Richard Parry took the right cruise

I WAS glad to see Richard Parry's revised cruise on a narrowboat was down the Staffs & Worcs from Aldersley Junction and through the Bratch, writes Ralph Freeman.

The state of the Staffs & Worcs from Compton down to Stourport is nowhere near as good as the northern stretch from Autherley Junction to Great Haywood; presumably because it is not on the Four Counties Ring and therefore of a lower priority maintenance-wise?

I have cruised this section twice recently and here are just a couple of examples of the problems I noted:

Dimmingsdale Lock

Dimmingsdale lock is in a poor state. The tail gate is leaking so badly that both ground paddles and the gate paddle all need to be raised fully for the lock to fill (see photo). I had to rescue a rather perplexed hire boat crew that were trying desperately to open the head gate with only the nearside paddle and gate paddle open. They were of the impression the gate was stuck. Well it was in a way!

Not only is there a severe leakage problem at this lock but there is a problem with the stability of the lock deck/platform itself. There is a large crack in the decking at the head of the lock and part of the deck retaining wall at the tail of the lock is showing signs of movement. Perhaps this is down to vandalism too?

The Bratch

Being one of the 'show-piece' sites on the system I was surprised to find the two lower chambers to be leaking badly. So badly in fact that by the time a boat had filled and exited the top chamber, the bottom one had emptied itself!

In its present form it would appear CaRT cannot properly maintain even prestige sites such as the Bratch in good order, so what chance is there for the likes of the Peak Forest and Caldon canals I ask?

Rejects propaganda

I just hope Richard Parry spotted some of the many problems with the brickwork, structures and lock gates on the section he travelled and now rejects the 'everything is fine' propaganda issued by the present (now temporary?) incumbents of Ivory Towers. If so then the damage of the 'Evans Years' could be reversed by the creation of a 'CaRT II', provided it becomes focused on maintenance and not PR stunts and property speculation.