First class to third class!
It was after winding a ground paddle with nothing happening and having problems opening a top gate as the leakage through the bottom two was too excessive that 'She', who was obviously in good voice, comparing the Avon with its well maintained locks and paddles that were all working and nicely painted as 'first class to third class', with everything the opposite. How right she is, for how scruffy and tatty the lower Staffs & Worcs Canal has become, through nothing more than sheer neglect. Here are a few photographs:
Bratch
It is a great shame that such a lovely canal is being allowed to literally go to waste. It seems the poor state of the waterway is putting boaters off, for whilst at Bratch, the two volunteers there—yes my friends, another three lockies having lost their jobs—told us that we were the only boat to go up the locks all morning with three down, and passing so few later there would not have been many more all day.
We actually saw a teenager fishing one day, together with a few of the usual older ones, and is the first young fisher'man' I have seen for many a year, in fact I just cannot remember the last time. So I'm afraid that Cart's campaign to get youngsters to its banks can be classed as another failure.
Mind you there is one angler who is sticking it out—the one on the roof of a house by the side of the waterway— reckon that after all these years he should give it up as a bad job as he is not catching much.
Trouble
Then it was boat trouble. Over the past few days those three 'very good' and very expensive batteries we purchased from Alpha Batteries Ltd of Rochdale with a four years guarantee were obviously giving up the ghost—after just four years—as they would no longer hold a charge, so it was making sure no one was moored behind us in the evenings, as we just had to run the engine to get even a little power.
Oxley Marine
So being on the lower Staffs & Worcs it had to be our Orph Mable of Oxley Marine to the rescue, and luckily he had three decent ones in stock, and at somewhat less than those 'very good' ones from Alpha, but better still, they were fitted for free! And by that most talented of boat engineers, Proficient Phil, who quickly discovered that one of our alternator belts was also on its last legs. Our spare it was found was far too short, and alas there was no replacement in stock, but it seems that Oxley go the extra mile, for without further ado Orph was away collecting a couple, one quickly fitted and one for spare.
And the icing on the cake? Diesel at just 60p a litre!
I find it most annoying that a small company can sell the red stuff at such a low price whilst British Waterways Marina Ltd with its vast buying power charges around 20p a litre more.
Still the same
And would you believe—of course you will—that the broken lock moorings at Roboston Lock have still not been repaired, having included the picture for the past four times we have passed, now going back 11 years, so obviously now little chance of any repair.
The reason no doubt is obvious from the little used state of the towpath that there are only the regular dog walkers, so why bother repairing as no visitors to see it? Anyway, the above is the latest picture.
Good news
But not all is bad, Land & Water are very busy in various locations dredging the waterway, and though there is a notice stating a wait of up to 30 minutes, in every instance the fella on the digger let us straight through.
And though the state of the locks are bad, at least they were easy to operate, and the paddle gear nicely geared, so there is some good news!
Victor Swift