Kennet & Avon Canal - ongoing discussion, anniversaries and incidents

[whole diary]

[Mark A]

The Kennet and Avon summit has closed ufn as an (unspecified) electric pump has failed. A reminder that, into the west country, it's not only the rail infrastructure that's fragile.

Mark

[ray951]

When this happened previously they bought the steam pumping station back into use, presumably they could do the same today although I guess it takes quite a few hours to get the steam up to pressure.

[Mark A]

A Canal and River Trust leaflet quotes the running costs for pumping the water supply for the K&A as £300,000 per annum. The impending rise in electricity prices has... implications though it would be an odd world in which there was a return to coal fired steam for that task.

Also, it's not stated as to which pump has failed. It may well be that the level of the 'reservoir' at Crofton is woeful, and the item that has failed may be in the chain of pumps that backpumps water from the Avon at Bath.

Mark

[grahame]

I would suspect that that number of boats going through the canal these days is far, far higher than it ever was in commercial days, and that the traffic concentrates on the warmest and driest months.  Should the Canal remain open to boats that carry an onboard pump, and can empty a lock by pumping water back into the pound above rather that releasing it through paddles to the pound below?

[bradshaw]

We visited the Caen flight a couple of weeks ago, in the middle of the dry spell and they were only operating the locks between 10.00 and 13.00 daily.

[Clan Line]

We had a day boat two weeks ago today and were warned then that canal water levels were low. That was from Devizes to Allington and back......no locks.

[broadgage]

It should be possible to install solar powered pumps to lift water back to the upper reservoir. There is at least an approximate coincidence between maximum solar energy and maximum need for water.

[broadgage]

I would suspect that that number of boats going through the canal these days is far, far higher than it ever was in commercial days, and that the traffic concentrates on the warmest and driest months.  Should the Canal remain open to boats that carry an onboard pump, and can empty a lock by pumping water back into the pound above rather that releasing it through paddles to the pound below?

I doubt that would be practical. A canal lock holds about 140,000 litres of water.
A large portable fire pump can handle as much as 1,400 litres of water a minute, so about 100 minutes to pump the water from the lock into the upper pound. And that is for a large and expensive fire pump, many are of lower capacity. Needs petrol, dangerous on board a boat, expensive, polluting, noisy.

OTOH^▸ ('on the other hand') a fixed solar powered electric pump could in Summer work all day at appreciable capital cost but almost no running cost and almost zero carbon emissions, silent.

I cant see any REGULAR return to coal burning steam power. If however such equipment remains in place, then OCCAISIONAL use in a drought might be worthwhile. Especially if vintage engine enthusiasts pay to watch it, and provide some free labour.

[CyclingSid]

If the K & A is low, I hate to think what state the Basingstoke Canal will be in.

[Bmblbzzz]

I would suspect that that number of boats going through the canal these days is far, far higher than it ever was in commercial days, and that the traffic concentrates on the warmest and driest months.  Should the Canal remain open to boats that carry an onboard pump, and can empty a lock by pumping water back into the pound above rather that releasing it through paddles to the pound below?

I doubt that would be practical. A canal lock holds about 140,000 litres of water.
A large portable fire pump can handle as much as 1,400 litres of water a minute, so about 100 minutes to pump the water from the lock into the upper pound. And that is for a large and expensive fire pump, many are of lower capacity. Needs petrol, dangerous on board a boat, expensive, polluting, noisy.

Why couldn't the pump run on diesel, which the boat already has plenty of for its engine?

[broadgage]

A diesel pump could be used, but would be even larger and heavier than a petrol one of the same power. Unlikely to be portable. A gas turbine engine is possible, some fire brigades are trialing gas turbine portable pumps.

[Mark A]

Stoppages update from the Canal and River Trust, levels in the summit will now support navigation once more. They do not mention the fate of their failed pump, mind.

Mark

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices/23156-kennet-and-avon-canal-the-summit-pound

[Fourbee]

If the K & A is low, I hate to think what state the Basingstoke Canal will be in.

Mytchett pound (Ash Lock to the top of the Deepcut flight) is closed to powered craft. The way it's going when I saw it recently it will effectively be the same for unpowered craft, unless you just fancy sitting in your canoe going nowhere!

[CyclingSid]

The towpath and NCN 4 is broken between Fobney Lock and Southcote Lock, west of Reading. Two breaks in the towpath between Fobney Lock and the weir, one deep but there is some sheet piling retaining the water. Another between the Reading-Basingstoke line and Milkmaids Bridge at Southcote Lock, which I noticed some weeks ago from the train. Flow across the tow path is less than when I first noticed it. Not clear whether the sheet piling is new.

There is a closure sign at Fobney Lock.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Many thanks for your update here, CyclingSid 

Have things improved there, by any chance, in the past few weeks? 

The Kennet & Avon Canal is my favourite - I've enjoyed a couple of great 'inland waterways' holidays there, courtesy of a friend who offered my family the use of his own narrowboat for a very nominal rate.

I'd like to cycle the whole towpath, at my leisure in recent retirement - but I might just cheat a bit, and look into getting an electric bike.