

Speaking from a passing train, Mr Four Track, Now! said "It looks like another cill grounding. Might refloat it with pumps rather than crane, and if it was the height of summer, it could be fixed within days. I know a bit about aeroplanes too, and I can speak French, and cook if you want expert opinion about anything else. For cash, obviously, or drink."

[grahame]

Someone's sunk another one (Kennet & Avon - Bath):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-29870376

News says refloated today and canal re-opened after two week stoppage.

[Alan Pettitt]

Interesting that it (apparently) took two and a half hours to re-float it but the best part of a fortnight to think about re-floating it. I think I might go into business as a narrow boat salvage expert.

[ChrisB]

Maybe the revovery equipment wasn't immediately available, and maybe it was also elsewhere on other canals?

[TonyK]

Interesting that it (apparently) took two and a half hours to re-float it but the best part of a fortnight to think about re-floating it. I think I might go into business as a narrow boat salvage expert.

I think I shall go into business as a narrowboat salvage thinker. Day 1: "Put the money and the brandy on the table next to me, I'll get back to you" Day 14: "Hang on a minute, I've got an idea..."

One went down in similar fashion on the Llangollen Canal during my sojourn there. It was the birthday of a girl in the party, aged about 9 or so, and her presents were wrecked along with the family's holiday, but the boat was back in the yard the following morning. There may be reasons why it took so long in this case.

In the video I posted earlier, there is another participant out of shot - my first grandson, than aged 6 months, fast asleep in the cabin. Concentrates the mind, that does.

[paul7575]

Maybe the revovery equipment wasn't immediately available, and maybe it was also elsewhere on other canals?

At this time of year they are well into routine closures for lock maintenance, if similar equipment is used when replacing lock gates and such like that may well be a factor.

Paul

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Kennet and Avon Canal restoration anniversary marked


The world famous Caen Hill locks were the last section of the restoration to be completed for the reopening in 1990

Canal enthusiasts are to celebrate 25 years of the restoration of the Kennet and Avon Canal.

The waterway was completely restored by volunteers after falling into decline and was officially reopened by the Queen on 8 August 1990.

It was originally opened in 1810, but gradually fell into decline after the Great Western Railway was built.

Volunteers will re-enact the reopening at the Caen Hill lock flight, which is a Scheduled Ancient Monument later.


Caen Hill locks had become completely overgrown in the 1970s before they were restored

The 87-mile waterway links the River Thames at Reading to the River Avon in Bath.

The last time the complete length was navigable, before it was restored, was in 1950, when a stoppage at Burghfield near Reading made the canal impassable.

Major structures along its route also include the Dundas and Avoncliff aqueducts and Bruce Tunnel.


Caen Hill locks in 1950

Richard Parry, chief executive of the Canal and River Trust, said: "It's all down to the volunteers and the incredible amount of work they did that [the canal] is here. The Kennet and Avon Canal really does enrich the lives of everyone around it, and this is a great opportunity to celebrate it and the achievement of those who restored it."

Rob Dean, chairman of the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust, said: "Restoration of the Kennet and Avon has proved a huge success for our community. The volunteers who led the restoration from the 50s to the 90s have given us a great legacy which we're pleased to help care for and improve."

The success of the canal restoration spurred on the other restorations across the country.


Cobblers Lock in 1964


Limpley Stoke Bridge in 1977