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| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| IanM |
Posted - 28 May 2012 : 09:43:55
Shameless promotion time.
This coming weekend is the Stroud On Water Festival, which incorporates the 2012 IWA National Trailboat Festival.
www.stroudonwater.org.uk
There will be about 4km of navigable canal seeing the first significant boat traffic for 70-80 years, including the newly-restored Ryeford Double Lock. We're expecting 30 to 40 visiting boats, including Wilderness boats ("Narrowboat Lite"), 20 foot steam launches and smaller GRP craft, plus 3 or 4 trip boats and a plethora of canoes and stuff. The festival site is canal-side and is the usual mix of beer tents, music stages, beer tents, trade stands, bouncy castles and beer tents.
Jo and I are construction volunteers for the Cotswold Canal Trust and we've been spending every spare minute beavering away on brickwork and slipway construction. Not that we are cutting it fine or anything but today Jo has taken the day off to help with the final concrete pour at one of the slipways. Then it's just a small matter of laying coping stones, constructing the paths, installing the bollards, levelling the spoil heap, landscaping the site, clearing the rubbish and removing the fencing in time for the first boats on Friday. There may be a few late evenings this week...
So cross your fingers for the weather and if you are in the area, come and look at the boats. We're very excited! |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Stan the Man |
Posted - 13 Jun 2012 : 07:48:02
IanM
Despite the initial application for the Phase1B funding falling at the first attempt, I suspect that some of this was to do both with the interim state of the Phase1A work at the time that the LHF inspected the project and the demands of the Jubilee and Olympics during 2012. Upon completion of the vast bulk of Phase1A, then I believe it will be a "shoo-in" for the further funding of Phase1B as connection to the National Network is of prime importance and I'm sure that the LHF will recognise this.
I'm also still intending, once Lady Luck delivers me the expected £160million lottery win, to finance the reconstruction of the Warehouses and Manager's House at Brimscombe Port so you don't need just to rely on the single source of funding - ah well, one can dream!
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| Stan the Man |
Posted - 13 Jun 2012 : 07:39:52
Ken Cattell
Thank for that - seems to introduce some symmetry somehow.
On the Sunday, the Rear Admiral and myself walked from Ryeford Bridge up to the showground so that we could take in the sections we missed on our last visit about seven weeks ago. Having watched a renegade from Formula One negotiate the double lock at Ryeford, we saw Grace approaching so we strolled down to the swing footbridge near Ryeford Bridge and opened it for them - I felt that it was the least that we could do!
Drove up to Wallbridge Upper and strolled along to see the progress at Capel Mill where the 300 metre diversion is being excavated. Much of the site is, not surprisingly fenced off, but although the contractors have only been on the job for two or three weeks, they seem to have made an impressive start with the channel already excavated up to the railway viaduct although not, it would appear, to the required depth. The heavy rain had filled at least the first hundred yards or so of the new excavation so it gave a flavour of how the diversion is going to look when the work is finished. I understand that the contractor undertaking the work is the same chap who carried out the restoration at Ryeford Double Lock and, having chatted to him at the open day last year while work was in progress there, his interest in the work he was doing indicated that it was more than just a job as far as he was concerned. Bodes very well for the results of his endeavours at Capel Mill. |
| Stan the Man |
Posted - 13 Jun 2012 : 07:26:46
IanM
Likewise, it was great to catch up with you and I hope that you are now looking and feeling a little less hassled. The Rear Admiral and myself thoroughly enjoyed our visit and it was great to see a real canal with real boats pootling back and forth. Congratulations to all those involved.
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| canalboy1949 |
Posted - 12 Jun 2012 : 08:43:37
You'll be able to spot which way the Caraboat is going - numberplate on the stern and folded-up tow hitch on the bow! I agree they are one ugly-looking mode of transport, but someone loves this one! |
| IanM |
Posted - 11 Jun 2012 : 21:42:40
quote:
Originally posted by Revolvor
I now work on the other side of Stroud, about 2/3 of the way to Brimscome Port - my office is only 50m from a stretch that is in water, albeit a bit reedy. I will be good to see boats on it again someday.
Pretty much the only certainty is that the canal restoration will reach Brimscombe Port. That is one end of Phase 1A and is fully funded and planned. We're currently saying Spring 2014 for completion of that phase (dates are approximate!) so you may not have to wait too long to see those boats. That will give us 6 miles of continuous navigation from The Ocean at Stonehouse through to Brimscombe Port. The redevelopment of the port itself is still up in the air for now.
Phase 1B is the exciting bit. That's where we get from Stonehouse out to Saul Junction and thus connect with the rest of the main canal/river system. That part is not yet fully funded but is crucial to the long term viability of the canal. Once the funds are there it should only take a couple of more years after 1A. We'll talk about phases 2 and 3, erm, later.
And, yes, Caraboats. They seem like a good concept on paper but they will never be good looking. We had an exciting but slightly nerdy moment when two boats were able to pass each other in opposite directions in Ryeford Double lock for the first time in decades. Unfortunately, one of them was the Caraboat so you can't actually tell which way it is going!
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| Revolvor |
Posted - 11 Jun 2012 : 13:37:11
I too went to the festival. Great to see boats on the canal after so long. I worked about 200 metres away from the festival site until 3 years ago and had not kept up to date with what was happening with the locks. Asked a few people if they knew "IanM" (Sorry - I don't know your surname), but to no avail.
Talking of "Grace" here's a picture, together with another steam launch.
I also saw one of these for the first time. With this you could P$ss- off road users on your way to the water!
 .
I now work on the other side of Stroud, about 2/3 of the way to Brimscome Port - my office is only 50m from a stretch that is in water, albeit a bit reedy. I will be good to see boats on it again someday.
Congratulations and thanks to everyone who worked on the festival - a very interesting afternoon.
John
Roads? Where we're going we don't need roads! |
| IanM |
Posted - 11 Jun 2012 : 09:56:27
Ken and Stan,
Great to meet you both. Sorry that I was unable to spend more time chatting but I'm glad you enjoyed the festival. Behind the scenes there was a certain amount of chaos but hopefully most of the visitors were blissfully unaware!
There were no major dramas over the weekend. Sunday weather was not great but gate takings were still respectable. I don't have the final numbers yet but I think we had around 8000 visitors across the three days and we should be in profit for the whole event. The event was more about promoting the canal than raising money but it was important to not lose money.
It took me two days to recover, both mentally and physically, and judging by how quiet the phone and email went, other folk were the same.
So, that's a couple of miles finished. Just need to tackle the other 34 now...
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| ken cattell |
Posted - 05 Jun 2012 : 11:15:07
Well done Stan, re the trip on Grace. As we was paddleing back to the slip on Saturday that boat was attemting to get a line to the bank, a dodgy throw resulted in the bow line going in the water which then ended up round the prop. With the boat stranded mid cannel being blown west. We ended up taking it in tow back to their original mooring point. One of the crew stripped off and went overboard then to untangle the rope.
It has a nice symentry about it that our favour to them was repaid with a favour to you and we are both connected via this web site. |
| IanM |
Posted - 05 Jun 2012 : 08:47:42
Today. I ache.  |
| Stan the Man |
Posted - 05 Jun 2012 : 05:02:47
Ken Cattell
Ditto to that. The Rear Admiral and I were at the show Sunray and, despite the rain, had an excellent time. Also managed to catch up with IanM who was looking a little stressed after all the hectic efforts of the last few days but they had paid off and we saw a real canal with boats on it! In fact. At times the traffic made the cut seem busier than the GU main line.
After experiencing a short "pootle " on one of the trip boats at the show, we returned on Monday to walk some of the lengths we were unable to see during our last visit some weeks ago. Whilst standing and watching a little wooden steam launch, Grace, locking up at Ryeford, I got chatting to her skipper who enquired if the Rear Admiral and I would like a trip up to the showground. Pausing only to bite off bis arm, two minutes later we were aboard and holding mugs of tea. Out trip was probably only a mile and a half but what a wonderful surprise. It is unlikely that the skipper, Mark, will ever read this but if anyone knows the gentleman concerned, please pass onto him our thanks once again for making our visit so memorable.
Thanks also to IanM, the rest of the CCT team and all those involved in this wonderful event. I realise that IanM's Ferrous Norman 55 does indicate a move to the dark side, but I can now forgive even that! Seriously Ian, you now deserve some quality boating time - you've earned it.
Regards Stan |
| ken cattell |
Posted - 03 Jun 2012 : 23:57:38
Went to the event yesterday used the Canadian canoe to paddle a very pleasent 1 1/2 mile to the event venue. A great mix of stalls, entertainment and displays to see. Sampled a couple of pints of Stroud brewerys offerings (the Buddling was very good and not extotionate at £3.00 a pint) Met with IanM for a brief chat as he was working around the site. A good day, thanks to all who must of worked so hard to make it sucsessful.
Ken |
| df |
Posted - 31 May 2012 : 19:40:42
No interest in canals or sewertubes but unimogs? Now you're talking
When I win the lottery....
NBAS--The communal colostomy bag of the boating community.
Visit leomagill.co.uk |
| IanM |
Posted - 31 May 2012 : 18:11:13
Some rubbish phone pics from yesterday.
Any 'mog fans out there?
That combo is 57 foot and 11 tonnes. I'm told he travelled from the east of England. Maybe he owns an oil refinery....
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| IanM |
Posted - 31 May 2012 : 07:30:42
quote:
Originally posted by ken cattellI assume its just the festival site that opens at 12 but it will be ok to paddle down the cannal to the festival site prior to that.
Yep, as of today that stretch of canal is "open" and will stay open forever (or at least until it falls into disrepair again...). Dudbridge locks have not been completed so the canal consists of a short 300m stretch beside the festival field plus around 4km from west of Dudbridge all the way out to The Ocean at Stonehouse, where there is a shiny new swing bridge. So come, canoe, enjoy! |
| Stan the Man |
Posted - 31 May 2012 : 05:18:26
IanM
It must have been really satisfying to see a visiting "real" boat on the Stroudwater for nigh-on sixty years!
When I win the lottery, I'll splash out on a Sea Otter and moor it at Brimscombe so hurry up and finish Phases 1A/1B.
Regards, Stan |
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