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YAY !!! It isn’t much but it’s better than the usual lack of maintenance !

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-66961649 Lift bridges on the Oxford canal are going to be upgraded ! It’s nice to be able to report something positive for a change, unfortunately we’re only talking about four bridges which is a bit like a proverbial drop in the ocean but hey, credit where credit is due eh? CRT are of course blowing their own trumpet about the project…  https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/news-and-views/news/lb650000-lift-for-iconic-oxford-canal-bridges but I guess that’s to be expected as they’re splashing out £650,000 on the project. However, work on Chisnell lift bridge (no.193) has been funded by “support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery“, which has donated over £16 million so far to “a range of important waterway and wellbeing projects”. The project will see the bridges fitted with hydraulic winding gear in order to upgrade them and… Read More »YAY !!! It isn’t much but it’s better than the usual lack of maintenance !

Wet Wigan

Trust finally pledges to plug Wigan canal leak that has swamped footpath for years https://www.wigantoday.net/news/environment/trust-finally-pledges-to-plug-wigan-canal-leak-that-has-swamped-footpath-for-years-4352652 After four years of claiming that responsibility for a flooded footpath lay with a local land owner CRT have finally admitted that in fact the  stagnant water flooding the footpath is from the adjacent canal, and is actually CRT’s responsibility. A spokesperson for Canal and River Trust, ignoring the fact of CRT’s denial of responsibility for four years said: “We are grateful this issue has been brought to our attention.” The trust has now promised to carry out repairs, although it is with the caveat “when time and resources allow.” so basically, don’t expect it to happen any time soon ! As usual, CRT are bleating about 250 year old infrastructure and lack of funds… Read More »Wet Wigan

More From Nantwich

Last week while walking the towpath I was rather surprised to see workboats on hire from Rothen Group dredging at bridge 92 and a few days later on friday at bridge 91. Speaking to the crew I was informed that they were dredging specifically in order to free up the two ‘stop gates’ because they were badly silted up and unuseable. It seems that CRT have finally decided that it is time to do something about the towpath side embankment which has been moving ‘sideways’ for several years now. Also along the embankment on friday were a survey crew with a theodolite who were measuring the movement of marker studs placed into the towpath tarmac. They informed me that this is now a fortnightly duty for them and I’m not… Read More »More From Nantwich

Can’t Repair Taps ?

Just one example of CRT ‘maintenance ! It isn’t a great photo I’ll admit but it is an example of what CRT think ‘maintenance’ looks like ! Unfortunately this type of bodge is only too common, it is a small thing but all the small things soon add up and before long there’s a whole load of half fixed, bodged up, unsolved maintenance issues all around the system. Submit your photos to boaters@continuouscruiser.com