Victor: Stop this senseless sinking

ONCE again a navigation is blocked by a boat sunk in a lock, and again caught on the cill.

This time it is the Leeds & Liverpool again, with a boat stuck in Lock 31 at Gagrave. though not known, it is all too often newcomers, and especially hirers, who just do not know the danger of being too far back in a lock when descending.

Yet all it needs is a notice—from those at CaRT who are only too fond of notices, even today contributor Dave Carden showing yet another silly one, having nothing to do with boating.

Alas, CaRT is so afraid of pointing out the obvious danger, but all it needs is a simple 'Always keep boat forward when descending'.

But no, that might give the impression of danger—that of course there is. It being reported in narrowboatworld in the past, also on the Leeds & Liverpool where disabled people in wheelchairs lost their lives by their boat caught on the cill and being unable to escape.

But still no warning was instigated, just the innocuous word 'cill', more often that not partly obliterated on the ground.

The picture shows a boat caught on the cill of Weston broad lock on the Trent & Mersey that stopped us and 14 others from proceeding.

I have forgotten the number of times when moored above Derwent Mouth Lock when Canaltime was operating from Sawley, being asked by those hirers what 'cill' meant.  Telling not to bother whilst going out, but when they turn around to come back always keep their boats up to the bottom gates or they could sink.

The inconvenience

Then of course there is the inconvenience, and not only to those with the sunken boat but the inconvenience of the stoppage, such as the one some couple of years ago when a boat was trapped in the deep lock off the Kennet & Avon onto the Avon at Bath for a week.

Local efforts to get it out failed, and it was only when at last Cart had the sense to call in River Canal Rescue that it was rather quickly removed. Of course there are many other instances when those that really do not know what they are doing are called in to remove a boat by the uninitiated at CaRT, causing long stoppages.

All so unnecessary if only there was proper warning. Perhaps what it really needs is someone to sue for not giving warning of an obvious danger. Then something might be done.

Started something

Helen Cripps certainly started something when she complained about the cost of visiting Crick, with others quickly adding their views, but who does make all the money?

One year it rained most of the time, so the organisers did not get the expected income from admission charges, though they still made it from the exhibitors who had no refunds, so in that year it certainly wasn't either the exhibitors or food and drinks outlets many of whom would not have covered their costs.

But at least Crick Marina would have received its full income from the ground rents.

Good news at last!

Yes, my friends, good news at last, Keith Gudgin tells us—at long, long last Marple flight has reopened!

How long has it been? I have no idea of the number of times that and the Macclesfield have been closed, but it must surely have been a year,

So at last boaters will be able to get up to the northern canals once again without having to go all around the Bridgewater.

Ahh, but will anyone really want to? We are not risking it that's for sure.

Victor Swift