Something is very wrong

Published: Monday, 25 March 2019

LAST year I complained in your columns about being held-up twice during out cruises, and would you believe it has started again, writes Gerry Varley.

To recap, I was held up by the ludicrous week long stoppage to fixed a couple of strips to a Leicester Section lock to prevent leakage. Then I was really stuck by the lock failure on Bosley Flight, but it is only March, and it has started again!

All closed

Looking back, I mentioned the canals in the North and stated: 'There is little doubt that the northern canals are a complete no-go area if last year is anything to go by as you told that they were all closed'.

This was caused by lack of water, so I thought that this year I will start early when water is plentiful, so have made it on to the Stainforth & Keadby, but 'here we go again', I'm going to be stuck at Wykewell Lift Bridge, and reading your remarks there is little knowledge when it will be repaired.

Good idea after all?

I am heading for the Leeds & Liverpool, but see that already its swing bridges are failing again, so am wondering if it is a good idea after all.

It all begs the question—what is happening? I am one of those who has been boating many, many years, in fact first writing to your site right back when it first started, yet in those days there were not all these stoppages one after another. Something is very wrong.

[Gerry Varley first wrote in narrowboatworld in 2002.]